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Got a boat repair in today, seam is spilt and the owner decided to caulk it.  Anybody got any tips besides clean, clean, and then clean again.  Esab Caddy Mig C200iThermal Arc 186HTP Microcut 625
Reply:if you could put a (hate to say it) slug in that seam then you would avoid the contaminated area? maybe an alum angle on the inside? off the top of my head it's all i can think of. start cleaning.i.u.o.e. # 15queens, ny and sunny fla
Reply:didn't someone say if its rivited, its done so for a reason????you ain't gotta eat it
Reply:That might be the direction I have to go.  Just got a little spot as clean as I could.  Struck an arc and it's not happening.Just can't get it as clean as it needs to be without splitting that seam.Esab Caddy Mig C200iThermal Arc 186HTP Microcut 625
Reply:Originally Posted by ksmrfdidn't someone say if its rivited, its done so for a reason????
Reply:I've never had any luck welding a riveted seam, the caulking will bubble out into the weld, if you do get it welded it'll more than likely crack...if its rivited, its done so for a reason..
Reply:I have seen those kind of seams before. From what I can tell, they put some kind of sealant between the two pieces before riveting it. There's really no good way to get it out 100% to prevent weld contamination, short of completely separating the two pieces for cleaning completely. If you get it as clean as possible on the outside(all you can see) then try to weld it, the sealant starts running out from between the two pieces and contaminates the weld from the backside. If you find a way to get around this problem, I would like to know about it. The only thing I can come up with to weld it right is. Remove all the rivets, thoroughly clean both pieces, weld it together inside and out, then weld all the rivet holes.
Reply:Originally Posted by ksmrfdidn't someone say if its rivited, its done so for a reason????
Reply:Yep you guys are right.   The glue just runs out.  It sucks, it's a mess.  I've done plenty of patch jobs, but never the seam.  Still not sure how I'm gonna tackle this.Esab Caddy Mig C200iThermal Arc 186HTP Microcut 625
Reply:BAD job there. The only thing I can suggest is possibly heat the joint with a torch and trying to melt it out. Possibly blow some air through while heating to help get rid of it. But I doubt it'll work well enough to allow you to weld it but it might get rid of the majority of it. Then you'd have to find some kind of solvent to try and get the rest (not likely).Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:Originally Posted by irish fixitBAD job there. The only thing I can suggest is possibly heat the joint with a torch and trying to melt it out. Possibly blow some air through while heating to help get rid of it. But I doubt it'll work well enough to allow you to weld it but it might get rid of the majority of it. Then you'd have to find some kind of solvent to try and get the rest (not likely).
Reply:Waiting on a call from the owner.  Got the seam opened up and there is just too much glue in it to continue.  Gonna have to cut it out.   But I doubt he will want me to.  Hard to justify doing that for a $300 boat.Esab Caddy Mig C200iThermal Arc 186HTP Microcut 625
Reply:what is that infomercial i've seen where they spray the crap on a screen door in the bottom of a boat?'14 HTP invertig 221Thermal Arc 201ts'15 HTP 2400'13 Hypertherm Powermax 30Esab 875Esab 251Clark Metal Servicespecializing in stainless steel exhaust systems
Reply:Is this by chance a StarCraft boat? Maybe a DuraCraft? I'm thinking, it looks like StarCraft, though.
Reply:I fish off an old bass tracker with rivets and welds. see if you can find some in the transom area or making up the bottom/keel to prove whether or not it is weldable.the proximity of the rivets may be an issue, but I have repaired steel tanks with blown out seems like this by rolling to the radius, welding that side down, then notching what is left overhanging and bending it down so you basically end up with a radiused angle, if that makes since. you could go the other way too and use angle, notch one leg in a few places so that you can bend it to the radius. I often find the inside radius of the angle to make fitment on tight corners like that an issue thoughactually, this stuff is pretty amazing. google tops 900 sealant. I love it and use it quite religiously. it is actually holding the water in my cooler right now.http://www.topindustrial.com/datasheets/900.pdfLast edited by 92dlxman; 02-23-2014 at 07:08 PM.bosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin