Oscar Continued

[greenman407]

Ill bet you guys think that Ive been sloughing off on this build. Well just to prove you wrong, Ill update you.

[greenman407]

The lower hull comes with indexing lips continuously all down the sides. Since I configured the hull already as a Z-cut and installed the home made indexer in the back with two brass pins, all I need to hold it together is one screw in front.

The large plastic lip that I epoxied into the lower half at the front extends forward 3/4" of an inch. It prevents the hulls from seperating unless the top half slides forward.

Hence the screw installed in the bow underneath at a 45 degreee angle. I used an Allen screw so that you wouldnt see an unscale Phillips screw there. All thats left to do is grind it down so that its surface is flush wuth the hull. To access it I just roll the sub over about 45 degrees in its cradle and I can get right to it. When you roll it back it is out of sight.

[greenman407]

Here we have a captive nut sold by McMaster&Carr. You can see the spline cut into the smaller outside dia. end. This area of the nut you install into your plastic or fiberglass or whatever.

You can see after removal of the nut how it dug into the plastic for a good bond.

I drilled a 13/64" hole and then used a screw to pull it into the material. Then a drop of thin CA will keep her there.

[greenman407]

Subcultures sharp eye picked up on the fact that in the picture of the vertical joint in the back the factory scribing doesnt matchup. Thats where I had to compromise between port and starboard to get everything centered. When it comes time for detailing they will be filled and rescribed.

[greenman407]

Just a side note. I purchased from Caswell two products. The Evercoat Metal Glaze and the Easysand. I was quite surprised that I can not tell the difference between the two products. In appearance, flowability, sandability and strength they appear to be the same product.

[greenman407]

Ok we start with the offending joint that has an 1/8" gap all along the port side shrinking down to nothing near the bow.
I made this little tool out of rectangular brass tube and CAed sandpaper to it. Then I sanded the area that would recieve the Evercoat.
Then using a putty knife I "smooshed" the filler inside and struck off the excess on the outside.BUT WAIT!! MARK! That bondo is going to stick to the upper hull. Nope. Dave, in his videos shows you how he uses a xacto knife and makes a seperation between the two surfaces. Well , I knew that I would mess that up so I employed an old painters trick. I coated the upper hulls surfaces that would come in contact with the filler with Petroleum jelly, just a thin coat. It kept the filler from sticking. Thats amazing because not only does the upper hull that you are using as a mold in this case have to come off, it also has to slide forward about 3/4" to disengage the indexing pins. Wont the Vaseline effect the filler? NOPE, I experimented beforehand. I also tried masking tape and masking tape coated with oil. The Vaseline works the best. How did it come out?
After sanding I cant see a joint. Now I must continue on with this operation forward.

[Rpmtech1]

You need the better grade bondo. The "regular" like you said gums up paper. Its usually called "professional gold" and is pale green in color, its much better stuff and only a few bucks more.

Yes wick thin CA in there if its a spot you will be hitting when in use. I will actually crack off the bondo very slightly, and fill crack with thin CA and stick it back together. This bonds much better than the filler itself.

[greenman407]

I am concerned that the evercoat will get bumped and bruised at the joint. Dave, in the past has recommended dripping thin CA on the evercoat and letting it soak in to strengthen it.

[greenman407]

The difference between Bondo Premium and Dynalite products compared to Evercoat Metalglaze is amazing. Bondo in my experience is always sticky after it dries and plugs up sandpaper in a hurry. Whereas the Metalglaze drys fast and cuts well. Using this little spatula I was able to put it where I wanted it to go with ease. I know you guys know how to put on auto body filler and sand it. Im just chronicaling my efforts. Here you can see the application of the Evercoat , trying to get enough on there the first time so that after sanding, it would not need any further applications. After sanding, it lines up perfectly and the gap closes up nice. Then I took some epoxy and glass cloth and from the inside sealed up the holes that I drilled in the hull to allow the threaded rod to penetrate. Next, the metalglaze will finish off those holes.

[greenman407]

Here is an endview showing the difference in shape of the bulkhead and the midsection as highlighted by the space between them. It will be made to conform to the bulkhead by the use first of CA and then later by the marine adhesive. Forcing it to conform. This is what all the hubub is about, the misalignment. As a consequence of all this , now there is a gap between the upper and lower hulls that will have to be addressed with Mr. Evercoat and some sandpaper.

[greenman407]

Here you can see the pieces spread open and showing the indexing pins.

[greenman407]

With the rear bulkhead with the pin indexers installed in the rear section its time to install the doubled up bulkhead to the rear of the midsection that will interface with the alignment pins. In this picture you can see the space between the two sections. It goes from about an 1/8" on this side to zero on the other side. The doubled up bulkheads will provide a shelf that will help support the Evercoat Metal Glaze to make it all right. The holes that I drilled to engage the threaded rods will also be filled up as there is no longer a need for the rods.

[greenman407]

As you can see from these various pictures Im having to use threaded rod internally to pull the stern housing into shape. Using a template to see when I get it right. Then using this awesome marine sealant as a adhesive, install the indexer. Ive got a lot of experience using this 3M product. I can tell you that once its cured it will never come loose. Youll have to grind it down to get rid of it. Its also no mess, nothing to mix, just put it on.

[greenman407]

The hull indexer. A series of pictures showing my progress in this area.

[greenman407]

In the first two pictures, what you are seeing is the rear of the sail, where it joins the deck. This is Bondo that I used to fill in a booboo. It was absolutely perfect this time last year. Look at how much it shrunk.