So I don't know if I am actually making progress forward or backward. I haven't started putting anything back together, I have only taken things apart.
Anyway, the bulkheads between the stringers have been bothering me. The resin that they were coated with has cracked and there is some rot around the drain holes. More importantly, they are in the way of my glassing in the intake opening for my setback and reinforcing the surrounding area.
I was going to do this old-school and grind them out with my 4" grinder, but how could I pass up an opportunity to buy a new power tool? After a little research and debate, I opted for the Dremel Multi-Max 4.0 amp MM45.
I didn't have much hope for the longevity of the blades cutting through fiberglass. Dremel has a pretty good assortment of tools and I was told there was an adapter that allowed the use of other brands, however the tool-less Quick-Lock system is not compatible with the currently available adapters. After digging through all of the Dremel tools, not expecting any to last very long, I decided to try a 1/16" semi-circular abrasive blade for removing grout, MM501, and a somewhat narrow straight carbide cutting blade, MM485.
I was so impressed with this tool. The precision of this tool allowed me to cut between the wood of the bulkheads and the fiberglass hull. I was able to remove the bulkheads intact, I will be able to use them as a template for the new bulkheads. Cutting was very quick and wear on the blades was minimal or even indistinguishable. The carbide blade, MM485, didn't show any wear on the cutting edge, however the TiN coating disappeared immediately.
Dust was surprisingly minimal. I would have felt comfortable performing this work inside my shop without worrying about contaminating everything with fiberglass dust. Even though the cuts were pretty clean, it was still necessary to grind the hull and stringers where the bulkheads were tabbed in.
The performance of this tool was so impressive, it almost makes me want to redo the floor, stringers, and transom. Almost!
