Devlin bluebill build thread.
- Thread starter Paul W
- Start date
If you don't know and haven't used it 5200 is weird to work with. It is extremely messy and moves differently than most any other material you might have used. It is wonderful to work with once you know it cures really slow, so you ahve tons of time to work and that a nonpolar solvent cleans it up very well. There are a number of good solvents, but mineral spirits is cheap and works well for clean-up and to form your beads - just let it squeeze out and clean up the excess with a puddy knife and then a rag with mineral spirits. Acetone or Ethanol don't work. Spritz it with water when done to speed curing. Hope you got black, because it is bush league to use white on a duck boat
.If you don't know and haven't used it 5200 is weird to work with. It is extremely messy and moves differently than most any other material you might have used. It is wonderful to work with once you know it cures really slow, so you ahve tons of time to work and that a nonpolar solvent cleans it up very well. There are a number of good solvents, but mineral spirits is cheap and works well for clean-up and to form your beads - just let it squeeze out and clean up the excess with a puddy knife and then a rag with mineral spirits. Acetone or Ethanol don't work. Spritz it with water when done to speed curing. Hope you got black, because it is bush league to use white on a duck boat
Yessir, I got white. Good thing I'm painting it like everything else.
Maybe I will name the boat "bush league"....
I decided to run the keels all the way from the sponson to the point where they will "run off" the sides of the boat. About 10 ft long. Mostly because I think it will look cool. Lol.
When I do the bedding compound, how tight do I want to screw the strips down? How thick should my 5200 be I between the keel and the strip?
Any hardware store or big box should have several options in HSS or coated. These would be without a pilot. Aluminum can really var depending on alloy and treatment, sometimes it can be really sticky and get caught on the flutes and you might need a wire brush to keep it cleaned out. If we had a decent machinist here, he could probably offer some better suggestions.
Pete McMiller
Well-known member
Paul,
I just use a larger drill bit after the thread hole is drilled. It's not perfect but it works ok if you only have a few to do. Take it slow and don't put a lot of pressure on the bit or you could blow out the hole altogether.
I just use a larger drill bit after the thread hole is drilled. It's not perfect but it works ok if you only have a few to do. Take it slow and don't put a lot of pressure on the bit or you could blow out the hole altogether.
Well since everyone on here had such a "good idea" and "thought logically" I added the longest keelsons a bluebill has ever had, and just got done attaching the last aluminum pieces. Going to do the fine sanding work while this stuff cures, and paint it early next week.
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Any hardware store or big box should have several options in HSS or coated. These would be without a pilot. Aluminum can really var depending on alloy and treatment, sometimes it can be really sticky and get caught on the flutes and you might need a wire brush to keep it cleaned out. If we had a decent machinist here, he could probably offer some better suggestions. [/font][/quote]
OK,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I'll bite :>) :>) (I've been on vacation)
Best thing you can do is to use a lubricant when machining aluminum. There are aluminum specific lubes out there that "good" machinists use but almost anything is better than nothing. Strange as it may seem, good old lard was used back in the day. If I didn't have anything on hand specific for aluminum, I'd just use a bit of white lithium grease to keep the face of the countersink slicked up. Other household product that comes to mind is liquid dish soap used straight from the bottle.
Of course, you can always get professional and buy a can of "Alum-i-cut". :>) :>)
Any hardware store or big box should have several options in HSS or coated. These would be without a pilot. Aluminum can really var depending on alloy and treatment, sometimes it can be really sticky and get caught on the flutes and you might need a wire brush to keep it cleaned out. If we had a decent machinist here, he could probably offer some better suggestions. [/font][/quote]
OK,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I'll bite :>) :>) (I've been on vacation)
Best thing you can do is to use a lubricant when machining aluminum. There are aluminum specific lubes out there that "good" machinists use but almost anything is better than nothing. Strange as it may seem, good old lard was used back in the day. If I didn't have anything on hand specific for aluminum, I'd just use a bit of white lithium grease to keep the face of the countersink slicked up. Other household product that comes to mind is liquid dish soap used straight from the bottle.
Of course, you can always get professional and buy a can of "Alum-i-cut". :>) :>)
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I didn't us any lube at all, because I then didn't have to clean any off. I just moved to cold areas of aluminum and didn't let the drill go max rpm. Keeping it cooler meant less stickiness, and it cut a whole lot faster.
What is the best process for figuring out the floorboards? Mine aren't in yet but that's likely the next step, after paint and flipping.
What is the best process for figuring out the floorboards? Mine aren't in yet but that's likely the next step, after paint and flipping.
Cody Williams
Well-known member
I didn't us any lube at all, because I then didn't have to clean any off. I just moved to cold areas of aluminum and didn't let the drill go max rpm. Keeping it cooler meant less stickiness, and it cut a whole lot faster.
What is the best process for figuring out the floorboards? Mine aren't in yet but that's likely the next step, after paint and flipping.
There's a lot of different ways to go about it, this is how I did the floorboards on my sneakboat:
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The center board is removable for cleaning out the bilge and the others are attached to cleats running across the hull with 5200 and screws-the 5200 lets them flex just a bit. They are red cedar with a coat of epoxy and sand on the up side for traction.
I believe mine have a 3/4" gap between them-big enough to let water and stuff through but not big enough to lose shells, calls or anything else you might drop down there.
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Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Paul & Cody~
Cody~ Beautiful job on those floorboards - as I would expect from you!
I am trying a different approach on some sailboats of late. I use cypress (fairly similar to red cedar) and finish it with a deck treatment - but "deck" here refers to the kind attached to the back of your house. I use 2 coats of Flood CWF-UV. I am using "Cedar Tone" for the sailboats but I imagine olive tones are available (or could tint clear with duckboat paint). The benefits are less work, expense, weight and easy re-freshing each year (light sanding with 150-grit then brush on a new coat) and natural slip-resistance from the wood grain. It's better than bare wood (certainly another option) because it prevents the wood from soaking up water.
I screw mine down as Cody does - but I also bore a 2-1/2" hole (out of the way) so I can get a bilge pump down if needed during a voyage (otherwise drain through the transom plug back at the launch).
BTW: Spacing between deck boards is about 3/8" - less than the diameter of a shotgun shell! I make up a few spacers from 3/8" plywood with shoulders tacked on to help while fastening.
All the best,
SJS
Cody~ Beautiful job on those floorboards - as I would expect from you!
I am trying a different approach on some sailboats of late. I use cypress (fairly similar to red cedar) and finish it with a deck treatment - but "deck" here refers to the kind attached to the back of your house. I use 2 coats of Flood CWF-UV. I am using "Cedar Tone" for the sailboats but I imagine olive tones are available (or could tint clear with duckboat paint). The benefits are less work, expense, weight and easy re-freshing each year (light sanding with 150-grit then brush on a new coat) and natural slip-resistance from the wood grain. It's better than bare wood (certainly another option) because it prevents the wood from soaking up water.
I screw mine down as Cody does - but I also bore a 2-1/2" hole (out of the way) so I can get a bilge pump down if needed during a voyage (otherwise drain through the transom plug back at the launch).
BTW: Spacing between deck boards is about 3/8" - less than the diameter of a shotgun shell! I make up a few spacers from 3/8" plywood with shoulders tacked on to help while fastening.
All the best,
SJS
Is a bonded in sole in the plans for the bluebill? If it is (and I expect that is so) I'd use a plywood glassed in.
To measure the sole it is easy and fun (maybe a little tedious). To use the method I describe requires a center keelson. Level the boat side to side and roughly front to back along the keelson. Using a scrap of wood and a short level extend the keelson height to the hull on each side (slide the scrap wood along the keelson 'till it hits the hull and is level, make a mark there on the hull). Marking every foot or 6 inches along keel line will give you very accurate dimensions to loft on the floorboard. If you want to be really fancy (like I was) you can shim up from the keelson by the thickness of the plywood and make a second set of measurements that allows you to cut the board and bevel perfectly to the hull. The second set I described is your cut line and then you bevel from that line to the first set of marks I described. Glass in according to specs.
Cody Williams
Well-known member
Steve, that looks fantastic! I will have to give that a try if I ever get around to building a "pretty" boat-something with some nice bright finished wood. I would love to build a small sailboat sometime in the future!
Painted today, first coat. Second coat this evening.
The new "permanent" hunters specialties paint is so far and away better than the old stuff, rolls on very nice, and it has worn extremely well on my aluminum lund.
http://www.hunterspec.com/content/permanent-camo-paint
The new "permanent" hunters specialties paint is so far and away better than the old stuff, rolls on very nice, and it has worn extremely well on my aluminum lund.
http://www.hunterspec.com/content/permanent-camo-paint
Did the rest of the painting on the bottom of the boat, which I essentially used as practice for the top side of the boat.
ended up doing some shading on my "blobs" with an effect I liked when it was finished.
let that cure a day, and flopped it on the trailer, which i need to adjust to fit the boat, but is where I should be finishing the boat.
I'll admit, it's a lot of trailer for such a small boat.
ended up doing some shading on my "blobs" with an effect I liked when it was finished.
let that cure a day, and flopped it on the trailer, which i need to adjust to fit the boat, but is where I should be finishing the boat.
I'll admit, it's a lot of trailer for such a small boat.
Scott Farris
Well-known member
Paul,
I thought the bottom of a duck boat was supposed to be painted Hunter Orange with the following stenciled on it "Call the Coast Guard" (911 inland).
I've enjoyed your build thanks for sharing!
Scott
I thought the bottom of a duck boat was supposed to be painted Hunter Orange with the following stenciled on it "Call the Coast Guard" (911 inland).
I've enjoyed your build thanks for sharing!
Scott
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Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Paul~
Your boat looks great, but....if you really want to fool diving ducks, fish, turtles, etc, the bottom camo really should depict blue skies with the occasional cumulus cloud.....
More seriously, I would avoid completing the decks, etc while the boat is on its trailer - your shins will take a beating on the fenders and light brackets. Although it's handy to be able to wheel the boat outside, you may want to at least pad the fenders, etc with old tarps or the like.
I usually screw chocks to my sawhorses that match the deadrise (V) of the hull. That way, I can be sure the hull is level left-to-right (fore-and-aft shouldn't matter at this point) AND the boat is at a comfortable height.
All the best,
SJS
Your boat looks great, but....if you really want to fool diving ducks, fish, turtles, etc, the bottom camo really should depict blue skies with the occasional cumulus cloud.....
More seriously, I would avoid completing the decks, etc while the boat is on its trailer - your shins will take a beating on the fenders and light brackets. Although it's handy to be able to wheel the boat outside, you may want to at least pad the fenders, etc with old tarps or the like.
I usually screw chocks to my sawhorses that match the deadrise (V) of the hull. That way, I can be sure the hull is level left-to-right (fore-and-aft shouldn't matter at this point) AND the boat is at a comfortable height.
All the best,
SJS