This is an industry term used to describe SURFACE PREPARATION.
Auto Painters, metal plating. anodizing. It describes a solvent degreased clean surface that is rinsed with clean water. The water sheets, or covers the surface without making drops or pulling back anywhere.
Forums are full of caulks and glues and bedding compounds that haven't worked for some folks. Stanchion bases that leak, plastic-to-plastic seams that let water through. Somebody will say such and such didn't work for them - the product is bad -
but IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE PREP of the pieces that caused the sticky stuff to fail.
Here is a fantastic article on surface prep by a (fishing) rod maker published in RodMaker Magazine V5#2 by Ralph O'Quinn.
He brings over to his craft which uses fiberglass and various glues the waterbreakfree concept
of surface prep. That is, what it takes to get a bond between two surfaces.
Whether that bond is a bedding compound, sealant/adhesive or coating as for the apps we have.
Being contrare I want to use butyl (tape) wherever I can - even under the waterline. I want to be able to remove fixtures and rails and strips, metal on wood and metal on gelcoat without it becoming a disaster. So how do we prepare a surface so that it won't leak when using Dolfinite or RV butyl tape?
This paper provides clues that seem useful to our speciality.
www.rodbuilding.org/library/waterfree.html
google> Water Break Free - Rodbuilding.org
The 6 page article - while specific to fine crafting fishing rods - has enough cross over surface preparation wisdom to make it useful for me. Useful even beyond The Boat.
You know, like caulking the bath-tub seam, that has ALWAYS leaked. Or that flashing on the skylight.
Mr O'Quinn cautions AGAINST using solvents to prep surfaces.
He recommends Scotchbrite pads rather than most abrasives for a "forgotten in history" reason you have to discover by accessing this paper.
Esoteric but very easy to read.
Tuned my predujices and shortcuts on joining stuff.
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* 'messing about in boats'
I know now I didn't prep my bedded Maralon seacock flange (installed below the waterline) well enough!!!
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EDIT, way later, and refers to Craig mentioning alodine in the next post.
There is no need to use carcinogenic acid and alkaline chemcals to remove contaminates and oxide from aluminum.
There is a more benign product: PREKOTE (available at Aircraft Spruce) that incorporates/neutralizes micro contaminates
so that aluminum can be anodized or painted. Have found it useful for localized prep at any time. IE useful
for damage repair that scrapes the finish into the raw aluminum of boom or mast, because it is not caustic. Can be
wiped on like a lotion, and the spar touched up with a coating.
General clean-up around the boat, imco, 91% isopropyl alcohol is the strongest solvent I use for that purpose. 100% IA
is sometimes available. If my cooker or lamps burned alcohol I would try the 100%. Methjyl alcohol solvent is toxic.
Actually alcohol is heavier than air and should never be used below. That is why kerosene is used. considered non-explosive.
Burns dirty, smells bad, and is a petro chem. Any open flame should only be used in the cockpit. Never when sleeping, carbon monoxide. You may never wake up, or go BOOM!. Dawn and Joy are better detergents than Simple Green.
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