RickK's 170 rebuild

[RickK]

Why post once when you can post twice?

Huh?

[RickK]

Rick, white vinigar cleans up uncured epoxy better than anything else I have found.

As expensive as DNA is it might be worth taking a look at the vinegar - thanks for the tip  

[slvrlng]

Looking really nice Rick!

Here is a link to a thread over on Bateau2 where the guy is building a hardtop. He vacuumed the foam onto a mold he made. Some good info for all you guys about to try this!!!

http://forums.bateau2.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=58215

[RickK]

Bilge paint is nice and dry this morning - a little cool here, expected maybe it wouldn't cure yet but it did.
I can finally start getting boxes out of my way.     A Johnson pump 1000gph bilge pump with electronic float switch built in.  I have the same switch on both pumps in the 230 and they work great.  I'll wait until it warms up here a little more and then stick the pump down with this DAP product.  We'll see how it works.  I hate how you have to buy a BIG tube of 5200 and then use a small bit of it and then when you go back the tube is hardened - big waste of money.

[dirtwheelsfl]

Beauty!         On the 5200, I gave up on trying to save it a long time ago. I just leave the tip on, don't cover it or anything. The stuff in the tip will cure, then I take the tip off and remove that cured portion and run the end of the tube with a drill bit and it usually clears the small cured bit in the end of the tube and youre good to go. I keep some new tips around incase I cant reuse the used one...

[gran398]

Take a long flat head screw and push it into the tube when you're through. Eventually the top of the tube will harden...at that point just stick a nail through the soft part of the tube and squeeze out what's left.

[seabob4]

Pretty much what dirt and Scott said.  My current tube is several months old, no probs, I cut off the tip so I can thread a 10-24 machine screw in it.

BTW, cartridges of 5200 are still $11 at my HD in Spring Hill...

[RickK]

I "backed" the underside of front of the cap with poly, 3/4oz, 1708, plascore and 1708.  Solid like a rock and it has a crown to it so I'm leaving the weight on it for the night.

[RickK]

Added a piece of PVC with 5 min epoxy for the bilge exhaust


Should be secure.

[RickK]

Made a little support bracket for the vent and fuel hose.  This way I won't get any negative droops in the hose. It's tacked with 5min epoxy, held together with tape for the 5 min and I'll glass it in tomorrow.


You can see how it lines up with the hoses as they exit the tank coffin.

[seabob4]

You're doing a great job Rick!

It would have been sweet if Aquasport (or any other boat builder) took the time to do what you, and many others here, are doing during your rebuilds.  Other than lay up, you guys are really building a boat from scratch.  You can see the amount of time it takes to do all the "little things".  Fortunately, for you guys, you have the time, and your labor, to you, is free.  So is mine to me.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about builders.  Hence the plethora (yes, I used that word) of boats in landfills, boats that cost their owners a pretty penny when new.

A bit of a comparison.  When I worked at Lockheed-Martin, I had a guy working for me that previously worked for Cooper tires, "building" tires.  He had an old VW Bug, the set he made for his car were at about 150K miles and still looked great.  He told me that if tire companies would take the time to build a tire correctly, there was no reason you couldn't get 200K miles out of them...which he was planning to get with his tires.  Pretty cool...

[seabob4]

And by lay up, I meant laying up the hull, deck, and liner.  Obviously, you guys are doing a LOT of lay up!!

[RickK]

It's 50 degrees here right now so I went out in my shorts, flip-flops and long sleeve t-shirt    (still chilly for us though) to remove the blocks and the plastic.


I initially cut and beveled the center piece and then decided that I might need the few added inches along the outside on either side so I cut the left and right pieces and then took some of the 45 degree trimmings and put them back - almost fits but still gives me a smooth surface for the most part.

[RickK]

So here goes my first attempt at vacuum pressing.  Not sure if I can create my own airtight space using the garage floor with 6 mil of plastic on top of it taped down with duct tape.


Start with my small hatch


Cut some 1208 big enough to roll over the edge and onto the flat

[wingtime]

Thats it!?  I want to see more!