Sun Jul 29, 2001

4 hours

Pictured top right - I marked the insides of the mounts at a 90 degree angle to the shaft on each side of the cross brace. I used one 2" screw in the middle of each side of the cross brace to hold it in place.  I trial fit the fan and positioned the brace till it was perfect.  Then I screwed in a screw near the top of each side into the cross brace.

Pictured 2nd right - I used 5/16" x 2 1/2" bolts with 2 washers and a lock washer on each bolt hole - 4 in total.

Pictured 3rd right - Another view of the fan shaft from the rear

Pictured 4th right - This is how the fan sits in the duct.

Pictured 5th right - This is the fan spinning

Sun Jul 29, 2001

Cont...

The mounts are glued and screwed!  I used a mixture of wood flour and epoxy to glue the cross member joint and the front mount recessed joints.  I used 5 2" screws instead of 4 on each cross brace side.  It just worked out this way.

Pictured top right - I used micro fibers as opposed to micro balloons to create fillets on all the joints.  Micro fibers should be stronger than micro balloons.  I believe these are also known as flox.

Pictured 2nd right - Here is how I filleted the mounts at the front

Pictured 3rd right - Here is how I filleted the mounts at the back.... Note sloppy job.  This will be encased in foam so I don't care.

I will fiberglass over all the fillets to further reinforce the joints.

Mon Jul 30, 2001

1 hour

Pictured top right - I fiberglassed all but two of the lift fan mounts today.  I used a 6 oz fiberglass cloth about 6" x 4" on each joint. 

Pictured 2nd right - another view of the lift duct.  I still have to fiberglass the joints where the mounts go into the highest part of the duct (closes to the back of the craft)

Pictured 3rd right - This is the 6 gallon plastic fuel tank I am going to use with this craft.

Pictured 4th right - Some graphite powder.  Mix 10% with epoxy. Forms a slick abrasion resistant coating.  Will probably use this on the landing skids.

Pictured 5th right - No the warning label for the graphite powder.  Dangerous stuff.

Pictured 6th right - Wood flour.  I think this is just really fine wood particle.  I used this mixed with epoxy to glue the cross brace joint and the lift mounts at the front in the recess.

Pictured 7th right - Micro ballons.  Mix with epoxy to peanut butter consistency and use as a filler.  Can be sanded.

Pictured 8th right - Micro fibers.  Mix to about a peanut butter consistency with epoxy and use to fillet joints. 

Pictured 9th right - A foam roller and roller.  Cut the foam roller to about 2.5" lengths and use to spread epoxy evenly.

Tue Jul 31, 2001

1.5 Hours

Pictured top right - my daughter Kaylee giving me some riding tips.

Pictured 2nd right - I cut and shaped the idler supports for the front lift duct

Pictured 3rd right - The idlers will be suspended between these braces by a threaded rod.

Pictured 4th right - A side view of the brace.  I need to cut a vertical slot in each brace so the pulleys can be adjusted up and down. 

Wed Aug 1, 2001

1 hour

Pictured top right - This is the lift fan idler pulleys.  5/8" threaded rod 13"  with 8 bolts and 2 pressed steel sheaves.  I still need to get some large washers for either side of the plywood

Pictured 2nd right - A view of the idlers from the rear at full height.

Pictured 3rd right - That bit on my dremel must be dull...I switched to the router to finish.  The hole is a little wider than I wanted it.  I may re-do these mounts... not sure... at first I thought they were bad.. but with the large washers on either side I am sure they will be fine.  Anyone see any value in re-doing these?

Pictured 4th right - A view of the idlers from the top.

Well I don't think I am going to make my end of August deadline.  I lost a couple of good weeks building when I was sick in July.  I am thinking now probably mid September.  I need to be done before the end of October as my wife wants to park in the garage.

Don't those red stripes make my lift duct look fast!

Thu Aug 2, 2001

Well I didn't get a whole lot done on the hovercraft today but doesn't my grass look great!

Pictured top right - My freshly cut lawn.

Pictured 2nd right - My wife ensuring my lawn is freshly cut.

I did make it to Home Depot.  I bought 2 2x2x8's for the motor mounts.  I bought washers for the lift fan idlers and 3/8" carriage bolts for the motor mounts.  I bought 4" and 6" length bolts as thats all they had.  Tomorrow I will hopefully get a chance to build the left and right mounts.  I also need to find some 1/4" x 4" Aluminum strap material to mount the engine on.  My plan is to mount the engine on the straps then mount the engine and straps onto the mounts.  I will then get an assistant to help me carry them onto the hovercraft casket style.  I will position the engine in the center of the adjustment on the straps and put the lift fan belt in place.  I will position the mounts so the lift fan belt is properly tenisioned.  I am going to mark the mounts in position and remove the engine and mount assmbly from the craft.  I will epoxy the marked mount position on the hull and epoxy the bottom of the mounts that mate with the hull.  I will then lift the mounts, engine still attached, and put into place on the craft.  I am going to use the engine as weight to hold the mounts in place while I am epoxying.

Fri Aug 3, 2001

2 hours

Pictured top right - The upper part of the motor mounts marked and ready to cut.  My crappy table saw won't cut this so I have to borrow the neighbours.

Pictured 2nd right - The aluminum mounts for the motor 1/4" x 4" aluminum cut 15" long.  Stock is 12" long.  I have a 54" prop so I am using a 12" sheave instead of a 9" one so I added 3 inches to the mounts.

Pictured 3rd right - I clamped the two mounts together and used a drill press to drill to holes on either end of the mounts.  The holes will leave a 2" slot.

Pitrured 4th right - I used a jigsaw to start the cut then I used a reciprocating saw cut out the aluminum betwen th two holes.

Pictured 5th right - Here is what the two mounts look like with slots cut.

Pictured 6th right - Here is the way the mounts will be positioned.  Note I am missing the riser that goes underneath these mounts that angles the engine.

Ok a relative had a table saw so I went over to use it.  I cut the risers freehand.  Boy a good table saw sure makes cutting easy.  The $60 garage sale delta I bought is crappy.  I will put some pictures of the risers up tomorrow...

Sat Aug 4, 2001

8 hours

Pictured top right - This is where the lift fan belt will exit the duct.

Pictured 2nd right - This is the hole.  I made it a little larger on each end (not shown) to allow for some play when the idlers are moved up.

Pictured 3rd right - Here is the lift fan pulley with the belt attached.

Pictured 4th right - Here is the lift fan belt trial fit with the engine sheave.

Pictured 5th right - motor mounts complete.  I just need to drill holes for the engine.  Note the mounts are not attached to the hull yet.

Pictured 6th right - A close up of the motor mounts.  I used 4" and 5" carriage bolts which are counter sunk at the bottom.

Pictured 7th right - The idlers braces for the lif duct are epoxied and filleted into place.

Sat Aug 4, 2001

Cont...

Pictured top right - Epoxying the risers onto the motor shafts.  Note countersunk 3/8"x  4" carriage bolts.  I used a epoxy on the bottom of the bolts and screwed the nuts on and ratcheted them tight to hold them in place while the epoxy sets.

Pictured 2nd right - I ground the hump of my p1-1 1/8 bushing. I wasn't looking forward to this but it turned out to be really easy.  Took me 5 minutes at the most. The bushing and keystock is in place and I evenly tenisioned the bolts.  I am not sure how far to go but I know that the bushing is not supposed to be flush with the sheave.

Pictured 3rd right - Another view of the sheave on the engine shaft.

Pictured 4th right - Yet another view of the sheave on the engine.

Sun Aug 5, 2001

3 hours

Vroom... Vroom... well almost.  I got the engine on top of the craft today. I am positioning the engine using the lift belt as a reference.  I am so tempted to start it up!

Pictured top right -Drilled the holes for the mounts on the engine and mounted the engine to the wood mounts.

Pictured 2nd right - A close up of the engine on the mounts.

Pictured 3rd right - A side view of the engine on the mounts.

Pictured 4th right - I had my wife help me lift the engine on the craft.  She's stronger than I thought.  I positioned the engine putting the lift belt in place.

Pictured 5th right - A view of the belt on the engine.

Pictured 6th right - A view of the engine and belt from behind the craft.

Mon Aug 6, 2001

1 hour

Pictured top right - I epoxied the motor mounts onto the hull.  I centered the mounts left and right (port and starboard) and put the belt in place and used it position the mounts.  The engine shaft should be approximately 77" from the bottom hull center of the lift duct.  I tipped the engine back on the mounts till it was almost vertical.  The roof of my garage stopped the assembly from tipping back all the way.  I coated the bottom of the mounts and the marked hull with fast epoxy.  I then place the mounts into position and manuevered them until they sat correctly.

Pictured 2nd right - I secured the mounts at the back of the hull with 2 quick clamps (not shown) and used a heavy vice as an addtional weight. I filleted the outside joints.  You will notice a part that I did not fillet.  I am not sure where the thrust mount will be positioned so I left a  wide berth.

Pictured 3rd right - I also filleted the inside of the mounts using epoxy and microfibers.  I will put a layer of fiberglass on the inside and outside of the mounts to further secure them to the deck.

Pictured 4th right - Here is a view of the engine mounts taken from the front of the craft.  After I remove the engine I will put a fillet on the inside where you see it missing.

Tue Aug 7, 2001

2 hours

Pictured top right - I removed the engine from the mounts by myself (not recommended) and finsihed the fillet on the inside of the mounts. 

Pictured 2nd right - I Added a layer of 6oz fiberglass over the fillet and motor mount riser on both sides.  The fiberglass completely covers the riser and goes about 2" onto the deck.  Note the rectangular epoxied area around the mounts. This is to protect the wood from oil/gas which may leak from the engine.

Pictured 3rd right - I fiberglassed the fillets for the lift duct and idler mounts on the outside.  I used 6oz cloth again.

Pictured 4th right - I fiberglassed the inside of the idler mounts using 6oz cloth again.  I used several layers and reinforced the join where the duct meets the hull. 

This week I am hoping to get the motor running... don't need to just want too.

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