77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Thanks Gus, Should I PB them in or would PL be sufficient with plenty of cure time?

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Thanks Gus, Should I PB them in or would PL be sufficient with plenty of cure time?

I am pretty much a PB guy...but PL should work OK...
The reason I like PB so much is I can keep right on doing the installation...
I'll usually PB a part in, use the stuff that oozes out as a filet, then apply the CSM right away to create a nice smooth filet and be ready to apply whatever successive layers...of course I only work in short sections...depending on the task at hand I can do about 6-10 feet of installation, more if its early morning and cool...if you can call cool 85? @ 7AM...
Once you get used to doing it this way, you can work really fast and get a bunch done in less time...
I also use the lower end of the catalyst scale, which gives me slightly more open time, especially with the heat usually hovering close to a hundred in the shade...

 

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Ok, so now my employment situation changed and not for the better. I now will have to put ordering my supplies from USC on hold. Since I have more time on my hands than I need, I'd like to keep moving on my boat. I know pb is the preferred method of bedding stringers but if I use pl I can still build my stringers and install, then I can cut and fit all bulkheads, sole, and all other pieces in preparation of glassing when finances permit. I know PB is the way to go, I'm just trying to keep some sort of progress going. Any thoughts? I don't want to end up shooting myself in the foot!:indecisiveness::indecisiveness:http://forums.iboats.com/images/smilies/indecisiveness.png

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Sorry to hear about the change for the not so good, but keep the faith...it will get better...
Since you now have time on your side, PL can be your friend...since it takes awhile for it to cure, you should be good to go...Just use it to assemble and attach everything...when the funding situation improves, you can go back and create your filets with PB and glass everything in...

 

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Thanks Gus, What # PL is best to use?

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

PL Premium Construction

...OR...

Check out the website...
http://www.loctiteproducts.com/construction-adhesives.shtml
Look for the waterproof and different materials bond...

 

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Thanks!

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

I forgot to mention that they make the Contractor size tubes of adhesive, they are a little bit more economical than the regular tubes...the only thing is you have to buy the contractor sized caulking gun...

 

[fishbone77]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

I also used PL to bed in the stringers, then finished with PB and glass - it seemed to work well! Sorry to hear about the job situation - hang in there!

 

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Thanks guys, I appreciate the info and support.

 

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Hi all, Since I decided to pass on the free Bayliner I got back to the Skeeter and started to grind the hull. Using 4" grinder with 36grit discs and rubber backing plate. Didn't go to well. backing pad disintegrated and threw shrapnel all over the garage. Ok, here's my question.There is a gray coating on half the hull. This stuff is like iron and eats up the grinding discs. It also seems to be absorbed into the glass and I swear I'm going to go thru the hull if I try to get to clean glass. Does resin bond to this or do I keep grinding? Thanks!

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Not sure what the gray coating might be...can you post up a good pic of it?
Sorry to hear about the grenading backing pad...
I get those often enough at work...what happens is you tend to push on the sanding disc at too much of an angle and as it heats up and bends, they tend to split apart...a very good reason to always wear safety gear, I personally use a full face shield and some heavy gloves...

 

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Hi Gus, Yea, that backing pad really got my attention when she let go. I'll get better picture tomorrow but you can see it in #11 post. I want to say it's some kind of bilge paint but boy is it hard.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Might be some kind of SeaCast...if it is...that stuff is supposed to be hard as cement...might have to try chiseling or chipping it out, see if that works better than trying to grind it...if you have an air chisel handy, you could try it...

 

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

It appears to have been sprayed, rolled or brushed on the back half of the hull. I just saw on HF site a 36grit diamond impregnated disk for 4" grinders. One of the reviews was from a boat builder who said it eats up old tabbing and lasts a long time. I might give it a try.

 

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Hi all, All most done with grinding and it will be a while before glassing but I have a question. When grinding, the glass covering the wooden hull stiffeners was super thin and barely covering in a lot of areas and just ground right off to the wood. So, my plan is after the stringers are in I'll reglass the hull. What would I use, CSM or 1708? thanks

 

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

I'm amazed at how the factory glassing wasn't all that good and didn't seal up the wood all too well.

 

[poppop51]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

CSM or 1708? anybody?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

CSM will probably suffice, but not being there & seeing how thin/flimsy the hull is hard to judge...

1708 will take more resin, cost more for the 1708 vs the CSM, cost more for the additional resin & ultimately add more weight to the hull..... But would add more rigidity then CSM.

Remember this was a production boat, with an expected useful lifespan that probably expired in the early 1990's. It was built accordingly....... Not that it's a justification for doing it that way, but it's standard boat building for the period...

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 77 Skeeter Wrangler restoration

Hi poppop,
I did one full layer on the entire hull of 1708...probably overkill, but it sure made me and the boat feel better...I did that after making all of the repairs to any thin spots and cut through the hulls that I made in the initial demolition and after bedding and tabbing all of my stringers with CSM...
That's when I went over everything from bow to stern and gunwale to gunwale with a complete layer of 1708...
As far as factory glass work...most boats are creatures of high production and maximum profit...at least when it comes to the mass produced ones...
I have seen what were considered to be quality built boats, like Carlsons and Glastrons and many others, thrown together just as shoddily...maybe not all, but usually only high end, custom built boats are put together with an eye towards craftsmanship...
Again, that is my personal interpretation from my limited exposure to the boating world, and really only applies to some of the older production boats...
Nowadays, with the wider use of specialized composites and vacuum molding, along with computer controlled designs and engineering, more and more boats are being built with much better attention to build quality...
L8r,
GT