Heard a salvage guy say "it's easier to just cut everything" and it got me thinking

Was at a dive shop in Norfolk last week getting my regs serviced and overheard this older salvage diver talking to some new kid. Kid was asking about recovering a small outboard motor off a wreck in 40 feet and the old guy just shrugged and said it's easier to just cut everything with a grinder instead of trying to unbolt it. I get that time is money on a job but we lose so much gear to laziness like that. Had a buddy spend 3 hours last month fighting a seized prop shaft because someone before him must have taken an angle grinder to everything within reach. Has anyone else run into this kind of "just cut it" attitude causing more work down the line?

3 comments

3 Comments

cole_baker1mo ago

Oh yeah, nothing says "professional salvage" like turning a seized bolt into a bigger headache for the next poor sucker. Real easy fix 'til you gotta drill out all those nubs.

wyatt_mitchell261mo ago

Soak that sucker in Kroil or a 50/50 ATF-acetone mix overnight before you even think about touching it. Take a sharp punch and center it dead on the nub before you start drilling, or you'll walk that bit right off the edge. Honestly, a left-handed drill bit and an easy-out set saves you from making the hole bigger than it needs to be.

the_lee1mo ago

Swear by that ATF and acetone mix, saved my bacon more than once on rusty tractor bolts. Left hand bits are a GODSEND too, takes all the guesswork out of it.