1973 20 SF changes/improvements and a question

[Blue197320]

i used the fast cure. but i got home from work in time to get it off with acetone. is 5200 my best bet for sealing this ? would it be safe to use regular clear silicone?

[doug7488]

As far as I know- silicone should NEVER be used below the waterline.
I like to use a product by 3M(?) - 101(?)
I believe it is called.
Gives excellent adhesion & never dries out.
Fittings can be removed in the future w/o any damage to the fitting or glass - unlike 5200.
It is a rare occasion that I would use the 5200.

[Blue197320]

doug,
is this the stuff u are refferring to? http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...allpartial/0/0
how hard is it to remove if needed??

[Blue197320]

i got the console bonded from the inside. All the white area by the wood is thickened epoxy putty for fillets.

Time to start workin on the outside.

[Blue197320]

how comes i keep getting lillte "pin" holes in the microballoon/resin mixture i used for fairing compound? what do i do to fix it? its driving me nuts!

[Bryan A.]

It's from the air in the mixture. You could try mixing slower although I have found that doesn't help much. Or use a high build primer after the fairing is complete. I'm sure others will chime in with recomendations.
You could also use a premade fairing compound. I have seen others use Quik Fair by System three, it is packed under a vacuum so no bubbles, but I have not used it myself so I do not have first hand experience.

Hope that helps, Good Luck. Pin holes suck.

[Bryan A.]

I have also rolled on a thin coat of epoxy on after the fairing is done to fill some of the pinholes but is a bitch to sand afterwards, wetsanding a must. Heat from a gun will also burst some of the bubbles. It works OK on small parts but for a large area I would go the surfacing primer route.

[Blue197320]

bryan,
thanks for the reply. i am going to try to high build primer method first because thats the stage of the rebuild im in. thanks again..

[doug7488]

Hey, Sorry for the delay- I lost the post. Anyway - yes, that is the sealant- 3M 101. Works very nice, not all runny like BoatLife. It is not to bad to remove,unlike the 5200 which is near impossible, acetone when still wet, razor when dry.
With the epoxy, go for the brown thickener, I'll look up the # tomorrow. It is called the "low density" filler by West Systems, it sands out real nice.
As far as pinholes, do not heat the area after the epoxy is rolled out- the heat will generate air bubbles from the wood substrate, you can heat it before hand and then apply the epoxy afterwards
Good luck -Doug

[Blue197320]

what about if the resin is already dry ? i am noticing the pin holes alot more after i put the primer down.. i will try the west system stuff u reccommend when i go to do the inside of the boat. keep the help coming please