Blazer Lauterbach Build Thread

Bob Blazer · Mar 9, 2022

RichJones said:
Yeah what I did was tape 4 pieces from the back in succession making one big piece and then folded small pieces of tape over on itself and stuck around the perimeter of the back as well. Then I turn over and stick down. If I weren’t using veneer I probably would have used spray adhesive. Can you show me a pic of what you mean by the 1/8” from bulkhead to bow? You mean another 1/8” off the bottom? Lippy actually does this just on the part that extends past the hatch in the front.

Yes, just on the part that extends on the front deck.

Rich Jones · Mar 9, 2022

Bob Blazer said:
Yes, just on the part that extends on the front deck.

Beautiful, thanks Bob!

Rich Jones · Mar 10, 2022

It’s official, all wood parts from the kit have been used. The last of them were the cowl supports. This is another step I took my time with. If the cowls don’t fit together right, it’ll stick out like a sore thumb. After a few hours of sanding , fitting, clamping, gluing, etc… I think I have them situated pretty well. I also marked where to cut out the drivers area and got started cutting that out. I’ll finish that cutout tomorrow and then sort out dropping the driver down about 3/4 of an inch. Once I get a plan going on that I’ll get the cowls attached .

rhomodel · Mar 11, 2022

I intend to say: almost seamless Rich!

Rich Jones · Mar 14, 2022

Cowls are tacked on with thick CA. I have to go underneath and try to get some fiberglass and epoxy around the inside edges. Then I’ll see if I can carefully get some thickened epoxy along the outside to smooth out and/or hide any seams.

Bob Blazer · Mar 15, 2022

I am sure that you know this, but be sure to sand all of the surfaces where you put the fiberglass to enable the adhesion.

Rich Jones · Mar 15, 2022

Bob Blazer said:
I am sure that you know this, but be sure to sand all of the surfaces where you put the fiberglass to enable the adhesion.

Thanks Bob, yeah I did scuff up the surfaces.

Rich Jones · Mar 16, 2022

So just about 3 months in. I got the inside of the cowls glassed to the hatches yesterday. It’s just about time to seal the bottom and sides and also level the top with more epoxy in preparation for trim paint and clear. But before I go there, I’d like to have the engine and pipe mounted ,including the exit through the transom and shaft installed. I’m trying to have most all of the holes drilled and sealed before finishing. I also have to get some vinyl lettering decided upon and ordered, a boat stand to make (probably will go with pvc) , details like the blower, zoomies, dash, driver mounting, and paint and pin striping to consider. I’m really hoping to have a local body shop paint it that has done painting on the Rolls Silver Cloud that is the inspiration for this boat, but we will see. If not I’ll have to source the paint too and play the race against the weather game that I so enjoy this time of year.

Rich Jones · Mar 20, 2022

After checking out Cincinnati club member Mike Lipschutz’s beautiful T-Boats a few times, I decided our boat needed some lifting brackets. I made these out of some 1/16 aluminum, 1/2” wide. I directly copied Mike’s mounting method with the exception of using 6-32 machine screws countersunk into the hatch rails. I will polish them up at some point, but I think they turned out pretty good.

Rich Jones · Mar 21, 2022

More detail work today. I cut the area on the cowl out for the blower. I’m using a block of divinycel which the blower will straddle. I cut a block of wood which will be glued underneath the blower. This block has 4-40 t-nuts installed. The divinycel block gets glued in the center of the hatch. I drilled holes in this block of foam and am using 1” long 4-40 socket head screws recessed into the foam, going through and up into the block of wood on the blower unit. This makes this detail easily removable if it needs to be replaced.

Rich Jones · Mar 25, 2022

Front cowl details complete. Doesn’t look bad. The headers and blower came from a 1/6 Liberty Classics Hemi model. The blower part is fairly light, but I have to tell you, the headers are all metal and they are heavier than I would like. I’m going to weigh everything but I’m probably going to end up cutting off 1/2-3/4” from each pipe. That should leave them at an acceptable length still. I’m moving on to the cockpit area now.

ChrisHerzog · Mar 26, 2022

Looking good!

rhomodel · Mar 28, 2022

Can't you just buy some thinwalled K&S tubing to replace the heavy kit supplied exhaust? That would save you some weight, though I think the complete exhaust as it is now not to weigh more than 3 ounces. It might just look (feel) heavy compared to the plastic part...

K F Wheeler · Mar 28, 2022

I would think somebody would be making those out of plastic!
Ken

Rich Jones · Mar 28, 2022

K F Wheeler said:
I would think somebody would be making those out of plastic!
Ken

One would think. RPM makes a set and I got one but they are too small. 1/10 scale just doesn’t cut it. There didn’t seem to be any 3D printed sets out there either.

Rich Jones · Mar 28, 2022

rhomodel said:
Can't you just buy some thinwalled K&S tubing to replace the heavy kit supplied exhaust? That would save you some weight, though I think the complete exhaust as it is now not to weigh more than 3 ounces. It might just look (feel) heavy compared to the plastic part...

I could definitely do that. I’m going to cut these down and see how they feel and go from there. . The good news weight wise is they seem to be pretty close to the CG of the boat.

Rich Jones · Mar 29, 2022

Ok, the last couple days have been SOMEWHAT productive. I got the motor mount in and after cutting some clearance in bulkhead 4 for the bottom socket cap screws on the rear mount , the motor is in. I had to cut a lot out of the hatch deck under the front cowl and trim and re-slot the needle valves on the wt-257 carb in order for the hatch to go on. I can already see I’m going to need to cut some clearance in no. 4 for the 90deg drop header I’m using.

Next up, I used divinycel capped with 1/16 ply to create mounting surfaces for the poplar slats I cut for mounting the driver. The slats are being dyed with the dark walnut stain mixed with denatured alcohol that I’ve been using to touch up here and there on the decks. The slats are screwed in from underneath with no 8 wood screws. Everything will be sealed with epoxy eventually. But as you I can see we have a driver now. He is held on with a piece of 1/8” ply that tightens under the slats with a bolt that goes all the way up into the bottom of the driver. I feel like this thing has been fighting me every step of the way lately but I’m working through it a step at a time.