Celestialsailor
Member
Is the interior foam insulated?
Is the interior foam insulated?
Some areas are, some are not. I have seen insulation around the PH, but none in the bilge area. I have limited access, so it is possible that the upper walls are insulated. I just can't get to it.Is the interior foam insulated?
Pretty cool video and the guy is funny. Laughed few times at his jokes.I found this video helpful. Watch all the way to the end for some good tips. Vancouver is not all that far from SoCal if you are looking for a class.
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No, my boat is pretty simple, nothing fancy. I use coal tar paint on the hull. Pretty forgiving material. My welding needs are mostly very low quality projects, so I do not need super special welding. Either way, if I need a weld, where structural integrity is very important, I will not try to do it myself. It will be hired out.If your boat is a high quality yacht, I would suggest leaving the welding to a seasoned pro.
I have a steel boat and I like it very much. She is a great coastal cruiser. If I wish to take her to blue water, additions and modifications would be necessary. Being steel, this would require lot of welding of tiny projects (hooks, etc), some bigger ( paravane, rolling chokes, mast additions ). What if I learn how to weld? Mainly steel, some aluminum.
I suspect, local colleges/trade schools offer courses on welding, but will that be enough to do solid work, to make my boat more secure and seaworthy? I suspect, some of the work like this can be done only by certified welders. Small one maybe not.
I am sure we have welders here on TF, so please chip in.
I am retired, so plenty of time to go to school again.
Thanks.
How did you find a local shop, which was willing to train you?I decided to learn to weld via a local shop class ($250) and bought an Arccaptain MIG welder and accessories for $500. Some practice first and tada, I have a decently repaired hatch.
Meaning, you will have to remove everything from the surface to bare metal, before welding? If I wish to attach something to a painted hull, I need to grind it off first?Prepping the weld area is just as important as is with painting.
Yes, a good clean and solid surface to weld to, there are or used to be some welding rods that would or could burn through paint, but the smoke and fumes were horrible- don't weld galvanized without a proper respirator!Meaning, you will have to remove everything from the surface to bare metal, before welding? If I wish to attach something to a painted hull, I need to grind it off first?
Yeah, I think I heard that in the past about the penetration and beauty things..... Lol
I kinda like your approach. Although, I enjoy learning, I have limited space and no shop for serious modifications. Maybe I'll just do both. Learn to weld for small and not critical items, but hire an experienced welder for sensitive jobs like a bilge keel mounting. I am not sure what a welder would say to this. They all work for money. We'll see. I will offer my assistance for the prep work, which I don't mind doing it. It might work, and I can save money on the labor cost. Thanks for the suggestion.There are always welders around, and you just learning to weld, you will do a beginner job.
I would talk to someone that welds. They could probably give you short intro to get started. The rest is practice, "time under the hood." Get a copy of the Lincoln Handbook for Welding. It is the time tested bible for all welders and covers everything. Practice, screw up, read why and try again. It doesn't take long before you will get pretty good. If money allows, I would get a cheap stick welder to learn. If you can weld stick on a cheap machine the rest gets easier. Kind of like learning to drive on a stick shift. The holy grail is TIG. I've been welding for decades and still haven't gotten the time to practice much at TIG. It is the hardest discipline in welding. To weld aluminum you will need either a spool gun to be really useful or TIG. TIG is better. Go for it. Good luck.I have a steel boat and I like it very much. She is a great coastal cruiser. If I wish to take her to blue water, additions and modifications would be necessary. Being steel, this would require lot of welding of tiny projects (hooks, etc), some bigger ( paravane, rolling chokes, mast additions ). What if I learn how to weld? Mainly steel, some aluminum.
I suspect, local colleges/trade schools offer courses on welding, but will that be enough to do solid work, to make my boat more secure and seaworthy? I suspect, some of the work like this can be done only by certified welders. Small one maybe not.
I am sure we have welders here on TF, so please chip in.
I am retired, so plenty of time to go to school again.
Thanks.