Any of the "old goats" aboard will know what I'm talking about. We used to do fancywork all along the rails on all ladders inside and out on the ships. The fancywork prevented yahoos from doing an "armpit slide" from one level to another (usually breaking something along the way) as well as providing a good solid handgrip in heavy seas.

In the old days, I'd have rekkied a bucket, a couple gallons of TCE, a soft brush and some rags and gone to work scrubbing them down with the TCE preparatory to re-varnishing them.

Now, however, in "our modern Navy", TCE and all it's little derivitives set off more alarm bells than any six ships should have... the Health and Safety Officer would push the "catastrophic chemical spill" button at the very mention of it, so WTH do I do now?

I have to clean off the gorp and crud to re-varnish, but everything I would have used "back then" is now "Verboten", eine kapital "V" mitten.

So.... any suggestions out there in the land where everyone knows more than me? Your expertise will be very greatly appreciated!

The Fat Man

409 or Simple Green (heavy on the Simple Green light on the water).. Both seem to work pretty well for me in most cases.
When I stopped smoking I "detail cleaned" the house. 409 cut the nicotine/tar build up on the bulkheads like a hot knife through butter.

Simple Green takes a lot of rinseing but works as good as anything i've ever seen.

Re: "everyone knows more then me"

As concerns "fancywork" I'd have to say you are damn near without peer. Looking at some of your work I can only say, I'm slap Tee totally IMPRESSED!!!!

Good luck with your project.

BMCS Ret.

Ever try a bleach and water mix?

quote:

Originally posted by GerryRM3:
Ever try a bleach and water mix?

Re: bleach

did I ever tell ya about my days as a Seaman 2nd Head Swamper
I decided one day prior to a big CO's messing, berthing, etc etc inspection that i'd REALLY get the shower stalls cleaned up in a 4.0 manner.
So to make a long story short I mixed some bleach and ammonia in hot water.. Luckly the BM3 I worked for caught a whiff of the gas and got me out before I did any real damage to myself.
My first and last foray into chemistry

Rat they used that combination in WW1. Not a good thing for your lungs.

Gentlemen (as you always are, the both of yez) thanks.

We'll try the bleach and water first (cheaper) but get the 409 too as a reserve. Rinsing is no sweat, the rails in question are exterior on a Coast Guard (WPB)Fast patrol craft in San Juan, so we can just hose 'em down with fresh from the shore hydrants.

I would have used the TCE for the cleaning ability but also because it would "etch" the surface just a bit to provide a 'tooth" for the re-varnishing to adhere better, but clean is the important part: we'll rough 'em out a bit with some sandpaper, wipe 'em and go from there.

Hopefully I can get some preety peectures of the work when done and post them on my site with a link here.

Gerry: try for Mystic this year?

Rat: thank YOU, Chief for the advice and the nice words. Stopping smoking is almost as disgusting as smoking itself when you start to see (and have to clean up) the detritus on overheads, cabinets and the like. I still puff away, but I do it outside so that SWMBO won't keelhaul me anymore!

FWFS!

RE: My comment about smoking,

I smoked for 51 years, so I in no way think bad about or look down on anyone that smokes or still smokes. Haven't had one in close to two years.

I was told by many many former smokers that I'd grow to hate everything about smoking.

Let me just say this about that, I MISS my Marlboro Reds BIG TIME. If I were told I had just a few months to live, the first thing I'd do is LIGHT UP......

quote:

Gerry: try for Mystic this year?

I'll try but my boat may interfere with that trip. The wife and I are heading to the Boston boat show to see what kind of deal we can cut. You might say the dealers are very accomodating right now.

Vince,

Out of curiosity, how many years have you been going to mystic for? I ask because your picture looks familiar. When I lived in RI as a kid we got annual family passes from my Aunts as Christmas gifts. When I "grew up" and moved to Groton with my DH we got our own passes there. kids loved going all the time (loved watching my little boy run all over the tall ships). Had friends who vollunteered and worked there acting for the Christmas and Halloween tours, Moby Dick reading, etc.

Gerry: No problem...If you get a boat, you can sail it on the Ocean, and if you get a pony, you can ride him on your boat.... etc. GOOD LUCK! Now IS the time to go looking, but that window is either gonna close fast is the economy receovers as I expect.


Catharine, I've really only been going to Mystic over the last three years. Before that I was there once or twice while at NavSta Newport (and was not impressed back then) but have since come to really love the place. Living in Philly complicates my attendance, though. Now I go and sell fancywork at the annual Wooden Boat Show in June.

Vince,

Just something to check on as far as the CG patrol boat. This is old history and may have changed, but a heads up. In the late 1980s an edict from on high went out to the cutters ordering all exterior fancywork on hand rails and ladder rails to be cut off/removed, and no longer applied.

Seems some chowderhead somewhere had neglected maintenance and inspections and on cutter had a rail disintegrate under the fancywork and an injury occured.

May be passed water ( can I say that ?? ) but wouldn't want to see you deep into the project when someone gets a hair across their tookus.

Regards
Dana

River - must be within a day or so now till the final retirement.

quote:

Originally posted by Mastersmate:
Vince,

Just something to check on as far as the CG patrol boat. This is old history and may have changed, but a heads up. In the late 1980s an edict from on high went out to the cutters ordering all exterior fancywork on hand rails and ladder rails to be cut off/removed, and no longer applied.

Seems some chowderhead somewhere had neglected maintenance and inspections and on cutter had a rail disintegrate under the fancywork and an injury occured.

May be passed water ( can I say that ?? ) but wouldn't want to see you deep into the project when someone gets a hair across their tookus.

Regards
Dana

River - must be within a day or so now till the final retirement.

"Worm and parcel with the lay, turn and serve the other way"

Man when was the last time we heard that?

Re: The removal/non application of fancywork to handrail, lifelines, etc. When we comissioned the Jesse LeRoy "MF'in Brown, aka The Junkyard Dog (all very affectionate nicknames) We were told that kind of fancywork was not to be applied above or below decks... NBC hazard and as you stated it 'could' hide defects or rusted out joints etc.. Both limp d**k, lame a** excuses to my way of thinking

Re: Retirement-- 480 'working' MINUTES till I throw in the towel..

Steady as you go Shipmate's!!!!

Bill

Any suggestions of how to repair fancy work? We are restoring a former USN ATA 202 (WW-II c1944) and former USCG Cutter Comanche that still has a lot of fancy work on it. But some of it is coming apart. The cleaning tips have been most helpful, btw. Thanks.

HAPPY RETIREMENT, RIVERRAT!

If I have all my toes and fingers in the right places, today should be the first day of the rest of your (retired) life!

O.K. ! Back to "turnin' and burnin'" here!

Looks like this has struck a chord with others who are restoring/maintaining "historic ships" and needs some expansion, so - with the anticipated permission of the Forum 'Mom', anyone who want to explore this further should do so HERE as WELL AS going to www.frayedknotarts.com/email.html and sending me an email to open live communication. The "send a message" function on the forum either is not working or I have b.o., halitosis and "hat hair", 'cos I have yet to receive a reply from any messages I've ever posted there.

If I get a few replies, I'll invest the time to start a website page where we can all ask questions and get answers on this subject in something approaching "real-time".

Great, Vince (oldmusicproject)!! Checked it out and it was great web site. Comanche has much of the same fancy work at Zuni/Tamora still on it inside and out but some of it is coming apart. We have several old BMs invovled and will probably begin restoring the work on the outside stancions and rails this summer.
Comanche is fully opperational and we take her out several times a year just for fun and to events for visitors to climb around on.
See "http://www.cg-tugs.org"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: TMC_SW_Ret,

OK: Now I'm for it.

I have to go on the 13th (good day, that!)to give a quote on doing three flights of ladders for (edited) at NAS (edited). Seems the Admiral wants to have "salty" as a standerd look for the command!

ANYONE with pictures of rail wraps and especially turksheads "split" around the bulkhead supports, I'd REALLY like to have 'em as references!

(email address at: http://www.frayedknotarts.com/email.html)

Can you believe that they cannot find anyone on AD who even knows what this stuff is, much less can do it?

It ain't MY Navy anymore.

quote:

Can you believe that they cannot find anyone on AD who even knows what this stuff is, much less can do it?

Your opportunity to grab some youngster and show him if you give the word to the Admiral. Maybe they'll open an "A" school for it.

quote:

Originally posted by oldmusicproject:
OK: Now I'm for it.

I have to go on the 13th (good day, that!)to give a quote on doing three flights of ladders for (edited) at NAS (edited). Seems the Admiral wants to have "salty" as a standerd look for the command!

ANYONE with pictures of rail wraps and especially turksheads "split" around the bulkhead supports, I'd REALLY like to have 'em as references!

(email address at: http://www.frayedknotarts.com/email.html)

Can you believe that they cannot find anyone on AD who even knows what this stuff is, much less can do it?

It ain't MY Navy anymore.

Yeah, I can believe it, for the simple fact that there may not be anyone stationed in the area that knows how to do that. BTDT.

If you're in a fleet concentration area, it shouldn't be a problem to find someone. If you're a fair distance from one, like I am, you aren't going to find the assets on AD or in the reserves to make it work.

Deep in my heart, I am hoping that they'll have a couple of skulls, or maybe a BM3 or so, that I can show how to do this stuff and then I can just charge them a consultant's fee and get outta Dodge... to do the whole job myself is gonna be at LEAST $6000 per ladderwell and take two - two and a half weeks time. I ain't so young nor speedy like I useta' be!

Not to mention I'll have "O's" up the yingie traversing the ladder while I'm working and don'ch'a know, each and every one is gonna want to know what I'm doing and how I learned it aaand... (Bunch'a (censored) tourists.)

quote:

Can you believe that they cannot find anyone on AD who even knows what this stuff is, much less can do it?

It ain't MY Navy anymore.

________________________________________________

Shaking my head walking slowly into the sunset, muttering, Un F-ing Believable.

Totally Un F-ing Sat!

And please please don't some 21st Century WANNBE Salt come on here and start with that F-ing, "things are newer and better" bu**s*** either.

REAL Navy Ships and Stations have had "Fancywork" since the days of sail up until at least 1980, and it wasn't just us knuckle draggin Hempsmiths that fashioned it either!

End of transmission--OUT

BMCS Ret.