Christmas Gift Ideas

[chuckitt]

I may be a little biased on this but I think the best Christmas Gift that you could give someone is a MINI AIRBOAT. Don't you think so? Maybe even one of these.


The Mini Pro 084 Camo is only $ 7600.00 with a new Trailer.
The Mini Pro 116, White and Black priced for Christmas has been reduced to $ 5995.00 without a trailer.
These Gifts can make some Loved One very Happy.
Chuck

[buster]

Chuck,

I don't think you are biased at all. I for one would love to find one of these under my Christmas tree

Santa,

I really like the black and white one, and I've been a good boy all year (Well, except for giving Duane a hard time now and then )

Dave

[Duane Scarborough]

Dear Santa,

Buster has been a good boy all year long. He'd like a shiny new airboat.

Nah, he's already got 2 airboats.....

Duane

[buster]

Santa,

Don't pay any attention to Duane, he's probably jealous :P

Any chance on you taking my "vintage" boats in trade for a brand new Christmas boat you can get from Chuck? I'll leave something for you, a lot better than cookies

Dave

[Flathead]

Hmmm.... 5995.00 for a brand new mini-pro? I'll bet I'll have more than that sunk into the FATCAT by the time I'm finished with it.....

Chuck, do you take trade ins?

Bruce

[buster]

Bruce,

I don't know if Chuck takes trades or not, but if he does, I bet he likes them to be in one piece anyway

Dave

[Duane Scarborough]

Hmmm.... 5995.00 for a brand new mini-pro? I'll bet I'll have more than that sunk into the FATCAT by the time I'm finished with it.....

Chuck, do you take trade ins?

Bruce

Flathead,

I may have been better off money-wise if I'd ran across one of these deals before I started on my boat, but I wouldn't have had the pleasure of doing much of it myself.

I expect that my total expense is going to be "about" $6,000.00, but I've stopped really tracking exactly how much money I have invested in it. That would ruin the fun!

The major expenses have been covered. Now I'm into the nickel and dime stuff. Hobbies are "supposed" to eat your nickels and dimes.

A turn key boat would have been nice, but then when I had a problem with it, I'd be totally stumped. Up a creek without a paddle. There are NO airboat dealers in N.C.

This way, when I finally get it together, at least I'll know what makes it tick. And hopefully know how to fix it myself when I do have a problem.

Plus, the experience has been fun.

Have fun with yours,

Duane

[av8or]

Dear Santa

Bla Bla Bla........you know the story. There will be room under my tree if ya need a place to store one of those.

John

[Flathead]

Just to clear up any confusion about the FATCAT. I'm having a great time with it. I'm even thinking of investing in a aluminum welder. I figure I'll have to make new rigging and a bench seat of some kind. One good thing about new projects, I usually end up with some cool new tools

Bruce

[buster]

Bruce,

I for one am interested in some pictures of the Cat when you make some progress. As you know, I have to start on mine eventually, and could use some ideas.

Dave

[Duane Scarborough]

Just to clear up any confusion about the FATCAT. I'm having a great time with it. I'm even thinking of investing in a aluminum welder. I figure I'll have to make new rigging and a bench seat of some kind. One good thing about new projects, I usually end up with some cool new tools

Bruce

Yeah, part of why the cost of my boat is as high as it is, is because of the tools I've had to buy.

The Millermatic 140 welder, so I could weld the thin Stainless steel tubing, put a large dent in the budget. And there's been a few other cool tools.

I figure that by the time I get the boat finished I may be a decent SS weldor. O.K., passable anyway.

Some of my early work was not too pretty. But I think it's good enough.

One thing that I did NOT buy, but probably would if I was starting again, is a metal chop saw.

I've done most of my cutting with my Dewalt version of a Sawsall. Yep, it works, but I've kicked myself a few times for not having a metal chop saw.

One thing that I've learned that I do not need is a fancy tool / jig for fishmouthing joints. With a little practice, I learned that I could do a decent fishmouth with my die grinder (with the correct carbide tool) in just a few seconds.

It's all fun.

Duane

[chuckitt]

Yea, The 14 inch Chop Saw is a must for anyone working with metal. The Norton Blades seem to cut the best and work well to debur on the side of the blade.
Chuck

[Duane Scarborough]

BTW, Chuck is the guy who told me what the "correct carbide tool" was to use for fishmouthing my SS joints. I don't remember the McMaster Carr part number was that he gave me, but I've done a BUNCH of joints with it, and it still cuts like new.

It wasn't cheap, but its like one of those Ever-ready bunnies.

Warning: Wear a good pair of safety glasses. It'll spit fine metal shavings like you wouldn't believe.


Thanks Chuck.

Duane

[Flathead]

Fishmouthing joints? Sounds like something I heard in the high school restrooms from the smoking crowd. Honestly though, what is that? Sounds like prepping the end of a tube to weld it to the outside of another tube.....am I close?

Flathead

[chuckitt]

You are right Flathead, It is coping the end of the tube at the angle you need to make one tube fit against the other tube so you don't have to weld gaps. When fit properly, The welding is easy and looks good. A 3/4 inch dia. burr works best. I think mine cost about $ 64.00 from Grainger.
Chuck

[buster]

Chuck,

Could you post a pic' of the 3/4" burr you are talking about? I did all mine with only a chop saw, and a bench grinder. I didn't know there was a better way for only $64.00.

Thanks,
Dave

[Duane Scarborough]

Buster,

Here's a link to the McMaster-Carr catalog page for carbide burs. I bought 2 different sizes, but had done most of my fishmouthing / coping with the 1/2" x 1" one (with a 1/4" shank).

http://www.mcmaster.com/#4292a47/=4z59uy

The carbide burs relatively expensive, but they last a LONG time.

Duane

Edit: I should have said that I use the 3/4" x 1" one (with a 1/4" shank) the most. Sorry, it's that CRS popping up. BTW, it's a double cut bur, with criss-crossed teeth. That may be why it's my favorite.

[buster]

I guess I just didn't know that they were called burrs. I have a bunch of them in my toolbox, but not quite that big.

It never crossed my mind to try one of them since my bench grinder seemed to work so well.

Next time maybe I'll pick up a 3/4" burr and try it out!

Thanks, Dave

[Flathead]

Thanks Chuck.....BTW that camo boat is really sharp.....

[Wildfowl]

Morning,

Are you using the 3/4 on 1/2" stock?