Quote:
Originally Posted by Bushwacker
The worst thing you can do with a fuel tank is to foam it it! Carl Moesly knew better than to foam in a tank, but Potter evidently started doing it by the mid-70's...
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Spoke to my dad yesterday. That foam you are seeing is the original 40-year old foam. He didn't refoam it, just slipped the new tank back in. Granted that is worse for holding moister, as you can be certain there is a gap to hold moisture. I'll consider removing it mechanically and maybe blast off the remnants, although I don't want all of it just falling into the bilge. We got 33 years out of the original tank. I'm not sure it's worth the headache to pull/coat it for the couple-hundred-bucks it cost to replicate the original ...for a second time some 25 years down the road. It will have an easier life these days on the trailer, as opposed to brackish water frequently sitting in the bilge in years past.
In other news there doesn't appear to be any warping, bows, or divits left in the bare fiberglass hatch shell. They came out; as other point out, it is very thin and forgiving. I tried filling it with H2O to soak, but that didn't go well. It leaked, poured-out, and/or evaporated in no time. Finding time and level ground with my kids running around was also a challenge. Probably won't get back on this project until next week...
I need to purchase plywood and epoxy/fiberglass supplies...
How much resin should I get? I'd like to have some left over for other projects... gal or 1/2 gal of resin?
http://www.uscomposites.com/epoxy.html
For the ply I want to double check the depth/clearance to that fuel bung. I think with the 3/4" of sag, the bottom of the failed cover was making contact (original 1/2" plywood). Adding 1/4" to the plywood thickness from stock should therefore clear with 1/2" to spare. -Need to make sure.