Plan B - Rummaged through the tote and retrieved a Starrett 16mm hole saw without a pilot drill in it. Bingo; I know these will work because in extremis I've even used them sans pilot drill to cut holes in steel trunking. The trick is to get the drill at top speed, get a really firm, braced grip and caress it at a slight angle into the timber such that it almost 'sands' out a horseshoe shaped guiding kerf for itself. If you try to plunge it in or chicken out and try it at slow speed it will just kick violently and chatter but once you're a couple of milimetres in it'll stay there. No matter how careful you are or slowly you try to feed it at the start it'll probably grab and kick back sooner or later so I wouldn't be doing this on any timber I wasn't prepared to scrap.


Sorry about the cruddy phone pics btw.

See what I mean about that arbour saw, it gave the case a little 'love bite'!


Can't really call that a screw any more never mind a "fastener". I could have spent another two days having a go at digging out the heads and extracting each individual one but it would have been completely pointless. all were in the same state and "not for turning". (Oop, liddlebiddapolitix there



Once I'd got the required depth I did another cut below the first to gut out as much of the remainder and as close to the joint line as I dared.
The last one on the port side was the only one that's come out damp so far but I'm pretty sure there's another one lurking under the knee.

That Starrett is like a knife through butter and rigidly made of quality steel; I would definitely NOT try this with one of those multi-blade multi-size 'universal' pound shop hole cutters. A few hours work and I've got 3/4 of the way round the case, that's pretty good going I reckon.

and the "Remains of the Day"....

In theory the only thing holding the case on now is the 2mm long stumps of the screw shanks, a bit of epoxy doing its best to grip sodden timber at the front and whatever was used as the jointing medium when it was built, be that sealant or adhesive?
The objective is to get this fellah out as one complete undamaged unit, firstly so I can use it as the dimensioned 3D template for the new one and mainly because that's how it's gonna have to be re-installed. It looks as though it will as there's enough flex in the main thwart to allow for some twisting and shoving. If it really won't wiggle in then I'll throw a pair of ratchet straps around it with a temp brace inside to hold shape and chop out the rear thwart. I've already put a pair around the launch trolley's frame and tightened them up to meet the hull and support the weight of me inside. I've cut some rough 4mm ply floors to spread the load as I'm standing/kneeling on the hull panels.
Any thoughts on the best way to separate the glue or sealant line or do I just start at the aft end by working a few scraper blades in there. The case doesn't matter and I'm thinking that the blade will take the timber of least resistance. If I chamfer or bevel the underside of its edge that will also encourage it to preferentially cut upwards away from the hog and into the softwood rails. Desperation tool is a wire saw with me on one end and a bungee on the other end to do the return stroke. Could work? Ah wait a minute, there're those new oscillating blade side cutter affairs out now aren't there. They've always looked a bit too 'model builder' rather than serious DIY/site tool though. Anyone ever used one in anger on anything bigger or tougher than picture frame stock?
Now is also the time to consider what material to use for the new screws. It's a toss up between Sil-Bronze or stainless steel. I'm looking at the tub of stainless fasteners I've removed so far and not one shows any sign of corrosion at all. OK they've only been in there a few years and not strictly speaking in an anaerobic environment but nevertheless they look good to go again. The actual real world longevity of the sil-bronze option I'm not sure about although they would look better, ...maybe... A mix of bright stainless fittings and polished or patinated bronze never really looks right through my eyes.
So my real question is; will stainless fasteners be suitable for the case hog joint?