Made some progress on my motor today

[ShorePounder]

Slow here at work and I had all of the stuff here, so I prepped my midsection and shot a coat of DP40LF. It's really slow today, so to help with some of the boredom, and to go along with all of the powerhead pics I took some of the mid after I got done shooting the primer.

Take a look

[ShorePounder]

You didn't think I was just gonna post one did ya?

[ShorePounder]

last one. Next time you see it, it will be black.

[Raceman]

Flounder, what'd you do to it before the primer? Did you take it all the way down?

[ShorePounder]

Yeah, like a dumbass. Hell I should have quit when I realized that the Merc stuff stuck pretty good. The majority of the mid was stripped to bare metal. There's a couple of places that just got a good scuffing. You can't tell where the painted places are vs the bare places now that the primer is on, which is one of the things I was worried about.

[Raceman]

Well, that answers the next question. I've tried bead blasting em (that stuff Merc uses is too hard) sand blasting (leaves too course a finish in the alum. that takes too much priming/sanding) and chemical stripping with aircraft stripper (stuff is too tough to do easily that way too)

I was hoping you'd found an easy way.

[ShorePounder]

Seems like we're answering each other's questions. I'd considered media blasting (sand, glass or otherwise) but never considered the resulting surface finish. I used chemical strippers and all they did was remove the layers of spray paint that had been applied in the past. It was at this point that I should have realized how tough the Merc stuff is and just feathered the chips and scratches and proceeded from there. But noooooo I had to break out the 90 degree die grinder and a handful of 2" and 3" 3M Roloc scotchbrite discs. I will admit though, there was a fair amount of satisfaction as the black paint and green primer came off. I'd won....okay well sort of. As I was consuming scotchbrite discs it occurred to me that if the coating is that strong, it would make just as good a substrate as the bare aluminum. I finished doing the large surfaces, then DA'd with 80 and then 320 cleaned up the nooks and crannys and let the primer fly. I used the DP401 catalyst for the primer. It requires a 30 minute induction period before shooting, but I've heard on very good authority that it bites into aluminum rather well. Better than DP40LF with DP402 catalyst.

[Burke Kilgour]

Did you try glass bead? I'd think that would work well.

[Talon2.5]

man i tell ya been there done that and that merc paint is some tough stuff!!

even using proffessional grade aircraft stripper at the helicopter shop i worked at for 7 years (worked a hell of alot faster than the over the counter aircraft stripper) but was still a beoch

i now just DA the layers of spray bomb off and use the merc paint as a base to prime to

[raceboatrus]

the project looks like it is coming along fine, I have heard of lots of people putting in long hours on projects preparing for the RBR... as we speek my TABASCO is at Waynes Auto Marine getting a 5 hour old 280,,, hell I hope I will have it ready for the RBR??? lot of luck on those projects

[tunnelmike]

Ask Buckwild about that one. It seemed like a good idea to freshen up that 2.4 offshore. Every void was exposed and showed up as a black spots in that beautiful Mariner grey.
The Merc paint is on good just like pounder did feather and make sure of compatibility.

[ShorePounder]

Laid the black PPG OmniCV down on it Friday afternoon. All was great until I threw down a second wet coat. Got a couple of sags on one side that I'm gonna have to sand down with 400 mask of that side and squirt it again. I haven't looked at it since I walked out of the shop Friday to go home. Kinda anxious to get back to it.

Skip and I were talking last night and rummaging through the parts I've accumulated and it looks like everything is either in my posession, in Skip's garage, or on it's way. Powerhead assembly is right around the corner.

I doubt I'll have all of the rigging issues dealt with in the manner I'd like before Palatka, so that's out. I've got some fiberglass work and painting to do also. I'll be doing the local thing probably until fall when the Keys thing and the End of Summer thing hit.

[Talon2.5]

i wont make palatka either, too much practicing for the rumble band to do, and want to get moving on pounders motor soon too

[xstreamed]

DO YOU WANT THOSE JACK PLATE EXTENSIONS WE TOOK OFF THE PUMPKIN AT BIG D'S HOUSE. GOT MY NEW BOAT IT ALREADY HAS A JACK PLATE. SO I DONT NEED THEM ANYMORE. I GOT ME SOME TRAING WHEELS OR AS BRAD CALLS THEM A PEANUT WAGON.

[ShorePounder]

hey if you don't need them anymore it would sure save me from having to make new ones. I'll take em!!

Saw the pics of your new ride. Congratulations!!