Recent content by BrownDogFlies

Thanks again for the assist. Found the best way was to drill into the center of the button with a 1/8" bit no more than 1/8" to 3/16" to create a divot and then using an old painter's knife as a narrow chisel get between the button and the work. Two whacks with a hammer and the button would go...

Thanks Dale, that is very helpful. Just to clarify, do you draw the dot on the rounded head or the tail (i.e., where the hammer hit it)?

Anyone have any tips for removing solid rivets? Have drilled several above the waterline and twice missed the center, making the hole larger than 1/4" (and in one case missing entirely). Tried drilling a pilot hole but that didn't really help. Ended up using a hammer and a painter's knife as...

Update on the transom repair ... Spent the better part of this afternoon brushing the aluminum of the transom clean inside and out. On the exterior of the stern the PO had mixed up an unholy cocktail of paint, epoxy and silicone caulk and sealed it under a thick layer of new aluminum. You can...

Sonny- I am trying to keep the bow as clean as possible - somewhere I saw someone say put the trolling motor and mooring cleats on the right as most folks strip with their the left. I will use a stripping bucket on occasion -- nothing more than a standard big box store 5 gallon pail. Put a...

Couple of questions ... Will a 50/50 water/vinegar solution work in place of muriatic acid? Having read the label I am suddenly less enthralled by the concept of muriatic, if I can get away with vinegar would be the preferred route. Purchased a 7.5-amp angle grinder at the local big box as...

Hi everyone. As the title says, I am up to my neck in an uplanned rebuild. I’ve reached the point where I need to ask for a sanity check. Before I do that, I want to thank the community at large here at Tinboats. I’ve spent hours looking through the archives and I’ve learned a ton. I think...