• If you log in, the ads disappear in the forum and gallery. If you need help logging in or getting registered, send request to: webmaster@southernairboat.com

Fun Working on the Boat Today

Whitebear

Whitebear

Silent Prop
R. I. P.
I actually made some progress today. I was able to work from After 12 to about 4-5PM. Got a bit done. Pictures below.

Pile of old riggin
Old_Rig_Pile.jpg


New Hoops
New_Hoops1.jpg


The bare bear boat
Bare_Bear_Boat.jpg


Old school gold
Looks_Like_Gold.jpg


Progress
Gettin_There.jpg


N-bracing
N_Brace_Detail.jpg


The front end
Front_End.jpg


There is always a clown close by with a camera !
Always_a_Clown_With_A_Camera_Close_By.jpg


Might as well smile, already cought the other side ! Notice the SA attire worne shamelessly at work. Several folks stopped by and wanted to know about airboats and a couple of boaters stopped to see who it was. Mostly it was dry, thursty, hot work, with a lot of breaks for the old bears back.
Might_as_Well_Smile.jpg


More tomorrow.

Scotty :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Yup, I'm using plain ole EMT from Home Depot. I didn't weigh it but my little 7 YO grandaughter can flip this thing around like she was a gorilla. I know nothing of square tubing, but Chris at Dakota Aqirboats uses a lot of it and says its about the same weignt. Mine comes up slightly heavier cause I use brass instead of steel mig wire. There are 6 brass rods in the footstand. Compared to whatever the weight of the mig wire is. That should be most of the difference in weight.

Brass isn't for everyone. If it isn't done properly it can and will crack. If it is applied too cold it will just tear off from the edge of the galvanize and not bond to the steel. Done properly it has the advantage of flowing like solder. It is very controllable and you dont need a multi thousand dollar welder to do it. Brass has about 85-90% the shear strentgh of a weld if done correctly so there isn't a lot of difference in the result.

Brass is a bit more expensive now days than mig wire as well. Overall I'm just doing it old school cause I like it that way. I haven't bult anything for an airboat in 0ver 15 years so I'm still regaining my steady hand with the torches but Im satisfied with the result. Again, it ain't for everyone.

The old rigging was made from DOM pipe, what the heck ever that is, and I can assure you it was well rusted under the paint. I have no clue why it does that cause ya can't see any bubbles in it, but when ya tear off a piece of paint there is heavy even rust under it no matter where ya look on the old riggin. I, for sure and for certin, made the right decision to rerig this thing.

EDIT: Mike that wheelchair may be the operator seat the way I feel tonight after standing all day. Desk jobs will kill you.

Scotty :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Look'in Good Scotty!
Go on with it.

It's six a.m. now.
Get back to work!

Keep the pictures flowing too man.

Have fun. 8)
 
Hey Scotty,

I got one of them multi-thousand dollar welders.....and I still prefer to braze my rigging!

Has worked well for many years, so i see no need to change.

Nothing wrong with mig or tig, I just prefer to do my guards old-school!

Keep up the good work.

Grant
 
Lookin real good Scotty. I think brazing has a little 'give' to it that a tig or mig weld doesn't, so when it's done right it's probably less subject to cracking. It might even be a little quieter ... dampen a little bit.

Sounds to me like they didn't get the old riggin clean before they painted it.
 
looks good I hopefully will be working on my rigging next week so if you can keep those pictures coming it will help keep me motivated :lol:


I have never done or been that great with brazing so I will probably go the route of the Multi-cheapo mig welder I have but I do commend someone who can braze there rigging like that.
 
Cowboy, it's like ridin a bicycle.
I hadn't done any in years and a friend of mine ask me to give him a hand a while back.

I wasn't real happy with the first one, but by the second one I was back in the saddle.
 
Scotty,

Glad your project is moving forward...it's been a treat for me to watch as you have weighed your options.

Really like the soft curves and reinforcements of the old foot stand. My old metalworks was brazed and it lasted for years without a failure. The builder drilled tiny weep holes at the lowest point of every weld to allow moisture an escape route...what's your opinion on that?
 
Messed up and deleted a post I made.
That's what Olf was responding to above.

Here it is again:
Hey Gold,
Just do it.
Mount a small brazing tip on your torch, and start melting rods.
It's easy.
I think it's easier than mig, cause the filler metal don't go until you put it there.
More control, just like tig.

Scotty,
The close-up picture of that brazed joint looked fine to me.
Go on with it!

BTW,
When I start in on that Birthday rake for Canfane, I'll have to knock the rust off my brazing hand. It's been more than a few months, but after a couple of beads, I'll have it going my way again.

I'll be using a workbench like yours too, 'cept mine is Black and Silver.
 
BD, a lot of old school folks use weep holes. They promote a stronger weld because they allow pressure from the heating to escape during the welding process.

Good point.
 
I may try brazing again just depends how frustrated I get with it :lol: must only time I braze anything now is a gas tank with a hole ( I like this old metal tanks) and that's normally about it but his pictures make it look so good I may have to give it a go
 
Just remember you want a slightly carbonizing? Carburizing? flame not a super hot pin prick flame. It don't take long to work it out.

And remember do NOT breathe the fumes as you burn the gavanize off of EMT it will make you really really sick.

Go for the gold man.

Scotty
 
Stripped down the insturment panel today. Will paint it tomorrow and begin stuffing in gauges and switches. May be back on the seat package over the weekend if we get nice days.

Any of yall know how to make a 4" ring with a 3 1/8 inch hole in it? I might be able to cut it out on the laythe if I can find a small piece of .090 or something, Tach hole is 3.5" and the tach is 3 1/8 inch.

Next thing is no light in the tach, so I need to figure out some kind of indirect light external of the tach for it.

Scotty
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top