Needle Scaler = Iron Keel Killer!

[GuyT]

The needle scaler is the perfect tool for getting the keel down to bare iron.I contemplated soda blasting, walnut blasting and chemical strip, but in the end I chose the needle scaler which I rented from a local tool rental outfit for 35 bucks.I only had a 20 Gallon compressor with a 5 HP motor. If you want to do this job fast, get a bigger compressor! The plus side to the smaller compressor is that it gives you an excuse to take a break until the air pressure builds back up.After 8 hours of pounding and shaking, the keel is bare on my H34 and ready for the first coat of primer.Now if the weather would only cooperate!

 

[Landsend]

why are you removing the good coating on the keel?

wouldn't have been easier to only remove the bad areas? And use a filler after you repaired them?

 

[Dan Johnson]

You can stand up...

under your H34? With a shoal keel? Amazing!Seriously, you should consider spraying some sort of protective coating almost immediately after you've exposed an area of bare metal to keep any oxidation from starting instead of waiting until the whole keel is exposed. It's one of the recommended cures for dealing with our H34 steel keels.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Once you have that iron keel

nice and clean, my suggestion would be to use the POR-15 system: Metal Clean, Metal Ready, and then POR-15 paint. See link. I did this with my H28.5 keel about 5 yrs ago and it has worked well. Only a pinpoint of rust bleed through here and there since and annual keel maintenance takes less than a half hour each spring.

 

[sailortonyb Allied Mis]

Paint primer same day.

The general rule of the Steel Structure Paint Council which also includes iron is to ALWAYS paint the same day as you clean the metal. There is always airborne contaminates and moisture ( dew ) that you have to contend with. After needle gunning, I would also give it a really good solvent wash/wipe prior to painting. Actually, you should pressure wash with soap and rinse then solvent wash PRIOR to needle gunning. This cleans the surface because whether grinding, needle gunning or sandblasting, you will be pushing and surface contaminates further into the steel.Tony B

 

[GuyT]

All part of a plan..

Day 1 is for needle scaler. (8 hrs.)Day 2 is for grinding/sanding and wire brushing (5 hrs.), Metal Ready application and two coats of POR-15.(3 hrs.)Day 3 is for filling/fairing, final coat of POR-15. (4 hrs.)The metal ready product actually etches and applies a zinc phosphate coating on the surface of the keel for the POR-15 paint.Tony, there is no need to rush with this type of product. I can wait several days between the day 1 and day 2 activities.So far, I have been very pleased with the results. I'm ready for day 3 now.Landsend, ya it would have been easier but, I had some big spots on both sides that needed to get addressed. Since I needed to get the equipment for that, I wanted to tackle the whole keel. Now I am hoping that I will not have any worries for many, many years... at least for the keel