Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

[2300max]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

I'd give it a shot...looking at the vid it really comes down to technique and understanding heat exposure to material. So I don't think you'll have any issues from reading your post you seem to be a pertty handy guy like myself. If I feel I can do it a save myself some bucks I go for it!

 

[bick]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Just had my Four Winns H180 wrapped this morning. The guy makes it nice and tall so snow can't accumulate on it.

Pic... View attachment 117513

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

I just wanna watch you try to shrink wrap with the weed burner.



Well, if that's the case... you should know you need the correct tool for the job. Especially if someone with experience advises against improvising.

The initial cost of the propane gun is high, but probably well worth it. Divide that cost over the number of years it will be used and the cost comes down dramatically. Heck, you could even start wrapping other peoples boats to help pay for the gun... and the more experience you get, the better you become.

no worries.... I have been doing things that folks said couldn't be done for decades without usually having the "right tool for the job", I often make or improvise my own tools..... That said, I DO appreciate the advice of those that have been there..... so far though, bubba is the only one who I've encountered that said the weed burner didn't work..... SEVERAL on the net have said it worked well for them..... leads me to wonder if some models work better than others, hence my research

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Well I just got off the phone with a friend of mine.... said he used to have a 35' fountain and that he used his weed burner to shrinkwrap it and a couple cars and that it worked great.... I'm charging on..... It may be a little while yet before I throw in the towel for the season but I'll post up with results when I do... Might even record a video and sell tickets to it

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Great attitude, I admire your dedication. I will be looking forward to hearing and seeing your results and what you learn through the process.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Want to come do mine, for the practice?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

sure.... supplies, airfare, lodging, and food is on you should be a real bargain

 

[Dave9111]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Forge on my friend....

I have a boat near Toledo and they have been shrink wrapping boats daily outside. They are doing hundreds. Their tool of choice is a weed burner with a lever valve. I have one just like it so
you know what tool I will be using this year to shrink wrap. I think mine was designed as a roofing tool. It has a adjustable pressure regulator and pilot flame, so you light it and then pull the trigger to get the serious heat. Yeah, I would like a 998 gun but $600 is about half of my mortgage payment and apparently the pro's don't use it!

My torch looks like this but I don't think it is this brand. Mine has an adjustable pilot valve on the handle.

http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-RT-2-2...f=sr_1_30?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1320260141&sr=1-30

The torches the guys were using at the marina looked just like this though.. The torches they had used regulators.

I was watching a crew of guys wrapping boats and I don't think they took 30 minutes per boat.. very fast.

Dave

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Forge on my friend....

I have a boat near Toledo and they have been shrink wrapping boats daily outside. They are doing hundreds. Their tool of choice is a weed burner with a lever valve. I have one just like it so
you know what tool I will be using this year to shrink wrap. I think mine was designed as a roofing tool. It has a adjustable pressure regulator and pilot flame, so you light it and then pull the trigger to get the serious heat. Yeah, I would like a 998 gun but $600 is about half of my mortgage payment and apparently the pro's don't use it!

My torch looks like this but I don't think it is this brand. Mine has an adjustable pilot valve on the handle.

http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-RT-2-2...f=sr_1_30?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1320260141&sr=1-30

The torches the guys were using at the marina looked just like this though.. The torches they had used regulators.

I was watching a crew of guys wrapping boats and I don't think they took 30 minutes per boat.. very fast.

Dave

Does that tool shoot out a flame? I would be leary if it did.Any roofing tool like that is usaully used on rubber roofs and tar i would think

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

I wonder if this boat wrapped yet?

... or did it spontaneously combust???

I figured the video would already be out by now and I've got a pocket full of nickels I've been saving to buy my ticket to the premier!!!

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Forge on my friend....

I have a boat near Toledo and they have been shrink wrapping boats daily outside. They are doing hundreds. Their tool of choice is a weed burner with a lever valve. I have one just like it so
you know what tool I will be using this year to shrink wrap. I think mine was designed as a roofing tool. It has a adjustable pressure regulator and pilot flame, so you light it and then pull the trigger to get the serious heat. Yeah, I would like a 998 gun but $600 is about half of my mortgage payment and apparently the pro's don't use it!

My torch looks like this but I don't think it is this brand. Mine has an adjustable pilot valve on the handle.

http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-RT-2-2...f=sr_1_30?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1320260141&sr=1-30

The torches the guys were using at the marina looked just like this though.. The torches they had used regulators.

I was watching a crew of guys wrapping boats and I don't think they took 30 minutes per boat.. very fast.

Dave

Thanks Dave.... I'm pretty confident that it'll go smoothly... I actually have 3 boats to wrap.

I wonder if this boat wrapped yet?

... or did it spontaneously combust???

I figured the video would already be out by now and I've got a pocket full of nickels I've been saving to buy my ticket to the premier!!!

There won't be any video.... I have no way to shoot one..... It was 70 deg here today and I'm in no hurry.... dork

 

[zopperman]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Thanks Dave.... I'm pretty confident that it'll go smoothly... I actually have 3 boats to wrap.

Actually smoke, You CANNOT wrap that new wellcraft CC. It is your DUTY as an Iboater to let it rot out completely and replace the deck/stringers/transom

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Actually smoke, You CANNOT wrap that new wellcraft CC. It is your DUTY as an Iboater to let it rot out completely and replace the deck/stringers/transom

that's funny... It's grandfathered tho since it has already been on iboats when the P/O was replacing the stringers and floor LOL

guess I need to make a little update on it tho....

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

I'll post up with results when I do... Might even record a video and sell tickets to it

Still waiting for this.

 

[Shamfarlango]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

I paid to have mine wrapped this year. I watched them wrap the first part and also had previously considered just doing it myself.

These guys are pro, it took them a couple hours to do mine. Now having said that, it would take me double that or more without issue.

As a heat source, they used a propane torch (we call them tiger torches here). a triggered wand on a hose attached to a propane tank. I dont think they cost nearly as much as one of the shrink wrap heat guns

 

[Shortcircuit]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

I was reading the threads, as usual, and this one caught my eye. The Red Dragon heaters are manufactured about 20 miles south of where I live. This is their web address if anyone is interested in checking them out further http://www.flameengineering.com.

 

[Part-time]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

I have acces to a gun at work but a tiger torch would do the same.
Here's how I make the "frame" to hold up the tarp.

 

[Dave9111]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Someone said earlier that a generic trigger torch would not work and that you must use a $500 shrink wrap torch. I think you need to have one with a pilot flame so you can pull the trigger and ramp up the heat, but the fancy $500 shrink wrap gun also spits out flames. But in a flatter pattern that probably makes the heat easier to control.

The pro's at my marina use weed burners with triggers. Actually I think they are roofing torches. Most of the cheap weed burners are not well controlled and don't use a pressure regulator.

At some point you do get what you pay for, but I have a problem paying $500 plus for a glorified roofing torch. I don't have that much cash in my Oxy-Acetylene cutting outfit.

Dave

 

[Shamfarlango]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

I have acces to a gun at work but a tiger torch would do the same.
Here's how I make the "frame" to hold up the tarp.

Great pic for demonstrative purposes.

I find it funny how many names a tiger torch has. Roofing torch, tiger torch...i assume weed burner is pretty close to the same thing.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Well the funds just aren't in the budget for the shrink wrap yet and I needed to take the camper enclosure down get the boat covered for bad weather on the way in.

I had a BIG tarp in the shop so I used it for now.... I'll probably look into shrinking again next winter but most likely the tarp will do for this year.

If anyone else shrinks their own feel free to post up your results on this thread.

here is my tarp job.