Stringer Templates

Here's one redneck solution I came up with Okie; I ran some scrap gutter from the bilge drain out to the driveway. This way it can be rinsed out on the inside anyway. I would avoid this meathod after new parts start going back in. Later, you'll just need a soapy rag for amine blush. Cleaning the garage is in the mice-type.

I've also read about someone using a small trickle of water while they were cutting(air tools).

No arrows Pete.

Dennis,
All you need is to let the solvent flash off. This can be as short as a couple of hours if your working in a warm dry area. The solvent is used to reduce the viscosity of the CPES epoxy resin/hardener so it will penetrate. Once the solvent is gone, the normal exothermic reaction takes over curing the epoxy. That doesn't need air so even coated with more epoxy the CPES will continue to cure.

Pete's always got all that fancy info! Put in terms meant for mortal men, you can re-coat when it's dry to the touch. I went with a minimum of 4 coats with more on end grain. Where it was practical, I even stood pieces on end so gravity would be my friend.

Stringer update on the 1988 nautique.....



Driver side stringer bedded in glass on Saturday night, Sunday I removed port side fibreglass flooring, foam, and cut out the stringer and ground the fillets on the edge. ( Dewalt grinder with the sandpaper worked best) I made a box chute for the shop vac to connect to. I placed this box in front of the grinder and it captured quite a bit of the grinding and sanding dust.

Today I cut the stringer, dry fit it " I lost count how many times I climbed in and out of the boat" and placed 4" fibreglass strip, 2" strip on top of this, Epoxy on bottom of stringer and set it in place.

I weighted the stringer down with bricks, then ended up putting kicker 1 by lumber against the garage rafter and top of the stringer.

I placed a tarp over the boat and placed a small electric heater under the tarp to keep the temperature around 80.

I ordered some 4/1 faster setting epoxy today, as the 3/1 takes so much time to set up. I am trying to speed up the stringer replacement and bedding some.

I am starting to understand how the cost of stringer/floor replacement can be so high if hired done.

Actually I am enjoying doing the work, and am looking forward to moving onto the main stringers

I will take some pictures of the in place secondaries tomorrow.

Storm to hit the midwest (Illinois ) next 2-3 days. I guess I will continue to hunker down in my man cave with my Correct Craft.

Dennis

Dry fit complete, looks like I will need some help from you guys to post pics - sorry I cant figure it out any better than this for 2nite, If you can help I could e-mail better pics. I do intend to use Doug Fir for the main stringers only because I don't want to fab up L-angles for engine mounts.

ABE brother, polystyrene really? There is a lot of load on that stringer build up as it runs parrallel to the cradle, the lamination required is going to be pretty severe with no core contribution. What's the plans?

Abe,

Kudos for the composite work! I'm currently doing the stringers in my Mustang and I considered the "no wood" approach. I'm much more comfortable with woodworking so I'm going traditional.

Okie,

I went to Harbor Freight and bought some flapper discs, they are awesome. Just keep 'em moving, they remove material VERY quickly. The 24 grits are very aggressive; I'm only using them to clean up my old stringers (for templates). The 60 grit are perfect for cleaning up the bilge area and should remove the bedding in no time.

Thanks Joe, I will keep the pics comming for ya! I butter top and bottom edge (round the top)then encapsolate with a layer of 1-1/2oz mat, then a layer of 18oz roving, then another layer of 1-1/2oz mat. I step tab about 4" out on ea. side to the hull after some dreaded grinding ofcourse. I will be using Nidacor for the Floor layout as well, If you notice there are no cut downs on the stringer for the floor. My floor will end up 3/4" higher than stock and will rest on the tab on the hull sides left from cutting out the orig. floor. I will have to recess at the welded top flange on the pylon, other than that I don't see any conflict and I like the extra meat on the stringers.

Table saw, Skill saw, jig saw - not hard to cut and you can rough shape with a grinder, butter in and final shape. Depending on the thickness you can bend it around corners, I made a wind screen for my offshore boat.

Abolton,
I looked at Nadacor's web site, they sell a lot of stuff - can you give us a part # of the material your using?

Did most of the grinding this weekend, I had been putting it off, I dred grinding. It went pretty well, hope to finish this week so I can butter up and get a stringer in and laminate it in.

The dredded grinding is done and I have the Nidacor bed in and 3/4" fillets are inplace at the hull. The Nidacor top side is all filled and sanded to 1" round and ready to be laminated to the hull. I start 4" out from the stringer, up and over and stop 4" out on the other side with 1-1/2oz mat, then 18oz roving, followed by another layer of mat all stepped about 1" at the hull completly encapcilating the nidacor. I have to order my Doug Fir for the Main Stringers this week. I hope laminate it in and I will take some pics tonight.

Abe you should have a thread for your boat.

Waldo

82 Nautique 1 wrote: Update on my 1988 2001 SN Stringer job: I think I am starting to feel I have turned the corner on this project.

How many times have I said that before.   Seriously though, very nice work,looking good.

82 Nautique 1 wrote: Randy @ US Composits suggested 3-4 layers of Glass/Epoxy Resin to get around 1/4" thickness. Does this sound right ?

That all depends on what what you are using for glass... is it cloth? Mat? Both?

Are you using typical through hull fittings on the battery box drains? What about the hose/tubing? Thats one thing I havent finalized on my rebuild yet.