Plastic Classic Forum

CharlieJ

Thanks, but I must give credit here- ALL that interior paint was done by Laura, all the wood trim was varnished and installed by Laura, all the cushions were sewn by Laura AND the electrical panel you see in the third picture was built by her two days before we launched. She also did all the repair ...

CharlieJ

lol- Of course, the "something" that got most of that red off was called Laura http://downloads.c-2.com/photos/1210009542.jpg Maybe I should post a pic of what we started with huh? Here- http://downloads.c-2.com/photos/1209648705.jpg And here's today http://downloads.c-2.com/photos/1209648...

CharlieJ

Norton makes a wire wheel, with a plastic hub and steel fingers around the outside, that the Gougeons have tested and say gives a good tooth for epoxy work. It should work well for glossy surfaces also. Probably have a write up in one of their Epoxy Works mags online. You chuck it up in a drill moto...

CharlieJ

Bead curtains? You mean like we had in our pads in the 60s? No, not on a boat I haven't.

CharlieJ

For the wood parts, it's hard to beat just straight epoxy, particularly if you intend to epoxy fill. I'd certainly not put anything between the wood and the epoxy filler BUT epoxy. I assume the fitting is the rudder bottom fitting. Probably bronze. I'd epoxy that too, then apply the bottom paint. On...

CharlieJ

On my trimaran, I had a wooden dowel slid into a set of eye screws that fit it. We sewed a sleeve into one end of a nice beach towel (had a lion centered on it), and used that. On one boat we redid the interior on for someone, Laura made a set of curtains to close off the fore cabin from sunbrella, ...

CharlieJ

Exactly like I work Rachel. I believe your reasoning is quite sound.

CharlieJ

I'll go along with Tim on this one also. I don't like Brightsides at all. I find it gives poor coverage, is hard to manage to get smooth coats and isn't at all durable. I recently gave away an brand new unopened can of the stuff. I've heard good things about TopLac, but I've not used that. I was usi...

CharlieJ

Not I, but then I don't splice either- I tie my halyards to the shackles using a Buntline Hitch. That way when the halyard wears a bit I can cut off 6 inches and retie. Plus the hitch stops the halyard from jamming in the sheaves.

CharlieJ

Figment- perhaps so, But I've never tried that. My math skills totally suck so I've got to trust yours-grin.

I CAN read a ruler or balance my check book most of the time.

CharlieJ

not a bad idea, but again- there's a very simple way of mixing small amounts. For a 2-1 epoxy, just use a straight sided container and mark off a 2 increment line on a stick, then go up one more increment and make another line. Fill the container with resin to the first mark, hardener to the second,...

CharlieJ

I think a good working chain stopper would make a HUGE difference in pulling chain. Which is why I want one on our boat. When I lived a board my Cross 35 Trimaran,. and cruised full time, I carried a 35 pound plow and 100 feet of 5/16 G4 chain. I didn't have a windlass then either, and didn't ever f...

CharlieJ

Very nice. I have your site now bookmarked. Thanks

CharlieJ

I don't have a windlass either. We carry 75 feet of G4 and a 22 pound Claw as our bower. I have no difficulties hauling anchor manually (and I'm 67) nor does my 5 '2" 110 pound wife. Any heavier and we'd most likely be looking into some sort of windlass, but so far we've really not seen the nee...

CharlieJ

I have the same setup on my Meridian. What I did was peen one end first, outside the rudder shoe. Then I inserted it, put a heavy weight on the side I peened ( I used a wheel weight off a tractor- about 25-30 pounds of cast iron) and used a small ballpeen hammer to peen the other end. Light taps and...

CharlieJ

What Tim said.

Building molded sanding blacks is great IF you are in production- for "one-of" work, by the time you conceive the block and build it, you could probably be done with the sanding.

It's not a fun job, but if you just bite the bullet and DO it, you get it done fairly quickly.

CharlieJ

I ALWAYS roll on one more thin coat of epoxy over ANY fairing compound. Then sand once more and you should be ready to go. By the way, unless there is a reason for using a filling primer, well sanded epoxy is a very good primer in and of itself. Alkyd enamels, 2 part polyurethanes and paints like Br...

CharlieJ

lol- yep- my favorite beer- Shiner Bock, just went up 2 bucks a 12 pack in the last week. Now over 14 bucks for 12 long necks.

CharlieJ

yeah- people who haven't experienced Blue Bell really don't understand. I was reading some statistics about them. They only sell Blue Bell in 13 states, yet they have the third largest sales in the entire country. When they moved into a new area ( opened a creamery in Georgia) they claimed 36% of th...

CharlieJ

lol- Zach- I must have 15 different sanders around the shop, but like Tim, I always wind up hand sanding those corners. One thing you might try to help a bit- get yourself a computer mouse pad and cut some sanding blocks from that. Make it so a 1/4 sheet will wrap around so you can hold the edges. T...

CharlieJ

Rachel- just console yourself - it ISN'T Bluebell-Grin

CharlieJ

Thanks- Laura maintains the brightwork on Tehani- she likes it to look like that, so she spends the time making it happen. I'd probably oil it-grin. But we have sunbrella covers for the hand rails which stay on while the boat is slipped- that helps a LOT in prolonging the varnish. In fact, we HAVE b...

CharlieJ

Yes, it's most definitely possible to stain the wood. But you could also use some oxalic acid and bath the wood in that first to help even out the color. It's a highly recommended wood bleach. We used it often in the wood shop when we were refinishing furniture to get rid of stains. That was my busi...

CharlieJ

On your Nutshell, the regular tape more than likely contributed adequate strength FOR THAT BOAT. I've built quite few boats designed by Graham Burns of B and B Yacht design. He specifies when Bi-ax should be used and when it isn't needed, he specs 3 or 4 inch tape. In fact, the only boat I've built ...

CharlieJ

Also in building tack and tape boats like I do, Bi-ax is used to tape the chines on larger ones. Gives great strength. Ordinary fiberglass tape winds up with half the strands running longitudinally, which contributes little or nothing to the strength of the joint. Bi-ax with the strands oriented at ...

CharlieJ

Your pictures are too small for these old eyes to see, but I'd guess shrinkage of the filler. You didn't mention putting any glass over the surface. If I use ply exposed on the outside of the boat I ALWAYS add at least one layer of cloth over it. Stops those little cracks around the edges and stops ...

CharlieJ

I often use a well waxed ( mold release wax) sheet of formica. Epoxy just pops right back off.

CharlieJ

You may be closer to the truth than I am, for where you are and from your keeping it covered. But here, the sun can be BRUTAL, even in spring and fall. So I have to base my answers on what I personally have experienced And of course if you are painting, you have much more leeway. But the epoxy WILL ...

CharlieJ

winter time, up north, maybe 5 - 6 months or even longer Summer time, down south where I live- 2 months max If it's only gonna be a few weeks don't worry about it over much. If it's gonna be quite a while, get a can of West #420 aluminum powder, mix that into your final two coats. That will extend t...

CharlieJ

lol- Bcooke- it's an old boat and I'm and old guy, so why not use the old ways? Grin Quetzalsailor- that's exactly how it's used in layups. Many builders of small glass boats use nothing BUT matt, except where heavy internal reinforcing is required. I personally don't like roving to roving in more t...

CharlieJ

ROFL- He should see my latest drivers license photo. Laura says "I don't know that mean SOB"

Grin

CharlieJ

People laying up 3/8 inch thick new additions to cabin structures do, such as when I reduced my companionway from 32 x 32 down to 24 X 24 and added a seahood.

Alternate layers of matt and roving, topped with 10 oz cloth.

CharlieJ

Fiberglass work is, at best, messy. It need not be a disaster, though, nor a federal case. Especially when working with matt!! I sometimes have felt my hands were big sticky balls of random glass fibers. Hey Tim- I used to make a screen of really small rabbit wire mesh to put in the bottom of the a...

CharlieJ

white vinegar. Slotted rollers, brushes, metal tools squeegees, filleting tools. Hands- but I'm ALWAYS wearing gloves so seldom have it on hands. I cut all rollers to 3 inch lengths, use them once or twice and chunk 'em. Most are beginning to come apart by then anyway. If I'm going to reuse the roll...

CharlieJ

I have- I taped off some steps on a boat I built and loaded the area with sand- model railroad ballast sand in fact. That was four years ago and the owner is still quite happy with his non skid steps into the cabin. I used Z-Spar 2015, which is my varnish of choice in our sun, inside and outside I a...

CharlieJ

I just go to the drug store and buy new ones- 50 cents a piece. A vet friend gave me some cattle needles - those have BIG tubes- sure pity the cow. But they work great for epoxy- just wash 'em out with vinegar

CharlieJ

Getting difficult to find 'em, but I use a doubled pipe cleaner to wet out the inside of holes, etc.

CharlieJ

On the other hand- just a painted panel can be nice too.. Here's the box my wife built for Tehani, our Meridian 25. It latches on the inboard side and hinges to swing outboard for access to the back.

CharlieJ

Were are in the process of building a new floor and table for our Columbia 34. You mean a new sole? (couldn't resist and had to beat Rachel) rofl- she emailed me yesterday to tell me she was biting her tongue. It is very work by the way. Looks VERY professional. I sure hope it's oiled rather than v...

CharlieJ

I visited a local floor covering place in the relatively large town close to us. They also install counter tops and had a HUGE selection of smaller pieces of formica in various colors and grades. All left over stuff from installations. I picked up a small ( 2 x 2 ) piece for very little cash. Scout ...

CharlieJ

There's an M 17 way out across the Pacific now, on a circumnav. I don't know the website, but he's almost to, or has reached Australia I think.

The NS 27 would be a heckuva offshore boat

CharlieJ

I agree- I think that's way overkill. My chain plates on my 35 foot trimaran were 1 1/2 wide by 1/4 thick stainless. PLENTY of strength there. Multihulls load rigging far more than monohulls do, size for size, which is why they carry heavier rigging. Just be sure you drill the holes correctly- SLIGH...

CharlieJ

To get a good bond to lead, the Gougeon's recommend sanding with a rough grit THROUGH the wet epoxy. Then you have zero chance of oxidation on the lead ( or other metal you are bonding). Once that coat cures to a green stage, you can apply the epoxy filler. Works well on cast iron surfaces also. On ...

CharlieJ

ROFL- that was several years ago, during summer time. But I DO have to mow this weekend. For the fourth time this winter too.

CharlieJ

I didn't cut the PVC- I cut the initial layup of glass- would work the same way with a 12 diameter chunk of PVC. Mold release wax the pvc, spray on or roll the gel coat, let it tack, wind on tape to about 1/8 thick, cut it, pop it off the pipe, glue the cut edge back together ( used 5 minute epoxy) ...

CharlieJ

Last teak I priced was about $22 dollars a board foot. What she has is over 8 board feet, so if it's good teak and not junk, yeah- that's ballpark. At least it isn't outrageous for teak.

CharlieJ

The Gougeon's used to call for ammonia water. They have dropped the ammonia part now-

CharlieJ

as simple as that, as Tim says. Or you can use a bucket of water and a scrubber, then just wipe it down dry.

It's really not the bugaboo people make it out to be.

CharlieJ

Yep- about 2 inch diameter, with a cover that retracts as you push down. Rachel- it's really slick, I can cut strips of tape from a piece of cloth as fast as I can lay a straight edge down and roll the thing along. Put a piece of cardboard under so you don't cut the table you're working on. just wal...

CharlieJ

forget scissors. Go to the fabric department at Walmart ( or any other fabric shop) and get a fabric cutter. It's a roller device with a razor sharp wheel in it. Lay a straight edge down and run the wheel along it- sharp, straight cuts. Costs less than 10 bucks. I've used mine through the building o...

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