January 1 - 20th, 2000
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Wednesday January 6th 2000
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
Its already the 6th of January, and the hovercraft has taken a little bit of a backseat during the festivities...Some things have been done:
I finished fitting most of the stringers, only to cut the overhang too short, forgetting Rib 1 that has to be fitted out front. Fitted Rib 1 in place. I found that the wood glue really wasnt up to the job and have now got epoxy glue to do the job properly!
Bought a $10 trial set from System 3 expory resins.... Wonderful...very informative. Consequently ordered all my fiberglassing supplies from them.... about $240.
www.systemthree.com
After the fiasco with Grainger.com and not getting a new 10hp Tecumseh for $180, I fired off an angry email and have let it go. The engine search continues....
Monday January 10th 2000
Thanks to a kind neighbor lending me a heater for the garage work has restarted with avengeance! I stripped off the stringers - the glue bonds were disappointingly easy to break, made new (longer) top side stringers and refitted them all. I finished fitting Rib One and it seems to be in the right place despite the unclear plans. I also fitted the two rear engine supports and a seat support, though I have run out of wood AGAIN! Tomorrow night I plan to epoxy glue all the joints in place once and for all. Initial tests proved very good, with wood snapping rather than bonds breaking. With all the wooden frame mostly in place it begins to really look like this project is getting somewhere. Im still looking for 2 motors. I know I can get a new 10hp Tecumseh electric start for about $380, if I cant find a good used one. I plan to buy a snowmobile and take what I need, selling the scrap to a local dealer. Engines there looked nice, but they wanted over $1200 for them. I'm sure I can buy a whole machine for that when the season starts to close in March / April.
Tuesday January 11th 2000
The frame is as good as finished. We epoxy glued all the parts into place. The whole frame is much more rigid now, and looks like it may just withstand a reasonable amount of abuse....Ordered 2 pounds of silicon bronze boat nails to affix the ply.
Thursday January 13th 2000
Fiberglass and boat nails have arrived. Looking at the plans it seems I need 1/8 inch ply next. I have found a source of mahogany marine play at $30 a sheet for an 8x4. I'd like to find some plain exterior ply to compare at maybe $20 a sheet...
Maybe i should try a couple of sheets and see how it handles.
Monday January 17th 2000
Today we bought all the sheet materials needed. Eight sheets of Mahogany Okoume 1/8 inch marine ply, some white and pink foam and a couple of sheets of OSB for duct disks. This major investment totalled some $350 so there is no turning back now!
I guess this means that this weeks plans include the building of the lift duct!
Tuesday January 18th 2000
Grainger.com sent me a small China-made digital clock. Enclosed was a card thanking me for my order and for being a valued customer! That entirely makes up for messing me about with the engine and returns them to "most-favored company" status.
(Does sarcasm come over well on the net?)
Wednesday January 19th 2000
Tonight I cut the two form discs for the lift duct, and screwed them to the spacers to make the form. I positioned it in the frame and tried to adjust the angle... Blueprints say 30 degree slope, book says 20 degree max so engine will work better.... So far 25 degrees looks best...
