Looking for ideas on galley remodel

[fred1diver]

Quick question about the stair???
Do you all think ½ ply with reinforcement slats at the back would be sufficient or should I go with ¾ for the back panel which holds the steps?
I do want it strong, but, I am trying to minimize the weight for when we lift the stairs

 

[dLj]

Quick question about the stair???
Do you all think ½ ply with reinforcement slats at the back would be sufficient or should I go with ¾ for the back panel which holds the steps?
I do want it strong, but, I am trying to minimize the weight for when we lift the stairs

It isn't a big span, I'd think 1//2" would be plenty.

dj

 

[fred1diver]

Ok cool, thank you

 

[fred1diver]

Need help figuring the counter, well, parts of it,
My main counter goes from one end of the galley to the other, pretty simple, but this is where I am not sure how to proceed.
It T’s off to a small 18 inch counter which has the sink, all in all pretty simply woodwork, the previous counter (original) was made in 2 pieces, one for the main and one for the sink area.
Again pretty simple, but the laminate is glued on top after the whole counter is in place, now I have to admit that I really love the access to the engine without the sink area counter, so I am wondering if I can make the main counter fixed as it should be do all the edges, but the sink counter be somewhat removable, it would be screwed securely in place, but the laminate would be cut where the 2 pieces meet, I would make very sure that the edges are very well sealed and have no place for anything to get in between.
Does this seem reasonable or am I crazy?
I will have decent access with the new stairs removed, but still one side of the engine (alternator…) would be very limited

what do you all think?

 

[dmax]

You should definitely make the sink counter removable, engine access is critical to liking your boat in my mind. You could do separate pieces with just a laminate edge, would work Ok but you will eventually get moisture and crud in the joint. Alternatively, you could finish the edges like the rest of the countertop (e.g. fiddles), you lose the smooth transition but may be a better solution so close to the sink.

 

[fred1diver]

Another quick question:
For gluing the laminate, do I have to use brush on contact cement or the spray glue ie good?
I am asking because I can only ring the water based cement around and the spray.

or is there other type of glue that you all recommend?

 

[dmax]

I've always brushed on contact cement but see no reason why spray wouldn't work. There are likely many other glues that would work.

 

[UpperPintle]

I use Weldwood contact cement on formica, a little goes a long way.

Weldwood Original Contact Cement, Pint

Weldwood Pt. Original Contact Cement, Premium Quality, Brush Grade, Neoprene Based Meets The Stringent Requirements Of The Professional User, High Strength & Initial Grab, Fast Drying Formula Dries In 15-20 Minutes, High Heat & Water Resistance When Dry.

www.truevalue.com

I've used spray adhesives when adhering thermal and acoustic foam and needed many spray cans. Liquid/paint-on is much more economical than spray cans.

 

[fred1diver]

Getting ready for a full weekend of work on the boat

my question now is this, what size stair steps would be best?
Any depth minimum required?
The width will be around 16 inches, I am limited in space, I could go an inch or so more if needed

 

[dLj]

16 wide should be fine. My steps are 5 1/2" deep. I don't know if I'd want to go much narrower on the tread width.

dj

 

[fred1diver]

Ok thank you so much

 

[fred1diver]

Now on to the next weird problem

I cut the laminate for the sliding counter and the fridge door, applied the glue to the laminate, no problem, ext applied it to the epoxied plywood, the glue just rolls off.
I am a bit on a time crunch, any input?

I did sand before applying the glue, I just removed all the glue with acetone at the moment, not sure what to do now???

 

[dLj]

I think I'd epoxy it on instead of the glue you're using.

dh

 

[jssailem]

After 7 years of cruising, the last 30 months of solving the repower problem gave me time to consider the companion way steps and define the critical functional requirements.

1. They must feel solid when in place.
2. When stepping into the cabin, the stairs must be ahead of my body, not behind my center of mass.
3. They need to be spaced to accommodate the majority of the crew. Not too tight, yet not too long.
4. The angle needs to be such that you can step down while holding on to something attached to your boat.

The first step of the original ladder was almost hidden behind the companionway opening, making it dangerous to enter or exit the cabin. As you can see, I extended the first step about 8 inches, which was a terrific improvement. The original stair attachment to the boat was a couple of ladder hooks. Now, the ladder is set into a piece of oak and locked in place—there is no movement. The feel of stepping down on the solid first step is a big change.

Interestingly, the first step has a new function. I can sit on it and see out the front cabin windows. On a chilly morning, I can keep a watch and stay warm out of the wind—an unexpected benefit.

The reddish wood in the image is the original ladder. The new wood is oak. This has made the ladder a little heavier but much more stable.



Here is the finished product.

The ladder reflects the new internal color scheme I will implement over the remainder of this year.

This is the inspiration for my new color palette.

I have a ways to go with the project.

 

[BigEasy]

Formica laminate is usually installed using contact cement on both surfaces. Evidently contact cement is not compatible with epoxy. Try coating a scrap piece of plywood with polyester resin, sand lightly, to determine if contact cement sticks to it. If it works, sand epoxied surfaces with 80 grit & apply polyester, sand lightly, reapply contact cement to laminate & to polyester surface. Proceed with installation. I have never applied Formica using epoxy, I would try a test sample to ensure the epoxy doesn’t unfavorably affect the laminate. Perhaps @dLj has used epoxy & can offer advice.

 

[dLj]

Here's a photo of part of my stairs. Note the curve up on both sides. It's very nice when sailing and the boat is healed..that curve gives a secure comfortable foot placement. Second, note the black non-skid lines across each step.. I like having some sort of non-skid on each step, especially if they get wet, and they will... Yes, I need to refinish my entry steps...

dj

 

[BigEasy]

Here's a photo of part of my stairs. Note the curve up on both sides. It's very nice when sailing and the boat is healed.. Yes, I need to refinish my entry steps...

Nice design! Interesting that steps are detaching from dado joints in risers; that's a hazard. Perhaps you can clamp, drill for dowels, and reglue with dowels to prevent separation in future. And yes, time to refinish! What do you use to finish?

 

[Tally Ho]

My steps have a slight angled edge as well.

Greg

 

[dmax]

Now on to the next weird problem

I cut the laminate for the sliding counter and the fridge door, applied the glue to the laminate, no problem, ext applied it to the epoxied plywood, the glue just rolls off.
I am a bit on a time crunch, any input?

I did sand before applying the glue, I just removed all the glue with acetone at the moment, not sure what to do now???

When I did mine, I did not epoxy seal the top where the formica attaches as contact cement is waterproof. Sorry, other than sanding the epoxy to rough it up not sure what to do.

 

[dLj]

Nice design! Interesting that steps are detaching from dado joints in risers; that's a hazard. Perhaps you can clamp, drill for dowels, and reglue with dowels to prevent separation in future. And yes, time to refinish! What do you use to finish?

Oh yeah - this year stair rebuild is in order. Believe it or not, as far as I can tell the side pieces were nailed, not screwed, into the steps. Hard to know for sure until I pull them apart, but from what I can see that's sure what it looks like.

The finish I use is a floor finish that does not get slippery when wet. I'll have to get back to you on what exactly it is - I used it on the floors in my main saloon - works really well. But I don't recall off the top of head what it is called. The black anti slip looks like the same material used when caulking the teak decks. But I'm going to research options when I get into the rebuild. There are shallow grooves in the stair tread to give texture.

When I rebuild, I'll screw and epoxy the entire structure together. I also will likely put in a cross rod or maybe three towards the back of the treads so they aren't so visible such the the sides will be bolted together. I probably don't really need to do that - these have lasted 40 years... But... Ya know how that goes... See a design flaw - prefer to fix for as long into the future as possible - and that would be simple....

dj