1985 Bayliner 2450 Ciera Sunbridge Restoration underway!

[Ciera2450]

Thanks a ton GM! I may take you up on that. Wow, 23 gallons! You’re boat sure is a tank though. You’ll be fishing in no time.

 

[kcassells]

Keep in mind C, whatever you start with is what you want to end with in regards to glue.
Epoxy sticks to everything.
Poly does not stick to EEEpppoooxxy.
FYI eeeppooxxy has different speeds of cure, slow, med, fast. Like all glues temp plays apart in cure time. I never had a problem wetting out and waiting.
In fact with a slower cure process you are able to continue and add more glass. So you get a stronger
chemical bond vs. a mechanical bond, doing wet on wet. How bout dem apples.
FYI the chemical bond applies to both poly and EEEpppoooxxxyy.
Keep asking all good questions.
And the sign said long hair freaky people need not apply...…………….lol

 

[Ciera2450]

Another consideration is paint/gel coat. Gel coat is more durable and I tend to throw things around in the engine bay if I’m doing work on something. Gelcoat woukd probably hold up to abuse better. I would have to use poly to gelcoat. I’ve heard paints like bilgecoat etc, scratch and chip.. gelcoat is cheap too compared to good paint. So many choices!

Btw, I actually have two quarts of white gelcoat but it’s a year or so old.. would it be any good? I helped a buddy do a small repair on his sailboat and he ordered 3 quarts. (Dunno why) We didn’t even use 1/4 of one. He gave me the rest.

 

[Ciera2450]

One other note, and I believe folks don’t recommend it because of the danger, but I’ve found nothing cuts through glass like a metal cut off disc on a grinder. I’ve tried everything and that does it the fastest and easiest. There is the danger of the disc breaking and impaling you.. so there’s that. I use the guard on the grinder when cutting and wear heavy gloves. As long as you don’t “torque” the disc when cutting, it works very well. The oscillating tool works but is slow. The circular saw can’t get most places. Saw all works but wavy cuts and can’t get some places with it. Just my thoughts here... too much coffee this morning! Alright, I gotta go work.

 

[oldrem]

Shelf life is another consideration. I've used 10 year old epoxy with no noticeable issues. Poly - 6 months and it's pretty much garbage from what I've read

 

[Ciera2450]

Good point oldrem!

 

[Ciera2450]

Having a hard Time motivating myself this evening to suit up and go out to grind more. May take a night off and enjoy a few cold beers. Perhaps more than a few. Back at it tomorrow!

 

[mickyryan]

if the oscillating tool is slow its wrong blades there is no way id use death wheels lol

 

[kcassells]

One other note, and I believe folks don’t recommend it because of the danger, but I’ve found nothing cuts through glass like a metal cut off disc on a grinder. I’ve tried everything and that does it the fastest and easiest. There is the danger of the disc breaking and impaling you.. so there’s that. I use the guard on the grinder when cutting and wear heavy gloves. As long as you don’t “torque” the disc when cutting, it works very well. The oscillating tool works but is slow. The circular saw can’t get most places. Saw all works but wavy cuts and can’t get some places with it. Just my thoughts here... too much coffee this morning! Alright, I gotta go work.

I've got some nice battle scars from the metal cutoff wheels. They are awesome and fast. Also very SCAREY.
Make sure your grinder has a paddle switch for shut off not a lock switch. Some ahole left the lock switch on in my boat and when I plugged it in the sucker skipped over and into my ankle. A lot of damage to people real fast.
Never use in confined spaces.

Regarding oscillating blades the beauty is no dust and yes slower. Great for controlled intricate cuts. I use the 3/4 wheel shaped blade the most.

 

[Ciera2450]

I used the half moon blades in the oscillating tool also. It worked great unless you hit thick glass sections or wood/glass combo, then it went very slow. I know the cut off wheel can be scary but it cut through 1” thick glass chunks like it wasn’t there. I’ve got all the cutting done! (I hope)
going out shortly to continue the grinding fun. Plan is all day grinding and get it done for the most part. Tomorrow Templates and cutting wood for transom and fuel tank deck. Once the tank deck is back in, I will test fit and get pictures for some advice on how to reattach the berth floor securely. (It covers most of the top of the tank) If there is enough room small cleats would work great and also secure the tank but I don’t think there will be room from my measurements. We shall see for sure on the test fit.

have a a great Saturday!

 

[Ciera2450]

Kcassells ouch! My b&d grinder has that switch too and I hate it. It sticks when you don’t want it to.

Micky, lol @ death wheel. They can be very dangerous when/if they shatter.

 

[Ciera2450]

Thoughts on smoothing the transom to make it flatter for the new core? Belt sander? Again, the original core was only two layers around the keyhole area and that area is nice and flat. I’m going much wider with the double transom for strength and originally it was just one layer of ply that appeared to be chopper gunned then ply then more chop. The glass is very wavy on both sides even after grinding and several void/dry spots.

I’m thinking belt sander or possibly a skim coat of PB across the whole transom and sand flat before sticking the core. I’ve wanted a belt sander and this could be an excuse. :laugh:Open to suggestions... I know a little bit of unevenness won’t matter with bedding in PB, but how much is too much?

 

[kcassells]

I use a belt sander all over the place on my boat. I have a BD cheapo like this. The nose flips up and lets me into a lot of places.
Elcheapo $29-$69 didposable type. Burned thru 2 so far. Their are some serious grit papers you can put on there. Just need to make sure the transom glass is gone of dried old glass for adherence. PB will trough on like tile mastic and fill out voids. Plus it's going to squeeze out, from the excess squeeze then you are going to make filets.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/black-decke...12ecd89d8911f8

 

[Ciera2450]

Thanks kcassells! I think I’ll oick up a belt sander. I’ve wanted one anyways.

Here what I’m working with on he transom. It’s only maybe 1/16” but not sure how much is ok

80FD288D-871E-4728-89FA-C51B1731F993 by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

D9370D1D-0AD4-49BA-99B4-D36ADEECA6B5 by Ciera 2450, on Flickr


short break to breathe and dry sweat, going back to grinding. Here is my set up for dust... cyclone fan in key hole with a filter on it, plastic draped to try and catch some, another fan on the deck blowing toward the keyhole. I also hung a shop light from the gantry. Helps a ton when it gets dark! My carport light isn’t so bright. Works good but dust still everywhere. Going back to grinding! Look forward to thoughts on the transom flatness...

1496A181-C62C-4DDD-8078-ACD69CA162C5 by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

 

[Ciera2450]

Btw, yes the trim tabs will be coming off. The freaking screws are giving me a fit. Either way they are coming off for a reseal. Last things left on the transom.

 

[Ciera2450]

Also if anyone reading this first time grinding..... this is part of the dust from only 30 minutes or so of grinding. And I’ve even vacuumed up some. It goes everywhere. PPE is paramount.

70541E1D-D38A-4287-BCDF-FF5C67E2B639 by Ciera 2450, on Flickr

 

[kcassells]

You need to remove this stuff. Bad bonding issues.

 

[kcassells]

That's all loose unwetted out glass from the factory. You'll need to get rid of all of it wherever it is. If you can use a screwdriver or finger nail to pull some of it out it has to go. JMHO.

 

[Ciera2450]

Those are the areas I asked about a while back... they concern me too but I’ve ground into them pretty deep looking for solid glass and damn near through in spots. The port side is he worst. Star has a few small spots but nothing like the port. I was thinking to grind as far as I’m willing, then PB those areas before sticking the core. Thoughts?

it looks like the chopper gun ran out of resin in his spot. It’s about a 8” square section of crap.

 

[Ciera2450]

I keep grinding and it’s just crap there. Can’t find solid glass.