Quote:
Originally Posted by ZodiacManiac
Anyone interested in some instructions on how to build your own motor stand to run your engine inside a water tank /
Container... If there is interest then I'll take time to show you... Pretty simple really.
|
Outboard engine support (Suzuki DF15AS)
Well you have two choices. Buy two different sizes of wood or buy all the same size and glue and screw it. The advantages of glue and screw is strength but it will take you a bit longer.
Things you will need:
Cost? 20-40 pounds depending on what you have already.
2 bits of 2x4in 8ft in length
2 bits of 2x6in 8ft in length
Or
4 bits of 2x3in 8ft in length (45x70mm 2m) Only left with about 80cm after build
I used Douglas not Pine as I prefer it. You can use Mahogany if you like! The wood if often sold as under construction wood for decking. The advantages are a bit more weather hardy and the edges are rounded off a bit. Less work.
4 x 5in 12mm bolts with a flat/rounded head and a rectangle under the head to bite into the wood
4 x washers to fit the bolts (two to go between leg and frame, to reduce friction, the other two place just before plastic locking nuts)
2 x plastic locking nuts for the pivot bolts on the legs
2 x wing nuts for ease of removal when setting up the stand
2 x support brackets for transom, reinforcing.
20 x wood screws 5-6 inch (must be torque screws not slit head or cross head)
16 small screws for mounting brackets on transom
Container. I used a builder rubble container. But a large round bucket would also work.
Tools
14mm drill bit for bolt holes with 12mm sized bolts (smaller if you want to use 10mm bolts)
12mm “paddle” drill bit for sinking screws in when joining wood (screw heads can be a little bigger than 12mm as they will get pulled in tight
Mitre saw for accurate angles (if possible for transom and parts that rest on the ground)
Strong screwdriver, electrical (Bosch etc.)
Correct sized torque bits
Small hammer to tap in bolts
Electric Sander or paper
Set Square
Pencil
Wood treatment (I used Bankirai/Teak oil left over from a decking project, provides UV protection and waterproofing)
Paintbrush
The build
First measure the height of your transom for your engine and add a few cm.
The upright supports make 5-10cm higher than the transom
Then work out the inside width of the transom, remembering what container you want to place under it. Also remember that the legs are INSIDE the frame so the container must be able to fit between the slanted support legs not just the upright legs.
Cut the lengths of wood (rough) a few cm longer than you need so that you can first glue and screw them together (easier than working with 8ft lengths) When they have been joined cut at 90 degrees to exact length.
Glue and screw:
Use paddle bit to sink screw head in about 1in or more but be careful not to go too deep as the screw will protrude through the other side.
Scratch wood faces to be joined with a screw head. Place one or two rows of glue on one surface. Place wood on a flat surface and screw together until surfaces are flush (wood may move apart as screw bites into second piece). Let glue dry for a while and then cut to exact length. Sand off rough saw edges. Don’t wood treat before all glue work is completed.
I used 3 screws on each section.
For the slanted legs make sure that the bottom screw is further away from the end so that you can cut the 45 degree angle. Logical but I nearly didn’t.
Things to think about
:
Weight of engine
Make sure that slanting legs are flush with the back of the stand when they are folded away so that you can put a support strut on the back of the stand. I didn’t quite get it right and had to file away wood off the rear horizontal support strut.
Cut bottoms of support legs at 45 degrees. Draw a square and a line from corner to corner to get 45 angle (wouldn’t fit in my mitre saw)
Mount the transom at the REAR of the upright supports as all the weight goes towards the slanted legs. Plus it gives you room to put the brackets in.
When drilling holes for screws make sure that when you put a screw in it doesn’t hit another screw.
Cut tip of 45 degree angle off as it is prone to breaking
Getting the legs in the right position is the trickiest bit. Best bet is to build the frame then place the 45 degree leg flat on the floor and see where you need to drill. I drilled a hole on the support leg first then pushed the 14mm drill bit through to see where I need to drill on the upright frame….Trial and error. The sharp spike of the wood drill I used as pivot until my leg folded away correctly. If you don’t get it quite right don’t worry you can just file or chisel away a bit of wood from horizontal strut on the back of the frame.
With the legs try and get the screw holes on the bottom of the legs…I forgot. Just looks better.
The rear horizontal support place on AFTER you have found your container. You can position it just above your container so that it slides underneath
You can treat all wood before screwing it together (2x)…I didn’t though.
Results
In the end you have a very strong and stable support. You can make any mods you want to. I may mount a hose pipe connection into the side of my rubber container as the hose keeps on falling out. Or a metal plate on transom to protect wood. Have fun building it! I Did!
I built one so interested to see how you built yours 
Sula
Like the posters above the first one I made was stupidly overbuilt and weighted a ton. Made a new one a short while ago, still pretty tough as it needs to go up and down a steep pebbly beach and is designed to be pulled by two people. I glued and screwed 3x2, used some galvanised HD strapping for the struts, a piece of galv tubing goes right through the 3x2 as an axle - wheels held on simply with spacers/split pins. Handle is a piece of the same tubing welded to two pieces of shelving/racking and bolted to the frame with a large coachbolt each side so it can be loosened and pivoted flush for storage in winter - all stuff I had lying about in the garage bar the wheels bought new for about £15 on eBay. It won't hold the engine in a tank but I use muffs.
