Vision FE Tunnel Build

[Cat-Boi]

Ok,

We gotta start somewhere, so here it is. I am going to go with different approach building/setting up this boat to follow some ideas I saw someone else do and it looked like a good way to go only I have a few more ideas I would like to mix in as well...

1. The hull before as delivered. (good idea to tape up the bottom to protect it during the fitting process).

2. Mark with a pen a little above the line where the cowl and hull meet.

3. separate the two (hold onto screws) and sand with 40-80 grit paper the areas where the cowl and hull will contact each other but be careful not to sand any other areas. Also go ahead and scuff up the inside rear portion of the cowl about 6 inches forward from the back. Bulkheads will go here later and its easier to have the area pre-prepped.

Note: Anytime glass is glued to itself or anything else both areas to be joined must be sanded and cleaned before joining.

We want the cowl joined before cutting so the fit remains intact and does not change due to bulkhead placement. rather we fit the bulkheads to the permanent structure.


4. I use BVM aeropoxy for permanent bonding. Nothing else is stronger or last longer. It will not run or sag and cleans up with acetone. You must be neat with it because it is very tough to sand and it is not recommended. You can scuff it for painting but wear a mask and do it outside!

waiting on some carbon plate to make parts so that will be next: bulkheads.
might be a week or two before next update...

[RayR]

Sandy,

Doing the Kris Flynn trick I see. I plan on doing the same for my hull, with a little twist. Thanks for the Epoxy info!

Really good info from Kris in post #10 of this thread:

http://www.intlwaters.com/index.php?showtopic=36655&pid=332001&st=0&#entry332001

Ray

P.S. Where were you on Sunday? Nice and cozy warm while the rest of us froze our ..... off!

[Cat-Boi]

I am going to wait at this point to proceed until I get the lower unit and motor hung to make sure where my weight will be CG wise. Just waiting on tower now...then I feel more confident gluing everything up.

[Kris Flynn]

The Only bulkhead required should be near the transom to keeo the water out. I would inset it a good 1.5" from the transom. The glass quality is excellent and other bulkheads are not required. As Ray pointed out, you can see my servo tray is the only other part holding the cowling.

MAKE SURE you get the CoG back to around 28%...I am having a blast with mine!

Kris

[Cat-Boi]

Thank you Kris! the only other bulkhead I am adding is a shelf for the esc...

Please post any photos you might have so that others can see as well along with my photos. Your help is very appreciated and your model inspired me to build one.

[Brushless55]

Awesome, looking forward to this build..
I would love an FE Tunnel

[Cat-Boi]

Ok, got a better handle the CG so here it goes.

5.The cowl is glued to hull with BVM glue and screwed with factory screws in place.
A small fillet is formed with the glue by using your fingertip. clean up any excess with acetone. Later I will scribe out the lid on the cowl and cut it out. More on this soon.

Let this glue dry 24 hours before cutting anything else, we want the cowl in a relaxed fit when gluing so when we cut the opening it will line up easily later on (not spring out of shape).

[RayR]

What's the secret to making that filet, every time I do that, I make a MESS!

Ray

[Kris Flynn]

Ray, I mix up some 30min epoxy, some micro balloons. Then spread the glue in the corner with a popsical stick. Get a rag and put some metho on an area and wrap it over your finger (or just put a little metho on your finger
The metho helps get a 'clean' radius and cleans the excess off.

[Cat-Boi]

yeah, what he said! only you will like the BVM glue much better because you do not have to "time" when the epoxy wants to stay put, the BVM you can run a bead straight up a wall right out of the tube, walk away for 10 min and come back only to find it has not sagged one bit. it also does not dry out and go brittle like some epoxies and I believe the bonding strength is much higher. also bonds alu to glass extremely well. (I am not paid by BVM !! :) ).

PINKY for small beads, RING finger for larger beads and parts...

Kris was also kind enough to give me some base measurments to start with for the cowl cut which I will post when I get the time to cut the cowl in the next day or so.

Tower just shipped my lower units so I should everything I need to keep when my OSE order arrives! Now, if only tower was as fast as OSE.....

The last thing I am waiting on is some S.S. tube with teflon liner we use for the turbine heli tail drives that I am adapting for the steering system.. should be just right for the job.

[properchopper]

What's the secret to making that filet, every time I do that, I make a MESS!

Ray

I'm pretty fumblefingered, but what I've been doing that works great is to mask off the area above and below the fillet area. When the epoxy begins to cure, carefully peel off the tape.

[Cat-Boi]

6. We mark off the cowl using tape, rear cut is about 3.75" from back edge and 16" for front cut. measure carefully when laying out your tape.

7. I use an xacto blade in a metal holder and propane torch to cut glass with minimal material loss. It takes a while but its worth it, also a hot-knife can also be used. (I am just cheap).

8 and 9.

You can see here the fit will actually require more material to sanded away to allow for paint build up. Not much though. The screw holes and glue bead will get some smoothing before primer goes on,(that is glass dust you see on the bead from the cut) but that's much later.

[Stealth Assassin]

Very cool mod.

[Cat-Boi]

Here is the E.S.C. shelf made from .050" carbon fiber sheet. This will butt up against rear bulkhead. the wires go up and out the top and there is good clearance for any cooling line configuration. Next I am going to copy Kris's tube idea for the esc wires.

[sailr]

Sandy,
Check out this stuff. Much better and cheaper than the BVM and you don't have to use the danged dispenser and then have what's left in the tubes go bad! Their compounds are all thixotropic (THICK, won't run)

https://www.modeladhesives.com

This stuff is awesome! There is one compound filled with glass fibers (extremely fine, no bulk to it) and another white compound. All of these are incredible.

yeah, what he said! only you will like the BVM glue much better because you do not have to "time" when the epoxy wants to stay put, the BVM you can run a bead straight up a wall right out of the tube, walk away for 10 min and come back only to find it has not sagged one bit. it also does not dry out and go brittle like some epoxies and I believe the bonding strength is much higher. also bonds alu to glass extremely well. (I am not paid by BVM !! :) ).

PINKY for small beads, RING finger for larger beads and parts...

Kris was also kind enough to give me some base measurments to start with for the cowl cut which I will post when I get the time to cut the cowl in the next day or so.

Tower just shipped my lower units so I should everything I need to keep when my OSE order arrives! Now, if only tower was as fast as OSE.....

The last thing I am waiting on is some S.S. tube with teflon liner we use for the turbine heli tail drives that I am adapting for the steering system.. should be just right for the job.