David Kilnapp Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 Hello friends. I'm stumped. My cousin brought me his Vortalex which has a problem. The hole that the winged bolt screws into (on the neck) is nearly stripped of threads. The winged bolt is also nearly threadbare. See pictures below. Is there a fix that doesn't involve replacing the neck piece? I was thinking that maybe there is a sleeve that I could slip tightly into the hole and then use a smaller wing bolt? Suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Adornato Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 (edited) Maybe a Helicoil insert, and thread the bolt for a smaller thread pattern to fit? Edited November 10, 2023 by Todd Adornato 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilnapp Posted November 10, 2023 Author Share Posted November 10, 2023 Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I found a thread repair kit for short money on Amazon. But that still leaves me needing to find the right wing bolt that will work with the new threads. Might be less fuss and cheaper all around to see if I can find a new neck with the right bolt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Adams Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 That is fairly common. I usually drill them & retap to a larger size, then use a regular bolt. Otherwise you will need to follow Todd’s idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm MacGregor Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 Try Chad Baker at AFP. I am sure he has that wing screw. IF you need to retap the hole, I have a brass screw Darryl made for me that would fit flush. I owe you a favor. Â I need to figure out the thread size, Â give me a while to check the thread size of the brass screw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilnapp Posted November 11, 2023 Author Share Posted November 11, 2023 Hold off, for a bit Mal. I'm going to take it to our favorite brass guy tomorrow. He has a helicoil kit setup. Stay tuned.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm MacGregor Posted November 11, 2023 Share Posted November 11, 2023 Ok , I sent you an email with pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Andersen Posted November 11, 2023 Share Posted November 11, 2023 I dont know about the wing bolt part but I have filled in holes with brazing before and then retapped them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjun Saini Posted November 11, 2023 Share Posted November 11, 2023 That vortalex looks very familiar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kilnapp Posted November 11, 2023 Author Share Posted November 11, 2023 It's a common color and and it's a common fan but it is perfectly suited for the bedroom. I took the fan to Ron Bethoney today (New England Brass Refinishing). He repaired it for me on the spot. He drilled out the hole, then used a tapered device to put threads into the white metal. Finally, he screwed in the heli-coil. The last thing he did was provide a smaller wing nut - he can do it all - and I walked out with a perfectly repaired fan. It's good to have friends like Ron (and his kind wife, and two sons also). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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