Removing Teak Bungs

[StormSailer]

Need suggestions for removing the teak bungs, with as little splintering as possible, of handrails, eyebrows and dorade boxes. Need to re-set to stop minor leaks. Thanks a million.

[SkiprJohn]

Use a small blade chisel or sharpen an old screwdriver. The chisel needs to be a smaller width than the diameter of your bung. Put the chisel in the center of the bung and wrap it with mallet. Once you've split the bung enough to dig it out just start removing the rest of the bung. Make new bungs using a plug cutter in your drill press and use a teak scrap for the material.
You won't save your bungs from being destroyed while removing them. Hopefully the previous owner used varnish to set them in place and they'll be easy to remove. Set them with varnish again and set them with the grain of your bung going the same direction as the grain of your handrail or dorade. I read your post as resetting the bungs to stop leaks but I'm certain you meant rebedding the items. Right?
kind regards,

[gonesail]

the trick is to dig them out without touching or gouging the edges of the hole .. sometimes almost impossible. i like the idea of inserting a screwdriver but suggest you then twist it and that usually releases the bung and then you can lift it out.

[PamlicoTraveler]

I had trouble removing some a few weeks back and was told to use a Forstner bit on a drill. It is difficult to keep from pulling up the veneer and having it splinter. I haven't tried the Forstner yet...

[perchance]

Could try drilling a pilot hole and using a wood screw to lever them out. May not work but worth a try

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by perchance

Could try drilling a pilot hole and using a wood screw to lever them out. May not work but worth a try

That's the way my father taught me to do it.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by perchance

Could try drilling a pilot hole and using a wood screw to lever them out. May not work but worth a try

Best way to start.... if that fails move to small chisel...

[nv5l]

I tried the screw method, but it split out some of my handrail -- maybe it's just a bad idea with thin handrails. Anyway, I used a small chisel on the rest and didn't have any problems. Like anything else, shortcuts end up costing you in the long run.

[capngeo]

a small SHARP chisel is the way I was taught as an apprentice... still works for me 40 years later

[casual]

Forstner drill bit,about 3/4 the size of the Bun,Them a Mechanics pick to lift out the outer portion of the bun alsouse amechanich pick to clean slot in screw,Taken out thousands this way,least damageing way I,have ever found.

[roverhi]

I use a #14 x 1" hex head screw with the proper size nut driver bit in my electric screwdriver. The hex head and a magnetized driver but make a very stable combination so you can control how the screw digs in. It will either pull the plug out cleanly or tear out the interior of the plug. If the latter, a thin bladed screw driver or small chisel to clean out the rest of the plug. Just did a 100 plus that way removing my toe rail with only one splintering out a bit of the wood of the rail and that one is barely noticable. Thought for sure I'd have to replace the rail but it went so well that I reused them.

I used to put the plugs in with glue. Have changed over to using varnish. A lot easier to get varnish installed plugs out should the need arise.

[Danosimp3]

Small wood screw and vise grips. you'll need to get a new bung for you bung hole. ROTFLOL...I've been waiting a long time to have a good reason to say bung hole in a post!

[minaret]

I always use G5 five minute epoxy from WEST to glue in bungs. I'd rather have them hard to remove than leaky or shrinking away from the edge, and it doesnt leave a dark ring around the bung either. Plus as a pro I really appreciate the five minute cure time, it means you can chisel off your proud bungs and start sanding for finish as soon as you put them in, no standing around watching varnish dry. I also think much of the varnish gets sucked into the wood, leaving a glue-starved joint with no gap filling properties, particularly in anything but teak. G5 is nice and thick, cures hard as nails in five minutes, easy to chisel. Gotta mix it in small batches though, only 20-30 plugs at a time, that stuff is hot! It's also thick enough that it doesn't soak into the wood and cause a problem with mismatching/discoloration around your bungs when you seal for varnish.

[forsailbyowner]

Did you drill a hole before using the screw when you had the cracking? I used drywall screws with a sixteenth inch hole when I did mine last time and had no problems.

[FlyingCloud1937]

Originally Posted by forsailbyowner

Did you drill a hole before using the screw when you had the cracking? I used drywall screws with a sixteenth inch hole when I did mine last time and had no problems.

drywall screws, no pilot for me.

I have done thousands upon thousands.

saw off the the head of the drywall screw chuck it up in a high torque slow trigger drill motor..cordless to be exact.

Prior to inserting the screw...be sure to sand the finish to wood.

Lloyd