I hate starting a project when one isn't finished yet (nav station/electrical) but this one can be done at home when it's too cold outside. I am winning the battle with the cushions, 2 covers are complete, one needs to be repaired (really messed up the zipper corner), and one needs to be finished. I think they turned out excellent considering this is the first thing I have ever sewed that wasn't a button.
For this project I referenced two Good Old Boat articles. The 'Big Bed Mod" in the July/August 2001 issue (#19) and the "DIY Boat Cushions" in the Nov/Dec 2009 issue (#69). The big bed issue (Which was also a Hunter 27!
)the author made new cushions for the middle and left the old ones alone. I made all new cushions and modified the shape of them instead. The old ones went into the head through little openings so a 6'er can lay down, well since I can't even get my feet through the little openings that was never going to happen, so I made a modification. The settee bottom cushions will go in the middle, and the settee backs will then lay flat on the settee's, making almost a queen sized bed across the width of the cabin. The settee backs are 3" taller than the old ones, when everything is flat the bed will be 58"x78" with a good foot to spare.
The cushions article is great, but it assums things...like the fact that you know how to sew, I do not. But I do now! :rockon So it was a little frustrating until I got the hang of it.
Yes that's me. Please excuse the mess, the house is full of boat parts right now.
My assistant, Sprout, reading the instructions to me as I work. He's a great helper but has a short attention span.
Easy part done, cutting.
And 2 finished! they look pretty good, not professional, but much better than the old smelly things.
The exhaust elbow on my boat was a mess, apparently it had rusted through and the P.O. had brazed it whole again. He had brazed it A LOT! Brass everywhere, inside too restricting the exhaust...
So, I ordered a 1 3/8" mandrel bend, hacked the old piece out, and welded in a new one...
Gotta make sure the cut is straight so the new tube butts up with no gaps, this is especially important because I am not a rich dude who can afford a full MIG setup, I have a flux core welder which is not tolerant of gaps or thin metal. It's very difficult to weld something as thin as this with a flux core welder, not something I recommend for a novice. I have welded a Lotus 7 replica frame, and numerous race car exhausts with this welder. As well as a bunch of thicker stuff but that's easy. As you can see it does not make a pretty weld on thin metal, because if you apply too much, you just blow right through it. So, I tack tack tack all around, then put a second full bead around to close it all up and make sure it's strong and solid...
Clean, grind, make sure both fit together...
Tack tack, check alignment, notice NO gaps, tacktacktacktack
I like to have some weld through to the other side, but not this much, the rest was ok...
All welded together, some splatter, but solid...
And painted with high-temp ceramic paint inside and out, I like to do this when the part is still too hot to touch...
Also, I went to West Marine and used their rigging crimper to crimp my battery cables, not shrink wrapped yet...
For this project I referenced two Good Old Boat articles. The 'Big Bed Mod" in the July/August 2001 issue (#19) and the "DIY Boat Cushions" in the Nov/Dec 2009 issue (#69). The big bed issue (Which was also a Hunter 27!
)the author made new cushions for the middle and left the old ones alone. I made all new cushions and modified the shape of them instead. The old ones went into the head through little openings so a 6'er can lay down, well since I can't even get my feet through the little openings that was never going to happen, so I made a modification. The settee bottom cushions will go in the middle, and the settee backs will then lay flat on the settee's, making almost a queen sized bed across the width of the cabin. The settee backs are 3" taller than the old ones, when everything is flat the bed will be 58"x78" with a good foot to spare. The cushions article is great, but it assums things...like the fact that you know how to sew, I do not. But I do now! :rockon So it was a little frustrating until I got the hang of it.
Yes that's me. Please excuse the mess, the house is full of boat parts right now.
My assistant, Sprout, reading the instructions to me as I work. He's a great helper but has a short attention span.
Easy part done, cutting.
And 2 finished! they look pretty good, not professional, but much better than the old smelly things.
The exhaust elbow on my boat was a mess, apparently it had rusted through and the P.O. had brazed it whole again. He had brazed it A LOT! Brass everywhere, inside too restricting the exhaust...
So, I ordered a 1 3/8" mandrel bend, hacked the old piece out, and welded in a new one...
Gotta make sure the cut is straight so the new tube butts up with no gaps, this is especially important because I am not a rich dude who can afford a full MIG setup, I have a flux core welder which is not tolerant of gaps or thin metal. It's very difficult to weld something as thin as this with a flux core welder, not something I recommend for a novice. I have welded a Lotus 7 replica frame, and numerous race car exhausts with this welder. As well as a bunch of thicker stuff but that's easy. As you can see it does not make a pretty weld on thin metal, because if you apply too much, you just blow right through it. So, I tack tack tack all around, then put a second full bead around to close it all up and make sure it's strong and solid...
Clean, grind, make sure both fit together...
Tack tack, check alignment, notice NO gaps, tacktacktacktack
I like to have some weld through to the other side, but not this much, the rest was ok...
All welded together, some splatter, but solid...
And painted with high-temp ceramic paint inside and out, I like to do this when the part is still too hot to touch...
Also, I went to West Marine and used their rigging crimper to crimp my battery cables, not shrink wrapped yet...
