Advice on winter projects

[Guest]

Project 1.
Making a new laminated tiller. I have strips of oak, ash, teak, mahogany, and pine. I was planning to use the ash/mahogany combination - any opinions on this? Also what glue would you recommend?

Project 2.
Replace the cabin windows. They are a tinted plastic material bolted to the coachroof sides on a bed of mastic. What material should be used for the windows and what mastic is best?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Joe_Cole]

Ash/Mahogany is an excellent combination. It will look good and be strong.
Personally I would use an epoxy adhesive, but I suspect that anything that is waterproof will be OK.

Once you've made it it's worth making a cover for the tiller to protect it when you're not on board. It's a pity to go to all that effort only to see it deteriorate over a few seasons use!

Sorry, I can't help on the windows, but I thought that these were usually make from acrylic.

Regards

Joe

 

[Joe_Cole]

Ash/Mahogany is an excellent combination. It will look good and be strong.
Personally I would use an epoxy adhesive, but I suspect that anything that is waterproof will be OK.

Once you've made it it's worth making a cover for the tiller to protect it when you're not on board. It's a pity to go to all that effort only to see it deteriorate over a few seasons use!

Sorry, I can't help on the windows, but I thought that these were usually make from acrylic.

Regards

Joe

 

[halcyon]

One option for wndows is Polycarbinate, one trade name is Lexan, stands up to a sledgehammer, very easy to machine or cut.



Brian

 

[yoda]

Re Windows

Remember reading a post about using small spacers between window and coachroof to prevent all the sealant being squeezed out but allowing fixings to be done up nice and tight (as they say down here). Check out Sikaflex for a suitable sealant but make sure you also invest in the cleaning fluid as well. They make very effective products and suspect they will have one that acts as both glue and sealant in one.

Yoda

 

[BarryH]

Pu-Flex is the same as Sikaflex, but is half the price, about £5.99 a tube. I've used it around the boat for various sealing jobs and its lasted for 5 years so far and not showing signs of giving up yet.

I would put a rebate around the edge of the window material to take the sealent bead. Use a router and spray the bit with one of the lubricating sprays to stop it burning the acrylic. Depends on the overlap and size of opening. Saves all those spacers and keeps it as flush as poss.

Yeah! I know its running rough, but your lucky its running at all!!

 

[snowleopard]

sikaflex: good news and bad

the good news: sikaflex sell a system for sticking on windows called 295UV. it costs around £35 a tube plus special cleaners and primers and needs to be at least 3mm thick, this meant that a window 1000x500 mm would cost around £100 for the glue.

now the bad news: mine started to fall out after 18 months.

 

[richardandtracy]

Project 2: Windows

Can I suggest Sikaflex 221 & its assocated cleaner for the windows. It is an adhesive/mastic, but after experience with fairly flexible containers I would suggest that you don't only rely on the stuff. Use rivets/ bolts too - they'll act as crack stoppers if the Sikaflex tries to peel away - I wouldn't recommend more than 100mm between fixings. Finally, try to get a bond line thickness of 0.5mm max - adhesives are stronger when they are thinner, not thicker as intuition would suggest. (I've done tests on this stuff bonding aluminium to a range of materials including acrylic with a variety of bondline thicknesses).

One final word about Polycarbonate. Be very, very careful if using it. You can provoke a myriad of micro-cracks over the surface with a huge range of organic solvents (eg white spirit, 2 stroke mix) or things that contain solvents (eg Windolene). Once the cracks are there, the window'll just be waiting for that big wave to sink you.

Regards

Richard

 

[Guest]

Re: sikaflex: good news and bad

I bet Sikaflex blamed the operator and not the product. Thanks for the warning.

 

[bedouin]

On the windows - make sure you do a good job of cleaning both surfaces before using the silkaflex - you could even consider using fine sandpaper to key the surface to which the sealant is applied.

I was on a boat last week where this hadn't been done - as a result the silkaflex didn't bond to the acrylic and the thing leaked very badly.

 

[PaulAG]

I used Sikaflex to try and seal an aluminium window frame last winter. When this was not successful, on trying to remove said frame the bond was so strong that I removed pieces of gel coat - so BEWARE if you need to remove window again.

PaulAG

 

[Johnjo]

Following this thread with interest, doing the same task myself this winter.
removing the opening windows on my sabre27.also wondered what besr Sikoflex to use,would a sikoflex primer help with the adhesion? also advised to use a neoprene gasket. which is purchased in sheet form,my own preference will be Sikoflex.best of luck.
mike