silly question, but not really....

[j_cizzo]

Alright, here's the deal... i have a vp DPA drive. the drive needs to be completely blasted, cleaned, primed and repainted. i started disassembling all the bracketry last night and had an idea that i think could be FANTASTIC, and i'd like your opinions.

I'm pretty darn good with fiberglass and was wondering, after the drive has been stripped down, blasted (glass bead most likely) and the surface completely sterilized as if i were about to start the paint process, why can't i just methodically encase the drive in a thin layer of fiberglass? when i say thin, i mean really thin (like 3/16). that's basically what vp has done with their composite drive. it IS aluminum fully encased in composite... so if I did the glass thing with this, smoothed it out all nice and pretty, then primed and painted it (with imron), I think that should work out pretty damn sweet. if i ever bump against the sand or what ever, i'd only rub away paint at most, exposing the fiberglass, but the drive would still be protected.

obviously, this is because the boat will be wet-slipped in salt water. electrolysis isn't so bad, it was wet slipped all last summer and both anodes were still probably 65%, no less...

the idea really intrigues me, it would be some work, applying, smoothing, sanding, reapplying resin, but i really think it could work..

What do you all think?

 

[Bondo]

Re: silly question, but not really....

Ayuh,...... Ya otta Try it,.... Then you can tell Us how it works......

But,.... I believe you'd be disappointed.....

 

[Don S]

Re: silly question, but not really....

Fiberglass does absorb water, wouldn't take long and you would have a corroded mess.

 

[j_cizzo]

Re: silly question, but not really....

I realize there is microscopic absorbsion with fiberglass, but if it's coated properly in resin, then after all is cured, primed and painted with imron like i was originally planning, wouldn't that prevent the glass from absorbing water?

 

[Don S]

Re: silly question, but not really....

If the factory paint gets rubbed off and corrosion starts, fiberglass resin dosn't stand a chance, but, Like Bondo said:

Ayuh,...... Ya otta Try it,.... Then you can tell Us how it works......

But,.... I believe you'd be disappointed.....

 

[JustJason]

Re: silly question, but not really....

polyester resin without cloth will just crack and split and fall off. Epoxy resin will eventually peel off in large chunks without cloth.

your best bet is to clean it up the best you can. And hit it with 3 or 4 coats of primer (sanding inbetween coats) and 3 or 4 coats of topcoat.

 

[billbayliner]

Re: silly question, but not really....

Here is a method that I am trying on my drive. Will not know until after next boating season if I made the right choice / brainstorm idea. Also there is some links in my thread to other discussions on refinishing procedures...

"http://www.baylinerownersclub.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12061[/url]

 

[JustJason]

Re: silly question, but not really....

don't tell me your going to jbweld the entire gearcase......

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: silly question, but not really....

don't tell me your going to jbweld the entire gearcase......

LOL...

Whats wrong with painting it like the factory did in the first place.
Strip it bare,Zinc Chromate then paint it...

 

[Don S]

Re: silly question, but not really....

Whats wrong with painting it like the factory did in the first place.
Strip it bare,Zinc Chromate then paint it...

What! Just paint?? Then you would have to actually check your anodes and make sure things are ok, or maybe do the tests to see if there is a serious problem in your marina, and not on your boat.
Perhaps they are all looking for that magical coating that will allow them to never have to do maintenance. Something like the Staples EZ button.
Sorry folks, it ain't gonna happen. You want to keep it in the water, paint it properly (with paint) and pay attention. Or pay money later.

 

[JustJason]

Re: silly question, but not really....

I myself am waiting for plastic gearcases....... And in all seriousness.... is probably only a matter of time.

 

[billbayliner]

Re: silly question, but not really....

don't tell me your going to jbweld the entire gearcase......

If this is in regards to my outdrive project, the answer is no. There is pitting in the areas that I need to sand out the corrosion. I applied a very thin skim coat of JB weld to the pitted areas.....

Bill

 

[j_cizzo]

Re: silly question, but not really....

so I take it there's no other way to seal my drive? Of course paint will be the final layer, but I was just hoping for something more underneithe... Just like the JB Weld idea... no, i won't JB weld, but there has to be something better..

what about composites, other than fiberglass?... i was on composite world.com or what ever it is before.. I just think it would be good if there was a way of laying down a very thin layer of something that was water-proof, then paint over that...