Pro tip: A simple bolt replacement on a Boston harbor barge turned into a three day job

The nut was seized solid from saltwater corrosion, and we had to torch it off underwater without damaging the flange. That single task ate up 24 hours of dive time we hadn't budgeted for. What's your go-to method for dealing with badly corroded fasteners in saltwater?

3 comments

3 Comments

gray_morgan4d ago

Sounds like a great way to turn a simple bolt job into a week-long welding course.

logan5614d ago

Heard a guy on a podcast talk about using a product called a "nut splitter" for that exact problem. It's basically a tool you hammer onto the nut that cracks it open. Sounds way better than trying to cut it off with a torch, especially underwater where you can't see great. That torch method seems like a last resort because you can wreck the whole part. A splitter might save a ton of time if you can get it in place. Saltwater just destroys everything, makes every simple job a nightmare.

aaron7404d ago

That podcast guy must have perfect underwater vision. Hammering a splitter onto a seized nut in murky water sounds like a two person job with a lot of swearing. I'd still keep the torch on the boat just in case.