Plastic Classic Forum

ILikeRust

So yesterday I was up working on the boat (again...). I met a guy from a marine canvas maker to do all the measuring for a new bimini, dodger and sail cover (what the heck, it's only money). We had to put on the new main sail so he could see where the boom hangs, to determine the bimini and dodger h...

ILikeRust

I think either biscuits or a spline would be fine. I don't see the spline as being any more difficult or complicated than the biscuits, though. In either case, you're going to do the fine-tuning and trial fitting of the joint in the workshop, at the bench. My own preference would be for a full-lengt...

ILikeRust

the older saws look very cool (I only want a few dozen though.) Old handsaws are like coat hangers. You put two of them together in a drawer or cabinet, and when you come back later, you find they've reproduced. Over the past few years, I've sold most of the handsaws I had accumulated over the year...

ILikeRust

Seen on the transom of a big old 50-foot 1970's motor yacht:

Miss Mymoney

urgh.

ILikeRust

SWOON...

I'm in love.

ILikeRust

I would try to find a way to hide the joint with some kind of trim element. Make it look like frame-and-panel joinery or something. I think it would be difficult to hide an edge joint, particularly if it's going to be finished bright, but depending on what kind of plywood you'll use (e.g., mahogany ...

ILikeRust

It really depends on what you're wanting to do with it. There are all kinds of saws, for different purposes. You want a dovetail saw? A tenon saw? A carcase saw? A cabinetmaker's crosscut? A finish carpenter's crosscut? A ripsaw? If you're thinking about serious woodworking, you're going to want to ...

ILikeRust

I submit that you will find those new handsaws a chore to use and unpleasant. A good, old handsaw, properly sharpened, is a joy to use. Modern handsaws are not "hung" right, just don't feel right in the hand and don't glide through the wood the way a quality old Disston or similar quality ...

ILikeRust

Here you go:

http://annapolis.craigslist.org/boa/2435669018.html

ILikeRust

Rainbow? I know of three for sale at $500 each. They each need some work, but from what I've been told, they're fantastic sailers. One of the three is at the boatyard where my boat currently is, and every time I drive in, I have to drive right past it. I've gone up and looked at it more than once an...

ILikeRust

There actually is a lot to know about "sandpaper" and grit designations. There are at least three (probably more) different numbering systems for specifying sandpaper grit sizes - so a P120 is not the same as a 120 in a different system. There are lots of other variables as well, including...

ILikeRust

I'm thinking I need to re-name my thread here. I need to delete the "before Spring". As it is now, I'm thinking hopefully I'll get it done before 2011 is over... Anyhow, I'm Inching closer to getting the engine back in the boat... Went back up to the boat again today - another crazy hot da...

ILikeRust

Why would it matter whether the propellor "sings" with a bong rather than a clank? It's not a church bell or symphony gong - it's a boat propellor. I could see that a dull thud or clunk *might* *maybe* *could* indicate a crack somewhere in the propellor, but I do not think that just becaus...

ILikeRust

I would consult both USCG regulatory requirements as well as ABYC standards. I would be seriously hesitant to try going about fabbing up my own fuel tank. It's one thing if your fresh water or even grey or black water holding tank leaks or ruptures inside your boat; it's quite another when a tank ho...

ILikeRust

I love my Atomic 4. Great little engine. You can see my long and bloody engine overhaul thread here , complete with tons of full color photos. The actual removal of the engine from the boat is shown on page 3 of the thread; the full-bore teardown to every last nut and bolt starts on page 4. I just g...

ILikeRust

By the way, if you decide to look for a "new" sail, don't forget about used, reconditions sails. I think Sailcare sells some, but as far as shopping for used sails, I've always seen Bacon Sails recommended. I've never done any business with them myself, though. But from what I've heard, th...

ILikeRust

Hey, if I come over on my lawyer time, rather than my "spare" time, you probably would not like my rates!

ILikeRust

Sure. But what is this "spare time" thing of which you speak? Yesterday afternoon, I fired up my engine again, just because I could and I wanted to hear it again. I also had to do the final head re-torquing to confirm all head nuts are properly torqued. The Moyer Manual specifies that you ...

ILikeRust

Yes, use a decent-quality brush with varnish to get the best results. Those foam brushes tend to not only leave bubbles, but also will start to disintegrate and leave tiny little bits of black foam in your varnish. Don't ask me how I know this. And don't use those cheap "chip" brushes - th...

ILikeRust

Went up to the boatyard today and applied the first coat of Bilgekote: http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu207/ilikerust/Grizabella/OnTheHardJanuary2011/SUC53979.jpg It was so ridiculously stinkin' hot and humid - I literally was dripping sweat continuously - and half the time, it dripped into the ...

ILikeRust

Oops, I re-read your post and realized you're asking for a heater that is JUST a heat exchanger; no electric. That is what I would be looking for also.

I didn't realize those heaters were also electric...

To quote the infamous Emily Litella: "nevermind."

ILikeRust

I am just starting to think about putting in a small heat-exchanger water heater myself. Your question prompted me to do a little Googling. Based on the prices, it doesn't look like I'll be putting one in anytime soon... http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=1537&fa...

ILikeRust

Yes, it was for my Wanderer. You know, right now I'm not recalling the exact amount. I'll need to lay my hands on the receipt. But I do know that I had him add two sets of reef points, which cost a little extra. And as I recall, there are four battens. And I had him apply the Wanderer logo (a styliz...

ILikeRust

That is a good point, and one that Jerry emphasized to me. I sent him my main sail just before Christmas - he told me not to wait, because they do get crazy busy in Spring. As I recall, the brand new sail (with my old one in the box with it) showed up right at the end of March/early April.

ILikeRust

I wholeheartedly endorse Sailcare. The previous owner of my boat had the head sail cleaned and treated by them, and he told me it made a huge difference. He recommended I send the main sail for the same treatment. Jerry, who is the guy that typically answers the phone, clearly has a hell of a lot of...

ILikeRust

I'd post the question over at the Wooden Boat Forum - someone there will know what she is. Pretty little thing, though!

ILikeRust

Just a few days ago I was reading about Boat U.S.'s annual survey of most common boat names. Number one on the list was "Wet Dream." Not only is it unoriginal, it's also not half as clever or funny as those choosing it evidently think it is.

ILikeRust

O.K., so I had to travel to L.A. for business for 2-1/2 weeks, so no work done on the boat. I got back on June 17 (a week ago Friday). The weekend before I left, I finished putting my Atomic 4 engine back together, set up a test stand and tried to start it. You can see a bunch of pics of the reassem...

ILikeRust

Also, perhaps applying a thinned coat of epoxy first would help minimize this, by being thin enough to allow any trapped bubbles to escape all the way out, and then after curing, it would seal the wood surface and prevent any more air bubbles from coming out? Give it a light sanding and cleaning, an...

ILikeRust

Are those air bubbles, or dust particles?

ILikeRust

Rachel wrote:Pontiac Aztec on his tail.

That would do it. Ugliest car since the AMC Pacer.

ILikeRust

Holy cr*p! What did he see? Not sure I'd like to see it myself. That's one surprised as hell tail light.

ILikeRust

Sounds to me like you don't need the two separate banks. I've been reading Nigel Calder's "Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual," and he's got a whole chapter on batteries and charging systems. In that chapter, there is a whole section titled "Is it Better to Have One or Two B...

ILikeRust

Good idea, and one I think I will use! And yes, no problem - if both switches are closed, you've basically got two wires going the same way - it's the same as if you completed the circuit using one wire that is twice the diameter of either of those wires alone. The wire will carry only the voltage t...

ILikeRust

Butyl rubber tape or Dolfinite?

ILikeRust

http://www.traditionalmarine.com/hardwa ... 0web_5.htm

The ones here have an I.D. of 3-1/2".

ILikeRust

http://www.sailboatstuff.com/dk_pipe.html

ILikeRust

You will find it quite useful. A couple years ago, I needed a sanding machine on short notice, so despite my aversion to modern shiny plastic and aluminum tools, I ran out and bought the Ridgid oscillating benchtop spindle/belt sander. It's actually a pretty darn good little machine, and I've used i...

ILikeRust

"Far from perfect"?

I would be THRILLED if my boat looked that good.

Run with it.

ILikeRust

I have probably 10 utility knives, if not more. I keep them everywhere, so I never have to hunt too much to find one. I also keep a couple of those 100-blade packs about so I never run out of new blades - they actually wear out pretty quickly when you're using them aggressively. And I have managed t...

ILikeRust

ILikeRust

I find my reciprocating saw to be indispensible. I've had it for probably close to 15 years, and I've had several projects I couldn't have done without it. But it's the wrong tool for the job you depicted. It's a demolition tool, mostly. Very useful for cutting pipe and angle iron to length using ha...

ILikeRust

Just received via e-mail from Boat U.S. - seems a worthy issue to make everyone aware of, in case you're not a Boat U.S. member or don't get the e-mails. Do you think boaters need better public access sites around the Bay? The National Park Service wants to know. They are holding a series of public ...

ILikeRust

Cut it oversize using a hand saw or jigsaw, use a belt sander, or a rasp and then files, or a block plane, and then sand paper, to smooth it down to the profile.

ILikeRust

Bill, Any progress on the 8.3 move? See my last post above, re: "SEP". I can report that after they completed their ASA101 sailing class, and getting some suggestions from the instructor about getting the Atomic 4 running (in addition to my suggestions) they decided to give it a go themse...

ILikeRust

What? House projects versus Plastic Classics forum? Priorities, man!

ILikeRust

OK, now you need to resize the photos in Photobucket to make them a little smaller. Make them no bigger than 640 x 480 as a good rule of thumb.

ILikeRust

If there is a better way to get good image posted, please let me know. Yes - rather than uploading them directly to the thread here, upload the pics to a free photo hosting site - I use Photobucket - then use the "IMG" tags to link to the photo, and it will show up in the thread here. In ...

ILikeRust

I have found the same to be true with just about any supplies or materials. You can find pretty much anything you can get at West Marine elsewhere significantly cheaper - it's just a matter of searching for it on the Internet and waiting for it to be shipped to you. I always figure if I buy somethin...

ILikeRust

I would try Bacon Sails - they sell a lot of used sails. I had a new main sail made by Sail Care and was very happy with their service. So you might try them.

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