Here’s what my “thunderboat” looks like now

[Jeffrey Hammond]

It’s a start!

 

[john v]

Isn't it amazing how many clamps you need to build a wood boat

 

[Jeffrey Hammond]

Isn't it amazing how many clamps you need to build a wood boat

I have 300 binder clips in 6 different sizes, about 30 trigger clamps, 15 spring clamps, and I have 300 magnets on a magnetic building board to hold things. On top of all that, I have 10 1-2-3 blocks, 8 machinist squares, 8 aluminum 90 degree angles, and 4 corner clamps. I am definitely ready to put two things together at a 90 degree angle. Clamp mania, or clamp sickness.

 

[Grimracer]

AND... tape!

 

[Jeffrey Hammond]

I planned on gluing the frames into the building jig today, but NO, all I did was dry fit and clamp! I swear there is boat underneath all those clamps, and angles, and blocks, etc.

 

[Hydro Junkie]

If you think it's a pain now, wait until you get to the point of installing the non trips and decks. That's when the stuff really hits the fan

 

[Julio Almazan]

Hi:

I have 300 binder clips in 6 different sizes, about 30 trigger clamps, 15 spring clamps, and I have 300 magnets on a magnetic building board to hold things. On top of all that, I have 10 1-2-3 blocks, 8 machinist squares, 8 aluminum 90 degree angles, and 4 corner clamps. I am definitely ready to put two things together at a 90 degree angle. Clamp mania, or clamp sickness.

And what do we do with that anger that a comment like this awakens in us: "I've seen the plans and it looks easy to do"?

 

[Hydro Junkie]

That's easy:
BUILD A BOAT TO RELIEVE THE ANGER!!!!

 

[Roxyflash]

If you eat the 2% cottage cheese that’s enough to made you puke!Should be square with all the angles and blocks!

 

[Jeffrey Hammond]

I have cut the hull off of the jig and turned it over!

 

[Jeffrey Hammond]

I have fiberglassed all of the seams on the hull. Put a coat of epoxy on all of the undersides of the deck pieces. Used some Zpoxy finishing resin and they came out really nice. Scraped them with a new razor blade, then gave them a second coat. Dry fit the deck supports, then removed them and coated them with epoxy. Finished the pipe end support, and coated it with finishing epoxy.

 

[Jeffrey Hammond]

Tomorrow I’ll give the deck supports a second coat of epoxy. I sanded the inside of the hull today, getting it ready to coat with finishing epoxy. I also cut off the leftover jig tabs. Took my sander to all of the deck supports and got them ready for decking.

 

[Craig Hollingshead]

Mine was a fun build. Just waiting for the weather to clear and go for a maiden run.

 

[Jeffrey Hammond]

I found that the zpoxy finishing resin can be thinned with isopropanol very easily. I don’t measure, I just dump a little in the epoxy cup after I am done mixing the hardener and the resin. Works like magic, makes the epoxy run like water. Paint it on with an acid brush, then run a flat blade scraper over the surface to remove as much as I can. Then clean up the edges with a paper towel. Loads of working time. Next day, scrape with a new razor blade, and they come out really smooth.

 

[Jeffrey Hammond]

Today was a short building day. I put the second coat of epoxy on the deck support rails, the pipe bracket and mount, the dowel pin for the cowling, and the front and rear wood supports for the cowling. I test fit the decks and cowl on the boat, and took some pics.

 

[Jeffrey Hammond]

Tomorrow I’ll be putting the first coat of epoxy on the inside of the hull. It will take quite a while since there are so many surfaces to remember to coat. I think I’ll do the epoxy before I put the deck supports in. They will just get in the way if I have them in already. I have to start thinking more about the radio install. I was thinking that I would buy waterproof servos and run them outside of my small waterproof receiver /battery box. Maybe 5” x 3” x 2 inch electronics project box with mounting ears and a screw-on lid. Looking to mount it on a board mounted between ribs 4 and 3 on the right hand side, away from the pipe. Could mount it way up front ……not sure yet.

 

[Jeffrey Hammond]

Can you guys tell me what size battery I need to plan for for a thunderboat? Do most people run lipo batteries? Or do they run Ni Mh? What size capacity do I need to plan for?

 

[Ray Sametz]

Jeff, boat looks great, coming along nice. The guy on the stool in back round could use something to eat, a rubber chicken won't cut I think.

 

[Jeffrey Hammond]

He doesn’t eat very much……that’s Skully, my basement guard. He has motion detectors and cameras for eyes…….kinda keeps a lookout for unwanted guests, and lets me know if he sees something…or someone….

 

[Jeffrey Hammond]

Today, I went ahead and glued the deck supports in. They will kinda be in the way when i epoxy the hull, but I thought it was more important to get those epoxied in soon so I could work on the cowling/deck installation. Tomorrow, I’ll start working on the deck and cowling. Think I’ll start cutting some foam to fill the sponsons for flotation.