Which epoxy to use on new hull pieces?

[Furrylittleotter]

I am about ready to attach my new flat keel section to the bottom of of my Chieftain. It will have a one inch flange all around and will be riveted on with aluminum solid rivets. I have Clecos for the final fit. I think I have the situation in hand except for one problem: Which epoxy to use.

I know I can use 5200.

I have Gluvit, which I have never used, but I suspect it is way too thin to stay on a one inch flange and actually seal. It could, however be added in layers after attaching the piece.

My favourite choice is Marine Tex, which I have used before and I think it is fantastic but it only has a 30 minute working time, and in my experience, is even less than that. I think 30 minutes might be pushing it, but I still think it would be best to try,of course I will have a hell of a mess on my hands if I am wrong.

The temperature is perfect for Marine Tex right now, and I do have my wife to help, but may do better asking my neighbor. My wife tends to not do well under time pressure, and staying married is always a goal here.

I also plan to hand peen the rivets, but might do better investing in a pneumatic gun. I have a compressor. This might speed me up a bit, but we are only talking 20 rivets here. I should be able to hand peen 10 times that in half an hour!

I also have a pneumatic rivet gun and plenty of all aluminum pop rivets, but would rather use solid.

My problem is basically, time vs strength .

I think the 5200 would give me the most time, and probably be perfectly fine, but probably not quite on the same level as the marine tex, which has harsh time constraint.


Any thoughts/comments appreciated.

Neil

http://www.marinetex.com/marinetexepoxyputty.html

 

[jbcurt00]

Hmm, i thought you had decided not to make a sealed new keel after posting the pix of the sand filled original keel strip?

Now you want to seal the flanged seam to the hull?

If so, and I dont really have a basis to argue for or against sealing other then it wasnt originally, I'd butter that flange w 5200, cleco it in place thru a few rivet holes and set some rivets. Once they are set, remove clecos and set the missing rivets

How close together will 10 rivets per side be?

 

[Furrylittleotter]

From my build blog :"I will seal the new section I install and isolate it from the existing "bow-most" keel section. This transition I made today won't be waterproof. It will basically be installed like the original keel. Sealed rivets, but not watertight."

So, yes I plan to seal the new piece, but not the "transition" piece as I mentioned in the blog. The rivets for the transition will be sealed.

​Looking at it again it looks like if I want it to seal I should us a rivet every inch, which will obviously be way more than 20. I don't know why I was thinking so few.

Thats a ton of rivets! Should be fun, and if its that many, I don't think there is any way I can use marine tex.

Thanks for helping me re-think.

Neil

 

[jbcurt00]

Exactly why I asked, 20 didn't seem near enough.

IMO, then I'd 5200, cleco and use a pop rivet ever other hole w/ your pnuematic to get it installed and locked down asap then let it setup and cure before you go banging in solid rivets. After it cures go back and peen solids in the vacant holes, many dip permanent rivets in 5200 as they set them. Get done w/ solids in that 1/2, start removing pop rivets 1 at a time and installing solids as you go.

Should get a good tight seam 1st go, quick w pnuematic then no rush doing the solids.

 

[Furrylittleotter]

I had thought about doing that as well. also thought about using solids where the rivet will go through the frames and pop rivets for the rest.

I'd rather not drill pops back out so i think I would just leave the holes blank instead, but will think on it a bit more.

Finishing the "end caps" now so need to decide pretty quick, but at least I can go forward with the 5200 idea.

Neil

 

[Watermann]

Regular 5200 cures in 7 days and I would say you should stop "messing" around with it after about an hour or so. Remember that 5200 is pretty close to being a permanent material once cured. Another option to rivets for something like that plate is the use of SS machine screws and nylocs especially if you have to "suck" in some gaps.

 

[Furrylittleotter]

Thanks, yea I may use some nut/bolts as well. I want strength through the frames/hull/and new keel piece.

I have a bunch of screws, nuts and bolts from that ladder I disassembled and from the donor boat to use. Not too worried about the nylon nuts being re-used. I figure 5200 will lock them!

I removed a patch panel off the back that was adhered with 5200.

I heated it with my heat gun and it came right off.

Still a mess, but heat is the answer with removing that stuff.

Hadn't heard about an hour working time with it. Good information to know.

What works best for wet cleanup? Acetone?

Neil

 

[classiccat]

you can smack those pop rivets off with a chisel. I had to do something similar on a sprayrail patch. pops were used to hold it in place while I formed it...then smacked off the heads and finished it with solids...and lots of 5200 :madgrin: acetone is great for removing 5200.

 

[jbcurt00]

Mineral Spirits works for uncured 5200

Unless you have unusually long arms, how are you going to tighten SS bolts and any kind of nut, solo?

Because you are churning thru it apparently single handed is why I suggested using the pnuematic and pop rivets.


Of course solo won't work peen'n rivets, so perhaps you have a helping hand or 2 hanging around

 

[Furrylittleotter]

For Gods sake don't let my bride here you call her that!

 

[jbcurt00]

For Gods sake don't let my bride here you call her that!

I have edited my post

I apologize for the error in my post

FYI: once you drug that big boat home, she was promoted to The Admiral

 

[Furrylittleotter]

I think I can enlist my bride or a neighbor to buck the rivets and mole grips will work solo on nuts if I decide to use some.

I think I'm on track now.

Thanks for replies.

Neil