My Retirement Project Chapter 7

[jpmurphy]

Finished it this afternoon ! Done sanding. Done polishing. Done buffing. Factory decals are squared away. Still have to get some clear coat on the decals, hoefully tomorrow. Get it back on the trailer tomorrow and finish the trim on the gunwhales and then it's on to the final deck design and slappin some wood down.

I think I started this back on the first week of January and I'm only half way home. At least now all of the labor is behind me and I can move on to the neat stuff. I'm still struggling with the electronics though. The console is small by itself without adding any knee knockers under it. But we'll adapt and git er done I'm sure.

These forums have been a great help, not only with what I've done so far, but with my planing for the design which gets done next week. I want to thank each one of you who have responded to my questions with your explanations and suggestions. Once the rig is finished (are they ever? ) and my motor gets delivered I'll be restoring it. The neat thing is; I already know how to do it !

I'll get some before & after pics once my rig is done so you can see what you helped me do. Thanks again guys...

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

That looks fantastic. Must be alot of elbow grease in all that polish .

Something to be very proud of.

 

[redfury]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

Looks gorgeous! Did you seal the metal after putting in all that work so it won't oxidize again so fast?

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

Looks gorgeous! Did you seal the metal after putting in all that work so it won't oxidize again so fast?

Yupe. The 3M compound I used has a built in sealer for the alum. So they say anyhow. After polishing the entire hull with 3M, I hand rubbed to remove what was left of the alum dust and the compound residue. The I redid the whole thing with a second coat of the compound and hand rubbed again. Then I used a 50/50 solution of clear laquer & mineral spirits and applied a lite glaze by hand with a clean terry towel and let it dry. Then I buffed one last time with a clean cotton bonnet to remove what little haze was on the surface. I had to keep checking the 50/50 to make sure there were no runs when I turned my back. I am never going to do this in the winter again when it's so hard to keep a constant temp in my shop.

When the hell is spring coming ???

My neph who has a specialty body shop suggested I use a top coat or clear coat to seal the alum. That didn't make sense as it wouldn't adhere to the polished alum very well. I was right for once...

Here's a pic of a before shot. This poor thing had sat uncovered since 1992.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

Sweet! Nice work. Keep the pix coming.

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

That looks fantastic. Must be alot of elbow grease in all that polish .

Something to be very proud of.

Once I finished ripping out the interior and started on the hull I kept track of my hours just for the hell of it. I stopped keeping track at around 72 or so hours. That was a week or so ago and I've been on it nearly every day for I don't know how many hours. I just wanted to be over and done with it. After I get the topside alum cleaned up I'm thinking maybe 100 hours or so on just cleaning up the metal. But, who's counting...

This was a gift from a buddy back in San Diego and counting everything from DMV fees,trailer tires, supplies & materials and motor, I don't think I have any more than $750.00 invested. Once I register it here in Kansas I'll still be under
$850.00 It's actually turned into a labor of love but it would be nice to have a brand new rig !

 

[JaSla74]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

Looks great.

 

[mthieme]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

Great job. Do you hire out?
I've never seen an aluminum skiff...with the pointed bow.
I would think that type of hull would be more popular in my area.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

What a beautiful job you're doing! It looks far better than it did brand new. It almost makes me want to go out and polish up my old beater 12' tinny.

Let me think: OK, no...I think I'll just take it fishing as soon as the ice is off the lakes.

Bravo!

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

Great job. Do you hire out?
I've never seen an aluminum skiff...with the pointed bow.
I would think that type of hull would be more popular in my area.

Actually the angle in the photo is misleading. It's a 1988 Gregor alum V hull.

 

[willyrocket]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

WOW

 

[sschefer]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

JP, that really came out nice!!! Congrats on a great job. Now the fun stuff begins. ... Well sort of.. I'm still hammering away at my 18' Starcraft. There are fun day's and then there are those when nothing goes right. The guy I sold my 14' Western to has been fishing all winter. Looking at yours makes me wish I hadn't sold mine now!

 

[reelfishin]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

Great looking boat!
A buddy of mine just got done polishing his pontoon boat, he bought something called Sharkhide online, it's supposed to preserve the polished look.
http://www.finishing.com/Chemicals/flatwater.shtml

I used to use something called Zoop Seal on my bike and underhood polished aluminum, it was a big pricey but after all that work polishing, anything to prolong it. I got it from Eastwood in PA.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/...1&itemID=5158&keyword=10516Z&cm_mmc=undefined

How much sanding did it take to clean up the metal?
I have a 14' Starcraft here which the last owner polished about 3/4 of it before he decided to sell it. I'd like to finish what he started, but I'm debating on how to proceed. It's a riveted hull and he's even got the rivets and space between looking like chrome. The odd part is that he was working in small sections, starting with a painted hull, the unpolished area is still fully painted.

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

JP, that really came out nice!!! Congrats on a great job. Now the fun stuff begins. ... Well sort of.. I'm still hammering away at my 18' Starcraft. There are fun day's and then there are those when nothing goes right. The guy I sold my 14' Western to has been fishing all winter. Looking at yours makes me wish I hadn't sold mine now!

Thanks

Just finished the trailer late this afternnoon. Temp finally got 65+ so I was able to glue the carpet to the bunks which is the last thing aside from waiting for the chrome rims to get here. I hate waiting on stuff to get delivered. Been a week since I bought the motor and it hasn't shipped yet. Waiting on space available @ $65.00 vs $200.00 for regular frieght. What I saved on the shipping will almost pay for the rims.

Tomorrow I flip the beastie over and try to get it back on the trailer so I can get on with the fun stuff. I was not looking forward to the hull cleaning but I am really looking forward to redoing the interior. Hopefully the next pics I post will show the boat, trailer and car all with colors that compliment each other.

thanx again for the kind comments.

PS... I looked at the sharkhide line but decided it was too pricey. This boat was a gift from a buddy and I have no budget to work with. We did our retirement budget which covered everything but a boat! That was supposed to be in a year or so down the line. Things are a little tight until out 2 pensions get funded. No biggie. We just eat tuna instead of lobster....

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

Great looking boat!
A buddy of mine just got done polishing his pontoon boat, he bought something called Sharkhide online, it's supposed to preserve the polished look.
http://www.finishing.com/Chemicals/flatwater.shtml

I used to use something called Zoop Seal on my bike and underhood polished aluminum, it was a big pricey but after all that work polishing, anything to prolong it. I got it from Eastwood in PA.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/...1&itemID=5158&keyword=10516Z&cm_mmc=undefined

How much sanding did it take to clean up the metal?
I have a 14' Starcraft here which the last owner polished about 3/4 of it before he decided to sell it. I'd like to finish what he started, but I'm debating on how to proceed. It's a riveted hull and he's even got the rivets and space between looking like chrome. The odd part is that he was working in small sections, starting with a painted hull, the unpolished area is still fully painted.

Opps. I put the sharkhide comment in my last reply. Too much carpet glue today....

Well, cleaning the hull eh ? If you are sanding the paint off, you most likely have a clean metal surface beneath the paint. Lets hope thats the case.
My rig sat unprotected since 1992. The oxidation and corrosion was really bad. See pic attached.

Lets assume you have a clean smooth surface; sanding will be no problem. If the metal is smooth all you have to do is probably just scuff the surface with a fine grit paper, 3M worked best for me. Works better and last longer than other cheapo brands. By fine grit I mean 1500. I started with 40 grit and worked my way up. I used a 3M Alum cleaner & Restorer compound. It did nothing to clean the alum, but it did polish up pretty good. The end result, with whatever type of compound you use, is determined by your prep work. The better the prep, the better the end result.

Rather than sand the paint off, you might consider using a paint stipper first. More mess, but you wont be sanding into the metal which is good if you really don't need to. You may be able to just polish the clean metal with no sanding required. You won't know until you expose the bare metal beneath the paint.

Once you hit bare metal you can pick a spot if possible, to experiment. I started below the water line where it wouln't show. I used scotch brand pads, steel wool, sanding paper with 3 differnt types of elect sanders. In some places I actually had to use a putty knife because the crud was so bad.

As for polishing, I used an automotive orbital polisher with a 6' pad. The bonnets that have the tie strings are no good. They slip and come lose just about the time you are really into it and don't want to stop. I bought 5" as well as 5"-6" bonnets with elastic in them. Don't bother with the 3 pack, they suck. I just used the polishing bonnet for the entire process. They get real dirty real quick and they don't wash up that well, so I used many many many of them. I also used small terry cloth towels (auto parts store 24 pack) to get into the really small corners.

Let me know when you get to bare metal and hopefully I can help.

 

[sschefer]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

LOL.... Colors that match... That's too funny. I was set on painting the interior rails, splash well and transom of my Starcraft snow white. And I did !!. Then I looked at my silver/gray metalic Chevy Tahoe and said ... sheeeze, it doesn't match.. Sand, Sand, Sand, repaint.. They are now Interlux Perfection Platinum.. They match pretty close too... ROFLOL.. The sides are still going Dark Dark Dark blue but I'm now going to leave a little room at the lower edge for more of the platinum to tie it all together.

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

LOL.... Colors that match... That's too funny. I was set on painting the interior rails, splash well and transom of my Starcraft snow white. And I did !!. Then I looked at my silver/gray metalic Chevy Tahoe and said ... sheeeze, it doesn't match.. Sand, Sand, Sand, repaint.. They are now Interlux Perfection Platinum.. They match pretty close too... ROFLOL.. The sides are still going Dark Dark Dark blue but I'm now going to leave a little room at the lower edge for more of the platinum to tie it all together.

Thats what I'm talkin about.

The boat is red, white & blue. The trailer is red, white and blue. The hauler is red with white int. But I am not painting that damn thing !

 

[redfury]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

LOL.... Colors that match... That's too funny. I was set on painting the interior rails, splash well and transom of my Starcraft snow white. And I did !!. Then I looked at my silver/gray metalic Chevy Tahoe and said ... sheeeze, it doesn't match.. Sand, Sand, Sand, repaint.. They are now Interlux Perfection Platinum.. They match pretty close too... ROFLOL.. The sides are still going Dark Dark Dark blue but I'm now going to leave a little room at the lower edge for more of the platinum to tie it all together.

Funny, about the only time us men put an effort into putting together an "outfit" is when we are dealing with our "stuff".

My buddy is slowly exchanging all of his kitchen appliances ( toasters, etc ) to where they are all the same type.

 

[jpmurphy]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

Funny, about the only time us men put an effort into putting together an "outfit" is when we are dealing with our "stuff".

My buddy is slowly exchanging all of his kitchen appliances ( toasters, etc ) to where they are all the same type.

That's what I'm thinkin'. GUY STUFF......

 

[willyrocket]

Re: My Retirement Project

Re: My Retirement Project

How much compound did it take you?