Coring the inside of my console

[florida196]

Wanting to add some core to the inside of my console like I've seen a lot of you do.  All I have is 3/4 divincecell leftover from my floor 5lb density.  You think this will hold a screw well enough to support fuse block of negative terminal strip or any other electrical stuff or things mounted in a console.  Can't find anywhere where I can just purchase small peice of coosa or another material that holds a screw.  Don't want to use wood.

[RickK]

You can use Starboard.  We have a starboard specialist here on the site.  He'll pipe up soon.

[florida196]

What do you think Rick just make the panel and mount everything outside of boat then through bolt 4corners of starboard threw the console or can you glass starboard

[RickK]

Craig can help you out, I don't know  http://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=10287.msg129922#new

Looks like he lined the console with something first though.

[melba toast]

coosa and other cores (divinyl) dont hold screws all that well, without a substantial layup of glass (I would use 4 layers of 1808 or  similar number of layers of mat and woven).  If you dont want to use wood, your only option would be to take a bunch of scraps of glass and create a very thick lay up. I assume you want it to be  thick so it holds a screw and you dont go through the outer skin on the console? If its a panel on the inside of the console, I would just use a little wood, why not, its not exposed to getting wet under a console and above decks, and its not structural. If done right with silicone and you drill carefully, it should last 40 years or so.. Starboard is expensive if you had to buy a whole sheet for that small of an application, but surely you could scrounge up some scraps somewhere, and I imagine that would be the easiest option.

[RickK]

 
I think Craig did it his way so he could pre-mount everything and then spend only a little time in the console.

[CLM65]

You are right, Rick.  My console is small, and I'm not.  Plus I've lost some flexibility over the years.  So I chose to mount my gear on starboard, outside the console, and then insert the assembly into the console.  I will still need to do some wiring inside the console, but I am minimizing it as much as possible.

I got my starboard from Home Depot.  It was $55 for a 2x4x1/2" sheet, which is enough to do both sides of my console with a little left over.

And Melba is correct, Coosa will not hold a screw very well, contrary to popular belief.  The strength is in the glass.  I used threaded stainless inserts, which have a bit more bite than a smaller screw, embedded in the coosa that I glassed to the inside of my console.  And the tower attachments will be thru-bolted through the coosa and starboard, ensuring that it isn't going anywhere.

But plywood appropriately glassed would also work.  I'm just trying to keep with the "no wood" theme, even though it doesn't really matter in this application.

[Shine]

If you really want to keep it light and wood free, go ahead and use the 5 lb foam you have.  Mark where you want fasteners, drill an over-sized hole (at least 2x diameter of fastener to be used), fill the hole epoxy putty, trim it flush while it green, then drill pilot holes into epoxy plugs.

Do a bunch of thee at once to speed up process.  I use a empty caulk tube or syringes so I can fill the hole from the inside - no air pockets.  Use wood flour and silica to make the putty.

One layer of 1708 should be plenty for an inside skin of a cored console. 

[florida196]

Appreciate the info guys.  Shine I think that's what I will do I like the idea of using the scrap materials I already have.  Will overdrill and fill with thickened epoxy.

[Shine]