Sea Perch Online Manual

The Vehicle Frame The Thruster Assembly
The Control Box


The Vehicle Frame
Step 3

PURPOSE:

To assemble float supports

MATERIALS:
  • 15" Plastruct H-beam
  • 2 Football Floats
  • 4 #6 x 1/2" Screws
TOOLS:
  • Screwdriver
  • Drill
  • 1/8" drill bit
  • 3/32" drill bit
  • Marker

Figure 4: H-beam Assembly for floats
PROCEDURE:
  1. Cut 15" Plastruct H-beam into two 7 1/2" pieces.
  2. Cut four 3/4" pieces of PVC pipe.
  3. Inert one of the 3/4" PVC pipe pieces into the open end of each of the four PVC angles on the top of your vehicle.
  4. Insert an H-beam through each of your floats and between eachpair of PVC angles.
  5. Push the bottom of your vehicle frame together tightly, so that H-beams cannot fall out of the PVC angles.

     

    Figure 4: Assembly of H-beam float supports

    Note: Most of the images in this manual (except those on this page) depict a previous, more complicated method of float assembly: screw the H-beams onto the top of each angle using extra screws and a 3/32" drill bit to create the holes.

         
  6. Push the H-beams through the Floats.
  7. Using screwdriver, attach H-beams (with floats) to vehicle frame. (Don't over-tighten and strip plastic)

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Copyright 2003 MIT Sea Grant

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