Rio ep scratch build

[J.W. Pepper]

The 30 min. Epoxy is a good choice, the longer the cure time the stronger the bond usually. Perhaps my concern for the epoxy-ABS bond was unnecessary.
Cheers!

I've been using this epoxy... http://www.harborfreight.com/super-s...oxy-92665.html - that's wrong pic, the tubes look like these... http://www.harborfreight.com/uick-se...oxy-68386.html

Used that stuff to attach the ESC mount & motor mount risers to the hull, no problems at all. Also used it with my Trax Blast boat to attach strips of wood around the battery tray opening to stiffen up that area.

What I've learned... thoroughly sanding the surface's on both items that you want to bond together with course sandpaper - 220-grit or lower - is a must for proper adhesion.

It's been working for me, your results may vary... good luck with your project, looks like you have your hands full.

[tlandauer]

ya I just sanded the hull and laid the glass it bonded great.
I find that it doesn't last 30 min it only stays workable for about 15 min
so if you can find something that is longer cure time I would get that.

Here's how I did mine...

PB 1800Kv motor from IM-31(v1) with SK-90A speedo, modded Octura coupler - went from 5mm motor ->.150" Flex to 5mm motor ->.130" flex (didn't want to spend $5 shipping for just a coupler), running on 3S LiPo, Tactic TTX-240 Tx with TR-624 Rx for improved reception. I shortened the servo tray couple years ago, so there's plenty of room for just about any Rx on the market.

Kintec x442 aluminum prop prepped & sharpened by me - don't have pix.

Rudders cut down to 2.5" OAL (see attached comparison pic), took out that God aweful twichyness these boats are famous for & reduced drag at same time. With D/R set to full, the boat handled beautifully - on 8.4v humps, I started with them to break in the new motor & test the new setup.

After the break in, I pulled 'er in & programmed the ESC for LiPo's, installed the 3S pack and sent 'er back out, went slow at first to see how she would do. After diddle daddling around for a few minutes I decided to see what see could do.

Got 'er going up to bout 1/2 throttle, then pegged it... that boat took off like a rocket ship on meth, Jezus I didn't a Rio could go that fast - I just wish somebody would have been there with a camcorder to film it, A to B like a lighting bolt. If that was any kind of preview of what IM-31's can do normally, then I can't wait to mine finished up & in the water.

I had my hands full of steering wheel & throttle just trying to keep her upright Unfortunately I got too brave & she flipped after bout 5-mins & drifted out to the middle of the lake. Once again the R/C boat gods were looking after me because some people rescued her for me.

Once I got 'er back, I replaced the Kintec prop with a Venom x436/3 per Lenny's suggestion. Definitely solved the torque roll issue, but also killed top end speed. It's like.. the boat would get going, then blaaa.. ever see how a gas powered engine acts when the governor kicks in?? That's precisely how my Rio was acting.

Couple days later I removed the PB motor & SK speedo and went back to last years motor/ESC setup with upgraded motor cooling - hopefully that will keep it running cool, it's been an issue ever since I went to BL.

Enjoy the pix.

The only epoxy that gives different hardeners is West System, they have Fast, Slow and Extra Slow hardeners, but extremely expensive compare to what you get from your LHS. I wouldn't worry about it if the bond is good. Usually the pot life is shorter, even if they say 30 min. You feel the heat building up in the mixing cup around 15 min. or so.


That is very clean modification, The motor mount is nice, is it V2??? I remember it was red. Like them both.
Have fun with your Rios, guys.
Cheers!

[J.W. Pepper]

Thanks

The only epoxy that gives different hardeners is West System, they have Fast, Slow and Extra Slow hardeners, but extremely expensive compare to what you get from your LHS. I wouldn't worry about it if the bond is good. Usually the pot life is shorter, even if they say 30 min. You feel the heat building up in the mixing cup around 15 min. or so.

That is very clean modification, The motor mount is nice, is it V2??? I remember it was red. Like them both.
Have fun with your Rios, guys.
Cheers!

That is very clean modification... THANK YOU!! It was my goal to try and maintain a stock look with the improved performance of brushless. I'm really happy with how the rudders turned out, they just look right now (dimensionally), stockers are too long & just look wrong. That mod would be perfect for the AQ WC boat too.

The motor mount is nice, is it V2... same mount, got it sandblasted at the same time I did all the transom hardware (both sets - 1 is spare), as you know, sand / media blasting metal is the best way to prep it for a good paint job. Painted it with Testors Gloss Custom Blue Metal Flake (#1639), no chips despite several motor swaps.

Did the interior with Testors Gloss White (#1245) this time around. Was using Krylon Fusion gloss white, but it came out more like an off / dirty white, I didn't like that look.

Got a PB 45A speedo from a MG-v1 delivered today. After some fiddling with the program card & Tx settings I got it working perfect. Also got that PB-1500Kv motor, probably receive it mid-late next week.

If the PB promo vid for the Shockwave BL V3 is any indication, then I think the new motor / ESC combo will deliver excellent speed on 3S while at the same time being controllable. The 1800Kv motor seen in my pix is just too much power for the Rio, hopefully the 1500Kv motor will solve that problem.

Hey Killah2469, keep up the good work buddy, your certainly going a lot farther than I would have. Hint for apperance: when your done with all the interior mods, shoot it with the Testors white paint mentioned above, goes a long towards giving your boat that finished look. Be sure to sand the entire interior with 400-wet/dry first.

Please Note: this is Killah2469's build thread; I don't want to hijack it, please no more posts bout my Rio unless it pertains to Killah's project, just trying to be courteous - thanks.

Happy boating everybody

[Killah2469]

I got more done on my Rio today. the aluminum on the transom is dry and I filled all the holes
in the back of the transom and I also put the stuffing tube in bent it lined it up and glued it in.
I'm finally getting there hopefully the next step is to drill new holes in the transom and attach all the
running gear. then I'll have to start working on the inside and make mounts for everything.
Here are some pics of todays work.

IMG_20130628_195814.jpgIMG_20130628_195749.jpgIMG_20130628_195713.jpgIMG_20130628_195758.jpgIMG_20130628_195809.jpg

[tlandauer]

Looks good! Isn't bending the stuffing tube fun? It was the only thing that would stop me from building a boat, once I got the hang of it, now I get such a kick out it every time I work on the stuffing tube. That aluminum transom should withstand quite a lot of stress. If I may say: it is addictive to pour on the epoxy, just watch out for weight, you have other components so keep that in the back of your mind.
Cheers! Post more pictures!

[lenny]

The monster Rio is coming along way from being brushed when you first got it,
Some day I may do that to mine.
What size trim tabs did you buy for it ?

The aluminum transom on mine help a lot when doing speed run and than spinning out in to a 180*,
That put a lot of torque on the rudder bracket.
Also the added weight is helping mine stay in the water at 42mph,
And my goal is to 45mph and to be running nice and smooth.
I will be testing it today with a little more weight at the motor mount to see if that helps let me hit full throttle runs.

[Killah2469]

Cool lenny let me know how she runs, if you get video post it up hopefully everything goes good.
Today I'm gonna start mounting some hardware ill post pics when I get some done.

[siberianhusky]

Looking good! Should be ready for water soon, maybe getting out next weekend
Hope I have some new batteries!

[Killah2469]

well no progress today had to go to the lhs and get a rudder linkage and now I have to make shims for the rudder so
I can get it to stick out past the rudder. Have no time to work on it till Tuesday and hopefully get the rudder mounted then.

[Killah2469]

What happened to your batteries?
You where right about the stuffing tube it wasn't that hard to put in and I figure
after I put a couple more in it will be a breeze

Looking good! Should be ready for water soon, maybe getting out next weekend
Hope I have some new batteries!

[siberianhusky]

LOL don't ask! Down to one set of 2s packs!
Never hook up your batteries while talking to somebody!

[Killah2469]

Well got a bit of work done today haven't had much time we had a family emergency I had to deal with but I got the spacer made for my rudder.

IMG_20130709_144935.jpgIMG_20130709_144953.jpgIMG_20130709_145009.jpg

[Killah2469]

Ok Great time today working on the Rio. Got the holes drilled for the rudder and the trim tabs I also got them test fitted
but not sealed. Here are some pics of the transom.

IMG_20130712_151746.jpgIMG_20130712_151814.jpgIMG_20130712_155411.jpgIMG_20130712_155420.jpgIMG_20130712_155433.jpg

[tlandauer]

Looks Good! Want to see vid.!

[Killah2469]

Soon hopefully next weekend I still have some work to do on it but if you want to see some video of it before the rebuild check out my youtube channel