Making of the SNX Hull

[Dutchie]

Just make the lines of the hull you like, its a own disign, we will love it

 

[Nate_D]

Hood shaped and first layers of body filler on nose.

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[MikeyB]

Keep it up man!


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[Dalton]

That hood must have required quite some effort to get symmetrical. It's pretty awesome how the profile from the front curves with the nose and from the side looks straight lined. Very cool.

 

[Nate_D]

Thanks! It came out better than I was expecting. I still have some minor tweaks to do to the front where it meets the nose and the sides to blend it into the hull. But the hard part is finished.

You know, it actually wasn't that bad. I've spent ~20 hours on the hood. Nothing compared to the bottom deck nose and rear. Everything moves a little faster as I learn the materials better. I learned on the bottom deck that it is absolutely imperative to find center lines and shape the foam as symmetrical as possible from the start.


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[Dalton]

So after having now made your hood do you feel it would have been a better use of time to start from scratch or to modify the stock hood like you did?

 

[Nate_D]

Modify the stock hood for what I was doing. Cutting it down allowed me to work from a (nearly) symmetrical base. Now the top deck in general I wish I had built entirely out of foam.

Have you started on yours?


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[Dalton]

I'm about to start mine. As soon as I get new battery cables on my 760 ebox the engine and pipe are going in the hull so I can start the hood. The type 4 pipe is so large that I want to make sure I construct the hood in a way that accommodates its size.

I agree about the top deck. My next one is going to be shaped entirely from foam. It's not worth the hassle to cut up an existing deck just to change every part of it.

Edit: Looking at the sides of your tray they look fairly narrow. I guess it depends a bit on what method you plan on using to make your top decks but narrow gunwales are really hard to get fabric into with your hands and seat correctly. Mine are between 1.5 and 2 inches with the flare towards the rear and the front narrow parts were a bit difficult to lay up.

 

[Nate_D]

They are a bit narrow. The picture is a little deceiving though. I used 1" XPS inside of the stock gunwales and then laid 1/8" of fabric over them. At the top of the gunwale it's ~ 1.5" and the bottom angle out a little. Probably 3" at the bottom. The inside of the gunwales is going to be cut out on the top deck parts and an adjustable foothold well will be glassed in. So I'm really only concerned with the outside wall of the gunwale. Although I could foresee bridging issues occurring due to the width.

I could still build the inside of the tray up a little with bondo if you think the width is going to cause issues with the layup... ?


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[Dalton]

If you're going to be infusing it'll be a little more forgiving because you'll have the luxury of time to seat the fabric well but if you're going to be cutting out the inside wall anyway making it a little wider than needed would be beneficial in my opinion just to make layup a little easier on yourself. I guess whatever you feel will work best for you. The width you have there certainly will work since it did for me.

I got a good start on my hood last night. Hopefully I'll have it done by tomorrow.

 

[Nate_D]

Two days to plug a hood... You're a beast. Send me some pictures.

I will probably widen it a little bit. Placed my order for all of the materials I will need for the plugs and infusion of the first hull. All of the little things add up fast.

Do you have any experience using in mold coatings? GAC sells a clear coat in mold that supposedly produces a finished product right out of the mold.


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[Dalton]

I can't say I have any experience with in mold coatings. If you end up trying it out let me know how that goes for sure. Sounds like the easiest way to make a finished visual carbon part. I don't have plans for a carbon hull until at least revision two of my prototype but I have plenty of other smaller molds that would be fun to try on.

Buying bulk is definitely the way to go with these supplies. The infusion stuff gets pricey. Make sure to get frekote and the sealer or you'll have a hell of a time infusing with PVA.

 

[Nate_D]

I was going to study up on frekote today. I am not a fan of PVA for making parts at all. Works great on random things that need to release without a good surface quality, but it's a bitch to lay down and almost always seems to pick up contaminants while it dries.

Can you use frekote on plugs finished with a polyester primer to pull molds? Or is it just for pulling parts?


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[Dalton]

I've heard of it being used on plugs when creating molds. It might have been a frekote document I was reading where I saw that but I could be mistaken. I don't see why it wouldn't work anyway. Frekote is so easy it feels like cheating.

 

[Dalton]

Are you venting this hood or doing pole breather tubes?

 

[Nate_D]

Plan is to make a liner and vent it. Pole design will have breather tubes as well though.


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[Dalton]

Any particular reason for doing both?

 

[Nate_D]

Options mainly. It's debatable if a 1000+ engine needs the extra air, but might as well design it to have the option.


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[Nate_D]

Filled in and sanded out the nose. Still needs to be finished.

I need some help with measurements. I am planning out where my pole brackets will be and where the indentions for bolt clearance will go. I need the following from an RRP pole...

Length from center of bolt to bottom of pole:
Height (thickness) of pole at bolt:
Height (thickness) at bottom:


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[Liquid Graffix]

Awesome build. Great ideas...

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