1964 Starcraft Jet Star Aluminum Runabout Project

[dcovey]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

I assumed you are using a metal blade with "cutoff wheel" abrasive material. If you're using a toothed blade on a circular saw for metal cutting, I'm not sure which direction I'd run that. I guess I'd go to a jigsaw at that point, I've cut 3/16 steel with a jigsaw no-problem.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

I just ran through 1/4" thick alum with a thin metal cutting wheel on my grinder, worked great (you'll see what I was up to soon).

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project - What am I doing wrong here?

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project - What am I doing wrong here?

I'm trying to cut my transom plate from 1/8" sheet aluminum using a metal cutting blade on a circular saw. Max saw RPms = 4600, blade rated for 7500. I'm getting kickback so bad that I can hardly make the cut. Everything is clamped down and I'm running along a straightedge. I tried adjusting the depth of the blade up a little so just past the teeth shows underneath and that didn't seem to make a difference.

Never cut much metal before.

You're gunna need to make a "ZERO" Clearance plate for your saw. Raise the blade up as high as it will go. Use some hardboard and duct tape it to the base of the saw. Plunge the blade thru the hard board. Set the blade so it jus barely cuts thru the aluminum. It should work fine. GO REAL SLOW and wear goggles.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project - What am I doing wrong here?

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project - What am I doing wrong here?

Thanks for the info...I'm rained out for today with thunderstorms.

You shoulda seen me - goggles, respirator & ear protectors!!

Aboout all I got done was installing my home made transom cap and doing the final check/placement of my templates for mounting the motor. Once you drill a 1/2" hole, you can't undrill it!

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Today's work...

Wood, thanks for the how-to on the metal cutting!! It worked out real well, although I'm not sure my saw liked it. I had to let it cool down between cuts. Once I got the hang of the blade depth it went a lot better.

The transom plate is all cut out & ready to be attached.

Aside from that, I installed the helm & steering cable, tach and control. I had a little bit of a scare because I thought I had ordered too long a cable, but when all was laid out, it's pretty close and will work.

I installed the tach first and that went fine. I used a 3-1/4" hole saw and had to file out to get to 3-3/8" required. Couldn't find the oddball size hole saw anywhere.

Then, while installing the rack & pinion unit, I had to move it over about 3/4" toward starboard to get enough clearance behind the dash so it didn't hit the tach. That worked out OK too although I had already drilled my pilot hole and center-punched for the 3 mounting bolt holes, but the mounting plate hid my mistake.

I should have gone with the rotary steering to save room, but I bought the R&P a long time ago before I knew as much as I know now! It does fit OK, but not much room to spare and would have been a lot easier with rotary.

I had to modify the back of my control board because the bolts supplied are only long enough to go thru up to 1/2" thickness, and the lower part of my board is 1" thick. I used a forstner bit to countersink the holes by 1/2", and had to make my own spacers for between the control and board because the ones supplied were too thick (7/8" if anyone cares!). Made them out of 1/4" aluminum bar.

Thought I might get to some to switch installation but I've hit a wall.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Looks Like some fine Engineering. I'm hoping by next week to be doing some similar work to mine. The Dash Is NICE!!!!!

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Thanks, that all took a lot of planning & consideration. That's why it has taken me over 2 years to get this far! When I started out, I didn't think I'd be rebuilding the whole thing! Guess that's the way this stuff goes.

I'll be watching and cheering you along, anxious to see how the Flamingo is going to look as it gets put back together.

 

[Bighoss]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Looks good..that dash is sweet. What kind of controls you got there? I like it.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Looks good..that dash is sweet. What kind of controls you got there? I like it.

Thanks, that 1/4" oak ply from Lowe's finished up pretty nicely with 7 coats of spar urethane. The control is BRP, OEM equip. for the 2003 Johnson patiently waiting for me in the shed.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

The transom is IN.

It went pretty well but took a lot of time to get everything to line up just so. My height on the plate was off by just 1/16" and metal is very unforgiving! I mucked around slightly enlarging holes and filing down the top a hair and got it to work. I discovered that one tab on the center knee brace is cracked, but I'm not going to worry about it with the other ones and all the bolts going through. A tank could hit that thing and it wouldn't flex!

To seal the old lower transom top line, I ran a bead of 5200 between the board and outer hull, then after it was all tightened down, ran another bead along the top of the hull skin.

Now my diatribe about 5200. You can't live with it and you can't live without it. Messy, sticky stuff all around, gets all over the place. The good thing is all the working time you have. I found that using Q-tips was a fast & easy way to clean up around bolt heads and screws. Went through about half a roll of paper towels just cleaning things up half way through.

I have these brass drain tubes for the splashwell:

I still have to cut them to length, but how do you seal them in besides 5200? Doesn't seem like that alone would be sufficient to do the job.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Make one of these...

I'd just use the 5200. Can't think of anything better!

Transom Looks GREAT!!!!

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Flaring! Should have remembered from when I removed the old ones. Had no idea how to do it though. (But realize that two years is beyond my memory's capability!)

Thanks yet again, Wood. When you gonna write your book?

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Flaring! Should have remembered from when I removed the old ones. Had no idea how to do it though. (But realize that two years is beyond my memory's capability!)[/I][/B]

Lake - Just look at your sig to remember how far you've come. You are setting a high bar!

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Thank, GA_Boater, it does look a little different dosen't it?

One more picture and that will be it for a while, we're headed to the lake for a week so glad I got a lot done today. It was one of those rare days when most things go smoothly, so I just kept going.

Also got in the piece of trim along the bottom of the dash.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Make one of these...

The question is, when you cut off the tubes, how much extra do you leave for flaring? Not much, I wouldn't guess.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

The question is, when you cut off the tubes, how much extra do you leave for flaring? Not much, I wouldn't guess.

Measure the flange on the other end. It appears to be about 1/16" and add a skoosh for the inside bend. So transom depth + flange width + a skoosh should do it. Get another roll of paper towels for wiping the 5200 (which you have grown to love) and good for another 47 years - give or take. A word of caution - if the tube is cut too long it just might split on you.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Measure the flange on the other end. It appears to be about 1/16" and add a skoosh for the inside bend. So transom depth + flange width + a skoosh should do it. Get another roll of paper towels for wiping the 5200 (which you have grown to love) and good for another 47 years - give or take. A word of caution - if the tube is cut too long it just might split on you.

Thanks for the info, very helpful, that will be one of my next things to do. Now I gotta find those giant nylock nuts! The tubes are 1" diameter.

I'm sure that 5200 will outlast me!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Ahem!!!

Look at the LAST Red Sentence in the Picture!!!!!

I'd say about 1/8" to 3/16"

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Ahem!!!

Look at the LAST Red Sentence in the Picture!!!!!

I'd say about 1/8" to 3/16"

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

Re: 1964 15' Starcraft Aluminum Runabout Project

With the exception of my "skoosh" , I did say measure the flange.