Project TTB-Foam removal time!

[Hooty]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

About the only thing you're gonna find to break the foam down, (notice I didn't say dissolve)is methylene chloride and that is some REAL nasty stuff. I doubt you can even buy it. <br />Remember to, when you start pouring gasoline, acetone and anything else you decided on, and it doesn't do anything, you gotta get all of it out. Fumes and all or your boat will be a floating bomb. <br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[bidlimit]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Thats true, air 'er out real well before trying the hot wire or anything else. Those fumes will sit real low in the bilge.

 

[E. E.]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

As far as the fiberglass dust, I bought a tyvek type of coverall for less than $7.00 at the local "Depot"yesterday. That with safety goggles, a dust mask and head covering looks like something from a lab but it sure was a lot better as far as keeping the glass dust off than the long sleeve shirt I tried the day before. Good Luck and Be Safe.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Yeah, I've been having second thoughts on the gasoline even though I have not yet experimented with it. Acetone and lacquer thinner would vaporize pretty well but gasoline would get in the wood, and I fear, linger for an intolerable period of time.<br /><br />The heated wire idea would work well if I could get it down under one end of the tank. I'll give that some thought. It would have to be fairly stout wire. I could rig it to some wood handles and just attach some battery cable leads to the wire, once in place. Then just pull the wire along the tank. Hmmmmmmm?<br /><br />Hooty! Whats dis? "Fallujah Delenda Est."

 

[bidlimit]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Good idea, I didn't consider the absorbsion of the stringers. Try the wire if you could get under the tank, it should work. You could also probably heat up a long bowsaw blade and bend it in an "L". You could than snake it down the side of the tank and saw the foam. It wouldn't matter if the temper was drawn out of it, its only cutting foam.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Only have about 3/16 th inch between the stringers and the tank sides. There is about 0 clearance between the tank and the forward bulkhead and about a 1/4" between the rear of the tank and the bilge bulkhead. The rear gap is full of foam but I could push a hot wire down thru that foam and try to hook it under the rear end of the tank, then pull the wire ends forward. I think you are onto something Jeeves! (bidlimit) <br /><br />The wire probably would not even need to be red hot.<br /><br />EE, thanks for the coverup suggestions.

 

[bidlimit]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Let us know how it works out. Good luck to ya!

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

I can see down between the stringer and the tank on one side and there does not seem to be foam around the other sides.<br /><br />//<br /><br />Something that just occured to me You might try:<br /><br />Pull the filler hose off, empty the tank, and look down in there.<br /><br />Measure, eyeball it, whatever. That may be a round bottomed belly tank that pretty well fits directly down on the bottom of the hull, is form fitted and supported with 2 part foam, and just has wood stringers around it.<br /><br />If that's the case, you not only won't need to pull it, but will probably damage or puncture it in the removal process. And if you do take it out, you may or may not be able to get it back in and locked down as well as it already is.<br /><br />Ed.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Yeah, Winger Ed. Any fear I might have had about that tank bouncing around down, there like a loose cannon, has sure been put to rest. I believe that the tank is V-bottomed. They probably spread in some foam and pushed the tank down on it, the excess squeezing up between the sides and the stringer.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I'm either going to have to pull the floorboards beside the tank and scoop out the foam or pull the tank. I have to get a look at the stringers where they meet the hull. I have standing water in the tank bay and it's probably been there for quite a while. That equals ROT.<br /><br />I was hoping to get after it today but split axle boots, on my daughter's car, got all of my attention.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Ive done many a fiberglass project, Put a product like liquid gloves aroung anywhere the dust might settle on bare skin. Around your neck, your wrists, your face, Then when you take a shower, use the coldest water you can stand. This keeps your poors from opening up and allowing the glass to get in even deeper. Somewhat shocking, but it works. Your wife says you need a cold shower once in awhile anyway.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

You're up late LD. I thought you lived where they roll up the sidewalks at 7:30. I'll keep the liquid gloves in mind. Hopefully I won't need to cut any more fiberglass.(not likely)<br /><br />The magnitude of pulling a glass covered floor, on a 20 ft boat, only becomes apparent when you get in the boat on your knees. It looks like acres.<br /><br />I know that many others have gone before me but....

 

[bidlimit]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Make sure that tank ain't rotted...aluminum likes to oxidize in standing water. If so, you can get a poly replacement pretty easily and cheaply, and you won't have to worry about the corrosion ever again. As for the deck, I would cut it into pieces with a sawzall or a skilsaw. You can rip it up really easily than.

 

[E. E.]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

If you use a sawzall to cut around the edge, make sure your blade is not hitting the hull beneath. I had to make sure I stayed at a good angle to stay off of mine and that was with a short blade. My preference was an angle grinder around the edge with a fibered thin cut blade for metal. I then split the wood down the middle of the deck and lifted up the floor like a compartment door. That was with a little force of course.

 

[bdubious]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Boomyal: FYI: Just in case you get in deep with that fiberglass, take some *****hose in the shower with you. Soap it up and bathe with it. The webbing of the nylon will help yank the glass particles out of your skin. I rigged for 2 years and thats the first thing I learned (and most important)!

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

That's *****hose, you say, bdubious? Uh huh, I thought so!

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Finally, after many interupting projects, I got back to my project. Sometimes a little time has to pass before one finds a solution to a problem.<br /><br />As I reaproached the project I noticed that the tank well had two 1 by's scabbed onto the tank well side of the stringers. I was able to pry them apart enough to get a sawzall blade in and cut the screws that were holding them.<br /><br />Once the screws were cut, I was able to pry them up and out. Now I was able to get my hands down under the sides of the tank and pop it off of the foam. The tank was wedged in snugly both fore and aft, so I had to wiggle it up.<br /><br />The verdict is not in, yet, on the state of the stringers. There are some signs of deterioration but they look pretty much intact. They are unbelievably made of mahogany. The stringers are also fiberglassed to the floor so if no significant water got out into the other compartments I may be able to remove adjacent flooring and foam and use CPES on them.<br /><br />Hopefully I'll be able to do more exploring this weekend if it doesn't rain. Thanks for all the input guys. I'm sure I'll need some more before its all over.<br /><br />

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

i see this alot...

I may be able to remove adjacent flooring and foam and use CPES on them.<br />

what is cpes....?<br /><br />mikey

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Hey PhatmanMike, check out this link:<br /><br /> http://www.rotdoctor.com/house/Hsealer.html <br /><br />The stuff is not cheap but it really penetrates. I've used it on some small projects and the wood really sucks it up. Some will say to thin epoxy with acetone but I guarantee it doesn't work like this. It gets in the wood fiber not just ON the wood. <br /><br />I think they have a comparison article on the website as well.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

Having cleaned out the mess shown above, I placed a heater in the clean tank bay and let it run all nite. After my preliminary entry below the floorboards, the scope of my project is now becoming clearer.<br /><br />Water continues to weep into the cleaned out bay, from the surrounding bays both fore and side. You can see the wet spots on the right side of the bay, back towards the bilge bulkhead. I guess it is now time to get out the chainsaw and really get serious.<br /><br />

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Project TTB-Foam removal time!

I decided to start removing the foam from the original floor incision, to see how far forward the water and stringer deterioration had progressed. Eventually I will remove more flooring but for now I wanted to get a handle on, by everybodies account, the nasty job of foam removal.<br /><br />It actually is not that bad. After reviewing several of the techniques that had been mentioned here, I decided to try a sawzall. It is easy to find the hull without doing any damage to it. The first chunk was the most difficult to remove but after that I cut along the stringer or bulkhead, then across the bay about a foot or so. Stick a prybar under the foam and pop it up.<br /><br />The foam is only holding water in the first half inch, both bottom and sides. That was enough to start some significant rot. There is no doubt, in this case, had there been some 'lost peanut' drainage I would not be having to do this work now.<br /><br />Oh, btw, TTB are now the initials for my project. Stands for TICKING TIME BOMB. <br /><br />