How to fix a leak with Alcoa Aluminum Gutter Seal

[Buddychrist]

What you will need:
Alcoa Aluminum Gutter Seal
Paper Towels
Wire Brush
Sand Paper 60 grit
Propane torch


First you make sure you boat is level (it does not have to be perfect just close)

Then you locate the hole as for me it is a pin hole literally


Then after drying majority of any water with the paper towels you heat up the hole and 4" around the hole to remove any condensation left behind


Now using your wire brush scrape initially to rough up the surface


Then using your 60 grit sand paper remove all paint around the hole and rough up the surface for good adhesion


Now that your surface is dry cleaned and prepped go to the underside of the hull and locate the hole, place the tip of the Alcoa flat over the hole and lightly squeeze a small amount into the hole but enough to go through and puddle on the other side. Then using your finger or a card smooth out the bottom flat.


The top should look like this


Now allow the Alcoa seal to dry for 24 hours and now you have successfully patched a pinhole using Alcoa Aluminum Gutter Seal and it will stay patched if applied properly for a decade or two with no re application needed!

I hope you enjoyed this instructable as much as I did!

Thank you!
Buddy

 

[chrisharriman]

Thanks for the info, Buddy.

Other than buying online, where I can I purchase some of this Alcoa?

 

[Buddychrist]

Vintage trailer supply is the only place I have been able to find it. It's been around for many years and Alcoa isn't owned by the same company but it is still produced the same.

I searched to see if there is another place you can buy it but i couldn't find anywhere else.

The shipping from that company is pretty quick and it ends up being $18.94 for the whole thing shipping and tax included. It's pricey compared to the others but because it has aluminum powder in the compound it binds and lasts better than any I have ever seen

 

[bassboy1]

Use a stainless steel wire brush instead of the carbon one, on anything aluminum. Steel wirebrush will imbed unwanted particles of itself in the aluminum, while the stainless one won't.

 

[Buddychrist]

The brush is stainless but the bristles are just dirty, thanks for the input I forgot to mention that.

 

[user 7806]

Couldn't you use 3M 5200 instead of the Alcola with the same results?

 

[Buddychrist]

Couldn't you use 3M 5200 instead of the Alcola with the same results?

Alcoa has aluminum powder in the compound and binds to the aluminum extremely well. I had just a drop fall onto the top and I wiped it flat with my finger and now I am having a hard time removing it, it really sticks to aluminum.

5200 is great stuff and works fantastically but I wanted to use Alcoa because it binds to the aluminum really well. I'll be posting a few photos tomorrow of how much work it takes to remove any excess, it was only 4 hours into the 24hr drying time and I couldn't scrape it off at all

 

[DaveInGA]

Vintage trailer supply is the only place I have been able to find it. It's been around for many years and Alcoa isn't owned by the same company but it is still produced the same.

From the above mentioned website:

"Ply Gem Industries owns the siding division of Alcoa. Ply Gem has recently started selling Gutterseal under the names "Mastic Gutterseal" or "Aluminum Pigmented Gutterseal" instead of the Alcoa name. The product has not changed but the name has."

 

[Buddychrist]

Its still Alcoa if you asked me.

 

[Buddychrist]

After many requests on where to find Alcoa aluminum gutter seal here is the link

https://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Alcoa_Gutterseal_p/vts-138.htm

 

[CatfishJay1119]

Buddy, how large of a hole do you think the Alcoa could seal? I've got a hole a little smaller than a dime (rivet was once there just need to seal the hole) was wondering if it could get the job done.

 

[Buddychrist]

It could seal one that big but in the long run I would say cut off a bolt and put it in and then use Alcoa to seal it then cut off the bolt head clean