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Low buck projects- Let's see 'em!

858K views 2K replies 341 participants last post by  pdqaltair 
#1 ·
In this forum, we've seen big projects on small boats and small projects on big boats- let's see the cheap projects! Show us what you have done on your boat on a budget.
Here's the rules:

1) Gotta be under $100 US, or equivalent currency.

2) You must have done it yourself. Although, if you found someone to work on your boat for less than $100, feel free to post contact info.

3) bonus points will be given for elegance and ingenuity.

Here's one of mine:

I needed a cockpit table. Well, I, personally, didn't need a cockpit table, but the admiral did, and I need a warm place to sleep, so you can see how the stars aligned on this one. I sussed out commercially available, marine priced cockpit tables and promptly gagged. So, I thought to myself, "self, you could make it yourself for a lot less." One problem. Well, four actually. I have limited woodworking skills, limited woodworking tools, and limited time. oh yeah, and I am cheap.
So, I went to plan "c".

I spent some time eyeballing the cockpit in question:


Then I moseyed into action. I bought one of these for $29.99


A frenzy of measuring, remeasuring, cutting, screwing, drinking, varnishing, etc. later, and this is how it finished up:



Let's see yours.
 
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#1,527 · (Edited)
They are for different metals as well as different levels of polishing - quick course in the tech standards;

Ferrous metal - Grey - coarse, Green - polish, White - ultra fine or "colouring"

Non- Ferrous - Brown - coarse, White - polish, Red - ultra fine or "colouring"

In practice I have found on stainless and aluminium that Brown (Tripoli) followed by Green is the fastest and easiest. The White doesn't work as well for me as the Green on S/S. Over time I have used twice as many sticks of Green as the others. I only use spiral sewn buffs for S/S

I have tried using Red (rouge) to bring up maximum lustre but find in practice it doesn't really do much on S/S.

It is good in very small amounts on a loose buff to polish plastic but you have to be VERY careful not to melt the plastic.

Have a separate buff for each colour and mark them appropriately with a sharpie.
 
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#1,528 ·
They are for different metals as well as different levels of polishing - quick course in the tech standards;

Ferrous metal - Grey - coarse, Green - polish, White - ultra fine

Non- Ferrous - Brown - coarse, White - polish, Red - ultra fine

In practice I have found on stainless and aluminium that Brown (Tripoli) followed by Green is the fastest and easiest. The White doesn't work as well for me as the Green on S/S. Over time I have used twice as many sticks of Green as the others. I only use spiral sewn buffs for S/S

I have tried using Red (rouge) to bring up maximum lustre but find in practice it doesn't really do much on S/S.

It is good in vary small amounts on a loose buff to polish plastic but you have to be VERY careful not to melt the plastic.

Have a separate buff for each colour and mark them appropriately with a sharpie.
Man you're better than GOOGLE. Thanks much. I might get another buff and some brown, Ill see how it looks first. I thought there was a universal code to the colors. I've done a lot of stuff and this is new to me.

Thanks again Jon
 
#1,531 ·
Looks great, especially for a first effort.

It takes a few different pieces to start to get a feel for what will work best.
 
#1,533 ·
I'm making repairs on my 1969 Chrysler Lonestar 16. I needed to tighten and repair the jib sheet cam cleats but they were installed on the deck before it was attached to the hull. I needed to remove the side cushions and make an access hole to be able to reach the nuts on the underside of the screws.

The side cushions are thin pieces of plywood covered with foam and vinyl upholstery. I will replace them.
 

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#1,535 ·
Hang on tight! Wear gloves because it is a filthy process and the piece can get very hot as well.

Make sure you are only using the "down" part of the buff - it should always be moving away from you where it contacts the workpiece.

Very small parts like bolt heads can occasionally fly across the room but holding them with vice grips minimizes it.
 
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#1,538 · (Edited)
Can't hurt but I just use split cowhide work gloves. If you are doing small pieces you'll find the fingertips get worn through :wink so it's better to not use expensive ones.

The stiffer the gloves are the more parts go flying as well - finger dexterity is important.

One other thing - it's best to do it outside. As I mentioned, it is a filthy process and the flying grime is waxy so it sticks wherever it lands.
 
#1,544 ·
I purchased a GoPro video camera, mainly to document some of the upcoming summer trips on Chesapeake Bay. Turns out, this is a great tool for looking at places in the engine room that I could not normally see. Using the selfie stick, I was able look behind and beneath the engine in an effort to locate a fuel leak. Also, because the camera is completely waterproof to depths of 131 feet, I was able to look at the prop and intakes to make sure they were not fouled with all the aquatic grasses that now grows in the marina. Because the lens is ultra-wide-angle, there is never a problem with focus and you can see everything within a radius of 180 degrees. It's a great tool and not at all expensive. However, the camera does not have a builtin monitor, therefore, you must connect it to your computer/tablet via the USB port in order to see the images.

Cheers,

Gary :cool:
 
#1,545 · (Edited)
I purchased a GoPro video camera, mainly to document some of the upcoming summer trips on Chesapeake Bay. Turns out, this is a great tool for looking at places in the engine room that I could not normally see. Using the selfie stick, I was able look behind and beneath the engine in an effort to locate a fuel leak. Also, because the camera is completely waterproof to depths of 131 feet, I was able to look at the prop and intakes to make sure they were not fouled with all the aquatic grasses that now grows in the marina. Because the lens is ultra-wide-angle, there is never a problem with focus and you can see everything within a radius of 180 degrees. It's a great tool and not at all expensive. However, the camera does not have a builtin monitor, therefore, you must connect it to your computer/tablet via the USB port in order to see the images.

Cheers,

Gary :cool:
FYI, there is a knockoff of the GoPro that is almost as good picture quality (a little bluer in most comparisons) for a lot less money. More importantly, their $60 version has Wifi, so you can run an app on your smartphone which turns your phone into a remote monitor with camera controls on the phone:

Amazon.com: Original Sjcam Sj4000 Wifi Action Camera Sports Helmet Head Video Camcorder (black): Camera & Photo

You need to be careful who you buy from, because this knockoff has been so successful that there are now knockoffs of the knockoff. Apparently the company did not trademark the model number "SJ4000" so others have poached the name. You need to make sure to get the SJ4000 made by SJCAM (the company name is trademarked).

They have newer UltraHD versions for a little more money, but I have no experience with them. I've been very happy with the version I bought last year.

I know that genuine GoPro also has Wifi versions available, but more expensive.
 
#1,558 ·
Re: Low buck projects- let's see 'em!

I was missing a tab on my windex, so I made one from a lemon soda can and section of reflective tape I got at Hrbr. Frght. for five bucks.



from bottom, with flash:



I still need to glue the tab to the rod.
Outstanding and so simple!
 
#1,550 ·
Follow up on some stanchion reinforcements I made a while back finally got them installed and they work great. There's a 6" long Flat bar underneath so the contact area of the inboard foot is increased dramatically. Pictures of the polishing jig I made.
 

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#1,551 ·
A $7 cockpit table that needs no additional space to store.

Take one of your locker lids and attach it with temporary mounts to the mainsheet traveler, pushpit rail, or transom. Rubber pole clips work great in my case. Support the front of the lid with your tiller, a folding leg, or cord tied to the boom and voila! When you're done using it as a table, put it back as the locker lid.

For full details and more pictures, click the picture below to visit my blog at stingysailor.com.

 
#1,553 ·
Take one of your locker lids and attach it with temporary mounts to the mainsheet traveler, pushpit rail, or transom. Rubber pole clips work great in my case. Support the front of the lid with your tiller, a folding leg, or cord tied to the boom and voila! When you're done using it as a table, put it back as the locker lid.
I'm so doing that!
 
#1,555 ·
Floating Tool Tray

Ever have to work in the water while swimming and wonder where to put your tools and parts? Take a dishpan (or mortar mixing tray for really big jobs!), drill a hole in the lip, and put a 3' x 1/8" line through it as a lanyard. Just tie it to something handy and your tool tray is right there.

I have a catamaran with twin outboards slung underneath and other systems only accessible swimming, since the clearance is not enough for a dingy AND headroom. I've pulled a lower unit and replace the impeller using this system. Fortunately, I had done it on dry land and knew the drill. Last week I was installing an external strainer over a troublesome intake, using a hand drill and a depth stop to drill the holes. It went smoothly enough.
 
#1,559 ·
Now all I need to find are floating parts. There are a few non-floating parts and several non-floating pairs of glasses in my slip.
 
#1,557 ·
WOW! And THANK YOU to everyone who posted here.
I only recently registered and came across a couple of posts and thought this was a forum unto itself and figured I'd come back and read it through... LOL!
When I found it again, I went to the beginning and read the WHOLE THING!!!
FANTASTIC ideas! I bookmarked links and saved photos for reference for work we're about to do on our boat. (C26)...
Just had to say thank you... Really got my brain spinning with inspiration and ideas for items I want to put into place.
Best,
Richard
 
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