Flipping couches for fun and profit
- Thread starter WFO Speedracer
- Start date
Myself
manic mechanic
- Location
- Twin Lakes AR
Here was some I did from a Kawi 900. 30 minutes with the heat up..........that water was clean before this!!
Attachments
Myself
manic mechanic
- Location
- Twin Lakes AR
If I can't turn AT LEAST 1k, I don't bother fixing one.
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Each one is different , on the GTS I sold I paid $500 for it and another $300 or so in parts , It sold for $2200 , I had to put a trailer under it which I already had.
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On the RFI I had zero in it , the customer gave it to me , the engine came out of the 3D I bought for $1000 and I probably had another $400 in parts added to that , so at worst case I was in it $1400 and sold it for $2500 and got a 3D for free , I also had to put a trailer under it which I already had , so I made $1100 , if you split it and say I have $500 in the 3D then I made $1600 so it depends on how you want to look at it I suppose.
I have quite a few that were given to me, if you can start at zero , that's a good place to start , if you have to pay anything over a couple of hundred for the ski it's probably not worth doing on these lower priced skis , on something like the GTX 4tec supercharged ski I bought last year it's defiantly worth doing because out the door that ski is worth about $4000.
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
This is exactly why I want one , I am always looking for ways to up my game or do the job better , smarter or faster .
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
The Ultrasonic cleaner came in , I set it all up but haven't used it yet , to be honest I haven't really done anything since Wednesday.,
Tuesday morning we both had Dr appts in Montgomery , I was having an MRI with contrast done to check on my heart function, she was having a follow up with the device clinic on her pacemaker , we both woke up feeling sick and having severe stomach pain.
I went to the store and got us some ginger ale and we toughed it out , she did ok , me not so much I have been laying on the couch pretty much since Wednesday. I did make it out to the garden and get some stuff done there ..
Wednesday I got up and forced myself to finish up that GTX and get it out the door , it wasn't easy, after that I have had doses of antacids , Pepto Bismol , ginger ale and then started on some antibiotics , after two days on the antibiotics I am starting to turn the corner and move around some today , so maybe by this afternoon I will go yank the carbs off one of my motorcycles and get them in the cleaner to see what's up .
On top of all of that when they took my blood before they did the MRI they did a liver function test , it did not come back that great so they are having me do a liver flush , I am supposed to be drinking 6 16 oz bottles of water per day , I am not a Dr by any means but all of my research says that is way too much water .
It started giving me a headache , so I did my own research and backed off to 4 bottles a day , some of these DR's just throw stuff out there , I have decided in my next life I will either be a Dr or a weatherman , neither on has to be right most of the time.
Tuesday morning we both had Dr appts in Montgomery , I was having an MRI with contrast done to check on my heart function, she was having a follow up with the device clinic on her pacemaker , we both woke up feeling sick and having severe stomach pain.
I went to the store and got us some ginger ale and we toughed it out , she did ok , me not so much I have been laying on the couch pretty much since Wednesday. I did make it out to the garden and get some stuff done there ..
Wednesday I got up and forced myself to finish up that GTX and get it out the door , it wasn't easy, after that I have had doses of antacids , Pepto Bismol , ginger ale and then started on some antibiotics , after two days on the antibiotics I am starting to turn the corner and move around some today , so maybe by this afternoon I will go yank the carbs off one of my motorcycles and get them in the cleaner to see what's up .
On top of all of that when they took my blood before they did the MRI they did a liver function test , it did not come back that great so they are having me do a liver flush , I am supposed to be drinking 6 16 oz bottles of water per day , I am not a Dr by any means but all of my research says that is way too much water .
It started giving me a headache , so I did my own research and backed off to 4 bottles a day , some of these DR's just throw stuff out there , I have decided in my next life I will either be a Dr or a weatherman , neither on has to be right most of the time.
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WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Ok I am going to start with something simple which works because I am simple minded , a set of RFI injectors , I am focusing on the end that goes into the cylinder where the pintle is located, very nasty and carboned up .
All I did was wipe off oil and the loose stuff off the injectors with a paper towel and remove the o-rings from the injectors .
I have the machine set to 45 degrees Celsius which is 113 degrees Fahrenheit , these do contain plastic so I am starting off on the low side , we will do a 10 minute cycle to start , if it needs more I will give it more time. , if it needs more heat we can do that as well.
I filled the tank with 6 liters of water and added 1/2 cup of Pine-Sol which is what I have on hand right now .
The timer says 30 minutes but I haven't set it yet , the timer isn't even on yet , the machine is still in warm up mode , it appears to take a little while to warm up to temp .
All I did was wipe off oil and the loose stuff off the injectors with a paper towel and remove the o-rings from the injectors .
I have the machine set to 45 degrees Celsius which is 113 degrees Fahrenheit , these do contain plastic so I am starting off on the low side , we will do a 10 minute cycle to start , if it needs more I will give it more time. , if it needs more heat we can do that as well.
I filled the tank with 6 liters of water and added 1/2 cup of Pine-Sol which is what I have on hand right now .
The timer says 30 minutes but I haven't set it yet , the timer isn't even on yet , the machine is still in warm up mode , it appears to take a little while to warm up to temp .
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Myself
manic mechanic
- Location
- Twin Lakes AR
I'll bet the Pine-sol works great in these cleaners.
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
I have used it before to soak carb parts for cleaning, it does work pretty well .
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Injectors didn't look good after 10 minutes , I upped the temp to 55 C and added an additional 20 minutes, they came out looking perfect after that . The cleaning solution is no longer clear so it removed some dirt and grime from somewhere , it was crystal clear before.
I am going to hook it up to the injector cleaner and disconnect the pump , I will just be using it to cycle the injectors so I can spray carb cleaner through them to flush them out .
The damn thing is noisy though , not just noisy , it's nails on a chalkboard irritatingly noisy , almost as bad as my homemade tumbler , I have it inside the house RN since my lady is out of town , this unit defiantly goes outside in the shop where the shop fan can muffle the noise some .
I am doing a motorcycle carb on the next go around , either the Big Wheel or the Honda Reflex , it's time to get some stuff up and running again .
I am going to hook it up to the injector cleaner and disconnect the pump , I will just be using it to cycle the injectors so I can spray carb cleaner through them to flush them out .
The damn thing is noisy though , not just noisy , it's nails on a chalkboard irritatingly noisy , almost as bad as my homemade tumbler , I have it inside the house RN since my lady is out of town , this unit defiantly goes outside in the shop where the shop fan can muffle the noise some .
I am doing a motorcycle carb on the next go around , either the Big Wheel or the Honda Reflex , it's time to get some stuff up and running again .
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Myself
manic mechanic
- Location
- Twin Lakes AR
Tech tip.........foam cooler upside down over the cleaner to muffle out the screeching sound LOL!!
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Ok the staycation is over , I can send you some nice scenic pics of the couch and the TV if you like , I am back at it, I am nowhere near 100% but even at 50% I am at least half as good as anyone else . So I started working on the 97 GTX this morning . I starting at $300 into this one , replaced the wear ring, cleaned the carbs, new fuel lines , new battery , pulled the pump shoe and resealed it, that's it so far , I have had it in the water she ran fairly well .
I needed to flip the ski over and see what was what , I knew already it was horrid and I wasn't going to be able to do a lot with it , my goal is to get it where it looks good on the trailer .
I tried a couple of times last week to flip it over by hand , like I said I am nowhere near 100% , it wasn't happening , my motto now is work smarter not harder so I grabbed the zero turn and a tie down strap , hooked her up, partially flipped it over then eased it the rest of the way by hand .
She is looking rough , like she's been on a week long bender , it had some kind of black stuff all over it , you can see it in the second pic toward the back of the ski , some of it looked like paint some of it like tar, not really sure but it sanded right off , I can get rid of some of the scratches and make it shiny , that's about it and I don't want to spend a ton of time doing it , the top part is sanded and I have to go get the buffer from the shop and buff it all out.
It is still wet in the picture, no it does not look nearly that good yet when dry but hey I can get her close I bet .
I needed to flip the ski over and see what was what , I knew already it was horrid and I wasn't going to be able to do a lot with it , my goal is to get it where it looks good on the trailer .
I tried a couple of times last week to flip it over by hand , like I said I am nowhere near 100% , it wasn't happening , my motto now is work smarter not harder so I grabbed the zero turn and a tie down strap , hooked her up, partially flipped it over then eased it the rest of the way by hand .
She is looking rough , like she's been on a week long bender , it had some kind of black stuff all over it , you can see it in the second pic toward the back of the ski , some of it looked like paint some of it like tar, not really sure but it sanded right off , I can get rid of some of the scratches and make it shiny , that's about it and I don't want to spend a ton of time doing it , the top part is sanded and I have to go get the buffer from the shop and buff it all out.
It is still wet in the picture, no it does not look nearly that good yet when dry but hey I can get her close I bet .
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Myself
manic mechanic
- Location
- Twin Lakes AR
Shoot..........that thing is downright presentable!!
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Something funky is going on with it , some of this may be paint shot on top of gelcoat , IDK for sure .it is several different shades of ugly , as I said earlier I won't be able to do much with it .
The best I can do on this one is try to cover some of the damage up.
In other news I filed for my Social Security benefits yesterday , notice I said benefits , they are not entitlements because it is my money they took from me .
From the looks of things if I want to enjoy any of that money I need to get my hands on it now , the way my health rollercoaster is going I can't wait till 65 or 67 to collect , the coaster might come off the track before then .
I should be getting my first check in my account on October , this fall they are discontinuing paper checks and going full EFT for benefits , also no more in person appointments , over the phone or online only , I did mine online .
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WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
I don't like to make a habit of it but just every once in a while it's good to be wrong , I haven't even put the secret sauce on it yet.
What is this secret sauce you ask, well I can't tell you because it's a secret , just kidding it's Zep floor wax , specifically the wet look commercial polish in the link below , a gallon will last you forever , you can but it at Home Depot or on Amazon .
I usually do about three light coats , I don't get picky with application , a folded paper towel will work just fine , when it dries buff the hell out of it by hand with a soft cloth . the results are amazing .
What is this secret sauce you ask, well I can't tell you because it's a secret , just kidding it's Zep floor wax , specifically the wet look commercial polish in the link below , a gallon will last you forever , you can but it at Home Depot or on Amazon .
I usually do about three light coats , I don't get picky with application , a folded paper towel will work just fine , when it dries buff the hell out of it by hand with a soft cloth . the results are amazing .
Loading…
www.amazon.com
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WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Myself
manic mechanic
- Location
- Twin Lakes AR
Nice........I've never thought of using floor wax. Of course, I normally have all sorts of polish and waxing products on hand anyway for the show cars.
WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
She is back on the ground , tomorrow I start on the other side after spin it around and flip it the other way .
This thing has some serious spider cracks on the upper rear parts where the big Seadoo decals are , I am not going to fix them , it also looks like multiple repairs have been done on this ski , some with paint over the gelcoat , it would take way too much effort and there is very little return to go very far with this one , I am more interested in covering it up than fixing it , remember the starting point here was $300 .
I found an interesting set of Graphics on Ebay when I was looking for RFI graphics a few weeks back and saved them on my Ebay wish list , the two rear pieces of this set of graphics would cover those areas then I could put whatever I want on top of them , the trouble is I need them in solid black or at least without the stripes , I have contacted the seller to see if that was a possibility , if not I can create my own pattern out of poster paper and just buy black vinyl and apply it there , it will be defiantly be cheaper but more work on my part .
The second set of graphics is my go -to for the large 26" Seadoo decals and it is probably what I will use for those , I may put the big Seadoo logos under the rub rail , I will just have to see how it all looks and fits together , that's what scotch tape is for lol , I also have a few tricks to update the look of the ski that are basically free to me , so stay tuned..
This thing has some serious spider cracks on the upper rear parts where the big Seadoo decals are , I am not going to fix them , it also looks like multiple repairs have been done on this ski , some with paint over the gelcoat , it would take way too much effort and there is very little return to go very far with this one , I am more interested in covering it up than fixing it , remember the starting point here was $300 .
I found an interesting set of Graphics on Ebay when I was looking for RFI graphics a few weeks back and saved them on my Ebay wish list , the two rear pieces of this set of graphics would cover those areas then I could put whatever I want on top of them , the trouble is I need them in solid black or at least without the stripes , I have contacted the seller to see if that was a possibility , if not I can create my own pattern out of poster paper and just buy black vinyl and apply it there , it will be defiantly be cheaper but more work on my part .
The second set of graphics is my go -to for the large 26" Seadoo decals and it is probably what I will use for those , I may put the big Seadoo logos under the rub rail , I will just have to see how it all looks and fits together , that's what scotch tape is for lol , I also have a few tricks to update the look of the ski that are basically free to me , so stay tuned..
SEADOO GTX REPLACEMENT GRAPHIC KIT SEA DOO HULL DECAL BOAT RFI STICKERS 96-1999 | eBay
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WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Flipped , sanded , buffed and Zep waxed , the key to that Zep wax is you have to aggressively polish it out by hand to get the shine up , from what I have seen the buffer doesn't cut it.
The bottom is done as soon as the paint dries it can go back on a trailer , this is as good as it's going to get , this side was much better and took maybe a third of the time that the first side did.
I also did a quick tape and spray on the ride plate and intake grate , bolts and all , it's easier to pull the bolts out later and hit them with a wire brush on a grinder , at least it's all black now , this thing has had some very nasty repair work done to it at some time , I am not going to worry about it , the last few idiots I sold skis too ran them up on rocks or the last one lost control of the ski putting it on the trailer , stuff is gonna happen when you are dealing with idiots. .
The bottom is done as soon as the paint dries it can go back on a trailer , this is as good as it's going to get , this side was much better and took maybe a third of the time that the first side did.
I also did a quick tape and spray on the ride plate and intake grate , bolts and all , it's easier to pull the bolts out later and hit them with a wire brush on a grinder , at least it's all black now , this thing has had some very nasty repair work done to it at some time , I am not going to worry about it , the last few idiots I sold skis too ran them up on rocks or the last one lost control of the ski putting it on the trailer , stuff is gonna happen when you are dealing with idiots. .
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WFO Speedracer
A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
- Location
- Alabama
Ok it's back on the ground , I took some pics to show you the damage on the top , it's too bad to just cover up with vinyl , my thinking is at the least the chips need to be filled and smoothed out before I can even cover it with vinyl .
I am not sure where to go here just yet but I think the quickest way to wake up from this nightmare is to grind down the cracks , Bondo it up , yes I said Bondo , I will probably use epoxy and microballoons , I do have to say on this one I might really be temped to use Bondo though, then respray it with Duplicolor perfect match , I am just going to just go back white and try to get it as close as I can get it , then put new decals right back where they are right now.
I find it best in situations like this to just get the grinder out and go after it , if I sit around thinking about this it will never get done because I don't actually want to do it in the first place .
If I just go after it I can probably get this job done in a three or four hours .
I am not sure where to go here just yet but I think the quickest way to wake up from this nightmare is to grind down the cracks , Bondo it up , yes I said Bondo , I will probably use epoxy and microballoons , I do have to say on this one I might really be temped to use Bondo though, then respray it with Duplicolor perfect match , I am just going to just go back white and try to get it as close as I can get it , then put new decals right back where they are right now.
I find it best in situations like this to just get the grinder out and go after it , if I sit around thinking about this it will never get done because I don't actually want to do it in the first place .
If I just go after it I can probably get this job done in a three or four hours .
