The Crab Needs A New Shell--Any Ideas?

[Rob]

Ira--

It's simple. Just move to Massachusetts. It will cool down and shrink to it's appropriate size.

[vipercairo]

Reminds me of the time I stored my '69 442 in my dad's barn. Never covered a stored car with a tarp before (daddy's suggestion); and after 18 months... the entire car was ruined. ...not just the exterior, but the windshield turned white and cracked, the entire leather interior was mildued and the rag top was shot. So.......... NEVER "store" anything you love under a tarp: it's a hard lesson to learn.

But, have faith; you will find the solution and it will turn out right. Mommie can't help with this one!

[Podunkfla]

Yeah, you both got good points there. But like I said, I varnished the hell out of it. Plus, you don't see any moisture stains, and it's not like water is coming in from the edges.

And the varnish I used is even rated to be used BELOW the waterline on boat transoms.

Will take photos this weekend if I can work up the courage.

WAH! I WANT MY MOMMY!

Ira... Even with the great varnish, wood absorbs ambient moisture from the air... expands and contracts constantly with changes in humidity and temperature. You prolly couldn't design a better torture test than sitting outside under a tarp in South Florida. The best I can think of is add another layer of bendy birch ply... then park it indoors somewhere. Or... how about some gold anodised aluminum? That would look good with your theme!

[Ira]

Ira--

It's simple. Just move to Massachusetts. It will cool down and shrink to it's appropriate size.

Hey--Massachusetts is too liberal even for ME! (Just joking--there's no such thing as too liberal.)

And thanks for the encouragement, Carl. But a mommy can ALWAYS make things better:

Who do you think was able to use my 3" drillsaw bit to cut my sink drainhole on the side of the TD, when I myself almost broke my wrist attempting it 15 minutes earlier?

Thank you, mommy.

[Laredo]

Ira,
if it's really just down the middle, why not a trolley top? (and a rack to lift the tarp for the future

[Micro469]

Ira... A serious post here.

If you can get 1/8 Baltic birch in Forida, and epoxy this to your existing roof,edge to edge, cover the two side edges witha thin strip of wood right beside your rope, then Epoxy the whole thing...and then apply your varnish, I think you will have a pretty good fix.

I saw that bendy ply, and didn't use it because I thought it was too flimsy and easily cracked and splintered. I couldn't tell you this, because you had allready finished your trailer before I even stsrted mine....

[GPW]

Ira, if it's only blistered in a few places , you may be able to drill some small holes in the blisters , and inject some glue ... some weights to keep it flat and you may have a quick fix ...
We left out Big bugout in the La. sun for a year , cracked the ply on top and chalked the paint , we filled/re-painted and then built a simple shed to cover it ... thought that would help ... now the carpenter bees are dropping sawdust all over my new paint job ...aargh !!!! sometimes ya' just can't win ...

[surveytech]

Ira,
Could you make a patch something like this?. (see roof below). It could look like you planned it all along.
Maybe a shade darker that your current finish would look cool.

Walter

.

[bobhenry]

I think it's time someone did a padded vinyl top might as well be you Ira !

[caseydog]

I think it's time someone did a padded vinyl top might as well be you Ira !

Ya know, if you take a belt sander to the high spots, and seal the cracks, you probably could use some padded vinyl top material. I think it would look good with the wood sides, too.

And any covering you put over the TD in the future should not touch the surface. Make sure air can circulate under the cover. Still, though, a boatyard in Florida is a real challenge. Look what happens to boats that sit there for a year.

CD

[Ira]

Vinyl would moot the added weight issue, and I could easily tuck it under the ropes. Just a little skeptical on how well I could glue it on there.

Where would I go to look for sources for that online? Automotive?

[elmo]

I know I have been following this without comment....even I am not mean enough to pick on you in this thread...and that was before I knew it happened to me too!

[Ira]

I'm not even that upset about it--it'll give me something to do.

Hell, it took me a year and a half to build and I've only used the thing for like 10 days total.

I think I enjoy the putzing around with it more than actually USING it.

[Miriam C.]

Ira PM Jeff (War Pony) He has the diamond plate looking stuff. Something to remember is Marine or auto vinyl will hold up best.

Oh yeah the sheet fiberglass stuff that Paul C and Heikki are using might work really well for you too.

[Ira]

What about this stuff?

http://www.denverfabrics.com/Merchant2/ ... t_Count=13

It says not for marine applications, but it says automotive. I'm so confused.

Jim in Savannah used the diamond plate vinyl, but that wouldn't go with my TD at all.

JIM WHERE DID YOU BUY THAT STUFF SO I CAN LOOK FOR SIMILAR?