1-inch or 1-1/8 inch hole saw? What about the bottom of the plug? How do I remove it without chuncking from the underside deck?
For FCS fin plug removal I use a rotozip tool. Tape all around the area real good and cut the thing out free hand. Then I grab the bad plug and break it out with some pliers or other handy tool
Maybe not the “pro” method but it works for me using tools that I already have.
Ray
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1-inch or 1-1/8 inch hole saw? What about the bottom of the plug? How do I remove it without chuncking from the underside deck?
If you’re trying to save the plug, do this: Using a 1-1/8" hole saw (with center bit in place) cut a hole in a thin piece of wood or masonite. Take the bit out of the hole saw’s bit holder (it should be held in place by a set screw), then place the wood with the hole in it over the plug(s) you want to remove with the hole lined up over the outside edge of the plug. Now, bear down on the wood and put the hole saw in place and using your drill (of course), cut the hole around the plug. When you’ve reached the plug’s bottom depth, you can pop it out with little or no damage by inserting a 3/4" chisel in the slot and twisting. Just make sure you’re cutting the hole around the plug and not partially cutting it. Cutting a little of the side is no big deal, but cutting fore or aft, you may have to add a little tape to the plug if you reinstall it to keep resin from getting inside the fin slot.
I’ve done a complete retrofit on an old board using plugs from a broken one. The biggest pain is getting all the resin off the used plugs. You can sand it down on the sides and bottom, or just take a screwdriver and lightly pry on them, takes time, but it should all come off. When reinstalling, take a matchstick with no head and hot glue it to the top of the plug in line and right beside the fin slot. This will hold the top of the plug even with your board’s bottom surface. Carefully add resin, as you have no lip to keep resin out of the fin slots. Grind excess resin down smooth.
There you have it…
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1-inch or 1-1/8 inch hole saw?
Yes, whichever one you have. 1 1/4" is too big. Set the pilot drill maybe 1/16" or so deeper than the tips of the teeth. I like to drill a smaller diameter pilot hole in a busted FCS tab, set that in the slot so that the hole saw won’t be chattering as it goes down. Then it should be pretty much cutting foam rather than the harder plastic/glue-and-foam and it’ll follow the plug down nicely.
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What about the bottom of the plug?
Drill only til you get to the bottom of the plug, insert a heavy screwdriver in the slot and twist- generally it’ll shear off at the glue/foam bond.
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How do I remove it without chuncking from the underside deck?
Firm, slow pressure, don’t wrench it. Let the foam fail slowly, it’ll shear pretty clean - leastwise it does for me. hope that’s of help doc…
Howzit doc, My last FCS order came with a new installation manual that covers the new plugs. they also had a section on plug removal and it said that after drilling the hole stick a big screw driver in the slot and pull the driver to the side before twisting the plug, Haven’t had to use this process yet, but I have had the the center foam core pop out when just twisting the plug to remove. I think it’a hit or miss thing when removing broken plugs.Aloha,Kokua
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1-inch or 1-1/8 inch hole saw? What about the bottom of the plug? How do I remove it without chuncking from the underside deck?
I used a router, carefully, after removing the set screw, of course. With patience, comes out very clean.
Hey, Kokua
You know, that method makes a lot of sense, it’d put some of the foam in a little tension and some in a little compression and y’know, I’ll bet that’d help make the plug shear pretty cleanly out if it didn’t come really, really easy with a light try first…
I agree, getting the things out is very much hit or miss proposition - some come so easy that you wonder how they stayed in in the first place and some you consider blasting 'em out…
ah well…that’s why we’re doing this and not assembling junk in Detroit.
Best regards, as ever
doc…