mirrocraft transom repair

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

doc1976

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 7, 2014
Messages
69
Reaction score
0
to save the time and aggravation of searching, I will just ask. Fixing to repair the transom in my 76 mirrocraft 14ft. looking to do the job well, but not necessarily the absolute best. my plan is to glue 2 pieces of 3/4 BC plywood with titebond III waterproof. I'm wondering about the best thing to seal the wood with. I did read a post that suggested 2 parts mineral spirits, 1 part linseed oil, and 1 part rust o leum spar varnish. I would be satisfied with a repair that will see me through 5 years without any trouble. Does this sound like a decent plan? any suggestions?
 
Doc - are you going to paint the new transom ??
if so, just dilute some of the oil-based paint 50/50
with mineral spirits and that will be your sealer. (skip the linseed oil).
48 hours later, a coat of the same oil paint reduced 25%
then 48 hours later, the same with 10% reducer followed
by a coat or two full strength the next day or so.

We have done plywood signs that way for the last 75 years
and they hold up well...... the varnish/linseed oil/spirits mix
works just as well, IMO. Lead based paint works the best, but,
we know where that went !!!!!

as for the glue, TiteBond III is touted to be "water-proof".
a good slathering on both sides of the plywood and a full
wet coat around the edges to help prevent water intrusion.
don't cut the panel to fit first - cut over size, glue it all together
with the two held in place with a couple of 1" wood screws.
put several layers of newspaper on the floor and put a ton of weight
on it to sit over night........
if you use clamps all the way around the edges, you will force all
the glue into the center of the panels and may not dry/cure/bond sufficiently.
with the weight distributed equally on the panels - the excess glue
will be pushed out of the two panels......
then - cut to shape - seal and paint.
Transom Build 8.JPG
Transom Build 6.JPG


Depending on how you store your boat, how you use your boat
and what part of the country you live in determins the degree of preservation.
unpainted bare wood in Alaska will last 10 years or more with no problem.
unpainted bare wood in Georgia will last one year or less.
Your Boat = Your Call







.
 
Johnny said:
Doc - are you going to paint the new transom ??
if so, just dilute some of the oil-based paint 50/50
with mineral spirits and that will be your sealer. (skip the linseed oil).
48 hours later, a coat of the same oil paint reduced 25%
then 48 hours later, the same with 10% reducer followed
by a coat or two full strength the next day or so.


this sounds like a solution that is what i'm looking for. Johnny, any old rustoleum oil based paint work or do you suggest something specific? The boat will be in AZ, stored outside under a boat cover. thanks for the response.
 
back in 1990 or so, I bought a 1930 Buick Sedan from Tempe, AZ.
It had been sitting in a field the past 20 or more years.
after it arrived at my home in South Georgia, I was impressed that
the wood running boards and wood floor and 99% of the wood frame
was still in remarkable condition !! as well as the wood spoke wheels.
So being that you are in Sunny Arizona - your woodwork should outlast
your boat...... yes, any oil-based enamel will work. Name brand is not an issue.
If you happen to run across a 1930 or 1932 Buick Touring Sedan, please let me know.
'30 Buick.jpg

when I was in my 20s, I hung around a couple of sign shops that had some
really old guys painting everything by hand . . . . way before computers and vinyl.
these guys talked about using regular leaded gasoline as a thinner for oil paints for
billboards and plywood signs as the leaded regular gas was 20 cents a gallon and mineral spirits
was $3.00 a gallon. so I guess that painting bare wood with leaded paint thinned with leaded gasoline
produced a pretty admirable preservative. (no wonder EPA banned it all).

come back with some photos of your new transom !!






.
 
Yeah, AZ is kind on cars. Except for any parts made of plastic or rubber or fabric :wink:
thanks again for your replies, I plan on doing just as you have suggested. I will post a few pics when finished.
 
Johnny said:
Doc - are you going to paint the new transom ??
if so, just dilute some of the oil-based paint 50/50
with mineral spirits and that will be your sealer. (skip the linseed oil).
48 hours later, a coat of the same oil paint reduced 25%
then 48 hours later, the same with 10% reducer followed
by a coat or two full strength the next day or so.


Thought I would post an update to this post. Using Johnny's suggestion, I finished the transom and couldn't be happier with the results. ( I will definitely be remembering this technique for future projects) here is a shot or two of the finished job. Thanks everyone for the help, especially Johnny.

VSsZQeh.jpg


3Vxr48W.jpg
 
Very nice - i used wood several times on my 72 MirroCraft but now did the transom in PVC board - works great and no paint!

Yours looks nice
 
with a little more refining of my aluminum welding skills, my next one (if I have to do another) will be out of 1" aluminum square tubing sandwiched between 2 sheets of 1/4" sheet.
 
doc1976 said:
with a little more refining of my aluminum welding skills, my next one (if I have to do another) will be out of 1" aluminum square tubing sandwiched between 2 sheets of 1/4" sheet.



i looked at that as well - just too time consuming and I do not weld.
 
speaking of the tubing and plate transom panel, this is what I did for my last bass boat.
1-1/4 x 1-1/4 x 3/16" square tube and two pieces of 1/4" aluminum plate.
Alum Transom 1.JPG

Alum Transom 2.JPG

motor mount hole.jpg
It is a good idea to dry fit the 1/4" aluminum plate against the motor mounting bolts
so you don't position any of the internal tubing so the edges will fall right
where the mounting holes go - - - or, you will have to drill all the way through
the edge of the tubing - which is a real pain. (guess how this rocket scientist figured that out) ](*,)
the motor mounting holes should go through the center of a square tube.

I used a construction adhesive that was "aluminum friendly" with no screws or rivets or welds.
3M-5200 will also hold it together just as well as welding (IMO).
the motor mounting bolts and other through-bolted transom hardware is what holds it all together.
you could also throw some pop-rivets into it as well.

I already had the aluminum plate on hand from a previous project.
my local metal shop shear-cut the two 1/4" plate pieces for $10 and I had it
assembled and in clamps within an hour - so time is not an issue to make one like I did.



.
 

Latest posts

Top