New Engine Box

[Simes]

Hello Folks,

Just need a bit of advise, I am in need of a new engine box after a full engine rebuild. Any one have any advise or experience with design tips?

The box needs to give access to both sides and the front of the engine, the back of the box will be the cockpit bulkhead. The box will also need to be used as steps to from the cockpit.
I have a good supply of 12 and 18 ml 7 ply, also need to have ecellent sound proofing as the old Ford Dover is a little noisey.
A lot of info I know, but, the result will be the first part of the interior that most visitors see.

Many thanks

Simes

 

[Talbot]

When I made mine I used 18mm ply. I used a biscuit joiner + screws to hold the sides together, and then reinforced the box square using rt angled aluminium from B&Q screwed in from the inside. I finished the box with very thin resin, sanded flat and then matched the exterior colour I wanted with standard B&Q exterior mix n match. I painted the interior with several coats of smoothrite. This was abt 6 years ago, and it is still going strong despite the exterior being in the sun (when there are no clouds, and the interior is frequently awash with water (boxed over an outboard)

 

[Simes]

Hi Talbot,

Many thanks for your prompt reply, I am not sure about the biscuit joints, but I do like the interior angle reenforcement. I think that I am going to build a frame from 2x2 and then clad this in ply, I can then have removable sides that are bolted to the frame.
Like the Heinlein quote!

Rgs
Simes

 

[Talbot]

Biscuit joints have proven to me to be the best most secure fixing in wood (other than proper dovetail stuff), They are also a lot faster than most other methods (if you have a machine)

I glued and biscuited and then clamped until dry. The screws were put in later to reinforce the directional stability.

Heinlein - one of my fav SF authors. PC he wasnt

 

[Stemar]

I recently had the same problem when my engine change started with an angle grinder and went downhill from there.

My box is in a similar situation to yours. I have a self-supporting frame on each side. One is original GRP, the other, 40X40 softwood covered with ply. The front and top and are ply (12mm and 18mm) and the whole thing is held together using these gizmos:

which are called nut inserts and screw into predrilled wood or GRP, and m6 A2 SS set screws, all from Srewfix. This makes it strong and rigid, but easy to dismantle when necessary.

I know they are two dissimilar metals, but they get undone at least once a year for engine maintenance and can be lightly greased. I've had no problems with corrosion in 2 years, and don't expect any for many years to come.

I wouldn't use them outside on a sea boat, though.