1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

Mixing my resin, I was mixing a quart, and losing about a half pint because the resin gelled. So, I decided to make smaller batches, 1 pint, and I'm still losing a little resin before I'm done. I'm mixing at 1%, and outside temp is about 105*.

 

[concept10]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

I was going to do a little more sealing today, but we got a pretty good rain storm. In Texas, I'll take rain in August any time I can get it! Luckily, I got the deck and stringers in the garage before it rained.

Yeah, I'm in Texas also and I enjoyed the cool weather for a minute. I spent some time doing more cleaning of the boat.

 

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

I'm slowly making progress. Most of my wood is sealed. Just need to touch up a couple dry spots and cut out for the bilge.
I decided to go with pour in foam. I found a local supplier. I got 2 gal., 1 gal ea part A and B, for what most places wanted for 1qt ea A&B. I like that the foam will be tight, and should stay dry if I glass properly.
Okay, now. What is the best way to attach the deck to the stringers. I worry about using deck screws for fear of tearing out the plywood in the stringers. Pre-drill and then fill the hole with resin and then screw? Is it a good idea to use PL on top of the stringers, before I lay the deck down?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

If you use PL on top of the stringers, use concrete blocks to weight the deck down, tab the deck to the hull and peanutbutter it in you shouldn't need to use screws at all.

I'm just sayin...

 

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

If you use PL on top of the stringers, use concrete blocks to weight the deck down, tab the deck to the hull and peanutbutter it in you shouldn't need to use screws at all.

I'm just sayin...

I was thinking that may work, but wasn't sure.
Now I'm off to walk around my boat, stare at it for a bit, and then come back in and cool off and repeat the cycle a few times.

 

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

Made a little progress today, sorry no pictures. I know this probably wouldn't rate too much to most people, but I got the two stern tie down loops installed. It's the first thing I have reattached. I got two stringers glassed and experimented with some PB. I don't have any glass bubbles, Will that hurt? It seemed to work pretty good with resin, aerosil, and chopped up CSM. I got some milky patches in the glass on the stringers. Do I have to grind them out, or since it isn't on the hull, does it matter? I'll try and get pictures tomorrow.

 

[westexasrepublic]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

tomorrow has come and gone bud, come on with an update, you where on such a role there for a while....

 

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

tomorrow has come and gone bud, come on with an update, you where on such a role there for a while....

I know! I'm just playing with my filler recipe. I have a lot of little things to do, cross braces and some other little pieces to cut. All my stringers are glassed. I got one area of rovin laid. I now know why it is important to have a smooth surface to glass to. It's a booger getting bubbles out! I'll report more later. Thanks for the 'kick.'

 

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

My first attempt at laying rovin. Like I said above, I know why it is important to have a smooth surface to glass to. for the most part, I just did this to tie the transom in to the hull. This is in the little bump out behind the transom and will be filled with foam. The dark spot at the bottom is not a pool of resin, it's a patch of experimental putty.

This shows the joint of the transom and hull. Next time I will use a plastic spoon to smooth the fillet (thank you Woodnglass.)

 

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

It sure is hard to work outside when it's 105* in the shade, with a heat index of about 115*. But I am!
But before pictures, I wish someone would tell me how to get more working time out of my resin. And a question, does a lower catalyst ratio translate to a weaker bond or resin? I think I'm at .5% or 1%. My catalyst chart doesn't go lower than .5%

I got two stringers bedded in. It's hard working on such a long span, just under 10ft, but my son and I got it. I laid everything out, and made sure I liked the position of everything. I even practiced clamping and clamp positioning. Each stringer bed took about a quart, with enough to putty to fillet (is that the correct word? Something is making me hungry for fish!) the sides. I divide the quart into two pint batches, thicken with aerosil, and mix in the chopped CSM. I let one batch sit and then catalyze one batch, bed and fillet, and then catalyze the second batch and finish bedding and filleting.

Just for kicks, I unwound some rovin and laid it in the stringer bed. My thought was that it would act like rebar.

 

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

Okay, I may have my own answer to if too little catalyst will weaken the bond. I either (or both) didn't mix the second batch well enough, or didn't get enough MEKP, but there is still some soft spots in the resin. How do I fix this?

 

[jspano]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

i am by no way an expert here on glass but the first batch i mixed harded on a brush i was trying to apply it with, i'm talking minutes. i spoke to a friend with alot of glass experience and read him the directions and he stated it was way too much cat. so i experimented and found a mix that gave me maybe 10-20 minutes depending on my job. maybe it's an enviromental thing

 

[oops!]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

hi bud.....

it will eventually get hard.
but it will be weaker.
to speed it up getting hard...put a work light on it......

now.....if YOU decide that it is a major structural area...you have the choice of grinding it out and re glassing, or just glassing a 1708 wrap over it.


you had also asked for longer gell times.....
you mentioned that you were cat @ 1%. this wont do and is most likely the cause of the soft rtesin. (that and incorrect mixing....swishing with a stick is not good enough.....look in the hull thread for my eggbeater in a drill set up)
absolute minimum cat rate is 1.7.

remember......this is a chemical process.....the chemicals must be mixed in the proper measurements. if you do not have the correct measurements...or mixed improperly....you have a really weak batch......
(test this theroy....pull some hardened resin out of your bucket after its been used....crumple it in your hands.....see how easy it is?....its worse if the mix is incorrect or not properly stirred


go to your glass supplier and ask for ddm 30....its kinda like a summer mix of MEKP.

mix at a MINIMUM of 1.7.
you still have to work fast....but you will have longer gell times. even in the hotter temps.

cheers bud
oops

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

First off, Jafo, in your other thread you said to see posts 111 and 112 which you do not have in the link provide. You don't have posts 111 and 112. Your question on how to extend pot life of resin is in Post #70. In regards to that, What resin are you using? And no matter what resin you are using Temps of 105 with high humidity makes it almost impossible to do glass work unless you mix small batches and work fast. If you try to extend pot life by reducing the cat you can and will weaken the mix. Call the manufacturer of your resin and ask them. Search the forum for what others have done regarding this problem there are lots of answers to this question. Do your research

I'm just sayin...

 

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

First off, Jafo, in your other thread you said to see posts 111 and 112 which you do not have in the link provide. You don't have posts 111 and 112. Your question on how to extend pot life of resin is in Post #70. In regards to that, What resin are you using? And no matter what resin you are using Temps of 105 with high humidity makes it almost impossible to do glass work unless you mix small batches and work fast. If you try to extend pot life by reducing the cat you can and will weaken the mix. Call the manufacturer of your resin and ask them. Search the forum for what others have done regarding this problem there are lots of answers to this question. Do your research

I'm just sayin...

Wow! What was I sniffing? Sorry about the wrong post #'s.

oops! Thanks for the suggestions. Most of the soft putty is on the outside of the fillet. I will let it harden on its own. It is tarped for the night and will be covered most all day tomorrow, another 100*+ day.
This was the first batch with too little MEKP and or a bad mix job, but it was the fourth pint sized batch I made today. I didn't have any trouble with the other three. I got a couple of beaters from a thrift store, but the first time I used it, I made a big mess. I'll work on technique.
Woodnglass, as far as research, I thought I was doing pretty well until this. Which is not a major setback or anything. I looked at oops! hull extension index, but didn't see any mention of longer working times. I'll try to be better prepared, but reserve the right to ask more questions!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

No problemo. Do not hesitate to send PM's to me when you get STUCK on something. Always more than happy to help you find a solution. I don't know it all but I have been around the block a few times cuz I AM an OLD FART!

I'm just sayin...

 

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

No problemo. Do not hesitate to send PM's to me when you get STUCK on something. Always more than happy to help you find a solution. I don't know it all but I have been around the block a few times cuz I AM an OLD FART!

I'm just sayin...

Thank you! I ain't skeered to ask!
I like to post up my challenges as well as victories. It may help another member some day!

 

[oops!]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

yeah.....for the longer working times....get the ddm 30....that is what it is made for

 

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

yeah.....for the longer working times....get the ddm 30....that is what it is made for

Okay,will do! Thanks!

 

[JAFO1]

Re: 1986 Skeeter Starfire 90 Resto.

yeah.....for the longer working times....get the ddm 30....that is what it is made for

I talked to my salesman today. He said I can get the same effect with MEKP9 as DDM30 by reducing the MEKP9 ratio. He said it has to do with the amount of oxygen in each product. oops!, I told him that a 1.7% ratio was suggested to me and he said that I'd have to have Superman speed to work that ratio in this heat. So, I asked for suggestions for longer working time and he suggested cooling down the resin. That makes sense to me. If 80* is optimum working temperature and I'm starting out at or near 100* then I'm starting out in the hole. oops!, just like you said, he also said that proper mixing is critical with reduced catalyst ratios.
Anyone want to weigh in on this? I'm really enjoying learning new things. (See W&G, I'm doing my research!)