1970 Holiday 18ft Beginning rehab for fishing boat

[classiccat]

Classiccat, I'm on page 60 of your rehab...it's quite the project! I'm in the process of ordering some 3/16" rivets and the correct rivet set. What length rivets did you use to replace the standard hull rivets without any patches and what was the length on the rivets you used for adding .080 patches to the hull. I have a feeling I'm going to be adding quite a few.

Good question MOd!

The general equation for determining proper thickness is: Length = (Cumulative Material Thickness) + 1.5xRivet Diameter

1.5 x Rivet Diameter is how much is sticking out. So if you're using 3/16 rivets, you'll want 9/32 (0.28215") sticking out. Then add the combined material thickness to that for your total rivet length.

You're going to want to have a selection of lengths. Going from memory, I ordered 3/8, 1/2 and 5/8 and that should cover just about everything. I may even have some 3/4.

Shorter stems are easier to set as longer rivet stems tend to want to curl-over on you.

When I ran out of the shorter sizes and/or I needed something in-between, I would trim longer rivets back based on how long the "bucktail" end we're starting with.

 

[MyOutdoors]

That's great info! Thank you. It looks like you ran a regular air chisel with a rivet set and the psi set around 40?

I'm trying to get everything I need while the weather isn't cooperating so I'm ready to go when the sun shines.

 

[classiccat]

That's great info! Thank you. It looks like you ran a regular air chisel with a rivet set and the psi set around 40?

I'm trying to get everything I need while the weather isn't cooperating so I'm ready to go when the sun shines.

I actually was able to snag what seems to be one of the last riveting hammers from harbor freight. They're nice because you can ease into the mayhem! :madgrin: The 3/16 & 5/32" rivet sets came from fleabay.

 

[MyOutdoors]

I finally got some time to take off the knee brace. The pitting wasn't too bad...I was expecting something worse underneath.



The knee brace has a small cracking

 

[MyOutdoors]

Time to order the air hammer and rivets!

 

[classiccat]

You're right...relatively mild under the knee brace. :thumb: It looks like 1 spot under the SB-side tab is a little rough.

when you order your rivet sets, make sure you get the ones for brazier-head rivets. 3/16 and 5/32 being the 2 most common.

 

[MyOutdoors]

I just ordered 3/16 aluminum num universal head in different lengths from aircraft tool, also ordered the rivet set for the air hammer.

 

[MyOutdoors]

So I finished reading your rehab project, I hope to see you complete it! I'm going to clean out all the pitting with a SS wheel before I fill them with PC11. After the epoxy, I'm going to put a layer of coat-it. Should I do a diluted muratic acid wash before I apply any pc11 or coat-it?

 

[classiccat]

So I finished reading your rehab project, I hope to see you complete it! I'm going to clean out all the pitting with a SS wheel before I fill them with PC11. After the epoxy, I'm going to put a layer of coat-it. Should I do a diluted muratic acid wash before I apply any pc11 or coat-it?

I hope to see me complete it as well!!

SS wheel works but you do have to be careful that you don't erode too much good material. I'm a huge fan of a Nyalox cupped brush...the Orange seems to be a good compromise for effectiveness & selectivity to good material.

What doesn't come out with the wire (or Nyalox) brush, you should dig out. Dental picks are somewhat effective...I found a dremel bit that worked great at removing corrosion laterally but did not dig the pits deeper (thread link).

I'm not familiar with PC11; I checked ths MSDS and couldn't see anything blatantly harmful to aluminum (strong acids &/or metallic ingredients...only exception is Titanium Oxide which I believe is safe/stable & also used in JBWeld & Marine Tex). I used Marine Tex. Coat-it over the corrosion might be overkill. To be honest, I try to minimize how much epoxy you have on the surface of the aluminum; if you lose adhesion down the road, it will trap water.

The proper cleaning (and passivating) of aluminum is a 2-part process. Here's a sticky thread from the restoration forum stickies: Steps to Prep Aluminum with Pics (by Yacht Dr.). If you can't find Alumaprep & Alodine, The West System's 2-part etch kit I believe is a similar combination; Acid etch followed by chromate conversion. I tried diluted muratic acid (HCl) on really stubborn stuff but followed it with a good rinse...and then hit it with the West System etch kit.

The only reason for doing the etch/passivation is so that the filler adheres properly. Corrosion removal should be done mechanically IMHO.

 

[MyOutdoors]

The weather hasn't been and doesn't look like it's going to cooperate anytime soon here in the northeast. In the meantime, I'm trying to preemptively order parts and tools I need.

Does anyone have any ideas on restoring or replacing these parts...



These are actually cracked so I need new ones


How about the plastic Starcraft emblems?

 

[jbcurt00]

Emblems and spear points are going to be a challenge to find.

Might try ebay everyday til the boat is done.

Attwood rubrail end cap 9462 NLA/out of stock


Iboats carries the vents:
http://www.iboats.com/Exterior-Marine-Vents/dm/view_id.257681

Forum members get a discount, mention the Forum5 promo code

 

[GA_Boater]

Hi ya MOd.

Making good progress on the toughest parts with the pitting. One of the guys found some spear points for the lower rub rail that weren't exactly the same as the originals, but fit. I can't remember who.

On the emblems, this is a suggestion that may work. They appear to be in good shape, but the color is worn. If you want white letters with a blue background, spray the whole thing blue with several coats and let it sit to cure. After it's cured, do a light prep sand with the finest grit wet & dry paper you can find and spray the emblem white, concentrating on the lettering. Set it aside to cure again. Finally, using the fine grit wet & dry with water and a sanding block, very lightly sand the white off of the background, leaving the blue background and white letters.

Of course the colors are your choice and it may not work.

 

[jbcurt00]

2 other options

Recast your emblems, they are still in great shape just faded.

Substitute vinyl emblems. W your original, pretty much any car wrap place could replicate it.

 

[GA_Boater]

One more emblem idea. Engraved aluminum plate with painted letters. Clean them up after painting as with the painting thing in post #52, except the background will have a brushed AL look.

 

[MyOutdoors]

Great suggestions, thank you. This will keep me busy until I get some warmer weather to prep the inner hull.

 

[MyOutdoors]

I emailed Atwood and they responded that the end caps are discontinued...bummer. Now I have to find a good replacement.

 

[Watermann]

Another option is what I did with my Chief, delete those side rub rails as SC did in the later years. I think if not going for 100% original then it makes for an updated look.

 

[will w.]

I hope to see me complete it as well!!

SS wheel works but you do have to be careful that you don't erode too much good material. I'm a huge fan of a Nyalox cupped brush...the Orange seems to be a good compromise for effectiveness & selectivity to good material.

What doesn't come out with the wire (or Nyalox) brush, you should dig out. Dental picks are somewhat effective...I found a dremel bit that worked great at removing corrosion laterally but did not dig the pits deeper (thread link).

I'm not familiar with PC11; I checked ths MSDS and couldn't see anything blatantly harmful to aluminum (strong acids &/or metallic ingredients...only exception is Titanium oxide which I believe is safe/stable & also used in JBWeld & Marine Tex). I used Marine Tex. Coat-it over the corrosion might be overkill. To be honest, I try to minimize how much epoxy you have on the surface of the aluminum; if you lose adhesion down the road, it will trap water.

Remembered this post after looking at RUSTO aluminum spray can primer MSDS. It contains more Titanium Dioxide than Zinc Phosphate. Reason I looked it up is, I was curious if the primer contained zinc, not quite as good as chromate but good no less. Is there a difference between Dioxide and Oxide?

 

[classiccat]

Remembered this post after looking at RUSTO aluminum spray can primer MSDS. It contains more Titanium Dioxide than Zinc Phosphate. Reason I looked it up is, I was curious if the primer contained zinc, not quite as good as chromate but good no less. Is there a difference between Dioxide and Oxide?

Aesthetics & stability. I'm not a chemist by trade however my limited understanding of their uses is that the titanium dioxide is used as white pigment (very reflective)...and more stable than titanium monoxide...assuming that it's really titanium monoxide in the MSDS; they may be loosely defining the molecule?

 

[MyOutdoors]

I finally got some work in today...the weather hasn't been cooperating. Rain and snow. I used my Drexel with a cone diamond tip and it worked like a charm. I couldn't believe how many pits had hidden deeper corrosion below the surface. I now have over a 1/2 dozen holes through the hull.

My question now is if I should just drill out the corroded hole and install a solid rivet to seal it up? I don't have any corrosion that would require a patch per say...they are all spuratic.