TMS-20 exciting update!

Update 1-31-10

TMS News

As you can tell from the post I have advanced quickly on the second half of the main hull. There are several reasons for this.

Gorilla Glue
Gluing the Divinycell strips together with Gorilla Glue has been a great success! I can work quickly, no mixing, no mess as there was with west epoxy. The Gorilla glue expands up to 4X the size of the bead so controlling the stream of glue takes a little practice. But if it foams over it not a big deal as it sands really easy. So I went from slow and neat to fast and a little sloppy. I decided it is ok if it comes out some then I know that I have maximum fill in the cove & bead. It dries in about 2 hours – not overnight like epoxy. It is a little pricey but not as much as West System. I was able to glue out the strips then the next day sand it out so the faring was every simple. I’ll use very little bog. This side will definitely be lighter! The draw back it that the foam shell is more fragile so when I lift it to slide in the vacuum bagging film I’m have to have more hands on the foam. I should be ready to vacuum bag the carbon skin on the inside next week.

Working Full Time as a Boat Builder
I was terminated from my corporate position last week so now I’m devoting all of my time to the TMS-20 project. I was planning to leave later this year but some things you cannot control. After 20+ years in the government and 10 years in a “corporate cube” or on a plane I am looking forward to this break. I was working a fulltime job plus travel then part-time on the boat so this is a welcomed change.

This is something that I’ve wanted to do for 30 years - when I moved to Florida. I plan to take full advantage of it. It would be great to have the boat in the water this summer!

I'm still looking for computer work but not that hard!

Mike

Shaping and fitting stern......

looking good mike

bummer about the day job

Thanks erice but it is all good! I wanted a break so careful about what you wish for. Anyway it gives me a chance to pool all of my energy into what I really want to do.

Great job! So glad you found and shared the gorilla glue with the group. I have been using it for a while and like it a lot. I have bought Gorilla Glue but usually use regular polyurethane glue from Elmer's because I can buy it cheaper.

There are a couple of tricks with it. In a drier environment is will not foam up as much. Any dampness will foam it up more. I have even mixed with a bit of water if I want a really foaming (light)connection. Having it water soluble is great for clean up as well.

I have made my own plywood skeleton pieces with bendy birch and poly glue for my 1949 Mercury Woody, which is in project mode.

Later,
Dan

Hopeful:

Right now about 1/2 way in between.

Dan,

I mist the foam that is attached already with a spray bottle that side has the bead edge. Then lay the glue in the piece that I'm adding that has the cove and it lays right in the little trough. It is a very simple process. I'll have to check out the Elmers glue.

Restoring a Woody is very cool! I've restored many cars but never a Woody. I did a 60 MGA that had some wood in it.

That is a nice way to bond foam.

I was looking for the Elmer's I used. It was called ProBond Polyurethane glue. It is in the same bottle with a different label. It is called ultimate now. I have also used PL, Titebond and Gorilla. All of them seem to work the same for me. Here is a price comparison from Amazon.

Later,
Dan

Do you have a blog anywhere on your resto? I'd like to follow your progress.
That is sweet.