Preview: The Boltinator: An Ingenious Tool for Extracting Keel Bolts & Bearings
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September 28, 2016
Email this Video to a FriendGot keel bolts to pull? Or perhaps you’d like to pull a hole in the time-space continuum? This shop-built tool does the trick smoothly and with great power.
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Comments, Thoughts or Suggestions?You can leave a comment or question for OCH and members below. Here are the comments so far…
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10 Responses So Far to “The Boltinator: An Ingenious Tool for Extracting Keel Bolts & Bearings”
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Donald Jones says:
Can this be adapted to split wood? Because those Hydraulic log splitters are damned expensive.
Steve Stone says:
Hi Donald. Others might weigh in more adeptly, but it sure moves very slowly to think about knocking out cord wood, at least for 3 cords of wood for a winter in Maine anyway.
Sean Hogben says:
Great machine, especially being driven by a battery drill. Like a reverse boring bar. We used one of about 6ft in length to bore the 1 1/2″ shaft tunnel for a prop shaft through 3ft of southern blue gum stern post and knee. Ned Trewartha spent a day and a bit sitting in a chair with an ancient but gutsy power drill putting through a 5/8″ pilot hole. The threaded rod boring bar went through that and was held front and back by hand made feet. The boring bar had keyways which held adjustable cutters and the rod was hand cranked. But such was the multiplied power of the Archimedes screw it cut a beautifully true hole through extremely dense Tassie hardwood very smoothly. Borrowed by our mentor Bill Foster from Purdon & Featherstone, who may well have been using them in Hobart from the turn of the 20th century,.
David Tew says:
Makes me smile, too!
Curt Bowman says:
Often keel bolts have lower, cast conical ends that defy upward pull. And at times they are broken due to wasp-waisting corrosion (ie black iron) at deadwood or keel seams leaving the lower section lodged after the upper portion is extracted. Could it push as well as pull?
Paul Cammaroto says:
Thanks for Sharing OCH Ingenious Device
When we man our first colony on Mars; they would be wise to include a Boat-builder .
Steve Stone says:
AND a Boltinator, Paul, as they may need to pull a hole in the time-space continuum.
David Mowen says:
We’ve a ton of keel-bolts on an Alden 43′, 1924 Schooner to get out, in prep for a keel replacement. Our admiration of Joe’s and Kit’s creation, which our shop now has started re-creating for our own use. We will suitably engrave it with, “Haven boat Work’s Boltinator”.
Thanks to ‘Off-Center Harbor’ for making this innovation known to us folks who keep wooden boat history afloat.
Dave Mowen
Stephen Kessler says:
I need one! I don’t know why. I just need one!
Paul Cronin says:
Very cool engineering, one smart guy. And it sounds like a smart crew. Great one to share, thanks