Threaded holes

[chevynut]

When painting a frame or parts with threaded holes do you need to do anything to keep paint out of the threaded holes? I have a lot of them and don't want issues like chipping paint when putting fasteners back in. Do you just need to chase threads, or do you put fasteners in the holes to plug them while painting?

It may seem like a dumb question, but I don't want to wish I did something.

[NickP]

Interesting question. I think anything in the hole would present an issue when time to remove it came. Having said that, the folks that do my powder coating use special plugs that dont allow paint in the holes and remove pretty easy. You might try finding them.

http://www.customfabricate.com/silicone-plugs.html

[Rick_L]

Seems like the right way to do it would be to screw some short pieces of all thread in the holes.

[NickP]

That certainly sounds like a plausible solution but whatabout possible adhesion of paint to the stud and after the cure time wouldremoval be risky relative to tearing or cracking the paint?

[chevynut]

I guess I'll ask my painter what he recommends since he does this all the time. I know sometimes it's hard to get paint into corners/holes, so maybe it's not even worth worrying about.

[Rick_L]

You could always put some kind of lube on the threads of the plugs to avoid "tearing" the paint when you remove the plug. There are products made for just that purpose, masking threads or even emblems/id tags.

[567chevys]

we have used silicone Plugs, also they make Threaded nylon plugs . I have also used ear plugs when younger

[Mike56]

I cut off short pieces of a bolt or all thread. After that I use a cut off wheel to cut a slot in one end and install them into threaded holes with a screwdriver. This saves me a lot of clean up/ clear out time later.