Previously I said I was pouring detergent through to try and clean out the oil in the scrap metal added to the lead ballast. The detergent was not doing the best job so I tried metho. Then heavy duty degreaser. I would pour it in the access hole and collect it from the hole underneath the keel.
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Noticed some oil residue in the bucket that the cleaners were not doing much to. Tried some mineral turps and it quickly dissolved it. So, put turps through.
Also had the hot air gun blowing 70 or 80 degree C through the keel.
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After a week, I was glad I had another week as still some oil dripping out. Then I found there was a big stuff up with days and I lost two days so had to hurry up my work.
When I thought the oil left inside would probably not stop epoxy from setting, I poured a cup inside the access hole. Plugged the hole underneath with a stick. Next day, the stick came out easily, the epoxy had not reached the hole. Instead, it had blocked up near the access hole so I could no longer pour stuff in.
I used a syringe to squirt first mineral turps then metho up the hole under the keel. It seemed to be almost totally free of oil so I put the hot air gun on for a while. Then checked for oil seepage again, it was almost nothing, and using a slightly bigger drill bit than the hole, recut the hole. Shoved a thin strip of linen cloth soaked in epoxy in the hole. The cloth acted like a sponge holding the epoxy. I covered the outside with peel ply and let the plug set. I use Bote-cote epoxy.
The purpose of this plug was to prevent any contamination from seeping down into the patch I was going to apply and ruining it.
Once set, I checked it carefully. The epoxy plug showed no sign of contamination. I ground back the surrounding fibreglass into a standard bowl shape. It shaved some of the fresh plug off but that was fine as the remaining bit of plug still sealed.
All looked good. Put circles of fibreglass cloth into a shallow plastic dish and poured some mixed epoxy onto them. When the layers of cloth were soaked, I picked up the whole patch, I use disposable gloves, and applied it to the bowl area. Put peel ply over the patch and used masking tape to hold it on.
Repaired the access hole in a similar way, just the standard approach. Ground out a bowl. Painted on epoxy. Put circles of woven fibreglass cloth of different sizes in a shallow dish and poured some mixed epoxy on them. When soaked, I pulled out the whole patch and put it on.
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Oh, before putting on the fibreglass patch, I got a piece of foam sponge, soaked it in epoxy and pushed it in the access hole. It fitted nicely in the void and provided a bit of support across the hole for the fibreglass cloth I would put on later.
To help speed up the setting of the epoxy, I used the heat gun.
The last coating was epoxy plus fillet/glue powder. Didn't use the normal fairing powder as the fillet/glue powder is harder and stronger.
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Next day I sanded both patches. The patch under the keel was the one I was concerned about, it looked fantastic. No sign of any contamination.
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Used Shipshape two pack as primer.
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