Getting Ready to Refinish the Daggerboard, Tiller and Rudderblade - Tips?

For West System, "These pumps are calibrated to deliver the proper working ratio with one full pump stroke of resin for each one full pump stroke of hardener. 105/205-206 pumps deliver approximate 0.8 fl oz of resin/hardener with one full stroke of each pump. 105/207-209 pumps deliver approximately 0.9 fl oz of resin/hardener with one full stroke of each pump."

Does your hardener pump match up?
 
For West System, "These pumps are calibrated to deliver the proper working ratio with one full pump stroke of resin for each one full pump stroke of hardener. 105/205-206 pumps deliver approximate 0.8 fl oz of resin/hardener with one full stroke of each pump. 105/207-209 pumps deliver approximately 0.9 fl oz of resin/hardener with one full stroke of each pump."

Does your hardener pump match up?

Yeah, they came in the same package and I got the right extension with the right pump, so I'm good there.

HOWEVER, I did notice that I failed to put the little blue extension in the resin pump, so I've been doing that wrong the entire time, so I've probably boned this entire project. But I'm beyond the point of caring right now. There's nothing I can do except hope it works out and move forward.
 
Here's what I'm looking at. Just really annoyed right now. Tired of the fumes. Tired of washing my hands with vinegar. Annoyed at the fact that I have to set my alarm for 2 am so I can do the third coat and at the fact that I still have to do the tiller handle from scratch and deal with all of this all over again.

All for something that I don't even know if I'll enjoy it. What was I thinking?

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Varnish has its own set of difficulties. :(

Ultimately, the layers you've put down will coalesce. Next off-season, you can sand back to where the grain shines through, and get that "furniture look" once more.

I had difficulty with the pumps "drawing air", so I used the recommended ratio--spooning the mixture from the cans. As I'm easily distracted, I have to count out loud! :rolleyes:

Gloves are a penny apiece at Dollar Tree stores.
 
Thank you for sharing the trials and tribulations. Sometimes a mix just goes wrong, with varnish, paint, thinner, epoxy etc...and then it is either wait for it to harden or bulldoze it off with 50 discs of gummed up 80 grit. There is also the paint scraper, to remove the top layer.

Can you post a photo?
 
Guybrush, we’ve all been there. Don’t be so hard on yourself and certainly don’t lose sleep over this!
I usually learn by trial and error, and the good advice always offered on this forum.
Epoxy can be tricky. I made the dumb mistake of applying it to my rudder and daggerboard in my damp basement over the winter because I was too impatient to wait til temps were right. It was an ugly mess. I sanded it all off, a waste of expensive epoxy, sandpaper and my time, but I won’t make that mistake again. In the end they came out beautifully.
Don’t give up on sailing before you even get out on the water. You’ll probably have a whole new set of frustrations your first time out, but hopefully the smiles will outweigh the sore abs and you’ll be dreaming about getting back out there again!
Enjoy the ride and try not to sweat the small stuff.
 
Obviously I had a rough go of it last night. I probably just need to take a break from all of it. Here’s some pics. The epoxy seemed to have cured correctly so I think it’s functional if not cosmetically perfect. Next comes the varnishing, so we will see how that goes. Won’t be for a while yet. Thanks for all the kind and encouraging words.
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Those look great! No need for varnish unless you plan to leave the blades laying out in the full sun for months, all the varnish does is protect the epoxy from long term UV exposure.
 
Looks great to me! You won't see any blemishes while you're sailing anyway, so get out on the water and have fun!
 
Thanks everyone. While not perfect, I think it’ll do. I would probably pass on the varnish if I could do it over, but I already bought it so I figure I may as well get it on there. Hopefully it’ll just be a couple of quick and easy coats and I’ll be done. At least with the wood bits! Still gotta get the sail squared away, find a trailer, clean up the boat a bit more, buy a PFD and paddle...
 
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Trying to reassemble the rudder and I have a handful of parts but I can’t remember how they go back on. Does anyone have an assembly diagram? I’ve tried finding some online but nothing came up.
 
This is just a parts diagram but it should help.
 

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Large plastic bushings go round the rudder bolt, in between the rudder cheek and the rudder blade.
Smaller plastic bushings go in between the tiller straps and the rudder blade.
Metal washers may have been used on the tiller bolt or rudder bolt or tiller straps. One washer would go on the pintle and spring assembly if you took that apart.

Our videos may help, holler if you have other questions...


 
Leave enough play so parts swivel freely but not so tight that they bind. The plastic washers aka bushings help with that slight friction fit. Yo can use small pieces of blue tape to hold the big bushing in place while you slide the cheek (metal block) over the rudder blade to maintain bolt hole alignment, then an awl or other pokey tool to get the washer aligned.
 
Leave enough play so parts swivel freely but not so tight that they bind. The plastic washers aka bushings help with that slight friction fit. Yo can use small pieces of blue tape to hold the big bushing in place while you slide the cheek (metal block) over the rudder blade to maintain bolt hole alignment, then an awl or other pokey tool to get the washer aligned.

Oddly enough I was able to get both washers in place without using something sticky. A small miracle I guess!

At least, I THINK they're in place. Could be that one isn't!
 
Ok, now working on the tiller and when I detached the tiller handle from...the rest of the tiller, this piece was in there. Obviously broken, anyone know what it is and if I can find a replacement? Is it even needed?
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