16 ft Aluminum StarCraft SS Rebuild?

[E260]

Thanks, I was thinking of something similar

Aluminum plate under holes with JB marine weld epoxy to fill hole/hold plate. How did you make your aluminum slugs? Seems like a lot of grinding to get a small slug for a screw hole

Hi
I'm lucky enough to work in a sheet metal fab shop, so I just punch them out what ever size I need.
Watermanns idea is good to.
I guess its up to you how you want to do it in the end .
I almost made new rails but decided not to.
Take care
Bryon

 

[SHSU]

I found the easiest way to plug holes is to use JB Water Weld 2 part stick epoxy. Prep the holes by cleaning them, scruff up the back side of the aluminum and wipe clean with a solvent. Then make a wad of the JBWW about the size of a nickle. Pinch off some JB from the wad roll into a ball and press it into the hole from the back creating a mushroom on the underside and forcing the JB up into the hole. Use your free hand to press on the topside to completely fill the hole and leave it a bit of a dome to sand smooth later. No need for a backer slug and it makes a tough hole repair that's easy to sand smooth.

I like that idea. That will definitely be easier than the back plate.

Hi
I'm lucky enough to work in a sheet metal fab shop, so I just punch them out what ever size I need.
Watermanns idea is good to.
I guess its up to you how you want to do it in the end .
I almost made new rails but decided not to.
Take care
Bryon

Man that makes it easy!!!

 

[E260]

Well I got more holes filled tonight .
I took the side off the right hand rail to fix some dents and holes 43 holes to be exact . now I have about 25 on top .I thought there was less on this side .
Probably looked like less because it was a lot straighter then the left side . lol

Bryon

 

[SHSU]

Well I got more holes filled tonight .
I took the side off the right hand rail to fix some dents and holes 43 holes to be exact . now I have about 25 on top .I thought there was less on this side .
Probably looked like less because it was a lot straighter then the left side . lol

Bryon

Pics please!!!!!

I am not very educated and prefer the pretty picture books

 

[E260]

Pics please!!!!!

I am not very educated and prefer the pretty picture books

Okay I will post some tonight , I'm at work now.
Work always gets in the way of are fun things .
Bryon

 

[SHSU]

Okay I will post some tonight , I'm at work now.
Work always gets in the way of are fun things .
Bryon

I am in same boat.... LOL

 

[E260]

No Title

Pics please!!!!!

I am not very educated and prefer the pretty picture books

Okay here is a few pics of how I plugged the holes .
Easy for me to make slugs so thats how I did it.
Last pic is the JB WELD sanded down .
Started on the top rail tonight will finish and put back together tomorrow.
Bryon

 

[Coach Dave]

Late to the game here.....but you can find off white rub rail here at Great Lakes Skipper: https://greatlakesskipper.com/barbour-boat-rub-rail-molding-08314-misty-harbor-5111306-013-ft It's where I got mine and it's a perfect fit at $2.49/foot. You gotta buy 10' at a time.

I sealed my wood with 2 coats of this:

The label says where I got it. I bought the metering pumps they offer with it. Super easy - 4 pumps of Resin + 1 pump of hardener, mix it up - done. Just don't mix up more than you can use in 15-25 minutes or so, it'll heat up and harden on you. I've done 2 pumps + 1/2 pump for that reason. I used cheapo chip brushes to really work it into the edges of plywood and a plastic spreader like the use for bondo to spread it on the flat surfaces Just throw the chip brush away when done - it's ruined. I screwed 4 deck screws into top of my work surface or saw horses under each corner of my plywood and set the plywood on those screw "legs". After coating one side, I'd flip the board over and set on top of screws and coat the other side. Get LOTS of Nitrile Gloves and wear a shirt you don't care about. After it cures, you can pop it off the screw heads. If you get hardened drips on the underside when it dried, I used a heat gun and putty knife and they scraped right off.

Hang in there.............I'm 4 months in on my '63 Starcraft Jet.

 

[E260]

No Title

Well about 70 more holes filled today and no more . got the right side back together . its starting to look like I'm making progress.
Bryon

 

[Watermann]

Jeez you should have that sieve about plugged up by now, wow what a mess to repair, I've felt your pain! :facepalm:

 

[E260]

Jeez you should have that sieve about plugged up by now, wow what a mess to repair, I've felt your pain! :facepalm:

Well I only have the rear cross brace that goes in between the rails that holds the rear pan in . there's a few holes in it but were making a whole new pan at work.

The body work won't be to bad I think the worst is behind me now .
Bryon

 

[E260]

No Title

Just a little update.
Started to do a little body work . want to get what I can before I flip it over .
Bryon

 

[gm280]

E260, looks like you've been busy. Persistence pays off and your's looks great thus far. I am dropping in to see your progress. So keep posting the updates. :thumb:

I actually subscribed to your thread so I don't miss anything, if that is okay with you.

 

[E260]

E260, looks like you've been busy. Persistence pays off and your's looks great thus far. I am dropping in to see your progress. So keep posting the updates. :thumb:

I actually subscribed to your thread so I don't miss anything, if that is okay with you.

GM 280
That's fine ,

Thank you , I will post pics as I go but body work is one that I don't like doing!!
It one of those things I keep thinking I could do better when I look at it , so I have to keep telling myself I can't make it perfect . Lol
Every time I look at it I keep finding more things to fix , I'm gun shy to keep looking . Lol
Take care.
Bryon

 

[gm280]

GM 280
That's fine ,

Thank you , I will post pics as I go but body work is one that I don't like doing!!
It one of those things I keep thinking I could do better when I look at it , so I have to keep telling myself I can't make it perfect . Lol
Every time I look at it I keep finding more things to fix , I'm gun shy to keep looking . Lol
Take care.
Bryon

Byron, one thing you will find along the way is, there is no "Perfect" boat. We all strive for making our boat projects perfect but realize we can only do so much. But you still strive for that perfection anyway. The second thing you will learn is, YOU are your worst critic. You will be harder on yourself then anybody else. And you will also know where all the flaws are as well. But you still strive for the best you can do. And that is the best you can do as well.

So do your project to the best of your ability and you will be rewarded for your efforts at the end. I think you are doing a really nice job myself. JMHO!

 

[SHSU]

Just a little update.
Started to do a little body work . want to get what I can before I flip it over .
Bryon

Looking really good.

Thanks for the pics on your rub rail plugs. Wish I had a press to get some slugs, but since i don't, will be following Watermann's suggestion on the JB weld sticks. What are you using for faring to cover your holes (Body work)? More JB weld?

 

[E260]

Looking really good.

Thanks for the pics on your rub rail plugs. Wish I had a press to get some slugs, but since i don't, will be following Watermann's suggestion on the JB weld sticks. What are you using for faring to cover your holes (Body work)? More JB weld?

Thanks
I used jb weld to hold them in place . the jb weld would push through the hole and I let it dry that way.
Then I sanded it down .
I then took bondo and just put a skim coat on to fill any imperfections where the holes were .
Any spots that are low I fill and sand straight with bondo.
Hope this helps.
Bryon

 

[SHSU]

Thanks
I used jb weld to hold them in place . the jb weld would push through the hole and I let it dry that way.
Then I sanded it down .
I then took bondo and just put a skim coat on to fill any imperfections where the holes were .
Any spots that are low I fill and sand straight with bondo.
Hope this helps.
Bryon

Thanks, I will have to keep that in mind when a redo my rails. I have a couple low spots

 

[E260]

No Title

Got a few pics of some parts, a new transom pan not really sure what its called , the rail that I plugged 23 holes in that holds the panel up , and new brackets I made to mount the rail. I cut the tab off the rail and made the brkt to fit inside it.
One pic is the old panel.
Bryon

 

[Watermann]

That right there is called a splashwell. Looks to be well made and ready for some hole drilling action.