New Tunes and a Dash

Another week has passed and some headway has been  made , In any project

like this one there will be dead spots. This week started out like that but then 

quickly changed. In the very beginning of the project as we were preping the 

boat to strip the interior the mirror frame delaminated. Sorry too big of

a word,The glue joint let go and the frame came off. So the entire time that

I have worked on the project I knew that eventually I would have to fix this

issue.

                     Note the absence of the frame around the mirror

My friend Tom who helped me prep the boat in the beginning has graciously 
accepted my invitation to help me put the mirror frame back on. At first glance 
it doesnt seem to be a huge issue, except that the project designer " Suzanne"
doesnt want us to use any exposed fastners that will spoil the clean face of the 
frame and make it different than all the rest. This will add a wrinkle to the
repair and give it an element of challenge. But true to form Tom and I are up 
to the challenge. Tom did some thinking and made some arms to hook in to the 
bottle sockets on the bottom and to clamped on top. Then wood wedges to
apply pressure at  just the right points.

Quite a rig ? But no screw holes

                                                 These are the bottom wedges.

                   This is the top clamp jig, every point tightens off the 3 clamps.

 And happy-happy, joy- joy no screw holes and not a mark on the frame. Job well done. 

                                           Thanks Tom

These little jobs are great work and take more thought than time. Getting down 
to the last of things we are headed back out the cockpit and more work on the 
dash to get ready for the stereo guys, who just called as I was typing this and are 
really wanting to move my job back another week as they are having a sale in 
the Fairview store and they really want two guys on this install. I guess thats ok
because Bruce and I have really been taking our time with the dash wiring. 
We have added some much needed power supply points and fixed some of the 
older less thoughtfull work done by others. It still looks like a box  of snakes, 
but the pile of cuts and trimmings is growing and that means we are going in

the right direction. 

    

    

    

This is the port side console before

                                        This is the dash as a before with a little during

                                        mixed in,as we have a few hours in it at this point.

I got the finished gauge panels back and they are very nice but it was long road

to get there. Jason at Midwest Hydro Designs dipped and applied the carbon fiber

design to my panels, once they dryed out he lightly clear coated them and gave 

me the ones that needed information lettering applied. Mike Turk who striped the 

Fuelishness a few months back had an interesting fix for the lettering as the 

original panels were screen printed, carbon fiber, lettering and all. 

Mike owns an Alps printer this is the kind of printer that makes water transfer

decals like the ones we used to get with plastic car models when we were kids.

If you are familar with the process from the past , its the same now, float the decals

in water until the paper comes off and then grab them with twezzers and set them

in the place where they go and pat them dry with a soft cloth and SHAZAM.

We are taking the process to whole new level as we are clear coating the final

product to bury the decals and give the finished product some real protection.

This is the ignition panel.

Mike and I are very pleased

This is a great example of the finished product with lettering and clearcoat.

The old panels were coarse feeling and were hard to clean these have a slight 

shine and wipe right off. 

So now as I close my  week and check up on the remaining projects I find that the 

flood has finally got me, It seems that one of my drives is at Little Johns for welding

and He lives at Woodland Marina. So we know that work is suspended for now.

The other drive is at Berry Performance Marine and those that

know Dennis, also know that the day after Memorial Day, Dennis had back surgery

this was a long over due thing, as the offshore racing has been less than kind to 

my friend. Offshore racing is hard on all your joints but the stress on your back is 

really bad. I wish my friend a speedy recovery and some much needed R&R. 

I know that he wishes he could have done the R&R on the Berrycuda, but the 

high water has made that impossible for now.  

Next up : Little Things and the Final List