electronics box - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

fish4striper · 10-24-2007, 09:38 AM

Want to get or make one over the winter. Seems pricey for just a box.

Anyone make one? Starboard? Where's a good source for it and components?

Thanks, Jeff

MrHunters · 10-24-2007, 10:17 AM

im working on an electronics box right now. (second one)
Its alot of work, well its alot of time since everything is a sit and wait to cure process.
And if you don't have open space to do it your going to stink up the entire house so be careful with that.
All in all 400 bucks for that is about reasonable when you add in all the time, and possible mistakes you will make.. Being a beginner working with glass and molding it to what i want(i don't know if you are or not) is taking alot to getting looking "professional"
Here are my steps thus far.

Buy a crap load of that green foam you use to make fake flower arrangements. You can get it at walmart pretty cheap.

Glue them together with liquid nail or something like that.

Cut your mold out (wear a mask)

Buy a ton of felt for the first layer (again you can get it at walmart)
Lay it on your mold with liquid nail
Try not to overlap the pieces because it will show up as bumps

Now a couple coats of resin over the felt. I used a roller for this step

Sand with a heavy grit to get all the bubbles and bumps out and then
B O N D O

Most likely at this stage your box is not exactly how you envisioned it so I bondoed the surfaces, sand, to get them nice and smooth then another coat of resin

Now you can start glassing. Im not sure what is better, A big sheet or multiple little sheets, since it's not that big I got away with one sheet per surface.
Resin the box then lay the sheet down on cardboard and wet the sheet. Then attach.. GET ALL AS MANY AIR BUBBLES OUT AS POSSIBLE.
SAND
BONDO
SAND
You can take the green foam out now. My cousin told me gas would melt it right out but that didnt work on the test foam i tried so thats probably a bad piece of advice.

More glass, if you like the way the outside looks at this point you can add it to the inside.

Repeat until it is as hard as you want it.

Make sure you put a final 3 or 4 coats of resin before you add the gelcoat which on my first try thought would smooth everything out.

I'll posts pics when Im done. I've been working on it most of the past 3 months. But I am taking my time this time.

Hope that helps a little to know what your getting into.

Supplies so far
1 gallon bondo $20
4+ square yards of fiberglass $50-$75
2 Gallons Boat Resin $60
15 platic bondo putty smoother things $20
few yards of felt $5
i am now part owner of latex glove company $15
stiring sticks $meh
throw away paint brushes (lots) $20
throw away rollers (not as many) $20
containers $10
cardboard boxes $meh
gelcoat $30
------------
$250
thats about it I think

fish4striper · 10-25-2007, 07:11 AM

holy moly.... lotta work in that

now you got it down, wanna build me one?

wheres freak... maybe he can ho me one

any boat junkyards around?

MrHunters · 10-25-2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fish4striper

holy moly.... lotta work in that

now you got it down, wanna build me one?

wheres freak... maybe he can ho me one

any boat junkyards around?

im willing to bet ff has 3 in his basement

It's alot of work but if it comes out good it will be a nice addition to the boat.

and like i said it's only taking a long time because each coat you have to wait to dry. the cure time is pretty quick so you have to work fast, actual labor I probably have about 12 hours into the project thus far, maybe a little less.

danno1 · 10-25-2007, 01:40 PM

I`m looking to use an electronics box to add on TOP of the center console. Like a newer boat has where you can flush mount a couple electronics.
I have to get the right size to fit on top and glass it together.

MrHunters · 10-25-2007, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danno1

I`m looking to use an electronics box to add on TOP of the center console. Like a newer boat has where you can flush mount a couple electronics.
I have to get the right size to fit on top and glass it together.

thats exactly what i am doing... ill post some pics this weekend of my progress.

my homely version is on my boat right now. and hoping the new version looks more professional.

first try i made the frame out of luwan and then glassed over it.
heavy, wooden and got bigger than I intended. also its tough to "mold"

danno1 · 10-26-2007, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrHunters

thats exactly what i am doing... ill post some pics this weekend of my progress.

my homely version is on my boat right now. and hoping the new version looks more professional.

first try i made the frame out of luwan and then glassed over it.
heavy, wooden and got bigger than I intended. also its tough to "mold"

Yeah, let me know how it comes out, and if you got pics.
Is it metal or fiberglass ?

MrHunters · 10-26-2007, 09:05 AM

100% fiberglass.

i honestly don't know why they don't make all center consoles with that in mind.

attaching it will be tricky.

the original had L brackets but i didn't like that too much for a final solution..

i think for this one once the final box is complete i will liquid nail cut green foam around the inside perimeter and then fiberglass a lip.

Not sure how else to make a lip

taJon · 10-26-2007, 03:48 PM

what do you mean "lip"? I would probably just liquid nail or contact epoxy the top to the original, then glass over the seam........

danno1 · 10-27-2007, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taJon

what do you mean "lip"? I would probably just liquid nail or contact epoxy the top to the original, then glass over the seam........

I agree

MakoMike · 10-27-2007, 02:24 PM

All I can say is god bless you! you guys have a lot more patience than I have!

MrHunters · 10-27-2007, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taJon

what do you mean "lip"? I would probably just liquid nail or contact epoxy the top to the original, then glass over the seam........

not sure what that means

but im pre game right now so ill read it again later

danno1 · 11-02-2007, 10:44 AM

How`s the box coming along ? Any pics ?

MrHunters · 11-02-2007, 02:05 PM

aw crap. meant to post em... ill show ya tonight

MrHunters · 11-02-2007, 04:34 PM

ok heres whats on my boat now...

this box took me a weekend to build and it shows.

MrHunters · 11-02-2007, 04:35 PM

one more

MrHunters · 11-02-2007, 04:36 PM

i didnt compensate for the luan width so i couldnt put my wind shield back on which would have hid that seam and all the crappiness. still came out ver bumpy and "home made" looking

MrHunters · 11-02-2007, 04:38 PM

this is where im at now with the new one... and hopefully its will come out better.

this is pre final sand i think, and then maybe 5 or 6 coats of resin. Ill spray paint it white first to see if im done.

MrHunters · 11-02-2007, 04:39 PM

more.

oh this is how you get your post count up

MrHunters · 11-02-2007, 04:45 PM

ill probably put one coat of gelcoat on over the winter and then save the next two for when its attached.

oh btw i understand what you mean now. thats a good idea.. i'll probably glass it to the top from the inside... dont know if im courageous enough to do the outside to make it look like part of the console.

it will still most likely have a do it yourself type of feel. but at least it will be smooth and uniform

taJon · 11-03-2007, 06:09 AM

I don't know if it will be that strong if you glass it to the inside? Maybe, but I don't know. Depending on how good the box looks should be the determining factor for glass on the outside

taJon · 11-03-2007, 06:11 AM

and by the way, the first box looks better in person than it does in the photos. Give yourself a little more credit.

MrHunters · 11-03-2007, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taJon

I don't know if it will be that strong if you glass it to the inside? Maybe, but I don't know. Depending on how good the box looks should be the determining factor for glass on the outside

i've by accident epoxied the box to that piece of wood in the picture on a number of occasions.... judging from that, oh im pretty sure it will be strong enough.

im picky, what can i say

taJon · 11-03-2007, 06:06 PM

my project is coming right along. Should be able to put 10 Planos in!

MrHunters · 11-08-2007, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taJon

my project is coming right along. Should be able to put 10 Planos in!

pics. Make sure you keep design notes.. I want one for under my leaning post..

i fatally f'd up when i built the foam mold i forgot to compensate for the front of the console angle.
the top of the consol pitches down toward the stern but the front of the console is higher than the back of the console. so to make it look flush in the front of the console the back of the box angle pitches maybe 30 degrees to the bow. Side profile kind of looks like a flat top triangle. So electronics box part 3 coming up.

this time luan frame again (already made). too much work making the foam mold and im running out of warm days. good news is I have all the parts I need (extra from the last two attempts) so I won't be out any extra money. and Im that much better with fiberglass now so it should be at least 3 times as good.

taJon · 11-08-2007, 08:43 AM

that stinks. I test fit mine last weekend when I talked to you and it fit like a glove. Too bad it didn't have any glass or gelcoat on it yet. So I had to shrink it a bit, but oh well. I think we could make one for you in no time. Just let me know when we get to do it.

Is your boat winterized yet? Better make an appointment, they're gonna get busy, unless you want Brian's #.

MrHunters · 11-08-2007, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taJon

that stinks. I test fit mine last weekend when I talked to you and it fit like a glove. Too bad it didn't have any glass or gelcoat on it yet. So I had to shrink it a bit, but oh well. I think we could make one for you in no time. Just let me know when we get to do it.

Is your boat winterized yet? Better make an appointment, they're gonna get busy, unless you want Brian's #.

does he do suzuki? not sure if that is cool while its under warranty.

final cleanup and pulling everything off this week.
the leaves did a number on it over the past week or so.

fish4striper · 11-08-2007, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taJon

Is your boat winterized yet? Better make an appointment, they're gonna get busy, unless you want Brian's #.

wth.....you guy's are doing all this crap work, why pay someone to change oils and fog an engine? It's easier work than what you're doing.

MrHunters · 11-08-2007, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fish4striper

wth.....you guy's are doing all this crap work, why pay someone to change oils and fog an engine? It's easier work than what you're doing.

i agree, i'm still under warranty though and if any problems arise in the future Im sure they will make sure I had all my oil changes and maintenance at the proper times

taJon · 11-08-2007, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrHunters

i agree, i'm still under warranty though and if any problems arise in the future Im sure they will make sure I had all my oil changes and maintenance at the proper times

agreed. Worry about the warrenty.