1979 18' Starcraft SuperSport Restoration

GA_Boater

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I'll second the paint, then flip advice. Gluvit should only be used in the inside and would be impossible to seal the hull while upside down. And a lot messier, too.

Lots of good progress!
 

mbroughton02

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Dealer for the vinyl rub rail insert?

You have to call them to order but most of us order profile 0101 G from Wefco rubber

Thanks for the tip. I could have sworn I read here somewhere that it had to be ordered through a dealer.

I'll second the paint, then flip advice. Gluvit should only be used in the inside and would be impossible to seal the hull while upside down. And a lot messier, too.

Lots of good progress!

Oh don't worry, Gluvit while upside down was never one of the options. I just didn't know if I should flip and then apply gluvit before flipping back over to paint.
 

mbroughton02

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I need some paint equipment advice.

I purchased the famous Harbor Freight purple HVLP guns. The larger one claims it requires 12 CFM. My current compressor is only good for 4.8 CFM @ 40psi:
KQb8Kj8m.png


I got a Harbor Freight ad in the mail and they are selling a 21 gallon compressor rated 5.8 CFM at 40PSI for $155:
hIOVlX4m.jpg


I realize that 5.8 CFM is nowhere near the 12 CFM the gun is asking for. So, for those of you who use the Harbor Freight guns, what size compressor are you using, and is it possible that the 21 gallon compressor would last long enough to get a coat of paint on my 18' SS?
 

Watermann

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Something is wrong with that number 12 CFM? No way any home compressor could run that. I have a Husky HVLP that uses 4 CFM. My compressor is a oiled dbl cylinder 20 gallon Industrial Air rated at 6.2 CFM. No problems at all with it.
 

classiccat

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HF has different HVLP guns.


The "Pro" Model (Item#68843) lists 15cfm @ 40psi average air consumption
Item#67181 Is Spec'd For 6cfm @ 40psi average air consumption.

I have that 21gal HF compressor and also looking for a gun that fits. (P.S. ...Agua just ended my search. Thanks man! :thumb:)
 
Last edited:

mbroughton02

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A ha. I bought the wrong gun apparently. I will exchange for the 6 CFM model!
 

GA_Boater

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A ha. I bought the wrong gun apparently. I will exchange for the 6 CFM model!

Don't forget to take a coupon for 20% off and another one for something free. :D

My local HF has never given one second of hesitation on returns.
 

mbroughton02

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Primed with rustoleum self etching primer today. For those who come after me, this took exactly 6 cans.

fSRUdokl.jpg
 

Watermann

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6 rattle cans of SE makes for a pretty good layer. If you shoot primer be sure to pour it into the hopper through a filter, the paint too for that matter I guess. Primer just seems to have more and bigger chunks in it than paint. Toss that little filter thing that goes in the bottom of the hopper, it will limit paint flow.
 

mbroughton02

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Today was a big day. I was holding off on spraying the next coats of primer with the HVLP because I was paranoid about overspray finding its way to my neighbors car. I do not have a garage, which is my biggest regret about buying this house. Anyway...I decided to rent a cheap place to work on the boat over the winter. I live in NY so the back yard wasn't going to work for much longer regardless.

From this:
NJN5c29l.jpg


To this:
WdLpx8Zl.jpg


Looking forward to getting the rest of the boat done without the background shenanigans of a 24 hour drunken party next door.
 

classiccat

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I'd say that your new workspace is going to work out just fine for you! Nice find! :thumb:
 

GA_Boater

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I see it came with security and a good, sturdy work bench. :thumb:
 

Watermann

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Lots of room there, that's great. One thing I dislike about my garage is there never seems to be enough light when I paint.
 

mbroughton02

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Went on vacation for a week and a half, but back at it.

2 coats of Rustoleum clean metal primer. Never HVLP'd before, but I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it.

QcyPtUtl.jpg
 

Watermann

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Is that rusto primer oil based? It looks nice and gray from here. :lol:
 

mbroughton02

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After the 2 coats of clean metal primer I could see the edges of the marine-tex patched areas. I wanted to fix it, since the areas in question will be above the waterline.

I first tried to sand the edge down some more. But it seems that once the MT gets to a certain thinness, it does not want to sand anymore, and instead flake off.

Then I thought "well if I could build up some primer around it, I could sand that down to make the transition disappear". So I bought this stuff, in order to get maximum "build":

XONXBywl.png


Bad idea. This stuff is completely incompatible with marine tex. It does not stick well at all. So I spent the last several evenings sanding off the primer that didn't work, and eventually applying several more coats of the clean metal primer with the HVLP gun, only in the problem areas. After about 3 coats I was able to sand away the edge of MT vs aluminum.

So tonight I finally got the first coat of white on.

TkXgz4bl.jpg


Even though I'm inside, this thing is a bug magnet. I have at least a dozen gnats to sand off tomorrow before going further. Not sure how I'll keep them off the final coat, though.
 

Watermann

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Hey the gnats add character, wet pint and spar are like crack for bugs :lol:

If the MT is flaking off then something went wrong with the mixing, 5 : 1 resin to catalyst. I sand the aluminum first with 220 and wipe clean with a solvent like acetone before I put the MT on. It's always stuck like it's part of the metal and will sand until it's gone unless you don;t mix it correctly.
 

mbroughton02

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If the MT is flaking off then something went wrong with the mixing, 5 : 1 resin to catalyst. I sand the aluminum first with 220 and wipe clean with a solvent like acetone before I put the MT on. It's always stuck like it's part of the metal and will sand until it's gone unless you don;t mix it correctly.

Hmm okay. I was doing pretty small batches, and I'll admit the measuring of the resin is challenging, since it's so sticky. I was using metal measuring spoons. What do you use?
 
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