dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

[Woodonglass]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Glass Work Looks Good!!!:nod:

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Thankyou!

I rushed through the tank tabbing and got a few bubbles in it, but they are cut out and repaired now. I'm running the csm layers 6", then 9" down into there too, so I'm hoping this thing will be rock solid. The original stringers were (I guess) 1/2" ply, and it looks like it was barely 1/2", maybe more like 3/8". It also appeared to me to be all chopper gun glass on the original stringers, and not awfully thick. I now have 3/4 stringers with two layers of 1708, and all that 1708 overlapped to cover at least one layer over the entire hull below deck. Original deck was also half inch, which is now 3/4 also, tabbed with 1708, then two layers of csm. I'm hoping she lasts me, and somebody else, a long, long time.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I remember when I was here. I never thought I would see what I do now!

I think I can use the old wood for a template.

Wood removed.

Samded on it some with 40 grit and an orbital sander. Pretty much just polishes the glass .

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Can't wait to see her with a deck on! Nice work!

 

[KCKracker]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

the bow alone took 16 lbs of foam, wholy cow was it cold out? man i hope it doesn't make the bow heavy!

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

No 16 got the bow and the port side to the rear of the tank section, and about half of the starboard side. Then I used two 4 lb kits in the stern. 24 lbs total. It was also about 70? the first day I foamed. I'm gonna try framing up some sides under the splash well and get some foam in there beside the motor too later. After all, if she ever starts to go under, that's what I wanna float.

No wait you had that right. I used two 16 lb kits that first day. It figured up to take 2 16 lb kits to do the boat. It took two 16 and two 4. Not too far off.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I was surprised at how much difference the temperature made when foaming. Not just the air temp, but the temp of the hull and other structures, too. I was foaming in cooler weather, so I was using all sorts of heating sources to get the temps up. I found I had to constantly adjust how much foam to pour as the boat and garage got warmer.

I like your plan for adding foam. You don't often hear people complain that their boat has too much...

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I got the idea from a video I saw of friscoboater with his glastron. He did what I want to do. He framed up some walls of pink foam, then poured the two part in to expand between the hull and the pink foam. I had a good 10"x36"x36" area (roughly) unused recessed against the hull under the splash well on either side of the motor.

By the way, since this is an I/o, is the rear section of my cap still.called a splash well?

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Got the deck glassed today!

I started by sweeping and blowing it off with compressed air. Then I sanded the whole thing with 60 grit and a vacuum hooked to my orbital sander. Its been very rainy lately so I wanted to sand off the very top of the wood in case damp air was getting to it. Then I swept again and vacuumed the whole thing. The final prep was liberally washing the deck off twice with acetone. I mean I really drenched it. Then I waited 30 min before I began glassing.

I had my glass all pre cut and marked so I knew where each piece went, and which layer it was part of. I rolled on resin first, then waited a few minutes for it to soak in. Glassed in the first layer, ate lunch, then glassed in layer two. I used in the neighborhood of 5 gal of resin and it took about 5 ? hours, including breaks.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

More eye candy.

Joints looked like this. Have two main ones that will be visible.

I know it looks like bubbles where the csm laps down onto the tank stringers and bulkhead, but that is just the white color showing through from some pb made with flour. It really made the bend quite nicely all around. The csm is a pain to handle and move around, but it wets out much easier than 1708, IMO.

All the little white spots are sweat drips. I tried to keep them to a minimum, but it was 85? and I was soaked through all my clothes.

All in all I think it looks good and will work well!

 

[sphelps]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Looks great ! The foam plan sounds good to me ..
Keep up the good work !

 

[GT1000000]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Nice glassin, man! Keep up the great work.:thumb:

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Built and glassed in seat pedestal mounts, built and glassed in my side "panels", built my motor mounts, and diagnosed and repaired a clutch master cylinder that took a poop on me during a "10 min trip to the store". Did not enjoy driving my truck several miles in traffic to o'reillys with no clutch pedal!

Any who pretty productive day!

I sanded and sanded under the seat mounts, but just wasn't happy with the way they sat. The glass isn't perfectly level under them, so I optep to screw them as well as glue and glass. I predrilled the holes, filled hole with 5200 , and topped with pb. Shouldn't cause any problems.

I coated the backside of my panels with 4 coats of spar urethane. I would have rathered use epoxy, but I have plenty of spar on hand. I attempted wrapping the csm around the ?" ply....just wasn't happening. So I'm gonna sand that off and fix those edges.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I'm gel coating now, and I'll probably have it figured out before anyone replies, but how long do I need to wait between coats? I know if you recoat too soon it makes a mess of it.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Just as soon as you can finger print it and not get anything on your finger, put on the next coat You want it to be as thick as a Penny. Put wax in the final coat or spray it with PVA to get it to cure

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

I was planning on 3 coats, but I think that would be shy of a penny's thickness. I may just do four and order a little more for my tank hatch when I get it built.I have wax, so that's what I'll use in the final coat. A quart works out perfectly to do each coat.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Kool, you know how much wax to add per quart?

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Only by what is on the paper they sent with the gel. I find they recommend too little mekp though, so I'm open to suggestions on the wax.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

10% by volume so if you're mixing a quart @ a time that's 32 oz so you'll mix in 3.2 oz of wax.

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: dixie hustler "deck job" (turned full rebuild)

Will be easy, because I've been mixing 10% acetone!