had to make my own motor mounts

[dana]

Well you got a point, but I think it bonds to more material than clear epoxy

[siberianhusky]

JB weld will work great, bonds aluminum the FG no problems, especially since you have all the holes along the bottom of the mount, they will fill with the epoxy and form a mechanical as well as chemical bond.
A light scuffing of the hull, clean it and the mount with a prep wipe to remove all wax and oils.
I get my stuffing tube bent to shape and lightly glued in with some CA, slide the shaft into the tube and into the motor collet, make some adjustments on the mount so the flex is centered in the stuffing tube then bond the motor mount in with a couple drops CA, remove the shaft and motor from the mount then JB weld everything in, stuffing tube included.
Find it easier than repeatedly trying to adjust the stuffing tube to meet up with the bonded in motor mount.
Make sure you give a test assemble, put everything in the boat and move it around so the CG is right before you permanently mount anything. Then you can fine tune the CG by moving the batteries back or forwards to make minor tuning adjustments.
I use 2 sided tape to hold the hardware on the transom for this step.
The test assemble also makes sure you can get to all the mounting screws etc. Sucks to build a boat then find out something is in the way or won't fit where you need it.

[1945dave]

I get my stuffing tube bent to shape and lightly glued in with some CA, slide the shaft into the tube and into the motor collet, make some adjustments on the mount so the flex is centered in the stuffing tube then bond the motor mount in with a couple drops CA, remove the shaft and motor from the mount then JB weld everything in, stuffing tube included.
Find it easier than repeatedly trying to adjust the stuffing tube to meet up with the bonded in motor mount.
Sucks to build a boat then find out something is in the way or won't fit where you need it.

There probably are no wrong answers here but I have been using the same process over and over for over 40 years and have never CA glued a stuffing box before permanently mounting the motor mount. In fact once I have the motor mount in place I never remove the motor, nor the flex shaft from the collet until everything else is permanently fixed in place as well. I mount the strut hardware and the motor and cut the shaft and mount that too before final setup of the shaft logg through the hull. Doing it this way should prevent any misalignment issues. That is just how we did it before CA was avaiable. Just call me another old dog that didn't learn this new trick.

Dave

[siberianhusky]

LOL I still have my very first boat I built myself over 30 years ago, would not build like that now that we have better materials that are easier to work with! It's kinda funny to look at it and think about what we went through back then to build these and how we ran them, solid shafts a couple U-joints and sub surface drive on a race boat.
I remember epoxying one joint clamping and pinning it then waiting until the next day to glue one more joint. Took me near a winter to build just the hull!
Enya .19 with a Kool Klamp on it! woo hoo, don't have the engine anymore it got replaced with a 3.5 K&B, I should look for an Enya on ebay and go right back to original for fun.

[1945dave]

Enya .19 with a Kool Klamp on it! woo hoo,.

Fox 19 with a cool clamp, wooden dumas Ski-dattle. Only took 1 minute and 12 seconds to complete an IMPBA lap. My first organized race in 1971 I was pulled off the course for running over the 6 minute rule to complete a heat. I thought I was moving up when I made a Dumas Dragon Fly 40 with a Super Tiger 40G. Still I thought I was having fun!!!

I did eventually learn to appreciate CA products and built a U Control RingMaster in one night using CA. Still for drive lines in boats, for me, CA doesn't help much to tack in place.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Dave

[properchopper]

Lots of speculating going on here; having just successfully built this same boat, delivered and found the build to have far exceeded my customer's expectations, I'll jump in here with what I know from hands-on experience. Sorry if it ruffles anyones feathers.

To begin with, the aluminum mount shouldn't be extra hard to secure if roughed up well, and the holes are a good thing. Bonding substance has to be ultra strong (especially since the aluminum will transfer motor heat to the bond). The absolute, without question epoxy to use is West Systems G-Flex - nothing else will do and I can tell stories if you need to hear them about motors breaking loose under duress with other adhesives. First off I'd tilt the motor back one hole on the mount to reduce the flex angle. Line up everything PERFECTLY with the stuffing tube tacked in, the flexshaft sliding into the collett DEAD CENTER, and tack the mount into place with a few tiny dabs of quick-set. Remove motor, tape off the bond area to make nice epoxy borders, and apply the G-Flex. Let cure for 24 hours. (pull tape after cure begins; @ 2 hours).

DSC03559.JPG DSC03563.JPG

I'm somewhat confused as to how advice can be given on strut depth without knowing what prop, size-wise, is being used. It's not the height off the water (as dictated by the sponson bottom) of the propshaft centerline, it's the immersion depth of the prop that's the critical dimension. As pictured, the strut depth will work for a 4/50 size prop but anything smaller will airate.

My take on shaft angle, what works for me ( my Drifter S cat is the current NAMBA National LSO SAW record holder, and my MC took second overall at the FE Nationals last June) is to go up @ 3 degrees to lift the boat up so it airs out under full throttle but have the CG forward enough (29%-30% ) to settle it back down to carve turns.

DSC03558.JPG

I know I sound a bit opinionated here, but I just built this boat, found out what works, and don't mean to alienate anyone; you're all my friends

Tony

And above all, never forget this one critically important fact : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOMTnLHDWRA

[martin]

Tony have you also tried the G Flex adhesive, its the thicker one that comes in 2 tubes. Wondered what this one is like for general bonding. Thanks Martin.

[properchopper]

Tony have you also tried the G Flex adhesive, its the thicker one that comes in 2 tubes. Wondered what this one is like for general bonding. Thanks Martin.

Martin, I just saw that for the first time . Given that the stuff in the plastic bottles (original G-Flex?) looks like it flows better (and is less expensive-I use LOTS of epoxy),
I'll likely [Pun Alert] stick with the original stuff

[1945dave]

[Pun Alert] stick

That's cute, Pun alert. Reminds me of a friend of mine that owns an industrial adhesive company. His actual name is "Stuck" and on his card he says "No Pun intended" Harold Stuck Owner. <smile>