Topic: First Boat (Read 7875 times)

weatherwatcher · « **on:** December 27, 2006, 11:36:47 am »

I am disabled after my vertibrae collapsed in my neck trapping my spinal chord 6 years ago. Now with two Grandsons one two and the other 6 I needed something we could do together. Don't find playing football etc in a wheelchair with two youngsers much fun. The youngest one was easily sorted out he is train daft a just loves my model railway. His first word was choochoo. So this year with much scratching of heads I asked the oldest one if we built a boat would he be interest and would he go and help me sail it unfortunatly, he said YES.
So poor Grandad searched the internet for some free plans and came up with a plan for a Pilot Boat. 7 weeks down the line and other than the painting to finnish and a few cosmetic bits to fit we are almost there. It now no longer resembles the plan I copied after looking at several sites with pictures of Pilot Boats it is now a mixture of around six different Boat tops, but it looks pretty good for a first attempt.
The main item for writing this is a product I found by shear accident after building the hull and covering it in balsa I wanted some filler just to make some final adjustments to the hull. On one of those dreaded Christmas shopping expiditions, we went into Wilkos and I picked up a tin of Body filler or so I thought. I got home took the boat of the work top and late one night when her indoors was in bed I opened the tin to fill the bits on the Hull. Surprise, surprise it wasn't ordinary body filler but it was Gods answer to model boat builders across the world.
When you are next in your local car parts shop look for it is made by david's and is strands of glass fibre all soaked in resin and all it needs is the hardener mixing in to start work.
So the balsa hull turned into a fibreglass hull in less than 10 minuets and the working time of the product is pretty good and it is so easy to work with it in small pieces all it needs is a light sand and off you go again.
For anyone who dosen't like wood hulls this is the answer and so easy to use.
I have included a picture of the unfinnished item and will keep you informed of the ongoing work. It is pretty slow being how I am but I get there in the end and my two Grandsons understand that it takes poor old Grandad even though I am only 55 three times as long to do things as it does most people.

cbr900 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 27, 2006, 12:37:03 pm »

The Boat looks just fine to me mate, and good on you for having a go, I am sure you and the kids will get a lot of enjoyment out of it, and welcome to the Forum mate..

Roy

weatherwatcher · « **Reply #2 on:** December 27, 2006, 12:49:42 pm »

Many thanks matey for the nice welcome on board. It has been great fun building the boat. It is about 24" long and all it has done is set my passion on fire to get it finnished and start another one. I have already got the next one fixed firmly to the draftsmans board in the old grey matter box.
I now plan to build a paddle steamer. I am a glutton for punishment.

Roger in France · « **Reply #3 on:** December 27, 2006, 05:03:30 pm »

Weatherwatcher am I the only daft one to ask about the tag line below your picture "make your eyes " WHAT?

Boat looks good. Your commitment is great. Your grandsons are fortunate boys. You do the rest of us a service because the next time we nick our finger or drop a hammer on our toe etc. we will all stop cursing and think, "Wow, I am lucky. Not like a guy I know".

Roger in France.

Tug-Kenny RIP · « **Reply #4 on:** December 27, 2006, 08:12:28 pm »

Welcome to the club Weatherwatcher. You have given a nice write-up

You will find us an amiable bunch, so if you have any queries, there's bound to be someone to help you.

I am curious about the 'Wilco' product. Sound just the job for hole filling :) Does it smell when being made ? The reason for asking is that I have been 'Fibre-glassing in my 'Lean-to' and the smell permeated into the house. Boy, did I get stick about it.

Happy new year

Cheer...Ken

weatherwatcher · « **Reply #5 on:** December 28, 2006, 09:55:07 am »

Yes it stinks like hell and hangs around for days after. The kichen was a no go area for two days after. The peoduct is made by Davids of Isopon fame and not a Wilko's home brand product.

boatmadman · « **Reply #6 on:** December 28, 2006, 11:46:14 am »

I use P38 car body filler on my hulls, quick, sands well and no fumes (I think!)

Tug-Kenny RIP · « **Reply #7 on:** December 28, 2006, 11:21:14 pm »

I've started using P38. Now I have the proportions right, it is nice to work with. I have used too much hardener in the past and now running out, with plenty of filler left. ( I bought a large tin of the stuff ! ) Do you think the 'Epoxy' hardener will do the same job, or might it be dangerous ( chemical reactions and all that !!)

Cheers...Ken

boatmadman · « **Reply #8 on:** December 28, 2006, 11:56:26 pm »

Its not too vital how much hardener you use, the more there is the faster it will go off. less = slower.

I think you can buy hardner separately at halfords. I wouldnt try epoxy hardner, dunno what it will do!

Ian

kayem · « **Reply #9 on:** December 29, 2006, 09:05:45 am »

Quote from: Tug---Kenny on December 28, 2006, 11:21:14 pm

I've started using P38. Now I have the proportions right, it is nice to work with. I have used too much hardener in the past and now running out, with plenty of filler left. ( I bought a large tin of the stuff ! ) Do you think the 'Epoxy' hardener will do the same job, or might it be dangerous ( chemical reactions and all that !!)

Cheers...Ken

No, you should never mix any kind of epoxy with any kind of polyester like P38, the two systems are wholly incompatible, and you'll just end up with a sticky mess. On hardener quantities, it sounds as if you're using far too much, all you need is just enough to colour the mix slightly when it's thoroughly mixed. I've never used the small packs from places like Halfords, but with the larger 2 kilo plus packs, my experience had been that the amount of hardener supplied is very generous, I usually get to the bottom of the tin and find I've got almost half of the hardener left. Also, an excess of hardener will tend to weaken the set material, so follow the instructions supplied with whatever pack size you're using.

FullLeatherJacket · « **Reply #10 on:** December 29, 2006, 09:26:28 am »

Quote from: weatherwatcher on December 27, 2006, 11:36:47 am

When you are next in your local car parts shop look for it is made by david's and is strands of glass fibre all soaked in resin and all it needs is the hardener mixing in to start work.

Chaps
Sorry to be pedantic but you'd curse if you bought the wrong one after such fulsome praise for it..................

This product is Isopon P40, not P38. You can often find them sold in Halfords as a twin-pack (i.e. one tin of each). P40 is excellent for fitting prop tubes and bow-thrusters, while everyone should be familiar with its smooth twin P38. Suit yourselves

Tug-Kenny RIP · « **Reply #11 on:** December 29, 2006, 10:25:47 am »

Thanks everyone. I'm off to try and get some at Halfords today.

I noticed the strength of the mix varied. This is the reason then. Cheers all

Ken

pomybill · « **Reply #12 on:** December 31, 2006, 03:08:50 am »

Hi weatherwatcher

Wonderful achievement and a "beaut" looking craft!
Keep up the good work your example gives us mobile ones a thing or two, to aim for
A Happy New Year to you and yours.

Pomybill ::)

Shipmate60 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 31, 2006, 10:28:14 am »

Nice boat weatherwatcher,
Just be careful though, it can become so engrossing, just ask my wife!!!!!

Bob

firstime67 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 04, 2007, 10:25:06 am »

Hi all

Just reading your comments about P38.
On compleating my International One Meter, with planked balsa hull covered with 30Gram glass fibre, I needed to smooth it out in a few places, but on getting my tin of P38 open, I found that it had thickened, making it difficult to spread. So, prior to adding the hardener I added a small amount of Acetone to it. this produced the required consistency to which I then added the hardener.

firstime67

kayem · « **Reply #15 on:** January 04, 2007, 11:04:43 am »

Thinning P38 with acetone will more or less work, but this also slows down hardening, and it doesn't do much for the properties of the stuff when cured, you may find it will crack over time. Because acetone evaporates so fast, you'll also find any remaining filler is practically solid next time you open the tin. A much better plan is to remember to keep the lid on tight to stop it drying out in the first place, and if you want to do the best possible job, throw away hardened P38 and treat yourself to a fresh tin, you'll probably be glad you did in the long run. If you're only going to use small amounts, it keeps better in a tube. What causes drying out in the first place is evaporation of one component of the resin base, something called styrene monomer. Thinning the stuff by stirring in more styrene is a laborious process, but it's the only way to return the material to it's original state. You can also thin hardened filler by stirring in standard polyester resin, but this will make the stuff so hard to sand, that you'll probably wish you hadn't bothered.

kayem · « **Reply #16 on:** January 04, 2007, 02:06:02 pm »

To avoid any possible confusion, by 'hardened filler' in my next to last line above, I was of course thinking of unused filler that had hardened in the tin. This is not at all the same as filler that has hardened after mixing with catalyst of course, you'd need some pretty hazardous solvents to have any effect on that.

weatherwatcher · « **Reply #17 on:** January 06, 2007, 02:32:44 am »

Well.. Tomorrow is the big day !!!!!!!!!!! Or it may be a very bad day which ever way it goes.
The boat is now complete. All the bits fitted and all the varnish dried. It has taken residence on top of the freezer and when Caleb my oldest grandson gets here we are going to take it into the bathroom and see if it sinks or swims the latter I hope. I am pretty confident of it floating it is more to see how much if any ballast need putting in to make sure it sits in the water OK. Then it is ready for us to find a nice day to go and sail it. I put some pictures in another thread so if you missed them I have put them in here again. I may send them as a complete page of the build from start to Finnish. I am quite proud of my first ever boat and can't wait now to start the second one. The bug has bitten

boatmadman · « **Reply #18 on:** January 06, 2007, 11:25:36 am »

well done, that looks real nice.

Would be nice to see some pics of it in action if you get the chance.

What's your next project..any ideas yet?

Ian

weatherwatcher · « **Reply #19 on:** January 06, 2007, 12:20:13 pm »

Yes I have already got the plans sorted out for the paddel boat Bohemia. But it has to wait until I come out of hospital before I start on that one so it will be some time in Feb or March until I get started. Have to go for some more bone scans on Monday looks like a few more bits have fallen off of my spine again. But I just get on with thing keep smiling and taking the tablets. It is hard some days but I have said when they take my smile away then they can cart me off.

MikeK · « **Reply #20 on:** January 06, 2007, 05:00:48 pm »

Hi WW, like the model. Like even more your optimistic outlook on life, an inspiration to the rest of us. All the very best on your forthcoming scans.

Best regards

MikeK

weatherwatcher · « **Reply #21 on:** January 08, 2007, 08:40:25 am »

I was as pleased as punch on Saturday evening my oldest grandson came to stay and we took the boat into the bathroom and filled it up to the brim. With much deliberation we put the boat in the bath, it not only floated and stayed dry, but with the fibreglass coated hull and three coats of yacht varnish I didn't think it would do any other but the prop and Kort nozzle from his old amphibious car thingy, was more than adequate to do the job and if you wasn't careful you would have flown out of the bath. Not quite but it is more than adequate.
just needs a bit of weight to the front and starboard side to make it sit right in the water but a most satisfying end to an interesting first attempt at model boat building.
I have now decided I must go back to the nest of wires that control my model railway and sort the dead short out before I start to build my next model but I know it won't be to far away. Might even start it at night after I have been playing with all those wires and all those curses and naughty words under my breath of course.

Tug-Kenny RIP · « **Reply #22 on:** January 08, 2007, 11:23:36 am »

Best of luck with your Hospital visit WW. Just look upon them as service engineers of the body. ( I know I do !!) At least you won't be put in a bath to see if you float correctly.

I thought you did rather well with your boat. It looks great. I'm still working on mine, and it's guys like you that inspire the rest of us.

Cheer...Ken

Roger in France · « **Reply #23 on:** January 08, 2007, 04:48:22 pm »

Weatherwatcher the boat looks great, well done. I bet your grandson reckons he has a pretty special grandfather.

All the best for the hospital visit.

Hospital joke? "Surgeon; "I have good news and bad news. First the bad news...I had to take both feet off at the ankles. Good news...I found someone who takes the same size shoes as you used to do" !!!!

Well, you did say you never stop smiling, so when I am criticised on the Forum for poor taste I expect you to stick up for me .

Incidentally the joke was told to me by a French guy speaking English, I thought his pronunciation funnier than the joke!

Roger in France.

Youngat65 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 08, 2007, 07:16:11 pm »

Weatherwatcher best of luck mate I just had a short stay on the NHS and must say it was a very pleasant experience and couldn't have been looked after better
Cheers
Bob B

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Author Topic: First Boat (Read 7875 times)

weatherwatcher

weatherwatcher

Roger in France

weatherwatcher

FullLeatherJacket

firstime67

weatherwatcher

weatherwatcher

weatherwatcher

Roger in France