My 1968 Olsen Nimbus restoration project.
Discussion
Cheers Guys 
Got the grit blasting done.
Crikey ! It took me ages. Biggest problem was that even with two compressors linked together, I still didn't have enough CFM's. I have realized you need lots for media blasting !
I spent more time waiting for the compressors to come up to pressure than I did blasting.
I ran out of light last night, and I just managed to get the rest done this evening. What a mess ! Horrible job, I think when I'm ready, I'll pay to get the bottom done
Anyway, I've cleaned up, and need to get back there sometime before the weeksend to wash down the area I've blasted with some fresh water to remove any contaminants, and wait for the wet spots to dry out before putting some Gelshield on there.
It has been hot. yesterday was 28, and inside the tent with full suit face mask etc, I was dripping inside my suit.
Anyway, I need to get some stuff packed up and sent off for re-anodising now.
TTFN, M
Got the grit blasting done.
Crikey ! It took me ages. Biggest problem was that even with two compressors linked together, I still didn't have enough CFM's. I have realized you need lots for media blasting !
I spent more time waiting for the compressors to come up to pressure than I did blasting.
I ran out of light last night, and I just managed to get the rest done this evening. What a mess ! Horrible job, I think when I'm ready, I'll pay to get the bottom done
Anyway, I've cleaned up, and need to get back there sometime before the weeksend to wash down the area I've blasted with some fresh water to remove any contaminants, and wait for the wet spots to dry out before putting some Gelshield on there.
It has been hot. yesterday was 28, and inside the tent with full suit face mask etc, I was dripping inside my suit.
Anyway, I need to get some stuff packed up and sent off for re-anodising now.
TTFN, M
What grade of grit did you use in the end?
2 years ago I 'discovered' soda-blasting and will never go back the old stuff again. Yep, that too needs a powerful compressor but no nasties left afterwards, just the paint on the floor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-0y6wTW9ws&fea...
2 years ago I 'discovered' soda-blasting and will never go back the old stuff again. Yep, that too needs a powerful compressor but no nasties left afterwards, just the paint on the floor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-0y6wTW9ws&fea...
I used aluminium oxide, quite a heavy grit, but I can see if you're not carefull with it, you could end up doing a lot of fairing !
I just gave it a sweep to open it up a bit. No need to blast the hell out of the glassfiber.
I spoke to the Guy today about blasting below the waterline, and I asked him about soda, as I know he does it, and he said it costs about 3 times as much as the grit.
I will have him use soda though, as I only need the old anti-fouling/epoxy, or whatever has been put on there in the last 43 years removed, and I don't trust other people, so at least I shouldn't be left with half my hull blasted away!
There's no gelcoat, and I can see from what I've already done, it'll come off real easy with soda.
Been back tonight, and given it all a good blast with fresh water
I just gave it a sweep to open it up a bit. No need to blast the hell out of the glassfiber.
I spoke to the Guy today about blasting below the waterline, and I asked him about soda, as I know he does it, and he said it costs about 3 times as much as the grit.
I will have him use soda though, as I only need the old anti-fouling/epoxy, or whatever has been put on there in the last 43 years removed, and I don't trust other people, so at least I shouldn't be left with half my hull blasted away!
There's no gelcoat, and I can see from what I've already done, it'll come off real easy with soda.
Been back tonight, and given it all a good blast with fresh water
Mick, when I had mine done recently it just so happened someone else in the yard was having theirs done with dry ice and the guy that was doing mine had just done another one with soda.
Cue a couple of guys talking about the best way to do it and the consensus was:
Dry ice, absolutely no marking of substrate but possible to burn the surface as it needs to be held in place for quite a time. Most useful for removal of topsides paints to return to the original gelcoat finish.
Soda, random bit of marking, faster than grit but more expensive and can't be recovered. Surface will require further preparation. Recommended for antifoul removal where you are going straight back on with a similar material.
Grits, Generally a faster process and if using the correct grade will leave a surface ready to receive coatings. Can be recovered and sieved with the resultant grit giving finer finish as it reduces it's cutting ability.
The stuff used on mine was a furnace waste that provided a perfect bonding surface for the gelshield and in 46 feet there was no damage at all.
Both of them made the point that regardless of what material used care needs to be taken not to overdo a spot as it's not just the cutting, you can get impact damage. Grit cuts, Soda explodes, and Dry Ice does something else completely.
For comparison my 46ft took him 4 1/2 days on his own and the CO2 guys with two compressors / guns working on a 32ft took 3 1/2 days. Areawise I would guess about double.
Make of all that what you will.
Cue a couple of guys talking about the best way to do it and the consensus was:
Dry ice, absolutely no marking of substrate but possible to burn the surface as it needs to be held in place for quite a time. Most useful for removal of topsides paints to return to the original gelcoat finish.
Soda, random bit of marking, faster than grit but more expensive and can't be recovered. Surface will require further preparation. Recommended for antifoul removal where you are going straight back on with a similar material.
Grits, Generally a faster process and if using the correct grade will leave a surface ready to receive coatings. Can be recovered and sieved with the resultant grit giving finer finish as it reduces it's cutting ability.
The stuff used on mine was a furnace waste that provided a perfect bonding surface for the gelshield and in 46 feet there was no damage at all.
Both of them made the point that regardless of what material used care needs to be taken not to overdo a spot as it's not just the cutting, you can get impact damage. Grit cuts, Soda explodes, and Dry Ice does something else completely.
For comparison my 46ft took him 4 1/2 days on his own and the CO2 guys with two compressors / guns working on a 32ft took 3 1/2 days. Areawise I would guess about double.
Make of all that what you will.
Mmm... something to ponder.
I know the soda is very gentle, as a friend of mine started doing it here, and I lent him my small blasting cabinet for the local boat show.
He had the kids blasting coke cans with a masking on, then would remove the masking, which revealed the name of the company soda blasted into the can, then give to Coca Cola to the kids
But maybe the grit would give a better substrate for the Gelshield?
I'll have a word with our friendly Akzo Nobel rep, he'll love an excuse to wizz up North on his motorcickle
I did have my tempest 44 sand blasted before gelshield a few years ago. It came out fantastic!
I know the soda is very gentle, as a friend of mine started doing it here, and I lent him my small blasting cabinet for the local boat show.
He had the kids blasting coke cans with a masking on, then would remove the masking, which revealed the name of the company soda blasted into the can, then give to Coca Cola to the kids
But maybe the grit would give a better substrate for the Gelshield?
I'll have a word with our friendly Akzo Nobel rep, he'll love an excuse to wizz up North on his motorcickle
I did have my tempest 44 sand blasted before gelshield a few years ago. It came out fantastic!
Well, I ended up washing it down three times, and all the dark spots have gone.
The Akzo Nobel Guy (International paints) recons it was just some Glycol trapped between the glassfibre and the epoxy boot stripe.
He says the Glycol absorbs moisture, but is water soluble.
That makes sense to me, as most of the dark spots vanished after the first hose off with fresh water.
It seems pretty dry now, apart from a section that has a built in water tank behind it, which I plan to cut out anyway. So it's probably the core behind that, which is showing a high moisture content. No chance of that drying out though, but it doesn't overly concern me.
It's foam and not balsa, and I'd be very surprised if a 43 year old foam cored boat didn't have some wet in it somewhere.
So on with some more primer...
The Akzo Nobel Guy (International paints) recons it was just some Glycol trapped between the glassfibre and the epoxy boot stripe.
He says the Glycol absorbs moisture, but is water soluble.
That makes sense to me, as most of the dark spots vanished after the first hose off with fresh water.
It seems pretty dry now, apart from a section that has a built in water tank behind it, which I plan to cut out anyway. So it's probably the core behind that, which is showing a high moisture content. No chance of that drying out though, but it doesn't overly concern me.
It's foam and not balsa, and I'd be very surprised if a 43 year old foam cored boat didn't have some wet in it somewhere.
So on with some more primer...
Yes it is 545, the deck is also 545 in white. We've used gallons of the stuff!
The fairing is interfill.
What do you use on your wooden hull?
My wooden boat knowlage is limited, and I always assume you'd use oil based paints.
Undecided about choice of topcoat at the moment. Maybe Awlcraft 2000.
The primer isn't disimilar to the finish colour I want. But very shiny!
I'm realy looking forward to getting the platinum leaf name on her bum!
Fairing sanded, and a coat on the W/L and rubbibng strake area that was sanded back, and then another coat over the whole lot today.
We'll leave this 2 or 3 days to go off now.
The fairing is interfill.
What do you use on your wooden hull?
My wooden boat knowlage is limited, and I always assume you'd use oil based paints.
Undecided about choice of topcoat at the moment. Maybe Awlcraft 2000.
The primer isn't disimilar to the finish colour I want. But very shiny!
I'm realy looking forward to getting the platinum leaf name on her bum!
Fairing sanded, and a coat on the W/L and rubbibng strake area that was sanded back, and then another coat over the whole lot today.
We'll leave this 2 or 3 days to go off now.
Painting has come to a standstill for a while.
The paint Guys have a couple of Sunseekers to do, so I can't see much happening now untill after Christmas.
But the pushpit and pullpit have come back from the metal shop, after being straightened out, fettled and re-polished.
I also had a mount for the Garmin GPS antenna welded on.
Next job is to put these babies in my luggage next weekend, and get them over to Blighty for stripping, polishing and re-anodizing.
The paint Guys have a couple of Sunseekers to do, so I can't see much happening now untill after Christmas.
But the pushpit and pullpit have come back from the metal shop, after being straightened out, fettled and re-polished.
I also had a mount for the Garmin GPS antenna welded on.
Next job is to put these babies in my luggage next weekend, and get them over to Blighty for stripping, polishing and re-anodizing.
I don't know the first thing about boats (I get really bad motion sickness so tend to stay away) but I do appreciate craftmanship & that is looking mighty fine.
There's a programme on tv called American Restoration & he sometimes uses crushed walnut shells for blasting off paint. He says it's fairly abrasive but doesn't mark the surface underneath.
Please keep the thread updated - I find it fascinating to see what it's becoming.
Davo
There's a programme on tv called American Restoration & he sometimes uses crushed walnut shells for blasting off paint. He says it's fairly abrasive but doesn't mark the surface underneath.
Please keep the thread updated - I find it fascinating to see what it's becoming.
Davo
Thanks Guys I really am having trouble with the Guys doing the paint though. The work is great, but they just don´t show. Don´t answer my calls, or call back.
They dropped off it over 6 months ago, (you´ll see my last post was November) as they had 3 or 4 30m ish Sunseekers to do, and as they where doing me Mates rate, I didn't´ expect them to drop big money jobs for my little jigger.
Now the jobs are done, they haven´t got on with mine. About 4 hours this week, and the same last week
Trouble is, every time I´ve gone down and expected them not to be there, and I´ve decided to tell them get their gear out of the tent, they´ve done a bit that I´m really happy with! It´s really frustrating! The tent isn´t cheap, and the rent on it is up on Friday, so I have to pay up front again.
I can see it´s going to get messy, as I´ll be docking the extra cost of the tent off their bill.
I really am having trouble with the Guys doing the paint though. The work is great, but they just don´t show. Don´t answer my calls, or call back.They dropped off it over 6 months ago, (you´ll see my last post was November) as they had 3 or 4 30m ish Sunseekers to do, and as they where doing me Mates rate, I didn't´ expect them to drop big money jobs for my little jigger.
Now the jobs are done, they haven´t got on with mine. About 4 hours this week, and the same last week
Trouble is, every time I´ve gone down and expected them not to be there, and I´ve decided to tell them get their gear out of the tent, they´ve done a bit that I´m really happy with! It´s really frustrating! The tent isn´t cheap, and the rent on it is up on Friday, so I have to pay up front again.
I can see it´s going to get messy, as I´ll be docking the extra cost of the tent off their bill.
mickrick said:
Well they´ve been back today and done a bit more, and it´s nice 
I´m just going to let them go at their snail pace, as I know the results will be outstanding. 
Sorry to hear it's not going as fast as it should, you would think that the state that Spain is in at the moment and what the likely hood is of them getting more work that would get on with it instead of treating it as a Hospital job. I´m just going to let them go at their snail pace, as I know the results will be outstanding. Hope that all ends well for you.
Hi KT 
I don´t particularly want it to go fast, I just want them on it.
If it takes them twice as long to get it perfect, I´m O.K. with that. Gawd knows I´m slow myself, but I like to take my time and do a good job, so I´m not demanding on folks if it´s nice work.
Look at the carpentry, I´m over the moon with it. I think I kept the guy in full time work for about 6 weeks. But he started, and didn´t stop, or shoot off onto other jobs until it was finished.
Spoke to him yesterday, as it happens, about making new toe rails, and a teak and holly tiller But not until the paint is done...Grrrr...
Anyway, been down tonight after work, and the hull is flatted, so it is moving.
My deckie also came down for a look after work today, as he helped me strip it out, and he said it looked like a different boat, but it must be 18 months since he´s seen it
I have the cleat parts and fairleads back from the anodising, but they didn´t come back as nice as I expected. Lots of inclusions and pitting. I expected some pitting after 43 years, but the cleaning process seems to have highlighted them. Oh well, I´ll put it down to patina...
Maybe I can contact Bjorn Olsen again.
The yard which is still in business, may still have some kicking around covered in dust.
He sent me an original sales brochure from the 60´s a couple of years ago He´s the Son of the fellow who built my boat. Also Bjorn Olsen.
Cheers,
Mick.
I don´t particularly want it to go fast, I just want them on it.If it takes them twice as long to get it perfect, I´m O.K. with that. Gawd knows I´m slow myself, but I like to take my time and do a good job, so I´m not demanding on folks if it´s nice work.
Look at the carpentry, I´m over the moon with it. I think I kept the guy in full time work for about 6 weeks. But he started, and didn´t stop, or shoot off onto other jobs until it was finished.
Spoke to him yesterday, as it happens, about making new toe rails, and a teak and holly tiller
But not until the paint is done...Grrrr...Anyway, been down tonight after work, and the hull is flatted, so it is moving.
My deckie also came down for a look after work today, as he helped me strip it out, and he said it looked like a different boat, but it must be 18 months since he´s seen it
I have the cleat parts and fairleads back from the anodising, but they didn´t come back as nice as I expected. Lots of inclusions and pitting. I expected some pitting after 43 years, but the cleaning process seems to have highlighted them. Oh well, I´ll put it down to patina...
Maybe I can contact Bjorn Olsen again.
The yard which is still in business, may still have some kicking around covered in dust.
He sent me an original sales brochure from the 60´s a couple of years ago
He´s the Son of the fellow who built my boat. Also Bjorn Olsen.Cheers,
Mick.
Well you couldn´t make this stuff up! All my pieces came back from anodising, quite disappointing as I think I mentioned, they where quite badly pitted, but they were clean, so I put it down to patina. However, one piece an aft fairlead, had to go back as it had been polished, but they´d forgotten to anodise it.
Got a phone call today. The piece was on its way back, and the van it was in caught fire in Spain. It´s gone! A piece of cast aluminium off a boat built in 1968, and it´s gone.
They´re sending me a claim form, how can I put a price on an irreplaceable piece? Gutted isn´t the word.
Oh, and to top it all off, I may not have a job at the end of next month.
Got a phone call today. The piece was on its way back, and the van it was in caught fire in Spain. It´s gone! A piece of cast aluminium off a boat built in 1968, and it´s gone.
They´re sending me a claim form, how can I put a price on an irreplaceable piece? Gutted isn´t the word.
Oh, and to top it all off, I may not have a job at the end of next month.
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff