Yes, another Catamaran Build!

[ace028]

I doubt it, I used a 30 amp iron and was very careful, I did notice some corrosion around the TX lead on it. I plan to order a new one soon, along with some lipos.

[ace028]

Just bought 2 30 amp Mystery escs and one replacement for my burned up one, I don't want to mix match escs. So if I don't need the mystery ones I can use them in my other build.

[ace028]

I felt the floor was still too weak (1/64 ply and 1 layer light fiberglass) so I added a layer of carbon fiber cloth. The epoxy set up quicker then I would have liked, so it has some thicker spots then I wanted. I am thinking about mixing up some finishing epoxy and spreading it around so it all looks uniform, I like to keep it minimal with epoxy because I like the fiber texture, but too late for that, I should have used 30 min epoxy not 15 min. It still looks pretty good though.

More updates pretty soon, the hardware will be going on very soon, and batteries will be ordered soon as well as a LVC, and I really need a new reciver because the ones I have are just too big, I'm thinking spektrum 3500, but am concerned about range. I would like to try the new spekturm marine reciever, but that means I need a new radio.

[peells]

Well That looks nice after you get all you r gear inside it will look just like you bought it that way.

[HYDROJERRY]

I have been using one of those cheap tactic 2.4ghz, pistelgrip ones in two of my boats and never have had aproblem yet, only 79.99 and the rx is small and has an internel antanna so no wire, very easy to remove and place in another boat or just get another rx and bind it to the same tx...

[ace028]

Here I am installing magnents to help hold the hatch on, which will be nice when you are trying to tuck the wires down inside. Plus it will help keep the hatch from warping. It fit perfect till we painted it, then it warped it, so my plan is to warp it back, (which I already did) then apply fiberglass to the underside, and then put it in place while the fiberglass dries, which should help keep it where its suppose to be. Well anyways, there is more work to be done on this magnent install, this is just a start.

Currently the finish resin I put on the floor is drying, it really did make it look better since the epoxy set up too quick when I was installing the carbon. The floor should not flex now.



Carefully drilled a hole, carefull not to go through to the nice paint on the other side


Here is the magnent glued in, I didn't want to drill any farther so the magnent sticks up just a tad as you can see, but thats no big deal.



These are neodymium magnents, 1/8 diameter. They are very strong.

[ace028]

Ok, here is where I installed a peice of 1/8 to make space to put the magnents on the hull its self.

Here is where I resanded and sprayed the bottom because it had some funny spots in the paint because I didn't sand the epoxy/resin good enough before paint. The bottom will be wetsanded and recoated then I will 1200 and 2000 sand the whole boat and hand buff it out. Soon I will be installing all the hardware and electronics, hopefully my replacement esc will come in soon. I am going to be doing a few more finishing touches to the boat.

[HYDROJERRY]

Man thats nice, but i thought it was better for the under side to be rough,less dense, less drag in the water.

[ace028]

You are right, but if you saw what I sanded off you would understand. I wont polish the bottom out. I just need to get one more nice coat on. I used krylon rattle cans for the bottom, sort of stinks because the rest of the boat is super high quality auto paint (House of Kolor red, PPG black, PPG clear) I can't wait for this stuff to dry, hope it gets hard because the last time I used rattle cans the paint never really got very hard. Worst to worst, I will convince my wife that I need a airbrush and detail gun and a compressor and do it the right way then clear it and then rough it with some 600 sand paper.

I'm anxious to get the electronics laid out again. I need to buy some batteries still. I'm looking for some that are high mah, but aren't too big that I cant make any fore and aft adjustments.

Here is my MAX availble battery space
H=33mm
W=75mm
L=110mm

So if anyone recomends any 3 cell lipos that fit within those measurements LMK, the hobby king ones are looking pretty good.

[peells]

Those are the ones I use and they just fit and I mean just, I was considering making the hull 1/8" wider in the plans just for that reason

[peells]

Oh by the way use the 2000 grit on the clear coat as the thickness may not be too thick and you do not want any burn throughs, they really blow trust me, too bad that dremell dosen't make a larger pad for buffing

[ace028]

New servo location, just needs a little bit more sanding, then I will make the hold down for it. Mounting it like this will give me more room for my reciever and keep the hull less cluttered.

[ace028]

Dust blown out and protective tape removed. Don't worry, all exposed wood will be painted, just finishing up all the little details. Hopefully tomorrow I can wetsand the bottom and recoat and finish up my servo mount and touch up the exposed wood parts you see.

[peells]

ok nail it down looking great your father would be proud

[ace028]

Here is it after I 400 sanded, then 800 sanded and resprayed, its looking good. Now once it dries I will maybe 2000 sand and rub it out with some compound, I may skip the sanding.

[egneg]

I would leave the bottom as is and buff the top.

[ace028]

Made servo mounts and secured to the hull.

Sprayed the inside. Now just waiting to dry.

[ace028]

forgot to show these servo mounts I made up, not the greatest, but they don't look too bad, the hold down strap will be carbon fiber, the wood one is just temp.

[peells]

So did you glue in a nut for each hold down?

[ace028]

yes, I put a blind nut inside the mount.

[ace028]

Installed a new clip on the motor, which takes virtually all end play out as opposed to the stock clip.


Installed the motors, using all 4 screw holes for a nice tight motor. And the SS button head screws look pretty nice too!!!

[ace028]

Well here I tried once again to unwarp my hatch, I cut relief cuts in the wood hatch stringers and laid some carbon fiber down and let it cure for a day and a half, but still has a warp some of it went away. Man the paint really messes with it. its not that big of a warp, when I tape the hatch down it goes away. It turned out ok. prob would have looked better if I didn't use fiberglass before i used the carbon. I noticed that when I brushed the epoxy on it disterbed some of the very very fine fibers, but still looks ok, I should get better next time. Maybe bonewar and a few others can do a step by step right up, I know a few people have a different technics.


Here is the new esc I got in the mail to replace the one that cooked. Is it really nessicary to have the wires that long? It will look like its counterpart after I am done with it.

[peells]

try some CA glue on the relief cuts, and tape it into position and see if that holds???? maybe a piece of 1/16 balsa to over curve it under the edge and then tape it down???

[ace028]

ESC holders I made, note the holes in the bottom for epoxy to go through to help make a firm bond.



I taped off the area that the mounts were going and scuffed the area for the epoxy to grab, the tape was to protect the area I didn't want scuffed. Worked out pretty well.

Here they are installed and drying. Going to flow more epoxy on them, I just barely have any in there to get them exactly where I wanted them. I think they look pretty good, and should help keep everything nice and organized. It would be awesome if I had a mill, lathe and drill press, would make simple stuff soooo much more easy!!!

[Rumdog]

Looking good!

[peells]

well I see you have made some progress

[ace028]

Well after painstakingly wet sanding the clear coat with 1000 and 2000 grit, then polishing the paint with some 3m polishing compound this is what I get, and super smooth glass like clear coat finish! Turned out really nice, I just need to do the hatch now.


Here is the parts to assemble


Assembled

[ace028]

Need to make a replacement for the wood servo hold down maybe CF or alum.




She is pretty much ready to go minus battery and receiver. I need to do some finishing work to the hatch, and grease the flex cables. I may end up using like a 4000mah single battery and split it between the two, it should put out more then enough amps to power both escs.

[egneg]

That boat is GORGEOUS !!!

[peells]

ok time for a battery and receiver and go to the pond and crash (hee, hee) don't forget your raft.