ML Boatworks KL350 Kneeler Hydroplane---Build starts Post #50, Videos Post #96

[Tim leyde]

Great idea guys. I'm excited about this kneeler!!!!

TL

 

[ozbryan]

Hey mike is it possible to make one of these into a round nose?

That would look pretty sweet!

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Bryan, I have actually already started plans for a round nose version. I was hoping to get some testing done on the pickle version first to be sure I like the way its running before doing another platform of the same hull, ya know? But yes, the plan is a round bow, with open front deck so you can put down black canvas over the ribs, or some other skin material to make it look like the old school kneelers did! Right now, its just a timeframe thing for me. I want to get things tested and approved, then go from there. The ML Boatworks track record for offering good running boats has been pretty good so far, and I would hate to ruin that now! Mike

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Here is the round bow top view. This is very preliminary at this point. Mike

 

[ozbryan]

That looks awesome mike!

I'm sure they will run awesome!!

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Finally got enough money together to order a kneeler kit to build, and do instructions for. It shipped from the laser guy today. Maybe I can get on that soon. Mike

 

[Paul Renna]

Paul, why did I not think of asking yo uabout doing that! Once I get a kit, and get it built, I will make a plug for that area and send it out to you. A premolded lexan windshield would be the ticket!!! BTW, your kit shipped the other day! Talk soon ,Mike

No worries... I got your back.... When ever you're ready.. I'll jump right on it as soon as I get the plug

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Thanks Paul...Guess what I pulled out of the closet last night...The PTI Goliath mini you had sent...bout time to put that thing together!

 

[Paul Renna]

Thanks Paul...Guess what I pulled out of the closet last night...The PTI Goliath mini you had sent...bout time to put that thing together!

Ohhh.. hope you're not too disappointed. I learned the hard way kitting an rc car was nothing like kitting a model airplane. We made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot. The kit turned out okay.. Most people really loved it, others not so..

It's loads of fun to drive, I made mine 4 wheel steering like the full size monster trucks. Need anything I still have plenty of parts

 

[Mike Luszcz]

POST #50 STARTS THE BUILD THREAD/ INSTRUCTION MANUAL

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I pulled out the kit this weekend, and decided to spend a few hours starting the build. Well, I only spent about 3.5 hours on the build, and got a LONG ways. I found a few things that need changing in the CAD file..its all simple stuff, one grammatical error, the radio box inset tray is at the wrong width (copied it from the tunnel boat radio box and forgot to widen it), and one of the two layers in the engine well area needs to have the lightening holes removed so the outer areas are water tight. Again, minor stuff. Anyways, lets begin showing the process!

First, lets do an overview of the parts:

Radio Box:

Center Section:

Sponson parts:

This kit will also include the 1/8" basswood sticks for the center section, and the 3/16" sticks for the sponsons.

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Now, once you have familiarized yourself with all the parts, you can start the build. First thing to do, is laminate the two layers of ply in the left and right engine well, and the three layers for the transom.

This pic shows the laminated engine well plates, and the 3 layers at the transom. Remember, with the transom, 2A is at the rear, 2B is in the middle and 2C is at the front.

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Now, before you set your engine well/ transom assembly on the center section floor pan, go to the laser etched line at #7 on the floor pan, and you will notice, it is suppose to be a break point in the floor pan. gently bend that area until you hear the wood crackle a little, this will help it have a clean bend as you glue your center section cross members:

You can see in this pic, the engine well "lifts" off the table at #7:

You can see in this pic, there is a doubler around the transom, while they are shown mounted in the following pics, they are just in place and not glued. You can glue them later. The transom itself is also not glued right now, only dry fitted to keep it movable when you install the crossmembers:

Now, start dry fitting crossmembers, no glue yet as you will slide the 1/8" sticks in place, then glue.

You can see here, stop your 1/8" x 1/8" stick here before gluing so your #1 transom frame can go in place later.

You will want to use something that is 1/4" tall to support the nose of the center section, and something 1/8" tall to support under the #8 frames:

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Now that everything is supported at the front, and the middle and rear parts of the center section are flat on your building board, start tacking in your frames with CA:

Next step is to glue the (2) #9 plates together, and glue them up front (nevermind the beveled edge right now, this pic was taken later in the build. Just glue it in place for now:

Now, get your left or right, depending on the side you are working on, outer center section forward to aft frame, and dry if it in place. Once it is dry fitted, slide your next 1/8" x 1/8" stick in from the transom to the front of the boat, similar to how you did the inner stick earlier:

Once the stick is in, and everything is square, glue it up with CA:

You can now glue in frame #1, the center section transom plate:

Now you can bevel your #9 plate:

 

[Mike Luszcz]

The next few pics are just to show you the process of how I made the front curved area. In the final kit, I hope to have this area be a lexan windshield that is offered with the kit. For my purposes of building, and testing the boat and how it runs, I needed something now, so I made my template, then made a 1/32" ply windshield. For those that would rather have this for the windshield, the kit will be available this way as well!

And here is the ply test fitted:

 

[Mike Luszcz]

And here it is glued in place. You will have noticed by now, your engine well had an inset at the front...this was so the windshield will sit flush against the outside of the engine well when glued in place:

Here is a picture showing that inset at the front of the engine well. You can see the inside 1/16" ply goes further forward, supporting the glue area of the windshield. This pic also shows the windshield support "horseshoe" shaped frame I am going to add to the kit:

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Because it was now late sunday evening, I brought in my portable granite build board, and framed up the sponsons in my house. Here are some pics of that for now. We will continue the center section soon:

First glue your sponson transom plates, 7 is for the plate, L is left, R is right, B is back and F is front!

The non trip transom also has a double plate. The 1/8" ply goes at the back, 1/16" goes in the front:

The sponson are very simple, and should look like this when done!

3/16" x 3/16" basswood sticks will need to be added next. Unfortunately, I was done for the evening, so the actual build thread pauses here for today. Pics below show the hull dry fitted and its gonna look pretty cool!

 

[Mike Luszcz]

This kit will be available with an FE radio box, and like this kit, a nitro setup. I am doing nitro as I suspect it will be the most popular...even tho I hate nitro motors, guess I have to bend a little on this!

The hull is 35" in length:

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Well, this is all the pics for the day. Feel free to ask questions, or comment! I will resume the build tonight or tomorrow, depending on time! Mike

 

[racejunkie538]

Nice work Mike, any gues on the total weight yet ??

Rgrds Marc

 

[Mike Luszcz]

Thanks Marc, its gonna be very light. I was scared with the frames that it might add a lot of weight, now I think its going to come in lighter than a wood over foam version might come in! Mike