1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Hey Mick/archbuilder,
I'm going to throw my 2 cents in again.
I have never done seacast but it seems to me that what archbuilder suggested about using the foam covered in box tape, on the inside of the transom, then do the layup on the foam, and then remove the foam. Then pour the seacast, would be the best and quickest way to do this.
By doing it as one piece, it seems to me it would be a lot stronger less room for error and the secast would fill ever void in the transom.
Just my thoughts.
Good luck anyway you decide to proceed.
Bob

 

[dade61782]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

I agree Place foam in position glass/tab it in all at the same time then remove foam and pour

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Thanks guys for the replies- that is the way I will do the inner skin.
Next question- do I do one biax cloth and let it dry? And then after it is dry take out the foam/or leave it and do the second biax cloth? This stuff is thick, plus my fiberglassing skills and trying to get it done quickly before the poly hardens are par at best!
Last question- the spacers- should I still use them after the foam is out? My outer transom skin is a bit wobbley and I have it supported with a 2x4 and screws when I'm not working on it. I guess I could fit them in there, glue them with poly, and clamp it down once the inner skin is set up.

Notice the time- after 2:30 in the morn! Wifey told me I can't work on the boat tomorrow cause we are having people over. Stupid me I decided to start glassing the hull at 12. I only did a small section up front but I'm just waiting it out with the fire going and heat lamps on for it to have plenty of time to cure. I'll post the pics tomorrow- later today
thanks again guys!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Doesn't SeaCast get like hella-hot as it cures? Will that be a problem with using the foam as a barrier?

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Doesn't SeaCast get like hella-hot as it cures? Will that be a problem with using the foam as a barrier?

It does get hot, but the idea is to put the foam where the seacast will go, lay up the glass, pull out the foam, then place the seacast in the void where the foam was.

Mick, I would start with the glass on one side, then work to the other....about 16oz or less of resin at a time. That way you are working away from it as it fires off. A second pair of hands would be handy for this task. That is the way I laid up the glass on my floor. I would wet about 1' of the plywood, unroll the mat, wet the top, then work out the air bubbles. Started at the front and worked to the back, about 13' worth! I'll try to sketch up a diagram of how I'm thinking you could do it when I get back. I think you could pull the form after the first layer....it would probably be easier that way. I would use the spacers...and if the back skin is still floppy, run a 2x4 across it and clamp it in place. You want to make sure it is the right shape when you pour the seacast....you won't be changing the shape afterward!

 

[insanity]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Looks good I am interested in th seacast and how that works for you.

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

One more problem I may have with using the foam and laying up on it- The poly that I have has wax in it and seacast doesn't like wax. Looks like I am going to have to call them and ask cause I planned on using seacast for the keel, stringers and transom.

Anyway last night I was out in the garage until 3 am. I finished trimming the template for the transom and that came out good.

Then I decided to lay some glass on the hull. These are two seperate pieces overlapped in the center

[/IMG]

[/IMG]

While I was waiting I had the temp shelter up to keep it warm in there

[/IMG]

Also while I was waiting I cut open the painters hat that I used for the stern eye bolt area that I glassed the other day!

[/IMG]

Like New!

[/IMG]

The glass came out good- You gotta work fast with that stuff!

[/IMG]


So I think I'm just going to order some poly without wax from US Composites.
What did you guys use 435 Standard Polyester Layup Resin for $29.50 a gallon?

Have a nice New Years everyone!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Hey Mick, happy new years! I think you will be happy with the laminating resin. Did you ask your local supplier if they could get it for you? I know you like keeping local with your purchases. Just a thought.

 

[SKIBUM1M]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Micks Sorry I have been gone but the wife was home. I have a few different suggestions on the transom if its not too late. I did my transom pretty close to the way seacast suggested it. Cut a piece of plywood that fits the shape of the transom. coat it with mold release. then center it under the biax and wet out the biax to the edges of the plywood. I wet out one layer then immediately the other. After that cured I placed it in the boat and drilled thru every hole in the transom thru the biax and plywood. Then removed the biax and plywood and pulled the biax off the plywood. I put the biax back in and put bolts thru it and then wet out the edges into the boat. When that cured I put the plywood back in and bolted it to the outer skin. then you are ready to pour the seacast. I am afraid if you do it the way you are describing without backing the inner skin with plywood the inner skin will bow substantially under the weight of the seacast. It sounds like you are trying to reinvent the wheel when I know this method works because I had no problems when I did mine. If you like you can call me and I will walk you thru it or clarify any questions you have.

 

[SKIBUM1M]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Also as far as resin goes I used Bondo brand poly resin which you can buy at autozone or advanced auto. It is not waxed and bonds well to the existing hull.
As far as temperature goes let it work for you when glassing. If you are doing a bigger layup let it get cold before you do it, then when you want the glass to kick heat up the area to speed it up. Temp effects the cure speed of glass drastically.
On your new HVLP guns. Play with them now by spraying water thru them to get used to how to adjust them. Spray a wall with water. You want about a 1 foot tall oval spray patern. Move the gun perpendicular to the surface at a constant speed and never stop moving the gun with the trigger pulled. try wetting a wall without any water running into streams. when you start spraying paint, After you spray it immediately clean the gun very well. remove the tip and needle and cup as you clean it. If you leave paint to dry in a gun it turns into a nice wall decoration but is no good for spraying anything again.

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

I was able to make it out to the boat this afternoon and tonight and made some progress.

This afternoon I laid strand down the entire left side of the floor in the picture. That one layer really stiffens up the hull compared to the other side

[/IMG]
My make shift shelter was used again to keep the temp up. I don't really think I need it but what the heck?

[/IMG]

I am out of strand after this afternoon and out of hardner after tonight so I gotta make a run to the boat store soon- and order poly(I gotta look into the bondo resin that skibum mentioned too).

Tonight I just went ahead and made sure my dimensions were right for the transom foam, packaging taped the foam, and then pollied the inner transom skin- this got me over a mental hurdle! The wood you see behind the foam is not the exterior skin- it's just my 2x4 brace for the transom.

[/IMG]

I laid everything out and then put poly on the taped up foam first and then started brushing and rolling away! I did one piece of the biaxial cloth first, and then the second piece on top of that. We'll see how it turns out tomorrow- seemed good when I left the garage tonight though

[/IMG]

Here is what it looked like when I was done. LOL, I wrote on it the name and restoration stuff before I started putting on the poly- I don't know why- just felt like it- maybe the fumes were getting to me. If you look close in the bottom right of the skin you can see I started writing on the other piece before I realized I was spelling Arkansas wrong(I'm blaming it on lack of sleep and fumes?)

[/IMG]

While that was setting up I knew I'd have leftover poly, so I already had cut out leftover pieces of strand that I used to patch up the screw and bolt holes in the transom to prep for the seacast.

[/IMG]

Damn, bilge area- I have to sand that down yet- I kick myself for forgetting to do that- I thought I was done with the major sanding, mask, and suit!

Am I going to have to sand down the back of the transom skin I made tonight before seacast. Apparently because there is wax in my poly seacast won't adhere to it properly???

Ok, gotta hit the showers and rack! Gdnt!

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Mick,
Nice graphics on the glass. I wrote on my transom before I glassed it too. Not sure why I did considering it will get painted.
Looks like the boat is coming along fine.
Keep up the great work.
Bob

 

[andgott]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Coming right along on this one!!

Sanding- Ahh, The best part of working on a boat. Don't worry- Eventually it'll all get done. I remember when I FINALLY finished mine up (well, the OLD stuff anyways... I'll still have more grinding on the NEW work). It is quite a relief!

I've signed all my work, too- Usually in an inconspicuous place... I always wonder if someone down the line will find it. Hopefully it's not while they are tearing out the work I did because it failed

-Andrew

 

[Mountain_Man]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Mick

Good looking work! I'm really looking forward to the seacast. I'm thing really hard about using it myself.

Thanks for the step by step pics too? I'm having to learn about fiberglass Haven't done it before

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Archbuilder- I am going to ask my local guy about getting unwaxed stuff, and I want to check out the stuff at autozone too. That's why I'm holding off on ordering from us composite.

Mitch, you will learn as you go with everything including the fiberglass. I am trying to post a bunch of pics and include any info I think is helpful for the next person who comes along reading this. I am as green as they come to boat restoration. I didn't even know the front of the boat was the stern and the back is the bow that's how little knowledge I had about boats.

One thing that definitely helps after researching for so long on here is to go to a local boat store with a list and actually look at all the materials you are going to be using. In my case I went to my store, told them I was going to doing a reno, showed them my list, and the guy showed me and went over all the different products I'd be using. The third time I went there is when I actually bought my supplies to get started.

Hope this helps

 

[PaulyV]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Archbuilder- I am going to ask my local guy about getting unwaxed stuff, and I want to check out the stuff at autozone too. That's why I'm holding off on ordering from us composite.

Mitch, you will learn as you go with everything including the fiberglass. I am trying to post a bunch of pics and include any info I think is helpful for the next person who comes along reading this. I am as green as they come to boat restoration. I didn't even know the front of the boat was the stern and the back is the bow that's how little knowledge I had about boats.

One thing that definitely helps after researching for so long on here is to go to a local boat store with a list and actually look at all the materials you are going to be using. In my case I went to my store, told them I was going to doing a reno, showed them my list, and the guy showed me and went over all the different products I'd be using. The third time I went there is when I actually bought my supplies to get started.

Hope this helps

Great work Mick...I think the fumes are getting to ya...the front is BOW...the rear is STERN..
Your cruisin along and doing a heck of a job!!

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Pauly- see how green I am- I still get it messed up!

OK I HAVE A PROBLEM! I was just out to the boat quick to show my daughter and I pulled the inner skin I made last off the mold and went to put it in the boat. It bows like crazy because the top 3 inches or so on the top on both sides took to much resin and got hard about a half inch past the template where it wasn't supposed to.

What should I do??

I didn't take the camera out with me but I have approx a 3" tab all the way round the whole skin that I will use to tab into the hull. But what should I do with the top area where it soaked up some resin and got hard? My first thought is to just grind that area down a little on the front and back of the skin to break up the resin a bit so I can bend it so it fits and still use the tabs.

What do you all think?

Thanks

 

[andgott]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

I saw that in your layup photo.. I think it's going to be tough to leave a tab on there- Try as hard as you will, the resin is going to 'migrate' beyond where you want it.

I'd fix it by trimming the fiberglass down until it is flush with the edge of the foam, then when you install it, use tabbing around the edges- Or a new piece of fiberglass over the whole thing.

As for the bow/stern thing- On the ship that I work on, we have a few that are STILL confused by bow/stern and port/starboard, even after many years 'at sea'... I just send them to the pointy end! Hopefully, They'll never have a career on a giant canoe

-Andrew

 

[archbuilder]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Wet out the piece, then cut it down to fit the pattern you made....then tab it in later. The "leaching" or "wicking" is why I thought you would be better off using the foam as a mold in the boat and glass it in place. I hope I didn't mis-communicate that...sorry if I did.

 

[micks110]

Re: 1962 Arkansas Traveler restoration

Just got back from the boat place. I picked up more strand and hardner. The guy at the boat place told me if I wanted poly without wax I should just check out autozone- so it didn't make me feel that bad to go somewhere else. So I stopped at autozone and got two gallons of their poly without wax.

How bout when I was at the boat place I came in from the back and they have a 1962 Starflyte motor sitting out back on the rack with a bunch of other motors. I asked inside about it and he said it runs and probably $400 for it. Mine runs to but I'm thinking down the road if I ever need parts. Should I pick it up??? ask maybe $200 for it???
Thanks