coating for cork float

[Tubs]

For what it’s worth it’s been over 4 years
ago I drilled a hole in this un-coated cork,
weighted it down in 10% ethanol with
40.2 to 1 Synthetic TCW-3. Its still floating.
Tubs

A "Boathouse Repair" is one that done without having tools or the skills to do it properly.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by Tubs.

[stanley]

Every time the subject of old cork floats comes up,I think of Tubs experiment.At this point I think it show that sealing cork floats might not be as necessary as we assume.

[davidk]

I can just imagine all the curious experiments happening in that boat house!

[Tubs]

Odd? Weird? Bizarre?
Sure.
Nothing illegal.

A "Boathouse Repair" is one that done without having tools or the skills to do it properly.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by Tubs.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by Tubs.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by Tubs.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by Tubs.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 11 months ago by Tubs.

[outbdnut2]

In addition to clear model airplane dope, I’ve heard of people using superglue for a coating, but haven’t tried it myself.

On the subject of corks, there was a message string here awhile back where it was found that all cork is not the same. There is open-cell cork that will soak up gas if not coated, and closed-cell cork that will not. I had a wine bottle cork that had been removed from the bottle with a slick cork remover that did not make a hole in it. I put it, uncoated, in a Johnson gas tank to run the gauge. In a month it had sunk to the bottom.
Dave

[dave-bernard]

would the test change IF the cork was subjected to air at times rather than kept under the surface.

[aquasonic]

dave-bernard wrote:

would the test change IF the cork was subjected to air at times rather than kept under the surface.

The results would change if intermittent drying times were introduced. What destroys floats are tiny microorganisms that attack the cork such as bacteria and fungi. The microorganisms can’t survive when immersed in gasoline, but will attack the unprotected cork when it’s exposed to air.

I like to use the analogy of an unprotected piece of wood getting wet, then drying out time after time. After some time, the wood becomes punky. Totally immersed wood lasts longer than wood that is regularly exposed to wetting and drying. I have seen southern yellow pine construction piles that have been under water for upwards of 100 years, that are in excellent condition.

Improvise-Adapt-Overcome

[jimbrizzolara]

A few weeks back I made a new cork for a Johnson HD-25. I sealed the cork with a commonly found glue called. “Seal-All””. It worked well and is resistant to fuel. It was cheaper than buying model airplane dope and I can use it as a glue for repairing the things my grandkids are always breaking.

[billy-t]

Thanks all

[Tubs]

Years ago, when I was coating floats, the
coating I used came off, got stuck in the
needle and seat causing the carburetor to
run over. About the same time someone
posted the reason why cork floats were
coated.
He explained –“Cork floats were initially
coated because fungus (microorganisms)
would grow on the float. While this may
have been an issue 100 years ago with the
refined fuel we have its no longer the case.”
Seamed to be valid to me and worth making
an effort to find out. So after doing a little
checking I learned that microorganisms do
in fact live in fuel and is an ongoing issue
with diesel and fuel oil. Especially with
storage. So my thinking is if it’s possible
to get something growing on a cork in
todays gasoline it should be submerged
in fuel and left to sit for and extended
period of time. Nothing yet. If I ever see
an issue arise you’ll hear about it here first.
The only point of my “curious experiments”
is to produce some evidence that what I
have come to believe is in fact correct.
I use to coat my floats. I don’t any longer.
I offer this only as information , for what
it’s worth.

A "Boathouse Repair" is one that done without having tools or the skills to do it properly.

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stanley

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