More Time Than Money

[Jeff-n-Gail]

I recently sold a pontoon that was really nasty when I bought it. I cleaned the toons with mag wheel cleaner and then sealed them with Zeps Wet look Floor Finish. Its available at Lowes and several othe43r places. I put 4 real thin coats allowing try dry between them. It lasted for the 3 years I owned the boat and made cleanup of the water line simple. Toons did not re oxidize and it held up pretty well to beaching the boat on sand islands on a weekly basis. I applied it with a microfiber towel. Just put the zeps in a shallow pan (I used a paint roller pan) and apply thin coats. IF any runs wipe them out before it dries. It any bubble areas rewipe until smooth. Worked really good on pontoon aluminum and also on the RV siding we had.

You got my curiosity up so after a little reading and pondering I'm going to take your suggestion serious and give it a try. Bought a gallon at Lowes which I'm guessing will last just short of forever. So, if I end up reapplying every year or so, it won't be the worst. After all I end up polishing my toys at least once a year each. I bought some micro fiber cloths also but am curious as to weather foam brushes will give me the same quality of coat. Here's to "Keepin The Shine"

 

[Watermann]

I can now say I've heard it all. Using interior floor polish on a boat hull. :faint2:

 

[Jeff-n-Gail]

I can now say I've heard it all. Using interior floor polish on a boat hull. :faint2:

Haven't applied yet so I'll open to ideas.

 

[Jeff-n-Gail]

No Title

Moving along, I cut out the dash panel using the clear plastic pattern I made. After I made sure it would fit easily without damaging it when I glue it for the final time, I decided to test fit the tray at the same time. Looks good I think. Problem is, the glue I tried doesn't work. The dash material I thin stock aluminum and I will be gluing to teak wood board. Any input would be helpful.

 

[jbcurt00]

What glue did you try?

Contact cement or spray adhesive applied to both sides after a good acetone wipe down would be my 1st choice but long term adhesion to aluminum is often tricky

 

[BigDfromTN]

You got my curiosity up so after a little reading and pondering I'm going to take your suggestion serious and give it a try. Bought a gallon at Lowes which I'm guessing will last just short of forever. So, if I end up reapplying every year or so, it won't be the worst. After all I end up polishing my toys at least once a year each. I bought some micro fiber cloths also but am curious as to weather foam brushes will give me the same quality of coat. Here's to "Keepin The Shine"

I am not sure about the brush. I would think it would leave even more air bubbles?? Give it a try and report back. You may have a better method. Just have the micro fibers handy and you can switch off if needed.

This stuff dries pretty quick. By the time I would coat down oneside of my 24' pontoon and up the other. The first side would be just about dry.

I also cleaned and coated the gel-coat on my 2 Seadoos and they came out looking like new!

 

[BigDfromTN]

I can now say I've heard it all. Using interior floor polish on a boat hull. :faint2:

Don't knock it till you have tried it....

As stated, I also used it on our 30' RV that stayed parked under some trees on a camp site for 2 years. A quick simple wash down with a soft brush and soapy water and it looked like new again. This stuff is tuff enough to hold up to daily foot traffic in commercial areas that are also subject to UV rays from windows.

I first read about this on an RV site and the product was previously named "Red Max Pro". Asked the poster about it and possibility of using on an Aluminum pontoon and he stated he had seen it suggested there as well. Also that some of the Airstream folks use it to protect the outside of their rigs.

 

[BigDfromTN]

A collage of photos showing results of what I am talking about...

Link has photos of half way with cleanup of toons and when I had just got done. Also two pics of the toons when I sold it last fall. You can actually see a small amount of the coating was rubbed off on the very front bottom of the nose cones.

The two photos of the back of the jet ski is after the first coat. The more coats you add the better it looks.

 

[Watermann]

Don't knock it till you have tried it....

No that's okay. Even Zeps website has mixed reviews from people trying to apply it to their floors.

I'll stick with this product on my boat and it's sold right here at iboats. In fact I've found all the 303 products are great for use on boats.

 

[Jeff-n-Gail]

What glue did you try?

Contact cement or spray adhesive applied to both sides after a good acetone wipe down would be my 1st choice but long term adhesion to aluminum is often tricky

I used a spray adhesive by loc tite. It doesn't seem to have enough tact to hold the thin aluminum in place till it drys. Theres a slight curl to the aluminum as it did come from a roll. It flattens out real easy but the memory takes over in time. I have to slip it up into place with the glue on it so I can't put adhesive on both surfaces.

 

[Jeff-n-Gail]

No that's okay. Even Zeps website has mixed reviews from people trying to apply it to their floors.

I'll stick with this product on my boat and it's sold right here at iboats. In fact I've found all the 303 products are great for use on boats.

Do they make anything to seal or protect un sealed aluminum?

 

[jbcurt00]

IIRC most (all) spray adhesive is supposed to be applied to both sides and allowed to dry before trying to stick 'em together.

Put together wet, its not surprising it didnt grab.

Might even spray porous surfaces (teak dash) twice.

 

[Jeff-n-Gail]

IIRC most (all) spray adhesive is supposed to be applied to both sides and allowed to dry before trying to stick 'em together.

Put together wet, its not surprising it didnt grab.

Might even spray porous surfaces (teak dash) twice.

This loc tite glue said it could be used as a single surface adhesive so repositioning could be done, or both surfaces for an immediate hold. I'll have to be creative and only glue the second surface where I won't make contact until I am ready. (hopefully)

 

[Watermann]

Do they make anything to seal or protect un sealed aluminum?

Long term? Yes anodizing otherwise nothing will last very long and even less time if it's polished. Sharkhide was mentioned but I don't know how long it will protect the surface from oxidizing. Read about it here http://www.sharkhide.com/sharkhide_metal_protectant.htm

 

[BigDfromTN]

No that's okay. Even Zeps website has mixed reviews from people trying to apply it to their floors.

I'll stick with this product on my boat and it's sold right here at iboats. In fact I've found all the 303 products are great for use on boats.

[url]http://www.iboats.com/QUICK-WA...362711--**********.561181003--view_id.1385665

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I agree with you. I have used several 303 products and will continue to do so. The cleaner and protectant for vinyl seats are 2 of my favorites. And iboats is a great supplier of all kinds of goods.

 

[Patfromny]

For the dash, I would try PL. Construction adhesive. Apply with a small knock down trowel and clamp the metal for a day or so. I like the contact cement as well but as JBCURT mentioned, you must apply to both sides and let dry. Then you have to burnish them together. Either with a small roller like a wallpaper seam roller or by moving them slightly against each other.both products are sold everywhere and are pretty cheap.

 

[Jeff-n-Gail]

For the dash, I would try PL. Construction adhesive. Apply with a small knock down trowel and clamp the metal for a day or so. I like the contact cement as well but as JBCURT mentioned, you must apply to both sides and let dry. Then you have to burnish them together. Either with a small roller like a wallpaper seam roller or by moving them slightly against each other.both products are sold everywhere and are pretty cheap.

I guess it's going to come down to a simple application of an adhesive that will do the job. Being in Construction, I trust the PL suggestion but I know that when cured, that stuff is dry and hard. I know that " no silly cone on aluminum was mentioned but as an adhesive, silicone is effective and reliable. The top of the aluminum face will be tucked under the top trim and the bottom will be tacked and held in place by the aluminum tray I am installing. It isn't going anywhere, I just don't want it not to be in flat contact with the dash board. I will be drilling large holes to install gauges and I don't want a loose surface to deal with. Any idea's?

 

[Jeff-n-Gail]

I re-trimmed the aluminum dash so it fits easily in place with minimum effort, cut and sanded a 1x board to use with clamps ,after gluing, to hold this all together while it dries. Just gotta pick the glue and be ready when I'm ready to permanently install. All of this stuff is sitting in a "staging area" waiting for the get it done time to arrive. Now, I cleaned off the work bench, vacumed, and on to the next challenge. I don't know how much research a person should be required to do before taking on some of these projects but I think sometimes you just gotta "go fer it" and give it a try. I had read that a 12" cardboard tube would be a good starting point, ( got that) I layed the original windshield in place and after minimal repositioning, this is looking like something I might be able to do. My wife is going to a woman's weekend so timing couldn't be better in case a potty word should surface.


G

 

[Jeff-n-Gail]

No Title

Pics go with previous post. What do you think guyz? Is this the start of a good weekend?

 

[Watermann]

I would use what ever polyurethane adhesive you have around the shop. PL has poly adhesive but for me doing boat work I always have a construction tube of 5200 around so I would just use it, 5200 is a powerful adhesive and water won't get in either.

I have to comment on the silly cone, so the SS I'm working on was full of silly cone on the stringers and fuel tank bed. The aluminum under the silicone was pristine like the day the stuff was applied. Looks at all this on the fuel tank bed and you can see where it was removed the AL is beautiful.