DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

[Pmccraney]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Nice boat.... It will be a lot of work, but you should have a really nice rig when it's all said and done...

Man, your first post sounds a lot like mine - in more ways that one...

You have some of the best guys on this forum (Oops, WOG, frisco) showing interest and helping you along, so keep posting and asking questions and those guys will be a great resource for you. I know I would be completely lost without this forum and all the wonderful people taking an interest in my project and helping me out.

Have a good.

~rpm

 

[StevenT]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Thanks RPM . My goal is to do this right and the rebuild to last for decades.

Yes I took notes from your post. Thanks again.

 

[StevenT]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

What kind of grinder and abrasive disk should I use?

 

[GT1000000]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Most are using one or both of these types of angle grinders and discs in the 24 grit to 80 grit range for fast removal of material...


4-1/2 Inch Angle Grinder

7 Inch Angle Grinder

Flap Wheels

Sanding Discs

Hope this helps...
GT1M

 

[StevenT]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Thanks GT. Very Nice Post.

 

[glnbnz]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Hi Steven
I am using a 5" 24 grit flexible disk on my grinder and it is working really well. It cuts the fiberglass pretty quick. But watch out it may cut too quick in some spots...

 

[StevenT]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

I'm ready to start grinding this weekend. I have tyvek suits, 3M respirator, full face shield, safety goggles, grinding tent, 7" & 4.5" grinders and disk. What am I forgetting?

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Good luck... Only thing I can think of is a shop vac, some water and some patience... You may want to put some lotion on before you start... And don't forget the gloves, of course.

Stop every now and then to dust yourself off... If you start to smell glass through your resp (its one of those can't miss smells), quit and change your cartridges... Go ahead and buy some extra cartridges so you want be tempted to press on using a cashed set. I have erred on the safe side and changed mine about 10 times.

Hope this helps. This too shall pass and you will be on the put back before you know it.

 

[Decker83]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

I am another newbe here on the dry dock. Looks like your ready to go at it this weekend.

I can say one thing, I am no newbe to the grinders. The 7" grinder is powerful and can get away from you quick.
Do not try and use it with one hand. It can and will do serious injury to your body before you know it.

Becareful in tight corners, the disk can grab and cause the grinder to flip backwards at you.

Wear some ear plugs also. The grinding is loud and makes your ears ring after a long time of grinding.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Baby Powder yourself down before suiting up. It WILL keep the itch down a lot.

 

[StevenT]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Good luck... Only thing I can think of is a shop vac, some water and some patience... You may want to put some lotion on before you start... And don't forget the gloves, of course.

Stop every now and then to dust yourself off... If you start to smell glass through your resp (its one of those can't miss smells), quit and change your cartridges... Go ahead and buy some extra cartridges so you want be tempted to press on using a cashed set. I have erred on the safe side and changed mine about 10 times.

Hope this helps. This too shall pass and you will be on the put back before you know it.

Is the water for me to stay hydrated or other purpose?

 

[StevenT]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Just want to thanks you guys for your help. I would not being doing this project without this forum. Question My stringers are not made from plywood. They are 1" lumber. What kind of wood should I use to replace? In the pix I'm posting I take it I need to grind down the grooves the wood made down till the grooves are gone. Am I correct? I think I'm gonna need a lot of grinding disc.

 

[Trooper82]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Making good progress there ST. Noticed you are from Middletown, I am an ex Middie myself. Haven't lived there in about 15 yrs or so.

I say you will need to take those grooves out, but you may want to wait and hear what the pros have to say. As for the grinding disks. I have been using the 24 grit 5" disks from HF on jy 4.5" grinder with a 4.5" rubber pad. Has worked very well for me. Really removes the material fast though. The pads will load up after some use. A trick I used to use when working in a machine shop was to take a chunk of rubber, old shoe, tire, eraser doesn't really matter. Just wipe it across the pad while it is spinning and it should clean the grit out.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

I'd use 1/2" plywood and laminate it together using Titebond III glue to get your 1" stringer thickness. I'd recommend using a sawzall with a long flexible blade to cut out the stringer channels and then use the grinder to finish off grinding them flat to the hull surface. Trooper is Spot On about using a piece of rubber to clean the grit when it gets clogged. Great way to get rid of thos old tennis shoes.

 

[StevenT]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Video update 2-19-2012

 

[v8George]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

I'm taking on a project that is probably over my head.

I have noticed that half the threads here start with that line. I am about two weeks behind you, doing the same thing.
Definitely going to follow this thread so I don't ask the same questions.

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Nice video... I had those same little ridges... You do need to knock down those ridges.. (its really just where they tabbed in the stringers previously). They grind down quicker than you might imagine... You may be able to keep a faint impression of the stringer bedding, which will help you id where your stringers need to go on the re-build. That said, err on the side of being too thorough, because you will want to get rid of all the old junk in those areas, so your new tabbing will have a good bond.

Also, if you use the sawzall, definitely cut "down angle" towards the keel (easier to avoid a through-hull cut). You can also use a "toe kick" saw or a zap-saw with a cutting wheel... I put a thin piece of sheet metal on the opposite side when I was cutting through things close to the hull - like bulk-heads, etc... The blade just rides along the top of the sheet metal and that helps prevent through-hull cuts.

Keep plugging... You have made some good progress already.... The next several weeks will be a dusty, dirty time of your life, but if you strange like me, you may actually find some aspects of it fun.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

You could also use a metal cutting disc on your 4.5 inch grinder to take a good portion of those ridges out...but be extra careful, they can get away from you and really mess you up!... and the hull...

Very good thinking in following FB's idea of leaving the deck ridge for future measuring...

Mccranney makes a good point of trying to leave a"shadow" of the stringer ridges, so you have a good reference point for the new ones...and yeah, they do grind away pretty quick...

Glad you found the spring and the ball bearing, I have had that happen when taking apart a firearm, SPROING! there it goes, then I'll spend hours crawlin 'round on hands and knees searchin...:redface:

You are making great progress, keep up the good work...

 

[StevenT]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

Update from Monday's progress. I'm staring to feel a little concerned about making my goal Splash day of Memorial Day. I will be posting a video by Thursday. I used WOG's advice and sawed away most of the excess tabbing and groove.I'm posting One before photo and several after shots. I have many questions I'll be posting also. Thanks for all the help. I need it.

Before

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After

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[StevenT]

Re: DIYer VS. Rot - 1988 Chaparral SX 1900 Rebuild - With Pix

I'm replacing all the upholstery and replacing all the wood panels and bow seating and sides with new wood. Would it be easier to just use epoxy resin on the upholstery wood?. I am using Poly on the deck and stringers. It's my understanding that some guys are just coating wood for upholstery with epoxy resin. I know Epoxy is more expensive, but if I don't have to use glass on it. It would be worth it to me for the time savings. Opinions please?