Audiofn

Earlier boats did not use Plexus they used something else. I can't remember what it is now but if you look at the old literature they say what it is. They were very pround of the process. I think they started to use the stuff in 84 or 85? The Plexus did not start tell the Fast Tec line I beleive.

boilerdaddy

We used Ashland's Pliogrip before we went to the FASTech lineup. I was poking around the interwebs looking for it, and I believe it now under the Valvoline umbrella. Strong stuff, but it was strictly a mechanical bond, and you can't even compare it to Plexus, which is a chemical bond.

fossil fuel

Prior to Archer marine doing the first of 5 382 hull deck repairs we did a "shop test". We cut strips of fiberglass from a old hull at the shop 4"x12". We bonded a similar section with a 1" overlap similar to the hull deck seam with 5200 and Plexus. We bonded 2 tests with plex. One we cleaned and sanded the 2nd we bonded dirty. The 5200 seam we cleaned and sanded. After 48 hrs we ripped the joints apart. The 5200 joint came apart with great difficulty, but it did not rip the glass. Both plex joints would not seperate. The glass ripped into the mat layup. This told us the plex penetrated into the mat to bond, The 5200 did not. Plex makes many different working time products. I would tend to go with plex.

Audiofn

I think that the longest work time that they have for a product that they recommend for this job is 30 min.? IMO the best way to run that test would be to put the plexus on, then wait 30 min. or what ever the max time is before you put the parts together and then clamp. 5200 has a VERY LONG dry time. Like weeks for a total cure. I know every time I have tried to pull the stuff apart it tears the glass apart with it. My transom assembies on my 302 are 5200'd on and I am scared of the damage I am going to see when I have to pull them off.

fossil fuel

MA 530 ?

http://www.itwplexus.com/products/selector.cfm

Audiofn

That seems correct. The work time is 30 min. I am sure your guy has the ability to toss a TON of labor at it and get it done in that window. For me I could maybe get 4 guys on it or so. I just don't feel like that is enough work time unless you are a pro? Once you miss that window you are kind of screwed. I just checked 3M's tech literature. 5200 goes tack free in 48 hours and does not cure 100% for 5-7 days. So you may have run your test a little early. Archer has obviously done this a number of times so he has the procedure down pat. Hell looks like Formula is having a hard time with it! For a DIYer like myself and others that are going to find this for the first time, for me anyhow, I think that the 5200 and allowing it to cure for a week or more is the way to go.

Fastereddie

My

Fastereddie

My 85 242ls did this also. I ended up replacing the wood screws with longer machine screws, 1/2" x 1" hardwood backing strips finished off with a fender washer and nylock nut. Totally different boat afterwards.

kdratch

Same story with my 1988 223ss. Home depot sells 4' pieces of alum stock. I cut 6" pieces, and put them in with machine screws and lock nuts wherever I could reach. Formula told me to use 3m 5200, or Sika flex in the joint. Good luck

amazing1

I did this same project last year by myself on a 357 ssr-1
I removed a section of the rub rail at a time about 16 feet
Clean the old adhesive out ran painters tape under the joint, inserted the 5200, added the fasteners, removed the tape, reinstalled the rub rail and moved to the next section. Took me about a week to do. A much more solid feeling