i386 Boat Restoration. (Crosby Sled)

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Done for today. There's a few more pics up. Grinding out the outside channels is pretty much done. I'll need to climb in to do the center one. It'll be be a good idea to stiffen up the outside channels before I climb in I think.

I hope the Rotozip holds up. It's light enough to use with one hand. Using a heaver tool is going to play hell on my back. It must be pretty well balanced too as it does not seem to vibrate nearly as bad as my grinder. I could use it all day. I'm ready to set the grinder down after only a few minutes.

I think I've found a good way to estimate the volume of foam I'll need. I think I'll use the rest of the daylight to take a few measurements.

Tomorrow, the epoxy and other materials gets ordered!

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

The stuff has shipped! It's supposed to be here Friday. WooHoo!

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Man,Thats going to be a nice rig! The trailer looks great!! I can't wait to see the finished pics!

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

The materials came in, but the weather did not permit me to get much done.

I did make a test lamination with some resin and a small pieces of mat and 10 oz cloth. I covered a piece of wood with a piece of garbage bag and did the lamination on top of that. After it cured, I was able to peel it off. It made a tough piece. It also gave me an idea how thick it would be and also how the texture is when cured.

I took the cap off the ground and set it on the saw horses previously occupied by the inverted hull and hosed it off. I spent a few minutes thinking about joining it back with the rest of it I sawed in half. This wasn't the first of last time I will ponder on this subject.

I started to remove the steering wheel from the console but the cable drum is held on with a snap ring. I will have to purchase a set of snap ring pliers for that.

The hull is very "flexy" on the trailer. It's making me paranoid about putting the deck in and it ending up skewed. I've got a plan. I think I can take 3 or 4 2x4's and notch them in the center. If the notch has the correct depth, the keel will set at the bottom of the notch and the chines will set squarely on the boards. I might even do this part on my level garage floor.

It's supposed to be warm Wed., Thur., and Fri. so that'll probably all until then.

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

I don't know that anyone's actually reading this but this is my work log so here we go again...

My patch from yesterday got a good solid cure so I decided to be a little more ambitious today. I went ahead and covered all my holes on the outside with packing tape. All the areas surrounding the holes on the inside were cleaned with acetone. All the glass was pre-cut for every hole. I think it was 5 total. I mixed up a sandable filler using equal parts of Cabosil and glass bubbles until it was think enough not to run off my spoon. I coated the bottom of every hole spreading evenly over the packing tape. Then I did my glass laminations over it. There are now no holes in the bottom of my hull. I'll remove the packing tape tomorrow evening. I pulled the tape off the one I did yesterday and it looks pretty good. This is going to save me a lot of work when I'm prepping to paint.

No more daylight left for pics, but I'll post some tomorrow evening. It's good to be making progress.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Keep it up!!! Keep us posted.

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Here's the latest pics...

Before: With Holes

After: No Holes

Close-up of one of the repairs... I used a schedule of mat, cloth, mat, cloth, mat. This is a little thicker than the original hull. This is epoxy, but the binder in the mat does eventually break down (mechanically?) with a little work from the roller.

The next step will involve some larger pieces of glass. This may be overkill (knowing me it is), but I'm going to put a piece of my 10oz cloth down all three "channels" before the deck goes in. I have sanded into the original roving in a few places and I would just feel better with that layer of cloth in there. I want this hull to be solid!

*** The light color you see in the repair is not a bubble. It's my sandable filler. This epoxy is pretty transparant and it's was very sunny outside when I snapped that pic.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Snap some pics of the repairs from the outside. Looks good so far.

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Snap some pics of the repairs from the outside. Looks good so far.

I'll get some tomorrow. I am extremely pleased at how the repairs look from the outside. Thanks for asking.

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

The repairs from last night are rock solid. Tonight I made templates for glassing the outside channels and the transom. I also laid out and marked the cloth for the outside channels, the transom and the deck. I still have a LOT of 10oz cloth left.

Here's one of the templates I made. There's one for each side. I'll need to get in the boat to do the center channel so I'd like to wait until the outside ones are done because the hull will be stronger.

An eyeball guestimate tells me that one layer of 10oz cloth is about 1/2 as thick as the hull. Adding this layer to the bottom will then make the hull about 50% thicker. Epoxy is also stronger than polyester which what was used to build the boat originally. I don't know the exact math here but I would think I'm making the hull significantly stronger with just one layer of cloth.

The plan for tomorrow is to get these two pieces laid and glass in one layer of the transom. The latter is just to reinforce the skin. It's a little thinner than original due to the difficulty I had removing the cap. One layer should do it. Too much and the cap won't fit.

Speaking of the cap, I'd also like to fit it back on and reunite the two pieces I cut in half during removal this weekend. I think that will be one of the more interesting and challenging parts of this project.

Tonight's pics start here.

 

[Rod65]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Good to see you making progress. I spent my Saturday at the lake enjoying the fruits of my labor. Had a great time, my 11 year old got to drive his first boat....he's hooked. Keep the progress notes coming.

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Thanks Rod65. I got a good bit more done today while you were out enjoying the weather...

As requested, here's a shot of the repair as viewed from outside. It's difficult to compose a shot showing how the shape of the hull was maintained but this is pretty close. I'll get some more shots when the hull is flipped for finish work.


Today I suited up for some grinding first off, then got the cloth glassed in on the port side channel. My back was pretty shot out from working slumped over the side so I decided to save the other side for tomorrow.
It becomes pretty transparent when wetted out but if you look closely you can see the texture of the cloth.

The new cloth is applied over the original roving. The mat patch at the left of the photo is also part of the original construction.

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Continued...

I also began the work to reunite the cap where I cut it. I used some wire ties to temporarily reinstall the cap. Then I clamped the two pieces back in their original place. The rivet holes serve as a guide.

The rest of todays pics can be seen here.

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Started work again after breakfast. I finished fine tuning the alignment of the pieces clamped together. Then marked off a few key areas, scuffed, and cleaned with acetone. 8 small tabs of 10oz cloth were cut and glued up on the areas that were marked. The idea is to have as little as possible to grind off later but still be strong enough to remove in one piece. At the very least I'll be able to take the clamps off this afternoon and add more strips if it needs it.

Strips of clear tape were added in key areas to prevent gluing the cap to the hull.

I made a little work surface using a 1x4 and some plastic. Again, this to avoid making a mess that I'll end up grinding off later.

Gluing the piece down. It's hard to beat these little foam brushes.



I have a lot more pics showing the process in greater detail. Those pics start here.

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Reunited...

More tomorrow.


BTW, I needed another pair of saw horses so I built some new ones just like my old ones. It's a neat design... All pieces except the braces are 36". The legs are mitered and beveled 15 degrees. The braces are mitered at 15 degrees (no bevel). You can screw or nail them together. They're also stackable. I found the design posted online by a contractor years ago when I got my miter saw. You'll need 3 8' 2x4's per saw horse. If you store them outdoors a little tar on the feet will make them last forever.

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

I decided to take a break from the glass work and build this bending jig. This will be used to bend the fore section of the deck. I set the curve in the boat so it's right.

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

No big news tonight. I glassed the channel on the starboard side. This time I used a foam roller. Man does that work good! If you're glassing a large area use a foam roller to spread your resin. You will not regret buying it.

If I can get the wood, the deck should be done this weekend or early next week. Here's what's got to be done before that.

Grind out the center channel. Grind out the big repair in the bow and fix it. Glass the whole center channel.

Leak test.

So tomorrow it's back in the bunny suit.

I'm contemplating building a quick and dirty jig for cutting the grooves in the fore section of the deck before it gets screwed to the bending jig. Hmm...

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

No pics today. Came home, suited up and went to work grinding out the center channel. 1 foot from being done the old Rotozip gave out on me. The motor is fine, but part of the grinding/sanding attachment failed. I'll have to see if they'll service it. I'd hate to have to junk it. So anyway, I finished up the last foot of grinding with my angle grinder. It's heavier, and vibrates like hell but it gets the job done. So that part is ready to go and I'm done grinding till I start working on the cap. My sore back is happy.

Well I got an email from Aircraft Spruce. They sell parts to build airplanes and just happen to sell marine plywood. She said they had one sheet and wouldn't have any more until the middle of may. So I made an executive decision. I'm going to use 1/2" exterior BC plywood. 2 sheets, 2 tubes of PL Premuim and bolts/washers/nuts that I'll use to clamp it cost less than one sheet of marine.

Tomorrow I will put a rather large patch in the bow and glass the center channel.

So far I am on schedule to have the deck in this weekend or early next week.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Wow! What a marathon restore!

If you are a "christian" you could name the boat Born Again but this is certainly Back form The Dead!!

I like the zip ties and that looks like a great idea for the alignment.

Did you do the leak test? How did it go?

 

[i386]

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Re: My restoration project. (Trailer Update)

Wow! What a marathon restore!

If you are a "christian" you could name the boat Born Again but this is certainly Back form The Dead!!

I like the zip ties and that looks like a great idea for the alignment.

Did you do the leak test? How did it go?

Yea, this is quite a project! I don't think I would have picked this if I were looking to do one. It was in the family, and spent a year or so neglected. It was given to me in that shape so I thought I'd make her whole again.

Yea, I was thinking Born Again, Resurrection, Reincarnation, Round Two, Fix-R Up-R, Ant Farm, something along those lines.

Yes, the zip ties worked pretty well. I got a bag of 1000 at Big Lots for $12. That's hard to beat. Poking a center punch through both holes helps to align it as you cinch down a zip tie in the neighboring hole.

I've got one more strip of glass to lay tomorrow evening. Then she'll be right on schedule for the leak test on Saturday morning. If all goes well, the deck work will commence.

Nothing really worthy of pictures tonight but there's tons more coming this weekend.