November 22, 2015

I made a little progress. Yesterday was largely drizzly and overcast, so I didn’t do much worth photographing.  I took apart the rustiest of the windows, which was the rear.  Looks like this:
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The screws and nuts were badly rusted.  Some I was able to get apart.  Some broke.  Two I had to cut apart with my high speed rotary tool. I think that what’s left is just barely strong enough to use.  Just a little more and it would be trash.

I cut the wood pieces I need to go around the front and rear windows- those need some curved bits to fit properly.  I also hand-formed some .030″ aluminum sheet to cover (well, I think it will cover properly) the holes on the left and right of the windows, where the wood was unprotected.  Unprotected wood rapidly shows its annoyance by turning to mush. Anyone who has worked on an old boat knows that.

Today was sunny, so I could work on the rooof. I spent something over five hours removing screws from the roof. I’ve never seen so many rusted slotted screws that come out so hard.  Some I am able to unscrew with the cordless drill. Some I can remove with a hand screwdrive.  Most I unscrew enough to grab the head with locking pliers and then remove them that way.  The replacements are going to be hex head stainless.  I’d use torx head if I could get them locally.  Here’s what the top looks like now. This is looking from right front to left rear

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I’ve got the right side done and will do the left on the next good day.  Maybe.  We’ve got visitors for Thanksgiving and need to get ready.

 

 

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