Does anyone have experience with the windshield cutout? Are you cutting out the entire recessed part then the glass and frame go on the outside of the lip or are you cutting about a half inch inside the recessed part so the frame and glass sit more flush?
Any help would be great. I don't have any glass or a frame at this point so I will have to find the clear plastic and make a frame. Any suggestions for thickness of the plastic would be great to.
Thanks

I am not cutting out the frame on mine, just painting it. no room for leaks!

Good point, that was a problem I had not resolved. Mainly I am worried about a flip and the light plastic not holding up and loosing $5k in electric stuff. I may just paint it, it sure would be easier.

I will paint a window on the hatch, cut out the frame and glue it on the window, to get the "depth-effect"

oo, I like that, kind of the best of both worlds. I may go that direction, but I think now I will definitely paint instead of cut.

Justin :

You don't have a frame, but wanna make one out of plastic ?

Alternative : (I'm 100% serious, I did it before)

step 1 : apply BUTTER on the hatch, only a thin coat.
step 2 ; kitchenfoil (the very thin, clear version, the one wifes/mothers use to keep things fresh),
stick it on the butter.

step 3 : lay up a few layers of glasscloth.

There is your frame, it matches 100% with the shape of the cockpit.

An example of what I made earlier :

MHZ Lizard. I didn't like the smooth cockpit, wanted a bit more scale-looks :

A made a "second skin" of the cockpit/hatch by the procedure as discribed above.
Cut out the windows in the hatch, and glued the "second skin" inside the hatch.
Voila :

Note : it issn't completely finished, filler/sanding etc isn't finished

ok, I think I will try that, stay tuned for the results.....

I like how your custom canopy came out. I often find need to modify (substantially) the look of a boat. The black and red flame boat for example in the picture I posted a few posts back was a 67" jolly motor, now it is like a skater or something.

man that is a perfect shape! well done! I may do the the frame idea now since my boat came with one....

very nice shaping!

Yup, leather seats too. Now I am going to use gas and I am going to have to cut the back seat out to make room then fabricate a new hatch.

The drives

rc-adjustable drives, me like a lot

Man you guys are getting me going!

I should have the rest of my hardware to install soon. lots of great ideas here, thanks!

We need to rename this thread to something like "unofficial hpr and other big electric cat forum"
I am hopefully going to have my hpr running gear here in the next few weeks and I will post pics of it. Right now, thanks to an un-named party, I am buttering the hatch to an 8ft catamaran in hopes of making a scale windshield. Fun.

Nice ! Keep up the buttery works

Saw this thread and had to stick my nose in.

I finished the Platinum princess giantscale FE build in october 08 which is the first here in the states, an HPR 2.33 hull. Anyone wanting any tips check out the RumRunner build thread or contact me on the RR forum, it is unlikely i will respond on this forum other than to post the vid when it's done. I am currently making a video with build pics and a short tribute to a few boating folks lost to us during the build. Once spring rolls around i will throw video of the princess running, to include the onboard camera view.


Mod Edit - Link removed per RCU site policy.

now this is why I started this thread, thanks for all the great rigging ideas!!! well done!

WOW. Looks like you have two! Can I have the other one? Nice work.

Awesome, some very inspiring pics on RR racing site. Well now I really feel like my update is very minor but I figured I would share my progress on the butterworks windshield.

Oooooooooooh, yessssssssssss ! Well done !
[sm=thumbs_up.gif]

Yea i'm starting to think that was the easy part. The cutting is going to be a bear. I used 4 layers of 5oz cloth seems pretty rigid and thick enough.

dremmel cutting disks and sanding drums should do the trick...i wouldn't go with saws, although a small scroll saw might work too. the cutting disks are a joy to use - but i'm assuming you're no stranger to them...

Ok, well I paused on the canopy to work on the latches some more. Here is a few pics of the finished front latches. You can also see where I burnt the gelcoat on the hatch with my heat lamp. Stupid epoxy. Anyway it will buff out so no harm. I may one day paint it anyway. I like the tommy bahama scheme.

Here are some pics of my latest work. Windshield frame is cut, carbon hatches made for the rear.