FX-1 tom21 fx wide tray how to

[tom21]

I get orders for my wide fx tray all the time and basically I made that part to be an easy way to do the 144 pump install. you have to cut the tray up to do it. and while its nice to be able to drop in a complete wide tray its not the easiest way to do it if you just want a wider tray.

I suck at taking pics along the way but I tried to get some shots as I did this one. nothing crazy difficult or expensive here just cut and paste.

Having the right tools makes the work easy and fast. sorry but its still itchy.

First we discussed how wide. there is more to be had here and he does not care for footholds, but even at this width I could have cut the back out of holds and installed them. if it went to super wide tray then cut the outside of hull and let the hold be open.

Back to it. I took a line down the center with sharpie and then laid out the actual width to be removed. took my cheapazz hazard frought cut off and cut it out. used a handsaw to cut the foam, now I dont have to refoam.

next I laid down some thickened epoxy to fill some of the rough patches in the foam and help make the corner more round instead of trying to do a hard 90. laid some 1208 over and taped the top together to hold it all in place while I worked on it.

 

[tom21]

the toughest area to do was the corner, I wanted to use the stock side but with the built in slope at the top it wasnt gonna just line up perfect. so I lined the base of the side up to width and that was inline with the front of the tray at the top corner. I cut some 3/4pvc I had laying around and used tape to tape the corner and the pvc to shape it and hold the tape. now I can lay glass in the bilge area and when its dry pull the tube and tape and have a nice corner. I would prob use a smaller corner next time to make the turf job easier. at any rate you see the plan and can use your own materials to make the corner. cardboard would have worked and made a better corner but would have been very wavey. the corner of a 2 x 4 would have been better. ah well next time.

I didnt think the exhaust tube would clear so I removed it but infact it does fit. This one will be replaced with a larger size diameter to make use of more motor. sorry 650 tube but you gotta go. heavy stainless < lighter aluminum

 

[tom21]

stock tray is 12 inches wide or just a hair under, this tray is now 15 inches wide. I also suggested that I drop the top of the gunwhale so that some foam can be placed under the turf just like the sj. filled the water spout hole with thickened epoxy. ground the back of the gunwhale down and layed some 1208 over the hole.

after I chopped the top off of the gunwhale, I ground out the foam on the inside of the sides, I mixed some more cabosil and epoxy and some chopped glass and spread that inside to act like glue to attach the sides and also to make nice flat top to install some 6 oz glass to.

2 layers on the top and back and a second layer of the 1208 on the bottom corners and front and sand when its done. I didnt snap a pic of it completed, ill get one. I also used the thickened epoxy to fill the holes left from the inserts and any other pockets or uneven spots.

this can all be done in a days time if you use fast cure epoxy. but you have to move fast and have everything ready to go. also mix smaller batches. its in the 90s here and fast is about 5 minutes and its goin off!

 

[samsmith87]

Thanks for the write up Tom. Every FX1 needs this.