I'm glad you mentioned your daughter, I can appreciate " the voice" cherish it Andy. It's what makes us blokes father's, it melts my heart. My most favourite memories of my daughter is predawn fishing expeditions, watching Mr Possum return home to his cave under the Gateway arterial road over the Brisbane River. She's all grown up now into management, where did I go wrong ? LoL. Enjoy your family, it's all we got.
Masters of their craft are always learning and questioning. We can see that in you Andy. It is so refreshing to learn from a true master of the craft yet not be lectured to by a know it all. There is a difference.
Yes you can move the hull number. The rule is it must be permanently affixed (and visible when looked for) to some major structural element of the vessel. The rule is flexible to allow for necessary repair, replacement or relocation due to structural changes or damage to the vessel. Regards, and excellent channel :)
Beautifully done. Happy Birthday to your daughter. If she is like many 12-year old's, she probably hates hearing her recording but your is one of the few UA-camrs that I watch all the way to the very end just so I can hear that sweet message.
Lovin this project Andy. And as a father of two daughters, time does fly by quickly. Happy Birthday to her. Looking forward to more of your fabulous content. Thank you.
I don't see any issue with covering the HIN while doing a major structural improvement. My suggestion is to put the new HIN label in the same spot, the reason is that knowledgeable boat folks know exactly where a HIN should be located depending on manufacturer and model. If someone goes looking for it in the future and finds it 'relocated' elsewhere they will think something is fishy. You have good pics of how it looks, re-print it in the same font with same un-even type setting, make it look as close to original as reasonable and glass it back in the same spot. I realize this is going to be a problem because the Coosa is black, but I'd try to figure out some solution to make it visible with contrast. It isn't such a pain with many other boats where the HIN was was just engraved into the laminate by hand, so it doesn't mater if your penmanship is sloppy and doesn't look exactly like the original.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY little girl!! I've always loved that little voice at the end! It reminds me of when my little girls were that young! GOD bless and take care!
Brother Andy, I have very little interest in boats but I often make substantial performance improvements to my sport airplane which is fiberglass and carbon fiber. So I still learn from materials and methods the two vehicles have in common. Just want to say, I appreciate you are a genuine, unassuming, humble dude, as well as a skilled artisan. And my family loves hearing your daughter’s outro. I hope you never change it, even when she’s 30. Stay Awesome 😎🎩♠️💙
First .... Happy 😁 Birthday 🎂🎉! I personally really enjoyed the thickened tutorial! For those people who are getting to that point in their build where they realize, dang I need to know more about this thickening process.. will search out and find your video.... When the student is ready the teacher will appear! Goodonyas!
You are awesome. Thank you for the education. And thank you to your little girl.i look forward to hearing her cute voice at the end of each show many smiles 😊. God bless you and your family.
You're worried that a coast guard inspection is going to look at a professionally finished boat and a perfect HID number and say, hmm this transom is 2" thicker than it should be... Not a chance. Anyone who looks at that will say, yup right where it's supposed to be, good enough. Great work Andy, I love watching you template things it's always interesting.
I have been experimenting with castable transom material to fill some odd spaces while installing coosa in my transom. The thicknesses needing filled are too much for any structural repair putty or thickened epoxy. Say 0 to 1.5". And very odd geometry. I mixed the castable with just a tad of cabosil and got it to a little wetter than peanut butter. Troweled it on a test patch and man did it harden up nice. Like a custom piece of coosa, only harder. It might have worked perfect for your "wedges". Thanks for the videos!!!
Happy Birthday to your little girl. Andy, I look forward to your postings every Sunday. I have learned so much from you about fiberglass and boat paint. At some point I will repaint my kayak because of what I have learned from you.
These are great videos, very informative. I'm just restoring an 18ft boat, while it's on the water 😳 so the videos have been a great help, I can now fibreglass. 👍 Sort of.
Ah, you scared me for a second. I thought you were going to say you had, or your daughter had, outgrown the little girl ending to your videos. Don’t ever do that. I watch right to the end simply because the closing brings a smile to my face. Happy Birthday young lady! Just a thought on the thickened epoxy consistency video. You’ve developed a library of how to videos that are second to none. Like any library I don’t have to read, in full, every book on the shelf, as long as I know where to find it when I need it. Personally I won’t be doing any glassing until summer but when I do I’ll go back and watch that video again, paying attention this time.
Great progress Andy! Looking forward to seeing more. I’d like to see an update on how the air filtration systems are working once you get into some heavy sanding and grinding projects.
If you cover up the Hull ID number, you'll need to have it somewhere else available. I was required to have the HID number to get insurance, and even our marina was "We need it for the records", as well as any insurance work, those people want that number. The coastguard also will use the HID number during inspections, at least our slip neighbor had to have his visible when the CG did a bunch of random "inspections" out on the sandbar.
I went through this issue with my Mastercraft X15 a few years ago. Some nut job torpedoed the stern while it was in the slip. The repair was near the original HIN and needed to be redone. This involved getting the State of Idaho involved and having them drop by and inspect the boat before and after the repair. The HIN identification was redone in engraved brass.
Happy 12th birthday to ya not so little girl Andy 🍰🎉 I would run the coosa right to the top both sides cutting out a square panel over the hull identification that you can put back in after but keep removable or on a hinge so can lift it up maybe.
The repair looks good Andy. I kind of figured you would do something like that to flatten everything out but I know little of the intricacies of how you were going to do so.
Yep... perfectly okay to cover it up. Just be sure and reprint the exact same hull number in preferably in the same spot. States like Florida require that the hull number be in a specific area (Fl: Starboard side of transom for my boat). So, you may have to put it in more than one spot to meet state specs. But, it's no big deal from what I understand.
Happy birthday to your daughter. Time goes by quickly so enjoy your children as they grow. They’re almost as much maintenance as a boat but boats don’t talk back, so even. Seriously, they are the best especially when they are adults and you realize they’ve grown into responsible and respectful adults. They do not have to have the highest education. They don’t have to have the highest paying jobs. Just responsible and respectful and you’ve done a good job and they will be successful. Love your videos Andy. Have been watching for years.
Take a video of the plaque, starting some distance back and slowly zooming in until the writing is legible to show proof of the hull ID, then cover it. Make a copy of the plaque and glass it in at another location. You'll have proof of the hull number and ID, a structurally sound transom and a relocated easily readable ID.
Even though late, printing the number anywhere permanent would be fine. That with a picture of the original would work for me. Is it on the transom as well?
I am still concerned about possible voids in the initial coosa transom laminate, I love the bracing and how much forethought/execution you went through but there wasn't anywhere for air to go. When laminating a panel like that, I am a strong advocate of drilling weep holes so that anywhere there might be a void that doesn't want to migrate all the way to the edge can be relieved. Its a cold molding/vacuum bagging trick but it might have helped, sounding the foam is also an important step that can identify voids. That said, overbuilding mitigates (most) problems and you do a hell of a job! -- also, if there are any voids, they wont show up for about 20 years :D Thanks for doing this and the legitimate honesty you have about what you do. -Jeff
Can you explain all the small pieces put together. I know it’s hard to have one large piece fit perfectly, but it seems that the structural strength would be lost with all the joints and hinge points created.
i would cut a clear piece of acrylic and seal it over the hull info,make it as thick as final glassing layer or better still have it slightly protruding then there will never be no doubt about hull id
A little guide coat on your jig boards would've shown you instantly when it's flush with the board sander. I've become quite enamored with guide coat. Do you not like to use milled fiber in thickened epoxy to make a structural repair putty?
Guessing it's only covered with a layer or two of glass, but also guessing that the paper is saturated with resin so trying to remove would likely tear it up :-/
I understand your dedication to Coosa Board, but it seems you’re constantly fighting variations in the surface to get it flat enough for the board to adhere well. I think a better solution would have been prepping the transom then using cloth to lay up an inner skin then pour in Seacast to make the new core. If you’re sponsored by Coosa I can see why you’re set on using the product, but with Seacast this project would have been done months ago and would have been just as strong.
curiosity has me... why didn't you use the thickened epoxy to fill the gaps? easier to get the flatter bonding surface with the coosa? love the vids great info.
You could trim around the VIN, pop out the piece, then laminate it back on in your last layer. Also, I would think if you have photos and video of the original, you can prove the new numbers are the same as the old.
Regarding your builder's plate. I've got limited knowledge, currently building my own boat off engineered plans. In Australia modifications such as yours would require a new builders plate. Since our standards are based on US standards, it might be worth looking in too. Not sure about Canada? My guess is you too point to US standards. If it's anything like ours there is no monitoring authority checking, it's basically unregulated. Unlike the US whereby US coast guard check's boats at random. So stay on your side of the white line and you'll be right! I would think moving a build plate would not cause issues, it's the design changes behind the reason for moving the plate that may require justification.
I think i would take the coosa to the top, but leave a hole around the number, then have a cover plate with the number on it, easy to check the number on the plate, but easy to remove to see the original number in place.
I know on the big bertrams the identification number is on the outside of the back on the right hand corner of the boat I believe that's where yours should be too
I was a boarding officer in the Coast Guard for half of my 25 year career. If I boarded a vessel with the HIN where I was was supposed to be “location” and it didn’t look like a bad guy did it quickly. It wouldn’t raise a concern with me identifying it.
I've been following this project for months and have always wondered how much it's costing the boat's owner. Seems like a TON of work to get those outboard motors.
HIN needs to be in the same place the original was placed in, so the authorities can know where to find it. There can't be a requirement for it to be the original since composite hulls became as common as they are. The authorities know composites do degrade so the area could need replacing.
I am still asking why you use ounces and grams, or fluid ounces and millilitres, wouldn't be easier to use one system only, which I find the metric system easier to work with due to it being a 10 based system.
How easy was that coosa to taper that amount ? I mean I know it's probably not super simple but I have a similar situation where I wish to use coosa to reinforce the area. Great videos, the way you think things through is amazing thank you !
Why not make a "peanut butter" up with colloidal silica and bed the gap? With epoxy it would be more than structural enough and if not you could layer it like a cake with cloth in between to make the build up??
I'm glad you mentioned your daughter, I can appreciate " the voice" cherish it Andy.
It's what makes us blokes father's, it melts my heart.
My most favourite memories of my daughter is predawn fishing expeditions, watching Mr Possum return home to his cave under the Gateway arterial road over the Brisbane River.
She's all grown up now into management, where did I go wrong ? LoL.
Enjoy your family, it's all we got.
Masters of their craft are always learning and questioning. We can see that in you Andy. It is so refreshing to learn from a true master of the craft yet not be lectured to by a know it all. There is a difference.
Yes you can move the hull number. The rule is it must be permanently affixed (and visible when looked for) to some major structural element of the vessel. The rule is flexible to allow for necessary repair, replacement or relocation due to structural changes or damage to the vessel.
Regards, and excellent channel :)
I love your daughter’s little voice at the end of your videos. Hope she had a happy birthday.
Beautifully done. Happy Birthday to your daughter. If she is like many 12-year old's, she probably hates hearing her recording but your is one of the few UA-camrs that I watch all the way to the very end just so I can hear that sweet message.
Lovin this project Andy. And as a father of two daughters, time does fly by quickly. Happy Birthday to her. Looking forward to more of your fabulous content. Thank you.
I don't see any issue with covering the HIN while doing a major structural improvement. My suggestion is to put the new HIN label in the same spot, the reason is that knowledgeable boat folks know exactly where a HIN should be located depending on manufacturer and model. If someone goes looking for it in the future and finds it 'relocated' elsewhere they will think something is fishy. You have good pics of how it looks, re-print it in the same font with same un-even type setting, make it look as close to original as reasonable and glass it back in the same spot. I realize this is going to be a problem because the Coosa is black, but I'd try to figure out some solution to make it visible with contrast. It isn't such a pain with many other boats where the HIN was was just engraved into the laminate by hand, so it doesn't mater if your penmanship is sloppy and doesn't look exactly like the original.
Happy birthday to your daughter! A major part of everyone of your videos.
I haven't watched Andy for your quite sometime, he doesn't seem to age, he just gets hairyer.
He's a legend 🤣.
Hope your family appreciates you
HAPPY BIRTHDAY little girl!! I've always loved that little voice at the end! It reminds me of when my little girls were that young! GOD bless and take care!
Work is good but family is better, I like that you mentioned your daughter birthday on the channel which shows that you love her. Cheers.
Brother Andy, I have very little interest in boats but I often make substantial performance improvements to my sport airplane which is fiberglass and carbon fiber. So I still learn from materials and methods the two vehicles have in common.
Just want to say, I appreciate you are a genuine, unassuming, humble dude, as well as a skilled artisan. And my family loves hearing your daughter’s outro. I hope you never change it, even when she’s 30. Stay Awesome 😎🎩♠️💙
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your daughter! God bless her.
First .... Happy 😁 Birthday 🎂🎉!
I personally really enjoyed the thickened tutorial! For those people who are getting to that point in their build where they realize, dang I need to know more about this thickening process.. will search out and find your video....
When the student is ready the teacher will appear!
Goodonyas!
Happy Birthday...Young Lady
You are awesome. Thank you for the education. And thank you to your little girl.i look forward to hearing her cute voice at the end of each show many smiles 😊. God bless you and your family.
Happy birthday. And wow I wondered how long ago that was. Man I’m getting old.
You're worried that a coast guard inspection is going to look at a professionally finished boat and a perfect HID number and say, hmm this transom is 2" thicker than it should be... Not a chance. Anyone who looks at that will say, yup right where it's supposed to be, good enough. Great work Andy, I love watching you template things it's always interesting.
The tutorial you did on mixing the epoxy was very helpful!!!
The outdo is one of the wonderful things about your channel.
I have been experimenting with castable transom material to fill some odd spaces while installing coosa in my transom. The thicknesses needing filled are too much for any structural repair putty or thickened epoxy. Say 0 to 1.5". And very odd geometry. I mixed the castable with just a tad of cabosil and got it to a little wetter than peanut butter. Troweled it on a test patch and man did it harden up nice. Like a custom piece of coosa, only harder. It might have worked perfect for your "wedges". Thanks for the videos!!!
Happy birthday to your daughter!
Happy belated birthday little lady
WELL....HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM ALBERTA , CANADA!!
Nice to too see you working on your boat. Not long until your daughters can see you as a boat captain instead just a boat repairer. 😀
Happy Birthday to your little girl. Andy, I look forward to your postings every Sunday. I have learned so much from you about fiberglass and boat paint. At some point I will repaint my kayak because of what I have learned from you.
These are great videos, very informative. I'm just restoring an 18ft boat, while it's on the water 😳
so the videos have been a great help, I can now fibreglass. 👍 Sort of.
Ah, you scared me for a second. I thought you were going to say you had, or your daughter had, outgrown the little girl ending to your videos. Don’t ever do that. I watch right to the end simply because the closing brings a smile to my face.
Happy Birthday young lady!
Just a thought on the thickened epoxy consistency video. You’ve developed a library of how to videos that are second to none. Like any library I don’t have to read, in full, every book on the shelf, as long as I know where to find it when I need it. Personally I won’t be doing any glassing until summer but when I do I’ll go back and watch that video again, paying attention this time.
Happy Birthday outro girl lol!! That outro always makes me smile!
I like the way you think Andy. I really enjoyed watching you create the tapered material to create a good fit and stronger finished product.
Happy Birthday to your daughter 🥳
Nice and clean job. Happy birthday to your daughter.
There definitely is some good info in those other videos as well as this one! Thanks, man I'm watching carefully! and learning.
Great content once again from Andy and BoatworkToday. 🎈🎉 Happy Birthday "little" BoatworksToday 🎈🎉
Great progress Andy! Looking forward to seeing more. I’d like to see an update on how the air filtration systems are working once you get into some heavy sanding and grinding projects.
Nice jig use. Always impressed with your work.
Happy Birthday! Still the best sign-off ever!
If you cover up the Hull ID number, you'll need to have it somewhere else available. I was required to have the HID number to get insurance, and even our marina was "We need it for the records", as well as any insurance work, those people want that number. The coastguard also will use the HID number during inspections, at least our slip neighbor had to have his visible when the CG did a bunch of random "inspections" out on the sandbar.
Loving the videos by the way. Sorry for not mentioning that previously.
I went through this issue with my Mastercraft X15 a few years ago. Some nut job torpedoed the stern while it was in the slip. The repair was near the original HIN and needed to be redone. This involved getting the State of Idaho involved and having them drop by and inspect the boat before and after the repair. The HIN identification was redone in engraved brass.
Happy Birthday Young lady! Great video as always Andy!
Happy Birthday to your oldest daughter. 12 Years old. Only 3 to go until she starts her drivers training.
I was wondering who is keeping the lights on the Christmas trees on, you or your daughter? I'm enjoying watching the shop and boat come along.
Happy 12th birthday to ya not so little girl Andy 🍰🎉
I would run the coosa right to the top both sides cutting out a square panel over the hull identification that you can put back in after but keep removable or on a hinge so can lift it up maybe.
Happy Birthday two your little one !!
The repair looks good Andy. I kind of figured you would do something like that to flatten everything out but I know little of the intricacies of how you were going to do so.
Do not EVER change her voice on the outro - always remember your little girl.
that outro always makes me smile. you can hear her smiling the whole time she's talking.
Awesome work mate
Outstanding Video! Thank you for your expertise and attention to detail. A most happy birthday to your daughter. :)
Good way but adding a sliding router box would have made your work much faster. Just FYI for next time you need to make a big long wedge shape piece.
You might contact Bertram and ask for a duplicate. I did that with Carolina Skiff and they complied.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Boatworks Today girl!
Yep... perfectly okay to cover it up. Just be sure and reprint the exact same hull number in preferably in the same spot. States like Florida require that the hull number be in a specific area (Fl: Starboard side of transom for my boat). So, you may have to put it in more than one spot to meet state specs. But, it's no big deal from what I understand.
Happy birthday to your daughter. Time goes by quickly so enjoy your children as they grow. They’re almost as much maintenance as a boat but boats don’t talk back, so even. Seriously, they are the best especially when they are adults and you realize they’ve grown into responsible and respectful adults. They do not have to have the highest education. They don’t have to have the highest paying jobs. Just responsible and respectful and you’ve done a good job and they will be successful. Love your videos Andy. Have been watching for years.
Take a video of the plaque, starting some distance back and slowly zooming in until the writing is legible to show proof of the hull ID, then cover it. Make a copy of the plaque and glass it in at another location. You'll have proof of the hull number and ID, a structurally sound transom and a relocated easily readable ID.
Happy Birthday, I have an idea add her doing an updated verion after the outgo. Next year teenager, look out Andy!!!
Happy Birthday to your daughter, as for the HIN would not the USCG be able to direct you in the correct method for it, just a thought.
Even though late, printing the number anywhere permanent would be fine. That with a picture of the original would work for me. Is it on the transom as well?
Happy birthday!
Great work! I love all detailed info in your videos.
I am still concerned about possible voids in the initial coosa transom laminate, I love the bracing and how much forethought/execution you went through but there wasn't anywhere for air to go. When laminating a panel like that, I am a strong advocate of drilling weep holes so that anywhere there might be a void that doesn't want to migrate all the way to the edge can be relieved. Its a cold molding/vacuum bagging trick but it might have helped, sounding the foam is also an important step that can identify voids.
That said, overbuilding mitigates (most) problems and you do a hell of a job! -- also, if there are any voids, they wont show up for about 20 years :D
Thanks for doing this and the legitimate honesty you have about what you do.
-Jeff
I concur
when using coosa board are you supposed to splice them together like a puzzle piece or is it ok to use a straight seam?
Happy birthday!! 😀🎉
Happy birthday
On a vehicle the rivets are "unique" to detect tampering! Might be the same with a boat?
I have watched the thickness video. It is a great resource and overtime will prove its merit. Sorry it has not taken off. Great video today
Can you explain all the small pieces put together. I know it’s hard to have one large piece fit perfectly, but it seems that the structural strength would be lost with all the joints and hinge points created.
i would cut a clear piece of acrylic and seal it over the hull info,make it as thick as final glassing layer or better still have it slightly protruding then there will never be no doubt about hull id
or make a mold and pour a clear TotalBoat epoxy window the right thickness and glass it in.
I’d just cut it out, sand the back flat and epoxy it back when finished.
A little guide coat on your jig boards would've shown you instantly when it's flush with the board sander. I've become quite enamored with guide coat. Do you not like to use milled fiber in thickened epoxy to make a structural repair putty?
Yes I would have done that in the corners and floated it out and before the epoxy set up would have installed the 2 boards.
Not sure how deep the old label is, but can you cut it out and stick it back in the same spot on last layer? I really like your channel.
Guessing it's only covered with a layer or two of glass, but also guessing that the paper is saturated with resin so trying to remove would likely tear it up :-/
Make a window in the coosa and add plexi over hin and glass.
Also nice freestyle with the band saw without cutting your fingers off
I love the video with epoxy data ! Will be so useful come spring !
I was really enjoying the show when you dubbed the music you played.
Hi Andy, what’s the piece of music you used during your fast layout of the corner sections?
It's called Lafayette Blues by Will Harrison :-)
@@boatworkstoday thanks very much. Next purchase then haha.
Another "Andy Hack" added to my arsenal! Love it!
How old is the Bertram? The Actual HIN should be moulded into the OUTSIDE of the transom in the upper starboard corner...
Wishing your daughter had the greatest birthday.
Check with the Coast Guard on the HIN.
I understand your dedication to Coosa Board, but it seems you’re constantly fighting variations in the surface to get it flat enough for the board to adhere well. I think a better solution would have been prepping the transom then using cloth to lay up an inner skin then pour in Seacast to make the new core. If you’re sponsored by Coosa I can see why you’re set on using the product, but with Seacast this project would have been done months ago and would have been just as strong.
Nice work. Really enjoy watching your videos
Couldn't you kerf the Coosa or does that defeat the purpose structurally?
Also sad about that previous video not gaining traction. I've watched it 3 times, and my fiberglass work hasn't even started yet. #BoatLife
curiosity has me... why didn't you use the thickened epoxy to fill the gaps? easier to get the flatter bonding surface with the coosa? love the vids great info.
I try and limit the thickness of a resin build coat to 1/4" or less. Anything more than that and prefer to try and use a different approach :-)
You could trim around the VIN, pop out the piece, then laminate it back on in your last layer. Also, I would think if you have photos and video of the original, you can prove the new numbers are the same as the old.
Not sure why this didn’t go through. Anyway, how about also uploading to get er? Better monitization, easier, and you won’t lose people like me! 🍀🤞🙂
Regarding your builder's plate. I've got limited knowledge, currently building my own boat off engineered plans.
In Australia modifications such as yours would require a new builders plate.
Since our standards are based on US standards, it might be worth looking in too. Not sure about Canada? My guess is you too point to US standards. If it's anything like ours there is no monitoring authority checking, it's basically unregulated. Unlike the US whereby US coast guard check's boats at random.
So stay on your side of the white line and you'll be right!
I would think moving a build plate would not cause issues, it's the design changes behind the reason for moving the plate that may require justification.
I think i would take the coosa to the top, but leave a hole around the number, then have a cover plate with the number on it, easy to check the number on the plate, but easy to remove to see the original number in place.
Grats!
I know on the big bertrams the identification number is on the outside of the back on the right hand corner of the boat I believe that's where yours should be too
I was a boarding officer in the Coast Guard for half of my 25 year career. If I boarded a vessel with the HIN where I was was supposed to be “location” and it didn’t look like a bad guy did it quickly. It wouldn’t raise a concern with me identifying it.
Router a little faster? Looks great though
I've been following this project for months and have always wondered how much it's costing the boat's owner. Seems like a TON of work to get those outboard motors.
This is my personal boat :-)
@@boatworkstoday Well that changes everything! It's been an interesting project. Really enjoy your channel.
Looks good keep it up
Very interesting and very helpfull. No doubt about it.
HIN needs to be in the same place the original was placed in, so the authorities can know where to find it. There can't be a requirement for it to be the original since composite hulls became as common as they are. The authorities know composites do degrade so the area could need replacing.
what kind of 1708 do you use ?
I wonder if using a router sled with those angled shims would work faster than sanding.
I'm sure it would work great. If there were a bunch to do that would definitely be the way to go :-)
A router sled is worth the time to make, just be sure to make it adjustable a big enough. It's on my list...
A planer would’ve done it easily as well. Then a sander to feather it all out at the end.
I am still asking why you use ounces and grams, or fluid ounces and millilitres, wouldn't be easier to use one system only, which I find the metric system easier to work with due to it being a 10 based system.
How easy was that coosa to taper that amount ? I mean I know it's probably not super simple but I have a similar situation where I wish to use coosa to reinforce the area. Great videos, the way you think things through is amazing thank you !
Really wasn't bad at all. Each one took maybe 15 min?
Thank you so much, my idea is to use a router sled like you would use to flatten a thick wood slab.
And Happy birthday !
If you'll be shaving down Coosa, make sure to use a carbide bit. Stuff is hard on blades ;-)
Or a tapered oval for the id number. The rounded corners shouldn’t be a weak spot at least for metals🤣
Why not make a "peanut butter" up with colloidal silica and bed the gap? With epoxy it would be more than structural enough and if not you could layer it like a cake with cloth in between to make the build up??