Bedding Hardware

[Wildergarten]

When I was in junior college I payed my way in poverty doing restoration work on antique wooden boats (the people who buy "fixer" boats never can afford them). It was a great education involving difficult high precision wood work and painting, electrical, mechanical, etc. in an accelerated corrosion environment. BUT... The materials were always so outrageously expensive the owners could hardly afford to pay me. There were times I went hungry for days until the money came in.

The usual practice in marine applications when bolting every fitting, handrail, light fixture, etc. to the outside surface of the boat (both above the waterline and below) was to apply "bedding compound" to keep water from seeping beneath the fittings and through the fasteners to the interior by capillary action. The most effective product for this purpose was Dolfinite, a linseed oil based goop that stays soft, pliable, and (importantly) paintable for bloody ever (once it skins over). The real beauty of the product is that despite the fact that it was sticky enough to seal and goopy enough to flex, it would release from painted surfaces when the parts were removed for whatever reason. It also tends to protect the paint when fastening hardware and seals sheetmetal screws such that they won't rust as easily (the cowl grating or headlight rings on a Sweptline truck would be a good example. Other applications on my truck would be fittings bolted to the bed, light fixtures without adequate gaskets, any penetrations into the cab such as door handles.

http://www.pettitpaint.com/products/var ... -compound/

Dolfinite is a wonderful product. The problem with it is the price. At $70-80 PER QUART (even on Amazon), I am wondering if any in the group is aware of an automotive product analogous to this. I see Colorimetrics Gray Putty Tape/Butyl Tape and sealing tapes for RVs, but I have no experience with them. Most of what I know is available are sealing caulking compounds that either adhere like glue, and many such as silicones, are unpaintable, or slowly shrink. So I'm more open to suggestions than my wallet is to Dolfinite!

Mark

[PwrWgnDrvr]

How many QTs does it take to seal the screws on the cowl grate and headlight rings?

[Wildergarten]

How many QTs does it take to seal the screws on the cowl grate and headlight rings?

Precisely. And they don't sell smaller quantities. I don't want to spend that $80.

So... do YOU know of such a material?

[Hobcobble]

How about the goop that electricians use to seal a wire that
goes into a building? I only know it by its slang term: Monkey Sh*t.
Would that work? Maybe you could buy a single dropping of it....

John

[Wildergarten]

I only know it by its slang term: Monkey Sh*t.

I didn't know it at all, but the trade name is "Duct Seal."
Looks like it might work, but I don't know if it is paintable with a solvent coating.
Cheap enough one could try it (less than $10/pound).