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View Full Version : restoreing a G3-lots o cracks



ponyboy
04-14-2003, 09:41 PM
I am redoing a G3 on a nonexistant budget.LOL
someone has painted the red boat black-its coming off nicly but I am finding a lot of light to moderat cracks-some stress and other ? I see some people call them spider cracks. I do not expect this to be a trophy boat but I like doing a nice job. Any help would be a plus. Gelcoat seems to hard and was going to use a west paint prod. any advice here would be a big plus.
The paint I am looking at is a interlux one part ploy enamel.
It also has a dip in the port side bow I am not sure what to do with this either. HELP!!

sho305
04-14-2003, 10:57 PM
Lots of info here in other posts. The bad news is you have to grind the cracks out to get rid of them. There are good topside paints that make a nice finish, and cost is not that bad. Some I have seen look real good done with a roller and brush! All the work to grind and fill the cracks is what sucks. Get an airfile, and fill them in, otherwise they come back the first wave you hit. The tiny ones don't go that deep most the time anyway:) All the work you do before the paint is what will determine how it looks, much like painting a car.

bulldogdaddy
04-15-2003, 03:11 AM
if ya look at my thread in here i have the same problem. i'll post the pics tonight when i get back home. but was told to use 80 grit and grind where the cracks are,in my metalflas=ke,and then use an epoxy filler. using 4 coats,wait until tacky between the coats or layers. then wait till it dries. the longer the dry time the better. good luck in your project

10.5' Tunnel
04-15-2003, 07:04 AM
Just used Interlux topside paint. It was real good. Set me back only $35 2;)

sho305
04-15-2003, 09:22 PM
I saw one a guy did with a roller and a brush. It looked good but for the spots he did not fix. Amazing how it flowed out. Said it took a while to dry.

ponyboy
04-15-2003, 11:07 PM
Well guys I have been reading all the other post's and think I will go to the local west marine store and see what they have. I have been using aircraft paint remover and my pressure washer and some wet sanding and finding more and more nasty. and the transom is looking like I should replace it and then the floor and probly the stringers...... Time to take the sidwinder for a ride and get pumped back up. It was 81 today.. I need money!

10.5' Tunnel
04-16-2003, 06:35 AM
Yup, sho your right. I painted it on Saturday, and now its Wednesday. Its dry to the touch, but its is still a little to soft to sand. I could also be that we have not had any weather above 50, except for yesterday. Oh well, atleast its not boating season yet:rolleyes: Oh and btw ponyboy, tell me how it turns out using the pressure washer, it crossed my mind once or twice;)

ponyboy
04-16-2003, 09:42 AM
THE PRESSURE WASHER IS A GREAT HELP, IT BLASTS OFF ALOT OF PAINT THAT IS ALREADY LOOSE, ITS A $99 WALMART SPECIAL BUT IT WORKS FINE ON EVERY THING IN THE YARD, GREAT ON MILDUE, AND EVEN THE RUST BUBBLES ON THE TRAILER, IT BLASTS IT GOOD ENOUGH TO PAINT(RUSTOLEUM) INSTEAD OF SCRAPING THE MELTED PAINT I JUST BLAST IT OFF AND SWEEP UP THE MESS. AND ITS THE BEST ENGINE CLEANER I HAVE EVER USED. HOOK IT UP TO YOUR HOT WATER AND YOU WILL NEVER SEE A CLEANER BILGE. NOT TO HOT! IT WILL MELT THE MACHINE; LOL!

sho305
04-16-2003, 01:59 PM
I got one of those $140 electric pressure washers too, and I would recommend it to anyone. Some do die in a year though:rolleyes: I have used it for all kinds of stuff I would not hassle using my father inlaws gas one on. Makes a great deck cleaner too, just do it after a rain. They are small for easy storage to.

Reese
04-16-2003, 02:13 PM
tried using it on the inside of the ski locker just to test. First brushed and then rolled it, finally sprayed it. Spraying is much better but I still would not use it again.

This product is basically one step above regular house paint...not close to automotive catalyzed paints. Would not dream of painting the outside of any boat with this product. Automotive finished are expensive but worth the money if you want a quality finish.

From what I've been told and have read, non-catalyzed paints dry through evaporation...the solvents released leave small voids that attract minerals and salts which leads to osmosis and blistering. Not sure how accurate that is but after 500 hours of sanding and finish work I ain't gonna take the chance.

10.5' Tunnel
04-16-2003, 02:34 PM
I used the one you were talking about. I can see were you are coming from. They also have a 2 part mixture, which i think is catalyzed.

sho305
04-16-2003, 02:50 PM
I used the VC Performance Epoxy bottom paint, a 2 part vinyl epoxy. It was the only one that seemed ok for under and over the water line. I did the splashwell, transom, and some of the bottom. It was great to use/spray, and came out dull as they said. It sanded easy and buffed easy the next day. Not a super shine, but it was only 1 day later (still a little soft) and I left it so it matched the rest of the boat. It shines, just not a new shine like the rest of this '83 boat is. I want to buff a spot to see if it will shine more, in case I want to use it on another boat. Only comes white though, has teflon in it, and I tinted it to cream with some brown tint. I also used West Sys epoxy for the transom and wanted to stay with epoxy products...not mess with gel, though I think this worked similiar but for the easier wet sand and rubbing. They said it would get harder later, and after a week it was harder. I could make a mark in it with my fingernail the day after, much like car paint.

ponyboy
04-17-2003, 11:10 PM
WELL I GOT THE HARDWARE ALL OFF AND THE ENGINE,2 GUYS LIFTED IT FOR ME. AND ITS BEEN RAINING BUT ITS EASYER TO WET SAND THIS WAY LOL, i HAD SOME PLUMING IN THE HOUSE TO DO AND WHILE AT THE LOW'S I BOUGHT A 3M SANDING SPONGE AND TRYED IT OUT, I HAVE MIXED FEELINGS BUT IT DOESNT CLOG UP TO MUCH AND WHEN YOU SQUEESE IT YOU HAVE INSTANT WATER. I CK'D FIBERGLASSICS AND SAW THE FEACHER ABOUT TRANSOM REPLACMENT WITH FLOOR AS WELL, I REALY DONT WANT TO DRILL OUT ALL THE RIVOTS AND REINSTALL THEM BUT THE CLOSER I GET, WELL YOU GUYS KNOW-A CAN OF WORMS- WHERE IS THE STOPING POINT ON A 41 YEAR OLD BOAT. iTS ALL THE WAY BACK TO RED AND LOOKS GOOD ALL BUT THE PORT SIDE DECK IT HAS A DIP ABOUT 2 FEET ACROSS I NEED TO FIGURE OUT . THIS PAINT THING IS MAKING ME WONDER JUST WHAT I NEED,I NEED SOMTHING THAT WILLHELP COVER ALL THE IMPERFECTIONS,NOT THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A SHOW BOAT BUT STILL I DO NOT WANT TO DO IT AGAIN IN 5 YEARS.
LET ME KNOW HOW THAT INTERLUX PAINT WORKS OUT.

ponyboy
04-18-2003, 08:17 PM
OK NOW I AM HAVING FUN,I REMOVED THE SPLASH WELL AND THE TRANSOM IS WORM FOOD,SO IS THE FLORE AND THE STRINGERS,WHAT KIND OF WOOD SHOULD I USE FOR THIS?
LOOKS LIKE THEY USED PINE-1X4S 1X2S AND 1/4 SHEETS OF PLYWOOD, SHOULD I WRAP THEM IN F/G OR??:confused:

sho305
04-18-2003, 10:56 PM
Depends on what you want. I went cheap but reasonable. I used CDX plywood of 3/4", about $16/sheet. I made the parts and fit them. I painted them with resin a couple of times until it would not soak in(very important) and put one layer mat on it. Then matted them in, see the Bayliner tansom thread and ones from B Mac and Checkmate175. The Bayliner had a smaller transom that only was 24" or so wide. I would recommend you do it from the inside.

You can get marine ply for more $$. I paid a little more for West Epoxy rather than gel, for the extra stick to an older hull and better waterproofing. Up to you. I also painted the motor bolt holes with epoxy and drilled them back out so they were sealed. Used 5200 3M, great sealer for anything attached to wood. Had cracked stringers of 1x4, and I doubled them with treated 1x4(cheaper than raw wood?) and covered with resin/screws/mat. I figure this will outlast the rest of the boat easy. Not hard, just time.

Alan Power
04-29-2003, 04:01 PM
Thanks you have just answered my question of the week, I am up for painting this week-end, weather permiting. And I have thought of using a cheaper paint but after all that sanding and prep I don't want to F*** it up! Now you have just tilted the scales for me, so what type are you going to use?

Reese
04-29-2003, 05:04 PM
if I can do something inexpensively I would...but like you, I've got too much time and effort into my project and the regular Interlux paints just ain't gonna cut it.

I’m using regular automotive paint…Base coat / clear coat finish…still about $200/gal for the clear…use PPG, Dupont or any top brand.

You don’t have to use the base/clear system…I am because I’m not the greatest painter and don’t have really clean conditions available (garage). The base coat clear coat allows more flexibility and spot repairs if you screw up or get dust on it. Either way the catalyzed paints are very durable and easy to work with.

My boat does not sit weeks on end in the water…if it did or if it was a saltwater boat I might consider using Algrip linear polyurethane. I understand this might be the most durable type of paint available. Good luck with the painting.

ponyboy
04-29-2003, 05:59 PM
WELL I FOUND ALL THE ROT AND ITS GONE!! BUT SO IS MOST OF THE BOAT,LOL. I AM SENDING A PIC WITH SO YA'LL CAN SE WUT I DID TO THE OLD G3

ponyboy
04-29-2003, 06:02 PM
1 MORE TIME

bulldogdaddy
04-29-2003, 06:46 PM
looks like all the woods gone,lol.was your hull and deck poprivited together? have heard pros and cons on the seperating technique. make sure it don't twist putting it together.

ponyboy
04-29-2003, 07:40 PM
YES THERE WHERE A FEW RIVOTS-231 TO BE EXACT- WHAT A B!
AND THE RUBRAIL IS PART OF IT. IT CONNECTS IT ALL TOGETHER
THE HULL SITS IN 1 GROVE AND THE TOP SITS IN THE OTHER GROVE AND THE RIVOTS KEEP IT ALL IN 1 PEICE. SO TO REPLACE THE RAIL I WOULD HAVE TO FIND THE SAME KIND OF NEW RAIL OR FIBERGLASS IT BACK TOGETHER AND USE A NEW TYPE OF R/RAIL
ANY BODY NOTICE THE UINQUE WAY THEY MADE THE SIDES? THE SPONSONS WERE AN AFTER THOUGHT.AND ARE A SEPERATE MOLD CASTING COVERED WITH YET MORE PLY AND GLASS.:p

sho305
04-30-2003, 10:07 PM
Wow, you did some cleaning there. Yeah, drill then the top gets stuck on the bit...:rolleyes:

Looks good now. Time for some glass.

ponyboy
05-24-2003, 10:13 PM
WELL IVE BEEN GONE FOR A WHILE BUT I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE HULL AND WILL POST PICS SOON, I HAVE THE FLOOR AND STRINGERS IN AND AM WAITING FOR 70+ TO LAY THE GLASS ON THE FLOOR, I RAN INTO A SNAG ON THE RUBRAIL AND AM GOING TO BOND THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM AND USE A NEWER STYLE OF RAIL.WHO WOULD THINK THE RIVOTS WOULD COST$0.33 EACH! I BOUGHT A DREMMEL FOR THE CRACKS AND IT GRINDS THEM OUT VERY NICE AND QUICK, I JUST INHETETED A 175 JOHNSON-HMM THINK IT MIGHT BE A BIT MUCH FOR A 13'7" BOAT??

10.5' Tunnel
05-24-2003, 10:18 PM
Only one way to find out :)

ponyboy
05-24-2003, 11:45 PM
I HAVE SEEN A 225 MERC ON THE G3 WEBSITE AND HE CLAIMES IT DOES 70 MPH @ HALF THROTTLE WITH PICS-LOOKS SCARRRRY

bulldogdaddy
05-25-2003, 07:11 AM
ya might have to sit on the bow till it gets goin:D

Ronny Jetmore
05-26-2003, 08:43 AM
Your G-3 is a cool project. My dad had one new back in 1965 with a Johnson 80. This is back in the days when most guys didn't even play with the angle of the motor or different props, but according to his old speedo, he was running 46m.p.h. Those hulls aren't padded and don't have any strakes so I don't imagine you would want to go with any crazy amount of horsepower, but it is still a way cool boat. One thing that is really cool about it, my dad was telling me, was that he used to lock his knees under the dash and cut the wheel really hard and the back would spin out. This is possible because of the lack of vee and not having any strakes. On to your project, having worked in a fiberglass boat repair facility at one time, I will make a couple of recommendations. For starters, if you play with the mixture of paints and thinners, you know, trying the paint on another substance to see how it flows, you can brush out an unbelievably nice finish. It does sound hard to believe to a lot of guys, but you really can. One thing that can help a bit is putting the paint on somewhat thick, this allows you to buff a lot later. Also, if you paint the boat in white, white is an easy color (or lack of one) that can hide a little of imperfection. As far as the fiberglass work is concerned, your boat will be better than factory if you simply use exterior plywood and, as the gentleman said above, coat it with epoxy until it can't soak up anymore. Here is the real way to do it-Get the plywood plenty warm, this way the wood "opens up" and then use marmed up West System epoxy with the slow cure hardener. You will want to get the epoxy and hardener warm before you mix them. or the epoxy may begin to gel while you are heating. Warmed epoxy has the viscosity similar to water. So think about it-You would be putting this very thin epoxy into this wood that is warm and ready to accept any liquid readily. Keep spreading the epoxy on, as long as the wood will drink it up. Make sure you also saturate the edges. The transom is a big one, you need to consider if you will put the transom back like it was, requiring an old shortshaft motor, or raise the height to work with the newer motors. I would use the method of transom replacement found in the West System users guide, from the outside using many smaller pieces of plywood. The guys at West System tech support are worth their weight in gold. I have personally called them when I wasn't sure how to fix something and they had me fax a diagram of what I was doing and then explained to me what to do. Pretty cool, indeed! The best way, once the transom is done, to handle the motor holes, is to oversize them by one size. In other words, if the holes are 1/2 inch, then go with 9/16 holes and heat the holes up and then again wet out the inner of these holes until the wood won't soak up anymore. You do want to make sure that the holes are exactly right before you go through all of this and then have to redrill. When you do set the motor, you will still want to use either silicone 2 or 5200. I don't know what you have for power, but if you go with a newer style of motor, a Johnson 3 cylinder would be a good choice on that, I think. A 70 or 75 horsepower would deliver gobs of fun without a lot of weight. I would seriously also talking to the guys that belong to the G 3 club about what you are doing. I think you will get a lot of insights into working on this. I hope I have been some help, please keep me posted about your project. Thanks, Ronny Jetmore

ponyboy
05-31-2003, 10:33 PM
WELL I HAVE THE FLOOR IN NOW AND GLASSED-I WENT A LITTLE NUTS, I KEPT MAKING TO MUCH AT 1 TIME SO IT HAS 2 COATS OF EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE TRANSOM IT NOW HAS 3 COTES OF GLASS. IT WILL HOLD ANYTHING NOW! BUT I THINK I WILL PUT THE ORIGINAL 500 MERC BACK ON, I MADE THE TRANSOM 21" SO IF I FOUND A 3 CYL OMC OR AN 80-85HP MERC IT WOULD FIT BUT $$ IS KINDA LOW. ANY OF YOU GUYS EVER SEEN THE BRIDGESBOATS SITE? THEY HAVE SEVERAL GOOD PICS OF G3S AND SOME TWISTERS ETC.
I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO BUY AN OLDER EBTIDE WITH A 140HP MERC IO THAT HAD ME DREAMING FOR A WEEK OR SO BUT THIS IS ENOUGH WORK FOR NOW!!! I WILL POST MORE PICS NEXT WEEK

ponyboy
05-31-2003, 10:49 PM
..

jmdank
05-31-2003, 10:56 PM
For the picture to show

ponyboy
06-08-2003, 10:59 PM
SO I AM TO THE UGULY PART AGAIN,I FLIPPED THE HULL AND PUT IT ON 3 55 GAL DRUMS AND HAVE GROUND OFF THE LAST PAINT JOB. NOW I FIND A MILLION SPIDER CRACKS-YES A MILLION......
SO HOW DO I GET ALL THE CRACKS OUT?? DO I NEED TO GRIND ALL THE GELCOAT OFF? COULD I SKIM ON A FEW COATS OF EPOXY? SHOULD I BUY A BOAT NOT 43 YEARS OLD?? LOL
I SOLD MY 69 FAIRLANE TODAY TO GET MONEY FOR THIS PROJECT.
:eek:

Techno
06-09-2003, 05:16 PM
I got mine ground and filled twice with gel. This picture is all that was needed on the bow. Only a few tiny places on the rest of the boat.
Obviously your not suppose to walk on my bow.

I filled it with gel, brushed on and power sanded it off.
filled again, now I have to block sand. OH baby, can't wait!

I don't know the cost but you could just paint on some gel coat and sand it smooth, yeah JUST. I would still remove the cracks though. This is a possibility though roller on some gelcoat and use that as the finish.

To grind out the cracks I used a flap sanding disc on a $20 angle grinder from harbour frieght, goes though gel nothing flat. Still can stop without sanding access holes in the deck.

Used a random orbit with 80 grit to smooth the gel but 40 grit on the 10,000 rpm angle grinder to remove it.

wing nut
06-09-2003, 05:28 PM
my boat is a 1976 hydrostream vixen, i GRINDED all my stress cracks till there was nothing left of them. filled them with fiberglass and had it painted, the boat looks mint, maybe u didnt grind them all the way out??

scott

ponyboy
06-09-2003, 07:24 PM
WELL I JUST NEED TO GET THE PICS DOWN TO WALMART AND SCAN THEM, I HAVE A PATCH OF THEM ABOUT 10'X7' IF YOU SAW THE PIC I TOOK YOU WOULD SAY-WHATS AN ALIGATER DOIN ON YER BOAT?? OR MAYBE-WHATS THE MAP OF?:rolleyes:

ponyboy
06-10-2003, 11:14 PM
JUST SOME PICS OF THE G3

ponyboy
06-10-2003, 11:15 PM
MORE $

ponyboy
06-10-2003, 11:17 PM
STILL MORE$

ponyboy
06-10-2003, 11:18 PM
THIS IS A MAP OF?

ponyboy
06-10-2003, 11:20 PM
CK OUT THE FACTORY 1960 JACK PLATE-STANDARD ON ALL G3S

ponyboy
06-10-2003, 11:29 PM
THESE PICS ARNT EVEN CLOSE TO HOW UGULY THE BOAT IS.
ONCE I REMOVED THE 2ND PAINT JOB I FOUND ALL THE SPIDER CRACKES- IF I GRIND ALL OF THEM OUT I WONT HAVE ANY GELCOAT LEFT- IS THAT A PROBLEM?? I WAS GOIN TO USE A 1 PART EPOXY PAINT.:confused:

sho305
06-11-2003, 07:57 AM
The basic rule of glass is to get rid of the crack. You grind until it is gone, or it will come back. A hair line crack typically goes down to the first layer of mat and stops; so is really only in the gel. If it goes deeper, that is bad as the mat makes the strength of your hull of course. Most would sand to the mat and lay some glass to replace it, maybe thin mat or maybe not, then new gel. The pain is getting it straight and flat/smooth again, so you might use a thin filler that is easier to work smooth. If you don't take the time here, it will look like it too.

If through the mat then you have damage that must be repaired for structural reasons, and should be ground out and new matt layered back in.

I would be very careful how you sand it down to keep it smooth. I'm not sure if you need to put a thin mat on or not, but then you may be able to spray a filler to help keep it smooth instead of spreader marks all over. Block it down smooth, then gel it. I think this is from the old gel getting so hard with age and sun. Though my Checkmate has crazing at the waterline(all cracks), from water I would guess. It appears to be in the clear gel only, but will have to be removed.

ponyboy
06-17-2003, 09:25 PM
WELL I GROUND OFF A 3FT SQUARE AREA AND THE CRACKS GO CLEAR THROUGH THE GEL INTO THE MAT. SO THE QUESTION IS DO I HAVE TO REMOVE ALL THE GELCOAT TO LAY A SECTION OF GLASS AND RESIN OR CAN I GET IT CLOSE TO( CLOUDY) AND LAY THE GLASS ON TOP OF IT?? WOULD WEST EPOXY BE STRONGER?
CAN I DO IT IN 3 SECTIONS-1 SIDE AT A TIME AND 1 DOWN THE MIDDLE OVERLAPING THE 2 SIDE LAYERS.

sho305
06-24-2003, 07:29 AM
IMHO, if the mat is not broken you can remove most of what is on top of it and you will be good. The crack can't have any thickness or it will come back, you should see the mat in most places and yes you don't want to grind through good matting so you leave a little here and there. The mat will be strong again when you rewet it with resin. Try to keep it level best you can when removing. Ripped/broken mat is no good. Try to make it so you can get resin into the cracked but not broken mat areas to rewet them; so you need to try and expose the mat to get it wet in there at any crack.

West Sys--Being better at autobody than boat-body repair, I like West Epoxy a lot. If it sticks a little better and is a hair stronger I know my repair will cover my a$$ better if not perfect; and that is well worth the extra cost for a repair to me. I know from experience it sticks real well. If you are doing a huge area then you may want to save some cash with resin, but then you will likely not be as worried about new-to-old repair strength due to the large amount of new product/layers you would apply. I would not worry about someone with good skills doing plain old glass repair, I just want one better for me. I'm ok at it but not a pro. I do like to use a better product when I can generally as it tends to give 'insurance'.

I would wet the old stuff then and lay some mat on there trying to keep the resin minimal on top so it stays flatter. Make sure you get the slower activator for West's if you are doing larger pieces or it will kick too fast. Then you will have to skin it with a filler or mix a filler, so you can block it smooth before the gel. I have not used that smooth silk mat stuff, not sure if that would help make it smoother for an open area?

Techno
06-25-2003, 03:55 PM
Just a couple additives here.
I would stick with poly resin. It's cheaper and faster to work with, you can mix up a batch to kick off fairly fast or slow. Epoxy does't have this lattitude. With either using large amounts especialy in a container that doesn't spread it out will kick it off too fast. Use less and mix more times. Instead of mixing 8 oz. Mix 2-3 oz 4-3 times.

If the crack goes into the hull you have to fix it. You should be able to make the call on that since it will be whiteish looking. How deep is how much a fix. You only need to fix the cracks though, but if you hull is all cracked you may be in for too much, just not worth it. Imagine a broken water glass being glued back together.

I like using the gelcoat like bondo. You paint it on and sand it smooth. Just don't make it thick. If thick then build back up with glass and resin. Which a repair should already have done.

For a crack repair you need a slope on the glass to increase bonding area. Look at a table top 1/4" thick. If you glued these together with cloth you have almost nothing- 1/4" bond. Slope it back each side 1/4 so there is a 1/2" gap and there is more surface to bond to. Do it more like 12" and you have a huge amount of surface area. I think the glass is like a 12:1 slope. about 2" or so for a crack right through the glass. Just a shallow crack is just a little bevel though.

sho305
06-26-2003, 07:32 AM
Good point Techno. I've done repairs mostly, like transoms/holes/dents where I am looking for structural strength and bonding; and where the epoxy's speed is not a big deal. One day I was wondering if you layed up epoxy in a cool room and then warm it when done...if it would be easier. It will be harder to use on a large area. I mix a little cup at a time, maybe 4 oz. Need someone here to tell us how they do whole hulls with it.

I did have great luck with the VC performance epoxy paint. They list it as a bottom paint but it looks just like gel and worked nice. Easy to sand and fills some too. Only comes white though.

ponyboy
06-27-2003, 09:07 PM
I NEED TO TAKE SOME MORE PICS, WHERE I HAVE GROUND THROUGH THE GELCOAT IT LOOKS LIKE A LEPPARD COAT!
THIS GEL IS SO OLD ITS HARDER THAN STEEL AND GRINDING AND KEEPING THE SHAPE SMOOTH IS A PAIN! AND I HAVE ALMOST NO FLAT AREA AT ALL TO WORK, ANY IDEAS ON A SANDPAPER THAT WOULD LAST MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES-I AM STUCK USING A 6" DA. WITH 120 GRIT-ANY LESS SUCH AS 80 AND IT WONT GRIP INTO THE GELL , IT JUST SCRACHES IT. WHEN IT DOES GRAB IT GOUGES A HOLE OR A GROOVE. AM I JUST A WHINER??
I USED A BELT SANDER ON THE TRANSOM AND IT WORKED FAST BUT I CANT USE IT ANY WHERE ELSE. HELP! SOME ONE SLAP ME!!

Techno
06-29-2003, 10:58 AM
harbor freight is selling angle grinders for 19 and I think 16 $. So cheap can't be without one. The wheels though are a bit more. You can use sanding discs with a backing plate attachment or what are called flap sanding discs. The discs have strips of paper overlapping instead of a single disc. These are like the standard grinding disc and lock on with the nuts. Last longer since the flaps wear down to new areas.
As mentioned before with this you have enough control and speed. You can sand down just before glass or slightly into it. Does require care though, bump your hand and the ungloved skin will be sanded off too. They spin around 12,000 RPM. Put a metal cutting disc on and it will slice through a glass tab or skin. Doesn't cut through wood very well though.
Highly recommend getting one if doing alot of work like this.
.grinder (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Category.taf?CategoryID=104&pricetype=)
discs (http://www.mcmaster.com/) Type in 2517 in the search box. This is the page number. Get the angled type.

sho305
What you mentioned is a trick mentioned by the Gougan brothers. Use cooled resin and hardener to slow the reaction. It's kind of hard to do though in practice. I don't want to put this stuff in my frig.
They build large boats with strips of wood and don't have a problem with fast curing. Just mix less. Using fast applicators too. A roller instead of a brush

sho305
06-30-2003, 11:04 AM
Ponyboy, I think West's said 80 grit for bonding, so I would not be DA'ing with anything finer. 80 will hog it ok on a DA, but DAs are not superfast. Expect a couple hours for a larger area like a deck. The faster you cut in the faster you can screw up. The flapper wheels are great on known bad areas, but you have to be real careful if you are only trying to remove gel and not everything. I use a disker for grinding out cracks or a 4" grinder. I cut my transom out with a 4" and a thin wheel.

Or, go 40-80 on the DA and then change to 120/etc if you want it smoother-that is faster in all. The more expensive autobody paper is the best, like carborundum(sp?), the better 3M, nikken(wet paper). Normaly green or gold coated looking paper for a DA. I only use the cheap stuff if it is plugging bad, not much of a problem with catylized products now. Another good secret is the larger geared rotary DA, but it takes a huge amount of air to run and is not real fast stripping either. You could be right about the grit, though better paper normaly has no problem cutting in. Whatever the case you have to use what works best. Keeping it smooth/even now will help you later more than you think.

Techno, That is cool. I was thinking of ac and a furnace so only maybe 40 degree difference might not matter that much. You would need to be able to lay a lot at once in only 1-2 shots a day. I like the vacuum idea the best if I could ever do it.

ponyboy
06-30-2003, 11:44 PM
Hi Guys, I FINALLY GOT A LITTLE PISSED AT THE WIFE AND HAD SOME EXTRA ENERGY.LOL. AND WENT TO THE STORE AND GOT SOME NEW 80 GRIT 7" AND CONVERTED MY BUFFER TO A GRINDER AND GOT OFF A SECTION ABOUT 3X6 WITH ONLY A FEW MISTAKES. BUT I GOT THERE,I AM GOING TO LAY NEW GLASS OVER THE HULL AT TO BELOW THE WATER LINE,IT HAS SPIDER CRACKS EVERY 2 SQUARE INCHES,THEY ARE FAINT BUT STILL THERE UNDER THE GELCOAT.AND I FOUND SEVERAL PLACES WHERE THERE ARE BUBBLES AND A FEW OTHER DAMAGED PLACES
I WILL BE A MASTER SANDER-GLASSER WHEN THIS OL G3 IS DONE.I JUST HOPE I AM STILL ABLE TO DRIVE WHEN ITS COMPLETE!! OH AND THANKS TO ALL WHO READ AND RESPOND TO THIS THREAD, I AM LEARNING A LOT.