Pulse welder/Plate Boat build

[cwcarter]

Inside vertical welds.


Fitted braces on the outside to prevent any suck in of the plate.
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Stitch welded the rear of frame 1.
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Sanded down tacks before welding.
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5 x 200mm welds either side.
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Anchor well tacks were left in place and welded over. Not as neat as sanding back but plate would of moved and popped sanded back tacks.
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[cwcarter]

Welding in deck stiffeners.

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[cwcarter]

All the deck stiffeners in.


I upgraded to this clamp at the start of the build, the alligator clamp was just not cutting it.
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Extra cross braces to give the deck plate more support.
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Bottle jack pushing frame into alignment.
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A couple of stitch welds to hold things together. I'll use sicka later to seal the storage area.
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Installing the drain pipe.
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Completed storage and deck stiffeners.
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[cwcarter]

A few random shots with some of the braces removed.

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[cwcarter]

More internal work - battery box, cable tray and fuel tank void surround.

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[old1955]

She seems to be coming along nicely Craig. Cost of all those clamps must have hurt.

[cwcarter]

Trim tabs sorted.

Position of tabs marked and back cutting bottom seam for final weld.
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Port tab welded and sanded flush.
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I use metho in a spray bottle to lubricate while drilling.
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Another job out of the way.
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[WelderMick]

Nice one Craig, I like your attention to detail. A few questions:
- I notice the tig torch in one of the photos... have been tigging much? I couldn't really tell, but I'm guessing your refinforcement for the trim tabs was tigged?
- Tell us a bit more about the trim tabs. I wouldn't have thought they'd come in to play much, particularly with outboard motors? I've no experience with them. Do they operate automatically or manually set?
- Earlier in the thread you mentioned looking at twin donks, but the mounting on the pod transom seems pretty narrow, will they fit as is or is there something else going on there?
Thanks for the photos.
- Mick

[cwcarter]

Nice one Craig, I like your attention to detail. A few questions:
- I notice the tig torch in one of the photos... have been tigging much? I couldn't really tell, but I'm guessing your refinforcement for the trim tabs was tigged?
- Tell us a bit more about the trim tabs. I wouldn't have thought they'd come in to play much, particularly with outboard motors? I've no experience with them. Do they operate automatically or manually set?
- Earlier in the thread you mentioned looking at twin donks, but the mounting on the pod transom seems pretty narrow, will they fit as is or is there something else going on there?
Thanks for the photos.
- Mick

Thanks Mick.

Pretty well most of it has been with mig. The doubler plate for the tabs I used tig as I wasn't confident with the mig doing 10mm to 5mm neatly. The little miller did well with a little bit of pre heat on the 10 mm plate.
I use the tig mainly for cosmetic repairs mostly at the moment. May even do the external seams with tig yet.

Im using bennett hydraulic trim tabs. These ones are both auto and manual and allows you to adjust the boats plane to any attitude you like. Heaps of benifits with these - adjust for load distribution, faster planing, swell or wind to side adjust boat for dryer ride. Auto will be good when your fat mate is walking all around the deck when underway.

Just the one donk Mick. Geez 2 would set me back abit. This boat is built as the money comes along. Looking at this time next year to be fully complete depending what pocket money I get.
Earlier I showed 2 types of mercs . One was the optimax a 2 stroke and the other was the new 2 ltr 4 stroke. Looks like I'll be going the 4 stroke as apperantly there phasing out the 2 smoke.

cheers
Craig.

[WelderMick]

Im using bennett hydraulic trim tabs. These ones are both auto and manual and allows you to adjust the boats plane to any attitude you like. Heaps of benifits with these - adjust for load distribution, faster planing, swell or wind to side adjust boat for dryer ride. Auto will be good when your fat mate is walking all around the deck when underway.

Gotcha... I've never looked into them, but I have to admit, I'm pretty particular about where people sit to stop listing, nothing more annoying that driving along standing/sitting on an angle. I'm a pretty big guy, but I had one mate that would affect things so much that he used to have to sit just about dead centre in the boat (5.1m centre console) and I'd be driving along, wind in my hair, hanging off the starboard rail just trying to stay upright.

Just the one donk Mick. Geez 2 would set me back abit. This boat is built as the money comes along. Looking at this time next year to be fully complete depending what pocket money I get.
Earlier I showed 2 types of mercs . One was the optimax a 2 stroke and the other was the new 2 ltr 4 stroke. Looks like I'll be going the 4 stroke as apperantly there phasing out the 2 smoke.

Is that right? things change all the time. It wasn't too long ago that the E-TEC's etc. were threatening to make 4 strokes redundant. I've still got an old Merc 75hp 2-stroke - I just can't justify the money to upgrade.

[Karl Robbers]

Is that right? things change all the time. It wasn't too long ago that the E-TEC's etc. were threatening to make 4 strokes redundant. I've still got an old Merc 75hp 2-stroke - I just can't justify the money to upgrade.

Only in their sales brochures. Too unreliable, pro fishermen down here won't touch an E-TEC with a barge pole.
Four strokes are the way to go on a new set up, but if I had a good reliable two stroke I certainly wouldn't feel inadequate. My last boss just had to replace his 225 Yammie 2 stroke with a new 200 Yammie 4 stroke. I think we worked out that it would take him thirty years to pay for the motor in fuel savings.

[cwcarter]

Yep, wouldn't touch an E-TEC. The advantage of the optis would be if you do alot of hours service costs would be cheaper.
I would think under say 90 hp 2 strokes will be around for a long time but anything bigger the 4 strokes are just getting better and lighter.

[cwcarter]

She seems to be coming along nicely Craig. Cost of all those clamps must have hurt.

Lots of clamps Ross.

I want more of those Ehoma 200mm clamps. $25 a pop from BOC probably isn't too bad. Those green ones are from A Mans Toy Shop and are crap.Think I paid the same price.
Those big Irwin ones are handy buggers. Push and pull stuff, lift things, used as stays. Not the greatest to weld next to though.

While Ive mentioned A Mans Toy shop, on the weekend I was getting sick of my ebay special flap discs and rushed in to get some replacements. They had 2 brands there both $15!!!!!!! I quickly googled the same brand and $6 from Bunnings. Showed the bloke at the counter but he wouldn't agree to negotiate or drop price. The next closest place was Mitre 10 around the corner. Went in and found the same brand for $7. So if you need flap discs don't go to A Mans Toy shop.

[old1955]

The toy shop doesn't like negotiating at all.

[cwcarter]

Add another $45,000 to the boat build. This will be the new work/family/leisure vehicle. I will be making a top rack for this in the near future.
Welding on the boat has ceased at this point as the silly season is upon us. Work and vehicle fit out will take up all my time at this stage.

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