Blazer Marine Slingshot Build!

[Rene Berndt]

Hello Mario,
Are the wholes for mounting the pipe in the tube? Look, that are wholes are drilled before you seal the parts.
My slingshot is now covered with clear coat and ready for assembling.

René

 

[Mario Johnston]

Actually, they're not! Thanks, Rene.
I remembered that last night as I was sanding and saw the circles I drew onto the tub for the mounting bracket.
So yes, it looks like THAT will be the next step!

 

[Rene Berndt]

Better now than later.

 

[David Bryant]

What a day! I owe a very special Thanks to Mike Ball for his help with this step.
I had been playing with some radio box concepts for some time after speaking with other slingshot builders about servo maintenance and (steering) push rod flex, So I began piecing together some new ideas for this build.
I loved the idea of a flex shaft mounted directly to the carb instead of a push rod and linkage,, so I sourced a throttle kit from ZippKits and got with Mike to work out new mount. Very pleased with how this came together!!
I sketched out the concept...

Mike took it a few steps further...

Add servo, cut carbon tie down...
View attachment 284115
View attachment 284116
View attachment 284117
Everything clears, nothing binds or touches radio box cover!
View attachment 284118
Marking final mount positions for glue after hull has been clear coated.

wow!, pretty cool

 

[AgafonovRoman]

Hello Mario.
Very clean build and great ideas you've got here. Thank you for great shots also(my slow internet connection is totally frizzed on big sizes).
Best wishes in finished and steering this beast.

 

[Mario Johnston]

I had been going back and forth for months on how I wanted to set up the pipe mount, settled on a simple design the guys here run on their slingshots.
Early in the build I added a small piece of wood to the inner skeleton of the radio box wall in preparation for the pipe mount to be drilled through. I miscalculated slightly and missed a spot where the bolt would come through a hollow space in the tub wall. Not an awful fix!

Start by marking the hole that needs reinforcement. Again, this is a hollow wall. The hardware could potentially squeeze and crack the hull here or create leaks.
I cut a 3/8" dowel for my reinforcement and drilled the center.

Next is the most nerve wracking part: drilling holes in the tub

I slowly opened the hole up to 3/8" and inserted the dowel. Time to seal in for good.

A thickened epoxy mix to seal

Once the epoxy cured, I sanded the dowel down flush with the tub.

And here we are! Good strong mount point for the hardware without fear of splitting the tub wall.
(All appropriate bolt sizes and washers will be installed for final assembly!)

 

[Mario Johnston]

And yep, I used the same 2mm carbon plate for my pipe mount as my braces in the tub. Super solid, and it looks good!!

 

[Samuel Hagan JR]

Super clean build Mario.

 

[Bob Blazer]

Good thinking outside the box on the misdrilled hole.

 

[Mario Johnston]

Picking up momentum again after the brief 2 month break. Began sealing the sponsons Tuesday night, last coat went on tonight.



Much thanks to Brad Maglinger, Stu Barr, Mark Scott, Troy & TJ Hammons for all of your help and suggestions with this step.

Opted to seal the wood with West 105 resin and 207 hardener for a crystal clear finish. Updates tomorrow!

 

[Mario Johnston]

Since I got a bunch of hours to wait before I can touch the sponsons again, might as well start knocking the shine off the cowl in preparation for paint.

 

[Mario Johnston]

Finished sealing and sanding the left sponson tonight. Very happy with how this turned out. The right will be happening tomorrow as my hands are tired as hell now!

 

[Mario Johnston]

Ok, scratch that, I went ahead and knocked the right side out as well. These are both fully sealed with West, sanded between coats and all. READY FOR CLEAR!! ... and maybe a small graphic..

 

[Mario Johnston]

So I couldn't sleep tonight due to a combination of heartburn from bad food and excitement from being so close to the paint/clear stage of the build!!
So I decided to be productive at 3am and knock the rest of the shine off the cowl in prep for final color.
This was achieved with 180 and 3M sanding pads.

 

[Mario Johnston]

Sundays are for boat building!
The sponsons and cowl are complete, sanded and ready for paint/clear coat.

Turning my attention towards the tub today. The interior has been sealed and finished for some time, today ill be focusing on the exterior finish.

 

[Mario Johnston]

Hit the tub with the first coat. Love seeing that beautiful iridescence in the wood grain come through the epoxy.


More updates tomorrow!

 

[Rene Berndt]

Looks great Mario

 

[Brad Christy]

I had been going back and forth for months on how I wanted to set up the pipe mount, settled on a simple design the guys here run on their slingshots.
Early in the build I added a small piece of wood to the inner skeleton of the radio box wall in preparation for the pipe mount to be drilled through. I miscalculated slightly and missed a spot where the bolt would come through a hollow space in the tub wall. Not an awful fix!

Start by marking the hole that needs reinforcement. Again, this is a hollow wall. The hardware could potentially squeeze and crack the hull here or create leaks.
I cut a 3/8" dowel for my reinforcement and drilled the center.
View attachment 285687
Next is the most nerve wracking part: drilling holes in the tub
View attachment 285688
I slowly opened the hole up to 3/8" and inserted the dowel. Time to seal in for good.
View attachment 285689
A thickened epoxy mix to seal
View attachment 285690
Once the epoxy cured, I sanded the dowel down flush with the tub.
View attachment 285691
And here we are! Good strong mount point for the hardware without fear of splitting the tub wall.
(All appropriate bolt sizes and washers will be installed for final assembly!)

Mario,

I do something similar for my radio switch. I use a buss bar set-up, with brass screws mounted to the tub and nylock nuts to clamp the bar in the "closed circuit" position. The one thing I do that you have not is to glue plywood plates on the outside and inside of the tub to lock the end grain plugs in place. I go to some extra effort to make them look pretty, making them on a CNC mill, all oval and such, with a beveled edge all around, but, with the skills you've demonstrated, you could easily accomplish something well close enough, and the additional security and peace of mind would be worth the effort.

Food for thought. And now's the time if you're gonna.

You've done a fantastic job on this build, BTW.

Thanks. Brad.
Titan Racing Components
BlackJack Hydros
Model Machine and Precision LLC

 

[Mario Johnston]

Thats a fantastic idea, Brad.
May be borrowing this concept before the end of the build. Much thanks!

 

[Ray Sametz]

First saw this on a Andy Brown rigger, modded it to work on a P/T sport 40 radio box cover.