New guy

[sonny1]

Two gallons of MEK and a hole lot of rags. Wife stepped outside and was a good 200 ft from boat and bitched about the smell. Power washed and then power rinsed forever. Boat is freaking spotless. MEK is dangerous if you do not wear the proper gear but have the proper gloves and eye protection along with proper respirator. Rags are burning as we speak. Used them to burn a trash pile. Threw a lit cigarette at one of the rags and poof instant fire. The flash point of MEK is very scary. Nothing cleans aluminum better. Tomorrow we hit it with white vinegar.

 

[Zip]

I am following closely as I am planning on the same repairs with my Grumman 14. My boat "appears" to be in much worse condition and has about 10-15 SS bolts on the bottom that were painted over. Should be fun.

I saw you mentioned "sandwiching" aluminum sheets to seal some bigger portions - I was considering going that route as well and riveting from inside and out with some flexible epoxy between or perhaps epoxy and fiberglass. Do you still plan to go this route?

 

[sonny1]

Leaving my options open for now. Still thinking about it. I have two west system aluminum repair kits 650k. Both kits come with a thickening agent which I believe is aluminum based. Figured after I see how the 650k works on the seams I will make my decision then. I ordered some fiberglass tape so if it looks like the 650k is all they say it is that will be a option vice welding near the transom with all those rivets. During the clean up I did see that there is some type of black tape in the seams from the factory. If I go with the aluminum sheets and rivets I was planning on running some of the fiberglass tape and epoxy to close off the hole. Then take two plates covered in epoxy and rivet in place. It all depends on how well the 650k works. Originally I was thinking about using the 5200 goop between two sheets but have scratched that idea.

 

[sonny1]

The white vinegar worked out well. Applied the vinegar twice and let it set for about 20 minutes and then power washed. It came out really clean. The carpet glue that I could not get out with the wire wheel came out during the last powerwash.

 

[thill]

She looks great.
A little disappointed that you may not weld. Was looking forward to that.

 

[sonny1]

She looks great.
A little disappointed that you may not weld. Was looking forward to that.

I have two holes that are not close to a bunch of rivets those are getting welded for sure. One is a small crack which will get a patch welded over it and the other is what looks like a bad repair from the past. Plan on welding a patch on that too. No reason to be disappointed.

 

[sonny1]

Bought a cheap Harbor freight heat gun yesterday along with some acid brushes and a few cheap plastic spreaders. Today we will have are first hands on experience with West System Aluminum Repair kit 650k. The boat is spotless and etched so we shall see.

 

[sonny1]

Loving it. West System Aluminum repair kit 650k gets five stars and then some. Position boat and applied along the seam Close to 101 degrees and boat was in the sun and to hot to touch with bare hands. The epoxy as I applied it sat on seam and then flowed into the seam. Two spots I used the heat gun but it did not take much and it flowed. Set up time was a lot less than the 45 minutes the instructions implied. Did have a rag soaked in Alcohol to clean up any runs and that worked out well. There is no doubt in my mind that the two seams I applied the 650k to are now completely sealed. I still have half of the first kit epoxy left but used both syringes and mixing containers. With the second kit still unopened I will use the mixing containers and syringes for sealing the transom. The cheap mickey mouse stand I made is coming in very handy. I need to come up with a block that positions transom so epoxy will flow downhill. Have it figured out already just need to cut board. LOVING IT.

 

[LDUBS]

Loving it. West System Aluminum repair kit 650k gets five stars and then some. Position boat and applied along the seamView attachment 116523View attachment 116524 Close to 101 degrees and boat was in the sun and to hot to touch with bare hands. The epoxy as I applied it sat on seam and then flowed into the seam. Two spots I used the heat gun but it did not take much and it flowed. Set up time was a lot less than the 45 minutes the instructions implied. Did have a rag soaked in Alcohol to clean up any runs and that worked out well. There is no doubt in my mind that the two seams I applied the 650k to are now completely sealed. I still have half of the first kit epoxy left but used both syringes and mixing containers. With the second kit still unopened I will use the mixing containers and syringes for sealing the transom. The cheap mickey mouse stand I made is coming in very handy. I need to come up with a block that positions transom so epoxy will flow downhill. Have it figured out already just need to cut board. LOVING IT.

I have a tendency for blue skying things. To get the transom up to the angle needed, instead of raising it off your platform, could you jack the platform itself up?

 

[sonny1]

Took yesterday off and let the epoxy to cure. Am in no big hurry and really trying to avoid any screw ups. Have figured it out and plan on using a cherry picker hooked up to the eye on front of boat. While the stern rests on the platform plan on raising the bow with the picker. This should give me the angle am looking for to apply the epoxy. Will take pics if it works.

 

[sonny1]

This will work Today is supposed to reach around 100 degrees so we wait until early afternoon.

 

[Steph Boeker]

I drank bud light up until they sold out to a belgium company. That was a few years back.

1st, let me say that you're a better man than me. I thought I did a good job on my Lone*Star stripping, (identical size & model) but, I foregeaux'd (is this even a word ??) the interior as it was texture coated and sealed. I did roll & brush another Tuff Boat texture coat on for cosmetics though. But Sonny, your stripping job was so fine & detailed, it makes mine look like a high-school Freshman's attempt.
GOOD JOB !!
Which brings me to my 2nd point. I drank Bud & Bud Light in my high-school days but, by the time I was accepted to the ol' timers men's club at my local golf coarse, (33yrs old and playing w/the guys that could shoot their age), I found everyone drinking Miller Lite b'c the wife of 1 of the charter members was the bartender & I guess they found it was easier for her to just serve 1 type as opposed to making her keep up w/various different requests. Her memory may not have been top notch , but she was the sweetest woman I ever met !! I guess that was over 25yrs ago when I switch but I was sorry to see how company policies have changed over my lifetime !!
Anyway, great job brother.
Sincerely .................
God bless !!

 

[sonny1]

Thank you for the compliment. Going to let the boat set until tomorrow. Around noon tomorrow were going after the hole and getting that fixed.

 

[Steph Boeker]

Thank you for the compliment. Going to let the boat set until tomorrow. Around noon tomorrow were going after the hole and getting that fixed.

I haven't welded before but purchased a pre-purchased (box never opened) Lincoln 180i rig from a guy 3hrs away. I lived on the way to the casino boats so his wife talked him into dropping it off on the way to bring her gambling. lol
I new I'd eventually want to learn to mig alum. & wasn't going to purchase the spool gun. (not enough welding to do for that) I purchased a Teflon torch cable liner instead. More on that later.
I purchased another (aftermarket torch cable) to do steel welding w/ the metal liner and built up enough courage to get started. Sonny, I had problems w/ every step :
1st, I couldn't navigate the new helmet computer. Spent an hour & finally a friend showed me.
2nd, I couldn't thread the wire through the drive wheels & thread the eye of the needle for the torch cable. I backed the tension knob to 0 but didn't notice the fork cam lock that allows the tensioner to flip off to the left. After a while w/that my friend arrived again to show me that and the whole top of the tensioner could flip up. I felt like an *****.
3rd, the wire would not feed more than 3/4 of an inch into the teflon liner ?? I had tightened the set screw that snugs it so much that the brass fitting on the end was closed. I had to change the teflon liner out for the original b'c the pins on the elect. connector of the aftermarket torch cable meant to run steel where placed "one off" the hole pattern. (may be able to correct that one day in the future)
4th, replacing the teflon liner w/ original steel liner , I couldn't get it past the bend of the steel tube on the gun end of the cable so i spun the tube around back and forth until the liner pushed through.
5th, found out the wires connected to the trigger broke off the pins that the trigger contacts when I spun the end tube (which is connected , clamped to the cable) No drive wheel connection !! (@#$%^&)
6th, figure out how to open the handle , re-solder the pins and re-attach everything.

NOW I'M AN EXPERT IN ALL THINGS WELDING !! (Lincoln 180i , that is)

Next ? To welding !! Oops, lower the helmet you fool (!@#$%^) Well, it looks a bit cleaner if you turn on the 75/25 gas , DUMMY !! Ugh, I mean, plenty of weld & good penetration. Maybe a little too much in a couple places to start off w/but, after resetting dials , more focus , hand bracing and placement , I got what my friend calls a "gorilla weld" !! Heavy , ugly , bumps, out of line mostly but good strong and would suffice. I had to flatten out a couple spots where the bumps were high.

After several weld runs , I got the hang of it and am well on my way to becoming a beginner !! Whoo Hoo !!I I should have pursued this 45yrs ago.
Good luck on the hole repair,
Sincerely ..................
God bless.

 

[sonny1]

Amazing.

 

[sonny1]

The transom took a lot of epoxy especially along the bottom. Really glad I took the time to get the boat in position. In some areas along the outside of the seam I can see where the epoxy made it all the way through. Definitely fixed a few leaks.

 

[sonny1]

Got a game plan. Taking first cloth and using 650k soaking it and then apply to outside of hull. Then mix up a batch of 650k with the thickener stuff in it. Apply that to the inside of the hull. Then take some 650k and soaked inside cloth and apply. Then take first sheet of aluminum and coat one side with the thick stuff added and apply to outside of hull. Take second piece of aluminum and apply thick 650k and place on inside of hull. Then drill and add 1/8 blind aluminum rivets in place. Thinking about four rivets on short side of patch and about 8 rivets on long sides of patch. That should take care of that issue. If it holds for 5 plus years I will be happy. Expecting it to hold longer but good with 5 years. Will take pics tomorrow on each step of procedure. Have a two inch overlay on hole all the way around.

 

[Steph Boeker]

Got a game plan. View attachment 116596 Taking first cloth and using 650k soaking it and then apply to outside of hull. Then mix up a batch of 650k with the thickener stuff in it. Apply that to the inside of the hull. Then take some 650k and soaked inside cloth and apply. Then take first sheet of aluminum and coat one side with the thick stuff added and apply to outside of hull. Take second piece of aluminum and apply thick 650k and place on inside of hull. Then drill and add 1/8 blind aluminum rivets in place. Thinking about four rivets on short side of patch and about 8 rivets on long sides of patch. That should take care of that issue. If it holds for 5 plus years I will be happy. Expecting it to hold longer but good with 5 years. Will take pics tomorrow on each step of procedure. Have a two inch overlay on hole all the way around.

I'll be looking forward to the photo tutorial. Godspeed !!

 

[LDUBS]

Got a game plan. View attachment 116596 Taking first cloth and using 650k soaking it and then apply to outside of hull. Then mix up a batch of 650k with the thickener stuff in it. Apply that to the inside of the hull. Then take some 650k and soaked inside cloth and apply. Then take first sheet of aluminum and coat one side with the thick stuff added and apply to outside of hull. Take second piece of aluminum and apply thick 650k and place on inside of hull. Then drill and add 1/8 blind aluminum rivets in place. Thinking about four rivets on short side of patch and about 8 rivets on long sides of patch. That should take care of that issue. If it holds for 5 plus years I will be happy. Expecting it to hold longer but good with 5 years. Will take pics tomorrow on each step of procedure. Have a two inch overlay on hole all the way around.

Sounds like a winner and should easily make 5+ years in my opinion. Question -- why the fiberglass cloth? Why not just butter the two plates with the sealant/adhesive of your choice and rivet them on.

 

[sonny1]

The cloth with the epoxy on it actually adds a little more strength to the damaged area. There was a repair on the boat that had fiberglass cloth and now know the epoxy used to apply the cloth was 650k. It was solid and looked like a recent repair. Asked my wife if her brother ever made any repairs and she said no. He had the boat for at least 5 years. Hopefully I will have the same luck.