Old school tricks.

[roadnsky]

Am I the only one who carries spare spark plugs?

No. Me too. Cheap insurance.

[toddster]

I have not (yet) tried this with an A4, but back in my single-digit years, when I would spend Saturdays working in the orchard with Great Grand-Dad, GGma would send our lunch wrapped in aluminum foil. We'd put the package on top of the flathead Dodge engine and it would be piping hot by noon!

[joe_db]

Reminds me of a long and cold winter delivery. I had two pairs of socks, one on my feet and one on top of the engine. I would swap about every 20 minutes for hot dry socks. This worked great until the crew below revolted at the smell

[sastanley]

Am I the only one who carries spare spark plugs?

No. Me too. Cheap insurance.

+2 Me three!

[marthur]

Fuel fill from the dinghy - get the engine end of whatever kind of fitting your outboard uses and attach a hose to it.

You can do a similar trick to transfer fuel from your jerry cans while underway without spilling a drop. I keep a spare bulb and fuel line specifically for that purpose. The fuel will even siphon through the bulb, so you only have to squeeze a few times. The fittings are in my spares box, ready if I ever need them.

[joe_db]

Not sure if this is old school, but I winterized my engine today and I always pull the wire off the coil when the seacock is closed or the engine is otherwise not fit for duty. No way to forget and start it up.

[ndutton]

On another recent thread the mention of white Rustoleum for interior paint came up. Here's an old school trick for oil based paints like Rustoleum, even works on varnish: add a capful of Japan Drier (aka Cobalt Drier) per quart of paint. It acts like a catalyst resulting in 1/4 the drying time. It's particularly beneficial when painting in less than ideal conditions.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip-1-pt-Japan-Drier-PJD40/100162022?keyword=japan+drier

[Ram41662]

Yup, Japan Dryer makes "regular" one-part paint dry faster, but also may make it less likely to flow out smooth, so use a good brush or foam roller.

Anyone else try a dose of Dulux catalyst in enamel paint? This was suggested to me by an old automotive painter as a way to make paint in the bed of a truck last longer. I don't know if it lasted any longer, considering how my trucks are used, but it did make the coating much harder and more resistant to oxidation.

[ndutton]

Yup, Japan Dryer makes "regular" one-part paint dry faster, but also may make it less likely to flow out smooth, so use a good brush or foam roller.

My post was biased by my own habits and practices. I can't remember the last time I rolled or brushed oil based paint, always sprayed which pretty much eliminates the flow out concerns.

Lemme tell ya how nice a sprayed varnish finish looks. My varnished teak handrails come off this week for refinishing at home where I have the full advantage of spray equipment (and no marina rules prohibiting it). New cockpit eyebrows (C30 owners know about those), main hatch slider cap rails and hatch drop boards will be refinished at the same time. More good smells during the holidays for my daughter (see "Childhood Memories" thread).

And Japan Drier will play a major role.

[Dave Neptune]

Todd, I have too dinned on "manifold stew" many times. First time I was a kid in Nevada showing my eastern cousin some of the west. We stopped at a rest stop in the winter and were starting to make some PB&J sandwiches in the cold. This trucker walks up and says you boys look cold and hungry while handing us his "manifold stew", it was a whole chicken stuffed with carrots onions and potatoe slices all wrapped up in alum foil. It was delicious hot and cooked for 200 miles on his Cummins. Also made it myself a couple of times on an old Ford 6 cyl pickup going cross country.

Dave Neptune

[Ram41662]

Neil, if you see the pics from inside my workshop, you should be able to catch a glimpse of my spray booth. It's only 14' x 10' x 8', so I can't get my boat in it, but I can easily fit all the parts I make before installing.

[Ando]

What a cool thread

Bump any others?

[joe_db]

Here you go - how to make a regulator out of a light bulb:

https://www.moyermarineforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11313&highlight=light+bulb+regulator

[zellerj]

water pump gasket

To keep the paper thin water pump gasket in place while installing the screws I use small binder clips to hold the gasket on the front plate. Once the screws are started I can remove the clips and finish the job. Saves me from a lot of frustration.

[Dave Neptune]

Jim, good idea with the clips and sometimes a smear of grease will do the same thing.

Dave Neptune