1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

[sphelps]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

I,m very interested in the rub rail dilemma a tree fell down in moms yard years ago and snatched the bow eye out and also bent the rub rail on my MFG . I tried to bend back but was afraid I would mess it up. Maybe the heat trick will work..

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

I didn't find the thread I was looking for, but found:

Taco Marine Rubrail

Rubrail.com

It's not going to be inexpensive, but if my rubrail doesn't come off good shape or easily, or I am unable to save the blind bolts, it looks like I can get something to replace it with. And if their literature is correct ( yeah right, stretch the truth in advertising, nah, never!?!?!) I shouldn't have too much trouble getting new rubrail to wrap the corners I was concerned about.

I want to say it was 1 of Andgott's threads, but I'm not sure. I'll see if I can find it & post it. If your rubrail is still fully attached to the boat, I'm not sure you'll have much luck bending it back.

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

Not sure if you get boating magazine, but there was a good little piece this month on rub-rail repair/installation... Usually, there are rivets are screws behind the "rubber" but it sounds like your is made differently - one piece with the fasteners buried??? Got to be a way to get that off - maybe just grind it off with a cutting wheel and leave the fasteners bedded???

Take some pics if you can... Also, a heat gun will help you make those contours/turns, no problem...

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

Thanks, not currently a subscriber. Looking for it online, I did find this:
Glastron Retrospectve

Not sure their newly unearthed photos, but I'd never seen them anywhere......

Is it Feb 2012 issue of Boating?


This is a shot of my 'rubber insert free' rubrail detail:


Here's a shot of my cap/hull joint & rubrail bolts buried in 'glass & poly:


The bolts are well buried & almost exactly the same as the blind bolts used on my windshield:
A fairly small bolt & nut to try & grind out around...... about 60 times

 

[sphelps]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

WOW! Jbc you have quite a problem there... Maybe you can grind glass off to exspose the fasteners then carefully pry rail off?
It kinda looks like the rails are fastened to the top cap only and then the cap was glassed in and screws glassed over. I may
be looken at it wrong.. You sure got your hands full but you will get it!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

Thanks SP, but I forgot to mention the 'good' news:

That cap/hull joint is at about the 2.75" mark behind these 5.75" tall gunnels
and there is only @4" from the hull to the gunnel behind it...
Happy happy joy joy

I'm getting a tool delivery tomorrow at work, so we'll see if 1 of those multi-tools is any good at uncovering the bolts so I can use the flap wheel on the seam. I am NOT good enough w/ grinder yet to uncover them w/ it. Maybe after another 10-15hrs on the deck/hull joint & transom

 

[Pmccraney]

Ill send the article. Yes, it's 2/12. There is also on old ship shape tv YouTube vid. Most of the ship shape stuff is a little hoky, but that one was pretty good.

How bout this.. The glass and poly should hold the nuts in place and you could just back the screws out and leave the nuts in there. Then when you break apart the cap, it might be easier to grind away some of the junk and fish the nuts out. Or, if you plan on not grinding those parts, just leave em buried in there, seal the holes good and just drill in new places when u reinstall it rail. Just thinking out loud. Hope it triggers an idea for you.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

No need, downloaded it. Pg 28: Replace that damaged rubrail! Thanks though.......Unfortunately, I have a strange feeling that the bolts are actually part of the rubrail, spot welded to the back of the aluminum. There doesn't appear to be any access from the outside of the hull/rubrail to a screw/bolt head that will let me back the bolt out of the glassed in 'captive' nut.

I may end up using my new acquistion to cut the rubrail loose from the outside. Cut the cap from the hull & clean the surfaces up once their apart. Reassemble w/ a new rubrail w/ a rubber insert.

Going to read the Boating article...............................

 

[sphelps]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

Thanks SP, but I forgot to mention the 'good' news:

That cap/hull joint is at about the 2.75" mark behind these 5.75" tall gunnels
View attachment 128929and there is only @4" from the hull to the gunnel behind it...
Happy happy joy joy

I'm getting a tool delivery tomorrow at work, so we'll see if 1 of those multi-tools is any good at uncovering the bolts so I can use the flap wheel on the seam. I am NOT good enough w/ grinder yet to uncover them w/ it. Maybe after another 10-15hrs on the deck/hull joint & transom

I thought you were gunna mention good news!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

No problems, only opportunities to have the iBoats team help me rise to the challenge!

Urp, I think I just threw up in my mouth, just a little bit

I hid the good news on ya, sorry:

New tool delivery Tues @noon!

 

[rrumba]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

hey JBC
just got caught up on your build. one thing you could try is a dremel tool with one of these http://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-hss-saw-blade-with-mandrel-set-67224.html and maybe a flexible shaft.

that is a job you have ahead of you to get that out. Good luck to you. Will be tuning in to your bat channel...

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

Thanks rrumba, I'm hoping that the multi-tool helps get the bolts unburied.

I ordered several different shaped/angled blades so we'll see.

Here's what I have heard is my Hull/Cap joint:

So we'll see once I get started. If it is this ^^^, I wonder how much 'glass & poly they but INSIDE the joint, between the hull & cap itself. Hopefully none, that's why they buried it in so much glass & poly. If it does have some in there I may never get apart w/out cutting it. Yikes

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

Well it looks like the weather is going to squash a trip out of town this weekend, so I'll get the ole tyvek suit out & lace up to do battle w/ the rubrail bolts w/ the new multi-tool saw. If I can uncover the bolts, I can use the flap wheel to hit the rest of the hull/cap joint.

I may also use it to try & trim back the remaining deck lip at the hull. I stayed back almost an inch on my 1st pass w/ the grinder, to avoid any 'hypothetical' slits in the hull. A second pass got me to a small 1/4" to a fat 1/8" which I have been using a flap wheel to grind smooth. The rest of the transom may get cut out with it too.


W the boat pushed half in & out of the garage & a plastic drape up to temp enclose the cockpit, it now takes twice as long for the grinding glass smell to filter into the house. Thankfully, no dust! This weekend, I'll also shop for some smaller clip work lights that will light & slightly warm the area I'm working in. Halogens & my tyvek suit were TOO much, felt like I was working in Las Vegas in late July & I was 1/2 in the driveway w/ @ 35-37 outside....... So I turned them off & was warm enough. I also need a smaller fan I can hang at the top of my draped plastic to direct more dust & stink out the open garage door.

If it's not snowing, & above 25, I should still be able to work away. If the multi tool saw will trim back that last little lip of old glass, I can avoid almost 50% of the flap wheel work, so that should help too!

Bear w/ me, I'll get this figured out & moving again.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

I posted some shots of deck crazing in the gel coat back at the start. W/ all the cracks in and around the the ribs/details, I wondered if a lightweight 1/2, 3/4 or 1oz glass might help repair those areas..???... And be thin enough to layup into the detail ribs once or twice and sand w/ a dowel wrapped w/ sandpaper once all the rest of the repairs have been done w/ CSM... Then layup 1-2 OZ across the rest of the cap & gunnels. compared to the deck & transom, and all the crazing, it seems like it's alot of detail work & hand work, but not a significant amount of materials. Esp since I won't be replacing stringers.....

ribs/details at the gunnel are typical, circled in BLUE, and about the size of a #2 pencil wrapped w/ 80 or 100 grit sand paper:

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

Good luck with the weather and the rubrail mission...hanging by the "thread" to see the out come...

Regards

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

Thanks, it's 15 & fresh snow, Bbrrrrrrr

The tyvek will help w/ all but my hands! Sat windy but not as cold, Sun may top 40 so we' shall see.

Hopefully, there won't be " A Frayed Knot" here on Mon & I get some time in over the weekend.

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

JBC - Just wanted to wish you luck over the weekend. Hopefully, it will warm up enough for you. I have gotten lucky with some unseasonably warm weather even for the deep south - it was in the mid 60s yesterday...

On your rub-rail - that's a gnarly set-up... That boat was designed (or modified) to never come apart. I'm no seasoned pro, but I have never seen rub-rails with the fastener heads as part of the actual rail - except in the case of rivets. However, yours don't look like rivets, because you can see the screws/nuts buried on the inside in the glass/resin... I think a tedious session of cutting may be the only option to surgically remove all those fasteners (sorry you got served up with your first official PITA). Mine was the transom - you'll get through it....

On the repairs to the gel coat....hmmm... I'm thinking that's on Oops, Ondarvr, Yacht Doctor Question.... If the ribs are part of the "cosmetics" and add some character to your boat, I think you definitely want to try and keep them...

Is your existing gel-coat too far gone to save? Are you going to try and buff it out? here and there gel-coat spot repairs with color match? re-paint, etc...? Sorry, I know you probably touched on this earlier -i'm just too lazy to go back and read.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

Is your existing gel-coat too far gone to save? Are you going to try and buff it out? here and there gel-coat spot repairs with color match? re-paint, etc...? Sorry, I know you probably touched on this earlier -i'm just too lazy to go back and read.

In any 1 area I could grind 'em done & fill 'em w/ multiple layers of torn CSM, sand it, & be ready for finish filler. But as it's been too cold to work w/ the door up, I walked around it THINKIN' , I carried my official Jas Thinkin' Cap card, so I was completely safe. No additional brain cells were harmed. In a few areas there were cleats or lights pulled loose when ply under the gel got soggy. (When I agreed to buy it from pix, it wasn't exactly as advertised, esp the windshield & gelcoat). Came down about 20% from asking, but........

I had intended to grind & fill just as needed, but I don't really mind the extra work or extra materials. As I spend more time working & looking at the gel, I don't want to be back in dry dock for ANYTHING ANYTIME soon..... So, then I started to look for ways to keep some of the gel, all of the details, and end up w/ a great looking surface, that will take & hold paint, and stay that way for awhile......

I think this came up early on, & andgott gave me some advice, but that was based on my perception that the gel wasn't too bad. As I work on the boat & spend more time on iBoats, I've changed my perception.

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: 1960 Glastron FireFlite has a new home!

In any 1 area I could grind 'em done & fill 'em w/ multiple layers of torn CSM, sand it, & be ready for finish filler. But as it's been too cold to work w/ the door up, I walked around it THINKIN' , I carried my official Jas Thinkin' Cap card, so I was completely safe. No additional brain cells were harmed. In a few areas there were cleats or lights pulled loose when ply under the gel got soggy. (When I agreed to buy it from pix, it wasn't exactly as advertised, esp the windshield & gelcoat). Came down about 20% from asking, but........

I had intended to grind & fill just as needed, but I don't really mind the extra work or extra materials. As I spend more time working & looking at the gel, I don't want to be back in dry dock for ANYTHING ANYTIME soon..... So, then I started to look for ways to keep some of the gel, all of the details, and end up w/ a great looking surface, that will take & hold paint, and stay that way for awhile......

Checking in brutha...

I need an official Jas Thinkin' cap!

As I work on the boat & spend more time on iBoats, I've changed my perception.

I know exactly what you mean dude...

Cheers!

 

[craigweaver]

JBC, just checking in bro. One thing we do that really keeps hands warm is to wear nitrile gloves under our shop gloves. I get the longer wristed ones so we can tuck the tyvek sleeves into them and keep the itch out.

Sorry to hear about rub rail. I sure hope the new toy, eeerrrr I mean tool works wonders. I recommend a good hss blade for it. (that's high speed steel, it's for wood and metal)

it was 18 here today and after 2 hours of the salamander running in the garage we managed to get it up to 45 tonight. I still sweated my ***** off in the tent of doom tonight.

Keep your chin up bro. I'm learning it's one small step at a time. No sense hurrying, winters about to take hold for a couple of months I think, lol