Corky's Build

[Bart]

I was showing this to my better half, and was reminded that I have too many grandkids, so I just better keep dreaming, I have to keep reminding myself that you have been working on this build for over a year, and have shown a lot of great workmanship, that many of us can only dream about.

[aerokirk]

Corky ... That really looks great and I know from experience that detail painting is an art and you are obviously an artist!
I'm sure that's going to be an award winning boat. I'd be afraid to use it in an outdoor environment with rocks though

[Papee]

It is way obvious that you have tons more patience than I. Very nice work, I've been using tractor supply paint for years, I use to paint our dump trucks at work with it.

[Corky]

Thanks guys, my wife keeps reminding me..."It's going to get beat up." "It's going to get muddy"..."Don't make it too nice you'll just get upset when it gets scratched or dented"......But I don't have any thoughts about not using it like I wanted to when I started this build...
Let's hope the TS paint holds up as well as expected...If not I've got sealed glass jars with touch-up paint already taken out of the gallons...

As I've said before I sure did take on a over-the-top paint job for my first mini...But I see the end of the painting now the stripes should go quicker...

[Corky]

Now I'm onto the stripes...As promised here's a pic of the 1/8th inch fine line tape...It's a vinyl tape used for crisp lines between paint colors...It's very workable and will bend just about any radius that needs done...I've got both sides lined out now I need to mask the sides and I'm ready for paint...

[kent]

Hi Corky,
Talk about "Eye Candy"...... You are going to have folks standing in line to take its photo !!!!! ( Including me !)
kent

[Corky]

Hi Kent, well you won't have to wonder if it's me coming up the river !! This design is taking alot of time to complete and I still have the rudders...I can see how one might just keep it simple and get it over with but where's the fun in that ???

[Corky]

Here's the stripes with all the masking in place...There's a few layers so I'll give the rundown on what's there...First up was the fineline tape..Followed by the premium,low tack green masking tape which get applied 1/2 over the fineline tape...This gives a wide border around the stripe so I can cut the masking film easily...Next, a general,high tack masking tape to seal the edges of the masking film as an added measure...
And lastely the plastic is added to all areas needing to be shielded...The plastic is premium painters sheeting that has a "paint this side" label on it ...Paint will stick to this plastic and won't flake off as the case with a standard plastic sheeting...

I continued the striping on the rear tray to give the illusion the flag wraps up and around the tray...The rear transom is getting something other than the stripes I have'nt decided on just what is going to happen back there...Anyhow, here's what it looks like ready for some red paint...

[Corky]

Here's what the red striping looks like before the mask removal...Here's how it's done...Again, the mask including the fineline tape must come off while the paint is still wet for that super clean,crisp line everyone takes for granted...All tape layers are started at one end and are consistant throughout the hull...This means I can start peeling the layers from one corner and it will come off as one long,continuious line...That way I can control where and when I need to cut it keeping the mask from laying back against the still wet paint...It's not so crucial if more than one person is peeling the layers but with me alone this needs to happen...There's also a close-up of the rear splash tray showing the perfect paint lines around the boat...It does'nt get any better than this and I'm very pleased with the hull overall...

[Corky]

And some shot with all the masking layers off the red striping around boat...At this point all red edge masks are stripped... The plastic stays until the paint is dry to eliminate mistakes with wet paint... The plastic is just too darn long and unmanageable to take off with wet paint on it....Now it looks exactly as my designs !!!

[Corky]

Here's how the rear splash tray got designed... I did't have this drawn up and freehanded the striping...I wanted to give the illusion the stripes wrapped up and over the rear tray from each side coming together in the middle...I think it turned out great.....OK I'm ready for opinions how does it look ????

[Rollbar]

That looks awesome. Now build one you can get dirty as I remember what your wife said/comment in one of the posts. Really looks good.

[Corky]

Don't worry It won't be sitting around on display when it's finished...It'll be sitting in the water all season long...I'll post up these last pics of the completed hull...I've added the black bottom border for the waterline to the transom...Stripped all tape,plastic, paper, etc... And I'm ready to get the hull off the tables for the last time !!! Now onto the next phase.... REASSEMBLY !!!!!

[kent]

Hi Corky, That is really coming together !!! Can wait to see the other main components back on the hull... kent

[Corky]

Hi Kent! Yes, I'm excited about getting some components back on the hull myself...I'm in contact with Lynn's stitch shop about having my seat upholstery sewn up..She has the pattern for the fiberglass seat shells I purchased from Airboat pros...We're still in the planning stages of the seat designs so they'll be done and waiting on me as the assembly comes together...

[kent]

...I'm in contact with Lynn's stitch shop...

Is she the one in the Millerstown area?

[Corky]

She's listed as a sponsor on this site...She's in Fla...Does'nt use the computer much and does'nt have a smart phone to send pics her son had to send pics to me...I'm assuming that's why there is'nt much traffic on her forum here...With that being said the pics I've been sent show some awesome craftsmanship and she's a very nice person to speak with...I'll post the seat upholstery here in my build and on her forum for everyone to see...I've picked out some nice,textured material for the inlay...And of course it will have the colors to match the theme of this build...

Geez..All these "stars and stripes" around me I'll feel like Evel Knievel on there....

[Corky]

Moving along with the build...More parts got preped and painted...Rudders and the hull's bellcrank brackets get the white base color...This will finish up the required white painting!!!

There's only a small amount of white left in the gallon about an inch in there for anyone wondering just how much white went into the build{That will be used for the white, faded backround for the Mini Airboat Assn. logo}...That's two coats on the inside and outside sidewalls and transom...One coat on the deck to seal the epoxy in the recoat window...Speaking of the DTM epoxy I've used the whole gallon on the hull, engine stand, and cage...The blue paint will have aproximately one quart remaining from the gallon and the red will have a little more than a half gallon left over until the rudders are finished......There'll be 3 gallons of lacquer thinner used for equipment clean-up...

Aproximately 150 lineal ft of fineline tape is used for the build and over 400 ft of masking tape..over 100 ft of masking paper and plastic....Yes I went through the consumable goods !!!

[Corky]

I'll throw this up again so everyone can see the direction the rudders are heading...I've included them in the design I submitted back on pg 22 {am I writing a book?} but you really can't see the detail...This is a quick rendering that I scaled down earlier for the hull design now I need to make it happen in the real world...

[Corky]

The cage got it's coat of silver...