Mother Nature Strikes!

Up at dawn

I started shortly after first light this morning and sanded the hardtop yet again. I disposed of much dust, taking great care to have a pristine surface. I rolled on the third coat of Snow White Interlux Perfection two-part paint. It was done about 10:15 a.m.

A beautiful result

After cleaning up my tools, I left the roll-up garage door only partially closed in an effort to get some air flow and dispel noxious paint vapors. There was about an 18-inch gap between the bottom of the door and the concrete sill.

I went inside for a shower and a cold drink.

The honeymooners arrive

I was away from the job site a couple of hours. That was all it took for a pair of Carolina Wrens to start construction of a nest in the roll-up garage door mechanism which happened to be centered over my still wet paint job.

Carolina Wrens are perky little things and they have a very pleasant call. But they are not neat nest builders. This pair must have been new at the job too, because they had spilled more dried grass and twigs on my wet paint than they had managed to stuff into the door lift box.

As it turns out, this variety of wren is the South Carolina State Bird. Here's what a South Carolina website says about them:

"The Carolina Wren, sometimes referred to as the Great Carolina Wren, was adopted as the South Carolina state bird in 1948, replacing the Mockingbird. It can be found in a wide variety of habitats including fields, woodlands, and swamps.

Carolina Wrens build their nests in the holes of trees, on fence posts, or in the eaves of houses and barns. However, the wren is also known for nesting in unusual places such as bags, boxes, flower pots, and even shoes. Both the male and female participate in nest-building, but the female generally adds the finishing touches prior to laying her eggs."


Salvage attempt fails

After locating and shooing the pair out the side door, I swept away much of the debris with a dusting brush and tried to wipe the rest off with a solvent rag. The result was not pretty -- an obvious basketball-sized smear on an otherwise glossy surface.

A fourth topcoat impends

A new quart of paint is on its way from Savannah and should be here tomorrow. Perhaps I will sand and roll yet again in a couple of days. I have installed an exhaust fan in a screened window. I will keep the doors closed. I will hope for the best.

"Assembly of Japanese bicycle...

...requires great peace of mind." That phrase, from Robert Pirsig's 1984 book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values, came to mind whilst rolling primer yesterday.

Before I am through with this project, I will have rolled and brush-tipped ten coats of primer and paint on this structure, top and bottom.

In the present moment

Cultivating peace of mind is imperative when faced with applying ten coats of paint. It it is not productive to think about when this job will be over. The trick for me is to keep my mind in the present moment; to focus on technique, and to breathe as deeply as my respirator allows.

I already knew that there is a lot more to painting than cracking open a can and swinging a brush. So it comes as no surprise that I find myself in another marathon operation. It started when the weather moderated earlier this week, and it is still going on.

So far I have applied two coats of two-part primer (sanding after each coat) and three coats of two-part topcoat to a four-inch band around the top's underside perimeter. Yesterday morning, I rolled and tipped a full coat of the primer to the sky side of the top. This morning I sanded that coat with 120-grit sandpaper discs. This afternoon I applied a second primer coat. Tomorrow morning I will be sanding that coat with 220-grit.

After that, only three coats of topcoat paint remain before the top is finished and ready for installation on the boat.

But I am not thinking about that now. All I am thinking about now is painting--and all the mixing, measuring, sanding, dust removal and cleaning up that must be done between coats.

Surprise, surprise

I was surprised by one development during the painting marathon: The quantity of stuff that will be going to the landfill when the paint job is done.

In addition to the expected empty paint cans and stirring sticks, the trash bin includes:

Paint tray liners which must be discarded after each coat, one-time use measuring and mixing vessels of various sizes, paint rollers, disposable paint brushes, sandpaper, innumerable spent sanding discs, paper dust masks, respirator cartridges, countless disposable vinyl gloves, paper towels and cleanup rags. My Tyvek coveralls  may make it through the last coat, but probably not. The size of the waste heap increases markedly as each coat is applied.


My Paint review

I am using white Interlux Epoxy Primekote for the undercoat, and Interlux Perfection topcoat paint in a color the company calls "Snow White". Both are two-part paints. They are not particularly difficult to use.  Each part has to be carefully measured before the two are mixed in the prescribed ratios. Both primer and paint require a 20-minute "induction time," which means you get to do something else while it somehow cooks itself into a workable state. There is a special thinner, Brushing Reducer 2333N, that can be used to thin the topcoat up to 10 percent when applying the paint in hot weather. The Brushing Reducer is also used for cleanup and to wipe sanding dust off the surface between coats.The topcoat flowed on nicely when I did the underside and only minimal brush tipping was required. The result on the underside was a glossy, smooth and very hard surface. It is supposed to last 7-10 years before needing renewal. So far, I like the stuff.

Questions, comments, advice?


Please use the comments button below to post your feedback.

Painting -- fits and starts

I have this thing on its back with two coats of toxically aromatic primer applied around its perimeter. I badly want to roll two coats of the fancy Interlux Perfection topcoat over the primer, just to see how it will look. I want to flop the top over and roll on the first layer of white primer just to see this top finally looking like a top.

But it is raining. It has turned cool. The humidity is around 100 percent. It would not be smart to paint under these conditions.

So, within sight of the finish line, the project comes to a halt.

Oh, and about the budget

This is probably a good time to admit to being over budget. So far the overage is just a little less than $200. That is not too bad on a budget of $2,500. The last-minute paint decision is to blame. I have a good supply of the one-part polyurethane, but shifting to two-part paint meant an unexpected expense. I also had to buy a new respirator, because I cannot find fresh filter canisters for my trusty 2007 model.

The good news 

There are at least a couple of positive things to report.

First, I am glad I chose Interlux Perfection paint. Interlux has great technical support. In addition to rapid and cogent replies to my frequent email questions, the company also has a good set of ‘how to’ videos on its website. I have watched all the Perfection videos two or three times, and that’s probably why I am not painting in the rain this afternoon.

And, the light mast and grab rails are beautifully varnished—three coats of  Cetol Natural Teak on everything and three coats of clear ultraviolet protectant over that. They look good. (All this was done a couple of weeks ago, when it was dry and much warmer). I have even assembled all the stainless steel screws, bolts, washers, nuts and brackets that will be needed to fasten the rails, the mast and the top on the boat. Everything seems to be ready.

More about tech support

Getting information about products and help with technique via the internet is easier than ever and usually so much better than  talking with the Good Ole Boys at the marina. Has anyone other than me noticed, however, that conflicting advice often arises from the same sources? Take, the paint company, for example. If you compare the information on their internet product data sheets with the instructions on their paint cans and advice from their videos it is easy to arrive at three different recommendations on how many coats of paint to apply and drying times between coats. In the final analysis, the decision becomes a well-informed consumer judgment call. Perhaps that's not bad.

Meanwhile, we continue, patiently

...waiting for the weather to improve so we can paint some more.

Walking the dog back

It looks like the top fabrication part of this project is in the home stretch. The paint has been ordered and is on its way here. The unpainted top is sanded and my friend Major and I moved it out of the shop and into the carport yesterday. I went through the shop with a leaf blower twice, moving clouds of epoxy sanding dust out of the soon-to-be paint shop. I looked like a snowman after the second pass and I still have a strange taste in my mouth, despite the dust mask I wore during the blowout sessions.

The plan is to let the remaining dust settle, then move the top back in and roll on two coats of two-part epoxy primer paint. (The working attire will include respirators).

Meanwhile, I think it might be interesting to take a brief look at the thinking behind three major decisions. These were: Marine plywood substrate construction versus molded or formed fiberglass lamination; epoxy versus polyester resins, and two-part versus one-part polyurethane paints.

Back when I did process analysis, we would often take a project apart after the fact to see what worked and what didn’t work. We called this “walking the dog back.”  We looked at the key decisions and whether they were good or bad relative to outcomes.

This is my companion Gladstone, who often observes boat work around the place, usually from an up-wind and relatively dust-free vista.

Gladstone was once a celebrated adult professional at a puppy farm. He is now retired.

The Wood Decision

I had been thinking about doing this project for a very long time. I studied various ways to build boats with resins and fiberglass. I learned what is involved in building molds and forms and laying up resin and fiberglass to make rigid shaped structures. I decided this approach would demand levels of skill and patience I do not possess.

Later, I explored a number of wood boat building sources, finally zeroing in on how to make small wooden boats and canoes using the stitch and glue method. Often, these boats are made of marine plywood encapsulated in fiberglass cloth and resin. This looked like a good approach and something I could do, so that’s how I decided on a plywood substrate.

Epoxy

Polyester resin is less expensive than epoxy resin. Colors can be mixed with polyester resin, in some cases obviating the need for painting. Polyester is more resistant to sunlight’s ultraviolet radiation than is epoxy. 

But, polyester resin will not penetrate wood.

Epoxy resin, on the other hand, can send viscous tendrils into underlying wood fibers, increasing its bond to the wood, and the strength of the structure. That attribute, plus the fact that I have had some experience working with epoxy resin, were the main factors in the epoxy decision. 

Two-part polyurethane paint

I had been planning on using a one-part polyurethane paint. Going to two-part was a last-minute decision, prompted by an old boatyard hand who pointed out that two-part polyurethane paint delivers a harder, more reflective and more durable result.

Keeping water out of the vulnerable underlying plywood  is the key to a long and useful life for this new top. The epoxy moisture barrier has to be protected from ultraviolet solar radiation. Deciding for the best paint available for DIY application was a no-brainer. I haven’t worked with this stuff before. I will report on how hard or easy it is to use in my next post.

This project has aged Gladstone considerably. He will be very happy when it is over.

In summary

Those are the reasons for the key decisions. Whether they are the best decisions will become known in future years. I am confident. And I am looking forward to getting back on the water some time soon.

And next week...

...unless some major wheels come off, the priming and painting should be completed. After that, I will be recruiting some strong and agile friends to help maneuver the top down the ramp and into position on the dock alongside the boat.  We will do a trial fitting to the framework on the boat before we glue and bolt it down for keeps.

Please share your ideas, feedback

Thanks for following this project. You can post a comment below. 

Curing is boring and painting is risky

The fifth and final day of the filling, fairing and moisture barrier coating marathon was last Thursday. This means I am done with epoxy work until it is time to glue the top onto the boat. The finished surfaces need to cure about a week before scrubbing with water and surface preparation for painting.

It is time for paint decisions. The topside and hull of the boat are painted with Interlux Brightside one-part  polyurethane paint over Interlux Pre-Kote primer. I have a good supply of this stuff and I had planned to use it for the new top. However, a friend suggested that I consider a two-part  polyurethane paint. Two-part paints are generally harder and more durable.

Serendipity strikes again

I like hard and durable. So I went to the Interlux website to learn more about two-part paint. I am really glad I did that. I could have made a bad mistake.

 It turns out that the Interlux Pre-Kote primer I had planned to use is not compatible with epoxy surfaces. Interlux says that, over time, my epoxy-encapsulated top will slowly exude a nearly invisible substance called 'amine.' Amine can cause all but special undercoatings to separate from the epoxy surface. The last thing I need to happen is for the paint to peel off shortly after the new top is installed.

A long email exchange with a very helpful person named Jay at Interlux technical support resulted in discovery of a special primer that will work. So I have made a decision to go with Interlux Epoxy Primekote for the undercoat and Interlux Perfection, a two-part polyurethane, for the top coat. Special surface preparation will be required, before multiple applications of primer and finish coats. I will be ordering the paint and starting this work next week.


From the Sage Advice Department

If you are going to make a top this way be sure to make registration marks on the underside. When it comes time to put the top on the boat you can use these markings to line it up before you fasten it down.

The big cross mark in the foreground of this picture is to register the forward end of the top on the very front edge of the framework on the boat. The faint line running upwards is a chalk line I snapped down the center on the underside of the top after I finished the plywood glue-up, but before I applied the edging material. There is another cross mark at the other end of this center line, providing a line-up mark for the aft end of the top.

The five black dots mark where I will bore holes for the light mast brackets and the water tight 12-volt cable connector for the light mast. Locating these holes would have been risky guess work without the end marks and the center line.

And, meanwhile...

I will be applying the first of six Cetol finish coats to the light mast and the grab rails today -- right after I double-check the measurements on the template I made to locate those five black dots in the picture above. The mark on the far right doesn't look quite right.

Again, please share your advice, questions, concerns and suggestions. Use the comments box below.

Final filling and fairing, etc. Day-3

Whatever happened to Day-2? It disappeared in a cloud of epoxy dust. There was sanding from early morning until late afternoon. Time sped by in a blur. Excess fairing material was attacked with deadly purpose.

Powerful ideas may come to mind while one is doing such work. Mindless sanding, sweat and grit can produce great thoughts. For example:

• The bigger hammer idea: Would this go faster with a bigger, stronger tool?

• The end is in sight on this side pledge: I won’t make this mistake on the other side. 

• Why is this pitifully undersized sander flinging chunks of white stuff in my workspace? (Empty the dust collector, dummy).
• This dust mask must make be look like a chipmunk.

• Plaintive wishes: Will the paint cover that? And that? And that? And that? And that …?

• The bigger hammer justification: At my age, just about any new tool I buy will last a lifetime. What a bargain!

• The comforting reflection: When this thing is painted and on the boat, nobody but me will see it up close.

So here we are at Day-3 in the Final Fairing Marathon and here is a picture of me looking like a chipmunk:



Note the wimpy little random orbit sanding machine. I did not yield to the Bigger Hammer temptation.


After about four more hours of sanding today and a lot of dusting and wiping everything down with tack cloths, it was back to mixing and rolling un-thickened epoxy.


Things are speeding up now. I am still mixing epoxy in 6-ounce batches. During the rolling,  I stop often to chase bubbles with a disposable brush.


Having declared the port side of the top fully faired, the coat rolled on that side became its first moisture barrier coat. The third barrier coat will be the last of the epoxy rolling before painting begins.


The epoxy rolled on the starboard side today became that side's first pre-fairing coat. Both sides will get second coats this evening, after the epoxy has reached "green" stage. Right now, the top looks like this:

I plan to roll again in the morning. That would be the port (faired) side's final moisture barrier coat, and the last coat on the starboard side before fairing starts there.


Fairing the final side should be easier because there are fewer epoxy lumps and thick spots under the fabric. This is probably because we made a lot of mistakes laying down fabric and epoxy where we began last month, on the port side. By the time we got to the starboard side we had figured out how to do it and the result is a much smoother surface.

In the final fairing home stretch, I expect to be using less fairing material, mixed to a thinner consistency and, mercifully, sanding a lot less.

Some technical details

For initial sanding of the fairing material, I used a 3M drywall hand sander I found at the home store. I used 60-grit paper in this hand sander because that was the coarsest grade I could find. I would have liked to have had 30 grit, such as used in big power sanders for floor finishing.

My palm sander is a 4-inch DeWalt Mod. D-26450, single speed random orbit with dust collector. A 7-inch random orbit sander with variable speed and dust collector would have been ideal for this job.

I used 80-grit sandpaper in the DeWalt for final sanding.

Questions? Suggestions? Advice?

If you have ideas on how I can do a better job of this, or if I can provide additional information, please let me know. You can use the comments box below.