1964 Starcraft Jet Star Aluminum Runabout Project

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Seein' pink progress is good.

I hope it won't be long until I get to use those rivets you helped me out with!

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

More work on the floor today (sorry, JB, if you're looking). I thought I'd make more progress than I did, but at least the weather was great and it was nice just to be out in it. I picked up a little sunburn too.

A final check of the template I made and miraculously didn't lose from last year. The floor was too rotten to use the actual pieces, so I made a tracing. Had to tweak that a little but it was pretty close. I decided to just go with a butt hoint between the front and back pieces on each side as it will be under the full-width rear seat board.

Because of the width of the sections, I needed a total of 3 sheets of 1/4" exterior ply. For the more involved front curved pieces, I used clamps, lots and lots of clamps, to carefully clamp two sheets together so I only had to cut once to make mirror images. It worked pretty well, but when dry-fitting them afterwards, I only had to make adjustments to one of the pieces, the other fits perfectly. Go figure. I don't know if the floor I took out was original, but I believe it was.

The results of a full day's worth of work. Not much to show, but I wanted to do all my tweaking now before I epoxy and paint the ply, to preserve the integrity of the seal. Time to quit for the day.

 

[bananaboater]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Looking good!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

You are on your way...before you know it that plywood will be sealed, installed, and you will be on to vinyl/carpet.

Nice work, cutting those pieces requires precision accuracy to get it right the first time.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Thanks, guys, the weather looks good today for some epoxy. It's a little cool this morning (57). Hate to say it, but fall is in the air some days now.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Pulling for you Yup, that "fall" has been in the air

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

So far, not too impressed with Rustoleum Marine paints. I put the second coat on the interior 8 days ago and it has been drying/curing since then, and we have had mostly all 85-90 degree days, so it's been good and hot. While I was fitting the plywood on Saturday, I bumped the gray in a few spots and it took chunks of paint off. I also put a couple pieces of masking tape to mark a certain spot during my planning, and forgot to take them off. Tonight, I carefully peeled them off and with one of them, a big chunk of paint over an inch square came with it.

I used Rustoleum Marine Metal Primer over old paint that had been sanded & scuffed. It was applied exactly according to the directions on the can, as was the Topside Marine gray. It was new gray paint that came up with the tape, not the primer. I keep it covered with a tarp when I'm not working on it, and when I take it off, I can still smell the paint pretty strong.

I would have thought it would be beyond that fragile stage by now.

To make matters worse, I can't seem to find all the bolts & screws I took out of the transom, or the end caps to my rub rails. I had put everything in sealed sandwich bags and labeled where it went with a marker.

I guess it's just one of those days.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

OK, everything found, right in that safe place where I put it.:redface:

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

OK, everything found, right in that safe place where I put it.:redface:

Glad to hear you located the parts...I used the same method and had fun trying to track everything down that I stashed away back in November

Hope another coat of the Rustoleum adheres better, maybe it didn't like that primer for some reason?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Hey LL,
On your rusto, How long did you wait to put on your second coat? What method of application did you use? How Thick of a coat did you apply? Did you use any kind of thinner? You might want to try Direct Sunlight. I KNOW they say it cures in 24 hours but my experience has taught me that most paint REALLY cures in 30 days. I KNOW you don't want to hear that but it is true. You can speed things up by using different additives to make the paint Flash faster and aid in the chemical reaction but it still requires time for that chemical reaction to occur. However 8 Days does seem to be a bit troublesome. Have you contacte Ruso customer support to see if they have any comments? They might have some help.

I'm just sayin...

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

On your rusto, How long did you wait to put on your second coat?
Not sure exactly...the second coat was between 24-36 hours later I'd say.

What method of application did you use?
Used a roller mostly, and a brush in hard to reach places.

How Thick of a coat did you apply?
"Normal" thickness, meaning not too thick and not too thin. Don't know how else to describe it; each roller-full covered maybe between 1-2 sq.ft.? Just a guess.

Did you use any kind of thinner? You might want to try Direct Sunlight.
Nope, didn't use any thinner, and it did have at least 2-3 days of direct sunlight within that 8 days. It has been very humid most of the time however and I wonder if that has something to do with it.

I won't be working inside the boat again for several days, so I'll let it age and see how it is then. I agree that painted stuff generally takes longer than they say before it's really ready to use.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

HUMIDITY!! That could very likely be the culprit. Try putting a fan on it for a day or so. That might help alot. DO NOT COVER IT. That will promote condensation and MORE humidity. Let it Breathe and promote the curing process.

I'm just sayin...

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

HUMIDITY!! That could very likely be the culprit.

I was wondering about that, it's been abnormally humid for the last several days. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[bananaboater]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Bummer. But you found the parts

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Yup, that was a good thing. They were practically under my nose, just disguised by a different box from what I remembered putting them in!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Hey LL,

I re-read everything and I got another question. Is this the PRIMER you used.

http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=397

If not then this MIGHT be the problem. Aluminum needs to have a Self Etching Primer to ensure proper adhesion.

I'm just sayin...

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Double-checking my transom height...I'm not sure if I might have to reshape my new transom board & shorten the height slightly, or if it's just where it should be. Top of the board to bottom of the stern is 20.5"; measurement on the Johnson 50 from where the clamp sits on the transom top to the cavitation plate=20.5" as close as I can measure....perfect, close enough, too close??? I'll be able to raise the motor in 1/2" increments using different holes in the motor bracket, but not lower it without removing and retooling the board, which I don't want to do...ever! (This pic is just a dry-fit for measuring purposes, haven't made the installation commitment yet!)

What is the liklihood that I'll have to lower it?

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Hey LL,

I re-read everything and I got another question. Is this the PRIMER you used.

http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=397

If not then this MIGHT be the problem. Aluminum needs to have a Self Etching Primer to ensure proper adhesion.

I'm just sayin...

Nope, I used this, but I was applying over previous sound paint, not bare aluminum:

Followed the directions on the cans. What peeled off with the tape and the nicks were just the new layers of paint, not any of the primer I put down.

 

[bananaboater]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re transom height. Looks OK to me. My motor has a 20 inch leg and the PBO raised it with spacers about 1 inch above the top of the transom.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re transom height. Looks OK to me. My motor has a 20 inch leg and the PBO raised it with spacers about 1 inch above the top of the transom.

Unless somebody cautions otherwise, I'll go with it the way it is.