TOPIC: Helpful hints

Anyone interested in sharing things they have learned over years of restoring and rebuilding?
There are probably some of us older folks that could share some shortcuts and hints that would be nice for some newbies to use. For instance I've found out that if you work with fiberglass and resins it was better for me to use a discarded TV dinner containers to mix in, toss when finished, use cheap .50 cent paint brushes and toss when finished, cheap latex gloves, boxes of 50 - 100 can be gotten at local farm supplier stores or Harbor Freight.
To fix or repair those pesky "spider cracks" if there are just a few it's easier to clean the area with solvent, vacuum or blow out all the contamination and use rattle can auto sandable primer, build up several coats and they will fill, buff them down to paint. If you put too thick of a layer of the primer all at once it will not fill but only bubble over the crack.
So many more things that we take for granted but are not known to a younger generation.
Just a thought.

use a mask....don't open cans with your face over them (paint/materials settle and you get the stongest punch of isocyanates off the top of the can)...stir all 2part stuff verry well (they don't put extra stuff in there incase you don't get it all uniform)...have fun (it's a hobby, not work)!!

Keep a large hammer handy. It can be used for making "impact adjustments" on your project or as a stress reliever by taking out your frustrations on inanimate objects, particularly computers. It's much cheaper and quicker than psycho-analysis.

Nautilus wrote:

Keep a large hammer handy. It can be used for making "impact adjustments" on your project or as a stress reliever by taking out your frustrations on inanimate objects, particularly computers. It's much cheaper and quicker than psycho-analysis.

That is called "malletizing"

Working with fiberglass, they make silicone rubber brushes for putting butter and the like on things while cooking. The little cooking tools when used with resin can be left to set up and it peels right off the cooking tools. When laying fiberglass mat down on a layer of resin they are priceless and work in compound curve areas better than a roller. But don't tell anyone my secret so only we know about it. You can get little spatulas , spoons and all kinds of silicon cooking tools.

Liking this thread - and taking notes of course. I need to "get in the kitchen and start cooking"!

redfishpirates wrote:

use a mask....don't open cans with your face over them (paint/materials settle and you get the stongest punch of isocyanates off the top of the can)...stir all 2part stuff verry well (they don't put extra stuff in there incase you don't get it all uniform)...have fun (it's a hobby, not work)!!

Isocyanates cannot be filtered out, and are a cumulative (builds over time) toxin. Supplied air breathing, and full encapsulation suit are MSDS recommended, but in reality, just be downwind in good ventilation.

Will

Like that. Wonder if the admiral will miss anything?

When doing serious sanding of fiberglass/resin (like a boat hull) wear a face mask and a disposable Tyveck suit. The mask is to protect your lungs. The Tyveck suit is to protect your skin from FG dust and particles. The suits are inexpensive and can be worn several times. Get a size larger than you would normally wear, this is not a fashion show, you want to be comfortable moving around in it.

Right.

When using disposable paint cans ( puff cans) after each use instead of turning the can over and clearing the tip. Just take a can of choke cleaner and spray the tip of the puff can. . It will desolve all the paint left in the tip and then it will be clean and ready the next time you need it.

Why am I just learning this s--- now??

The best hint that I can give you guys is DO NOT LISTEN TO MY IDEAS

The best hint I can think of is to take photos of everything as soon as you get a new boat before you remove anything...every thing at every angle. Some of these projects take a lot longer than we expect...sometimes years. I also make a "map" of the interior layout: the exact position of the seat bases, the battery location, electrical wiring...everything. Trust me, you're refer to those photos several times before the restoration is finished.

After all the pictures, get a cardboard box and some ziplock bags and a sharpie pen. Label the box for your boat, SAVE EVERYTHING! even if you plan on tossing it later but for the time being you will need references. I even save old rusty bolts so I can take them to a hardware store when I get new ones.

Craft stores sell tags with strings that can be wrote on and attatched to parts too big for a ziplock bag. Especially handy if working on multiple projects with similar parts. A piece of tape can hold the string if the part has noyhing to tie onto.

Lots of great tips. Great thread.

Question for 63 regarding the spider cracks. There would be continued flexing for the fibreglass, will the primer hold tight in the cracks in this situation? What is the longevity of this type of repair? (I've got lots of spider cracks to repair!! and this seems like a good quick fix)
Thanks.

I didn't mean that to be a "fix" for large amounts of those cracks. If you are going to completely rebuild and paint your boat and it has a lot of those spider cracks you almost have to sand them down and fill them. I just meant the small little lines around hardware and step pads. If you have the time try a small section with the sandable primer, several dry coats and see if it works for you. If you have a boat full of them sand with a 120 grit and take them down to be less noticeable you can get high build primer and put on three or four coats following directions. That primer was made to fill in grind marks etc.

This thread should be in the section of permanent highlighted ones above to start a sort of library of learned tricks for easy retrieval....yes...no? What's everybody think?
Randy

I just posted a response on the window caulking thread about working with silicone which might interest others or be posted in the helpful hint thread.
"Working with silicone is easy if you mask off edges with tape. Use it like you are going to paint. If you are sealing a window, mask the window about an 8th inch into the glass and then spread the silicone, remove the tape right away and you will have a perfect straight edge. If you let it set and then try cleaning up edges you're screwed."