My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

[dozerII]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Nice score BF, if you don't mind me asking what did the sheet cost you, just curious I just bought 1/2 of a 4X8 sheet 2'X8' and thought I got a great deal up here at $63.00

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

man if it wouldn't have cost a fortune there was a time I considered doing my floor out of aluminum but the sheer cost was insane, though its definetly something one done you would never have to worry about rotting again. If I were a millionaire its what I would have done Aluminum floor and seacasnt transom.

i hear ya sig. thought crossed my mind a few tims as well. Check out the ranger aluminum boat vid on youtube

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Nice score BF, if you don't mind me asking what did the sheet cost you, just curious I just bought 1/2 of a 4X8 sheet 2'X8' and thought I got a great deal up here at $63.00

hey glen, i paid about 3.50/sqft. online i was paying over 5 with shipping for 2x4 pieces. so i think that you are getting a great deal..until someone hops on telling us he's getting it for 1/2 of that price

 

[barato2]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

bluefin, those are guys worth taking some baked goods to every now and again....for any tinhead, especially one trying to replicate the armor of the Graf Spee in aluminum

 

[Weep'n Willy]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Thinking now that you are becoming quite the master of tin could we expect maybe lengthening the gal say, several feet..

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

^^^ :lol: Might as well go wider too w/ all the extra rib, chine, gunwale bracing :facepalm:

I mean come on, the new tin source is practically giving it away AND they let you shear it yourself. Jeez, some guys have all the luck........

Well, you know, besides all the corrosion, bad PO work, the chine cracks and all

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

bluefin, those are guys worth taking some baked goods to every now and again....for any tinhead, especially one trying to replicate the armor of the Graf Spee in aluminum

Great suggestion B2!

Graf Spee had too much hull flex for my taste :lol:

Thinking now that you are becoming quite the master of tin could we expect maybe lengthening the gal say, several feet..

several inches and it won't fit in my garage WnW!

^^^ :lol: Might as well go wider too w/ all the extra rib, chine, gunwale bracing

I mean come on, the new tin source is practically giving it away AND they let you shear it yourself. Jeez, some guys have all the luck........

Well, you know, besides all the corrosion, bad PO work, the chine cracks and all

...and a few inches wider, it won't fit in my garage jb!

 

[Weep'n Willy]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Sounds like a time for a bigger garage.

 

[Watermann]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Every mans dream, a monster tin building to house tin boats. One big enough to have a man cave built in, paint booth, hoist, lift, a workshop all with HVAC and heated floors and oh yeah a wash bay.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Every mans dream, a monster tin building to house tin boats. One big enough to have a man cave built in, paint booth, hoist, lift, a workshop all with HVAC and heated floors and oh yeah a wash bay.

and don't forget an exhausted OB test tank! :rockon:

 

[barato2]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

now let's not get too greedy, the paint booth could double for OB testing area.......

but you did mean a HEATED wash bay, right....??

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

now let's not get too greedy, the paint booth could double for OB testing area.......

but you did mean a HEATED wash bay, right....??

That'd ^^^ double as a hose down area for tin boat builders following IM's 'new & improved' coal faced polishing system :watermelon:

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

This weekend, I dove into a part of the project that I've been putting-off...corrosion.

As much as I love bangin' on rivets, I hate working with caustic acids.


The process I used is as follows:

1. Clean the dirt with soap/water
2. Clean the organics with acetone
3. skin & eye protection
4. fill & bucket of clean/fresh water
5. West Systems 860A...which I believe is muriatic (hydrochloric) acid. I use it VERY sparingly! apply it into the pits, work it with a wire brush, let it sit for a few mins, wipe-up the excess, rinse it with a few passes with a wet cloth then give it a good rinse. You don't want this getting under a rib.
6. West Systems 860B...which is surface conditioner to maximize adhesion of whatever I decide to glop-in. You put this stuff on and remove in ~ 3min...they say that you must rinse it off before it dries.

Regarding the "glop", I'm regretting using Marine Tex (currently curing in the cardboard tent) in the bow. It's too viscous and I worry that it's not completely filling/flowing into the deep/narrow (high aspect-ratio) pits.

Horizontal surfaces from now on will be done with JB.

I can see where the MT would be great for vertical surfaces like the transom skin though.

I fabbed one of the "Rib-12" outer-chine supports. I have to trim the bottom tab a bit, I'll then make a new template for SB side.

^ Rib-13 & 14 will not use one of these braces, but rather pillars that will also be integrated into the front-deck support structure.

And lastly, I started the knee-brace reinforcement. I hope to start riveting this afternoon (3/16" solid brazier heads)...once I grow tired of scrubbing with acid :madgrin:

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

It must be a bad day when you prefer bangin' rivets to another job. :joyous:

Be real careful using the cleaner stuff. Wear some eye protection if you aren't. Nasty stuff in the wrong places. Also I think you can rinse with a hose, a lot of water will dilute so it won't cause any problems if it does get under a rib.

 

[Watermann]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Looking like some grunt work going on here too. I used the marine tex in my bow for a crack and pitting, mixed it up, light layer slathered on with a putty knife, forcing it into the cracks and added more until I had a good layer. I had also heated the surface up good with a heat gun. Most epoxy based stuff hates to be cold so I heated the product in the containers too before mixing.

I'm cheap and used vinegar as my acid cleaner and acetone to degrease. Primer, paint and goop stick real good to the aluminum for me.

Still find myself in awe of the hull stiffening job you've done.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

It must be a bad day when you prefer bangin' rivets to another job. :joyous:

Be real careful using the cleaner stuff. Wear some eye protection if you aren't. Nasty stuff in the wrong places. Also I think you can rinse with a hose, a lot of water will dilute so it won't cause any problems if it does get under a rib.

You guys think i'm being facetious when I say that I'd rather be riveting...Did count how many holes I put in that piece of angle?? :nerd: :lol:

Looking like some grunt work going on here too. I used the marine tex in my bow for a crack and pitting, mixed it up, light layer slathered on with a putty knife, forcing it into the cracks and added more until I had a good layer. I had also heated the surface up good with a heat gun. Most epoxy based stuff hates to be cold so I heated the product in the containers too before mixing.

I'm cheap and used vinegar as my acid cleaner and acetone to degrease. Primer, paint and goop stick real good to the aluminum for me.

Still find myself in awe of the hull stiffening job you've done.

Thanks H2O! We can never have enough Alum-agra now can we?

Good tips on the use of MT! It was 55 degrees in the hanger when I applied it. OTOH, I store my JB on-top of my furnace..flows/mixes beautifully. I'll give the MT another shot...but if heating it up still doesn't help, it's getting benched until I skim the transom! :lol:

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Oh yeah, 15 each for 30 holes total. And the matching holes in the knee brace. I think you like drillin' as much as riveting'.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Oh yeah, 15 each for 30 holes total. And the matching holes in the knee brace. I think you like drillin' as much as riveting'.

i think you're right

Thanks for the tip on the clecos astor!
(only 500 + rivets late...but better late than never :lol

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

My bad. :grumpy: Only 14 holes per angle. For some reason I thought you were using Clecos or I would have said something too. Well you got 'em now.

 

[astor]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

That repair will be way stronger than the knee brace!

with a few basic assumptions, that's over 20K lbs in shear strength!