Funds Brave restore thread

[RichL]

Lookin' good. Hope this is the last of your surprises.

 

[Wrinkleface]

Lookin' good. Hope this is the last of your surprises.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

[fund razor]

Didn't get nearly what I had hoped done today, but here is the back end of the same tank cell with the glass matt cut out and mocked up. The tabs should end up about 2 inches wide. This area never was glassed, except for a ring around the sides and a strip backing the center engine stringer. That stringer escaped serious damage. A little junk at the end. Dried out with Acetone and saturated with git rot. It will now have a real cap and be mechanically fastened to the next nearest stringers, which are 31 inches apart.

 

[fund razor]

That pic is the same area that was rotten wood in an above post. It has new 23/32 behind it, which is bonded to the existing glass that was between the bad wood and the engine compartment. It is bonded using two layers of chop strand mat all resined in and bolted. This new mat covers that, and will be the aftmost backer for the tank.

 

[Wrinkleface]

That pic is the same area that was rotten wood in an above post. It has new 23/32 behind it, which is bonded to the existing glass that was between the bad wood and the engine compartment. It is bonded using two layers of chop strand mat all resined in and bolted. This new mat covers that, and will be the aftmost backer for the tank.

noth'n like make'n it better than it was!!!!

 

[fund razor]

noth'n like make'n it better than it was!!!!

Now's my chance. I had an extra baffle put in the tank, moved the sending unit back to where you could reach it through an access hatch for the supply valves. I had the return line fittings moved to the forward end, so that should I ever go bigger with power the returns can dump into the opposite end from the pickups. Chris reminded me to add the returns back in, I can't take credit for that part. I might have left them out.

I am digging that the tank build date and the engine finish dates are about the same. It is more of a complete resto than an emergency fix. They go together. What better for new power than a new tank and known gas?
.

 

[cosmic12]

Good job man keep it up

 

[Geronimo36]

gettin er done!

 

[fund razor]

I love the smell of resin in the afternoon.... it smells like victory over fountains.

 

[Buoy]

Nice work John!
Lookin' good.

 

[ChiefApache]

I love the smell of resin in the afternoon.... it smells like victory over fountains.

Everytime I smell resin it takes me back to when we did major work on the Stinger.......and I start twitching.

Good job John! I'm sure it's been a PITA project, but it's looking great.

 

[fund razor]

Ok, now it's in there with resin. Biaxial weave matt wetted with resin. That seals the tank cell back in, cause the other end with the new wood is taped. I thought about a layer of mat at that end too.... but at some point.... (I am now 2 layers of chop strand and one layer of weave ahead of factory. But I am replacing lost stiffening, too)

 

[fund razor]

Yep. I ended up covering the forward end of the tank cell with weave matt too. What the heck. Now the entire tank cell is glassed in. The front end has picked up two layers of glass (one chop, one weave) and one layer of 1/4 inch plywood. The aft end has picked up three layers of glass (two chop, one weave) and one layer of 23/32 plywood. I was thinking about how much weight I added: a few pounds of plywood. About 5 pounds of resin. A few pounds of glass matt. Maybe 20 pounds max. Meanwhile I reduced the tank size from 135 to 126, (tank is a couple of pounds lighter, and has about 50 pounds less capacity) and I removed all of the saturated foam and rot.

I think that I will net a slight reduction in weight.

Should be ready for tank install later today or over the weekend.

 

[Ratickle]

I can see where the front of the fuel cavity has the pvc tubes running to drain water all the way through to the rear engine bilge. Did you also put a drain hole from the cavity itself to the bilge or ?

 

[fund razor]

I can see where the front of the fuel cavity has the pvc tubes running to drain water all the way through to the rear engine bilge. Did you also put a drain hole from the cavity itself to the bilge or ?

No. I still could, but haven't decided.
My understanding is that new CG regs don't allow a commonly vented bilge with fuel and occupant spaces. (which is why bilge pumps are showing up in forward bilges.) If I did place a tube from the tank cell to the rear bilge... it would be way off to the side because the center stringer and the existing tubes consume so much space at the lowest level of the tank cell. Besides... I think that if my tank splits or a baffle fails and fuel comes out of the tank... that I want it to be held in the fiberglass box that I have created than run back to the rear bilge with the engines.

 

[fund razor]

I think that I am going to leave the tank cell closed.

 

[WMF]

Any updates?? pics of motors? is gas tank done? looks like good work on the tank job!!

 

[Wrinkleface]

Everytime I smell resin I start twitching.



Where??????????????????????????:26::reddevil:

 

[fund razor]

Any updates?? pics of motors? is gas tank done? looks like good work on the tank job!!

Bob Vila of offshore here.

Finally had a chance to fit the tank today. The tank is actually bigger than the hole (on purpose). That was a close one.
Some ship in a bottle chit going on there, my friend.

 

[fund razor]

It went from a 135 to a 126. To get a 135 in there would have required me to cut the liner, and I decided it was better to cut the tank. This way, although the bulkheads were redone and glassed and the liner is intact. I made the tank the same width as the opening, knowing (hoping) that the tank cover flange would give a little.