1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

[djpeters]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Um, skills? I have no previous or special skills going into this, learning as I go like most of us here. I'm not using an air chisel, but rather an air hammer. I have read of people using air chisels with the correct bit though. Some have said you risk work hardening the rivets with an air chisel because they hit so fast, but the rivets in our boat are "soft alloy" and won't work harden like the "harder alloy" ones will. You can pick up a cheap air hammer which I did at ATS for $85. It's how most airplanes and how your boat was originally put together. Have you guys seen it done? It's actually incredibly easy. The air hammers have a "teasing" trigger so you can start slow, and it takes literally less than a second to set the rivet. I did some practice with some scraps and after doing 3 I realized there is nothing to it. I would think you would have a better chance of missing the rivet with a hammer and how's that going to look on your hull? Before this the only riveting I ever did were "pop" rivets. You guys are way over-analyzing this. IMHO.

 

[boatguy94]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Sorry DJ, I for some reason assumed that you knew a lot more than any of us. That is enterily my fault, and I am sorry for starting this whole mess. Once again thanks for the help here.

I did find this as well http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zQaMz7rtqY&feature=related to help me understand things better.

I started sanding the top side a bit to smooth it out. Nothing crazy yet, still trying to figure things out and get some stands built for fliping.

I need to stop thinking and start working...

 

[djpeters]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

I need to stop thinking and start working...

LOL, I do my fair share of thinking and staring as well.

This is the gun I got.

http://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/detail.aspx?PRODUCT_ID=2602A

This is where I got my rivets and the rivet "set" or driver. Very fast shipping.

http://www.rivetsonline.com/

The rivet set, a little pricey....

http://www.rivetsonline.com/solid-rivet-4x-head-sets.html

The rivets are brazier head 1100f alloy. Length is: total thickness of material to rivet + 1.5 times rivet diameter. (A touch longer won't hurt)

My dad just for the heck of it did some experimenting. He cut off an air chisel bit and did some hand bench grinding to get a rough shape of the rivet then put it in his drill press with some emrery paper on a rivet head and "shaped" the bit to the rivet head with emery paper on it. He then used his homemade bit in his air chisel and did a few sucessful rivets in some scrap. Sometimes I think he just wants to see if he can do what I do without spending the dough. I'm not quite as patient as he is.

You can turn the air down on the air chisel to tame it down some as well.

Hope this helps.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Thankfully all my rivets were in good shape (save one). But, if I needed to replace em I'd be fine with using the air gun so long as I had the right head (like in the vid above). I have used them before chiseling out concrete and such and would feel pretty good running it on rivets.

Just thought I'd chip in is all.

Cheers!

 

[Floyd M]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Replaced almost 400 rivets on my 74 with an aircraft rivet gun. The rivet guns work great with just a little bit of a learning curve. The air chisels are a different animal all together. As one guy told me when I was asking questions about using an air chisel last year: "remember, one is for putting something together and one is for tearing something apart". I just thought that was funny. Don't be afraid of borrowing a air rivet gun, they really do work well and make the job a lot easier.

Floyd

 

[boatguy94]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Hope this helps.

Yes very much so. Everything I was looking for! I will probally order the rivets from them and borrow a riveter from a friend.

Just thought I'd chip in is all.

Cheers!

Thanks for dropping by!

As one guy told me when I was asking questions about using an air chisel last year: "remember, one is for putting something together and one is for tearing something apart".
Floyd

Really great quote there. I should have thought of that.

 

[boatguy94]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Not much once again, but I'm back at it. I've drilled out the rivets in the ribs for the floor, and cleaned up and took off the splash well. I really didn't want to take it off, but it means easier access to the transom brace when I put in the new rivets. I think I am going to take off the whole thing and clean out everything that is under it, then it will go down better imo. Here's some pictures.

Paint up at the bow, anyone else have this type of situation? It really clogs up the limber holes as well, and goes all the way to the bildge. Kind of a pain to get off.

Transom brace with no rivets. I'm very glad I'm taking apart the boat.

Wider look at everything at the rear.

I have found at least 15 rivets that need to be replaced. I will find more when I flip and paint. I will also be riveting while she is fliped, kinda more of a pain, but it will work. Moving along at a snails pace now...

 

[boatguy94]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Happy late New Year everyone! I've been busy with the holidays, and it's been too cold to work outside, but I'm back at it.

What I've done:
Took off the transom brace, and am sure glad I did because there was alot of junk under it and I probally wouldn't have been able to get it down well enough with the new rivets.

I also have went around and tapped out the old rivets with a punch, and inspected everything better. I've got about 20 solid rivets to replace. I'm thinking that the paint that got dumped might have been the culprit. I also went and bought some paint stripper and made sure all of the paint that got dumped is gone, this will make sure that it doesn't flake off and clog up a limber hole.

I am hoping that next week I can get some friends over to flip her, and start on the paint prep process. There is some bondo looking stuff that was put on the sides of the keel, probally to try to stop the leaks. That will take some time to get off. Then new rivets, and then paint.

 

[boatguy94]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Hope all is going well for the rest of the Starcraft resto squad. Still slow progress going on here. Spring is getting ever so closer!

All I have right now is crappy cell pic's, but I would say this is something to post up. The flip was executed today!

Bottom is in dire need of paint, and some tlc. That will be the first to get sanded and striped since some bad paint it there. I will hopefully get some rivets pounded tomorrow to.

I'm also contimplating borrowing a propane forced air heater. I could get the garage up to temp to do stuff easier. Other than having air cirrculation and keping it away from flamible stuff, will this have any effects like a kerosene heater would? Like the film it would leave on the hull? I'm probally going to be waiting till we get some higher temps to paint, but just wondering in the long run if it would work. Thanks guys!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Turtled, cool!

Mine hasn't given me any issues...

Whopper headache if I don't take breaks or ventilate though. No biggie.

Around these parts, we still have a month and a half before that thermometer starts to take a turn for the better. A guy has to do something to work on his rig, eh. Running in place gets old too

 

[boatguy94]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Thanks Jas! I think I have a freind that can loan me one. Love that blue in the picture you took as well.

Here is how the boat is off the ground, I have some cheap lumber ontop of the blocks notched out to keep the rail that goes around the inside of the gunwall from bending. I borrowed the block idea from HopeSheFloats, thanks .

And here is the bottom of the hull. She needs some tlc.

Ok guys, need some more help now.
Here is the keel, the orange stuff is citristrip that isn't really working on this, there are so many layers. The keel right now is kinda seperated from the hull, there seems to be some sort of hard slathered on paint or something that was put around all of the keel. Anyone know of a good way to get this off. Sanding takes too long, and I have been trying by hand with a chisel very carefully.

Also all the rivets are covered with the paint. I need a really good stripper, or something to get all the paint off. Anyone know of a good one?

The bottom half of the hull is the worst. The rest will be smooth sailing (I hope). Any tips would be appreciated. I hate asking all these questions, everyone is very helpfull around here.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Just keep this in mind as you're working......no one will really ever see the underside Heck, my paint is falling off in huge swaths right now from my bottom, and you can't really tell. So don't bust your butt TOO much

 

[boatguy94]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

You do have a good point there EZ . That grey stuff that they put along everything is falling off in chunks, and I think it might be causing corrosion, there are lots of bad rivets where ever that junk is. It's also that I will know that it looks bad, but it probally won't ever be seen again.

 

[LonLB]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

I just spent some time stripping the paint on my boat today. I just picked up some stripper from Home Depot.

There are several layers on mine, and it won't all come off with one application. I put a heavy coat on, let it set longer than they say, then use a hand held stainless wire brush and scrub away.

Then all you have to do is hit the spots that are left.



The brush is key. I was trying to scrape the paint off, and was wasting my time.

 

[boatguy94]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Thanks for the tip LonLB. Which stripper did you get? I was looking at one called Klean-Strip today, and I didn't know if it would be safe for aluminium or not so I didn't get it. I ended up just geting an orbital sander and some sand paper, but it really isn't enough and I don't want to sand off the rivet tops.

 

[fshngho]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

BG, I bought my stripper at Walley World, I think it was Klean Strip. I had a Starchief with the same paint/carp on the hull. I went to HF and bought a grinder and them attached a wire wheel to it. Hard work and slow going, but it was the fastest way I found.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=362612
Good Luck.

 

[boatguy94]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Thanks, fshngo. Hopefully tomorrow I will stop by Home Depot and pick up some stripper, like the stuff you used, and let it sit on the hull for a bit. Then after the whole paint stripping mess, pound rivets, then prep for paint.

 

[boatguy94]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Well guys, I've not been working on the project much at all. Just too darned cold . Everyday this week the boat has been on my mind, so I went and looked at Home Depot and Lowes for a propane heater. No luck both places sold out. So I'm hoping that this weekend I can get one from somplace, and start strippin this paint off.

I went and got some Rustoleum Aircraft stripper a couple weeks back, and it seems to work ok but I have only tested it in small spots. It doesn't like the cold either.

Spring is getting closer, and my tires have been stuck in the snow !

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Someone on Craigslist might have a heater. Otherwise, yeah, the big box stores get a stack the beginning of winter and when they're gone, they're gone.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1978 16' Starcraft SuperSport Resto

Here is a heater for ya...

http://www.accuweather.com/us/mi/midland/48640/forecast-month.asp?mnyr=2-01-2011

I see 40's mixed in there! Pull out the flower shirts and flip flops!