REQUIRED TOOLS

The frame and pontoon assembly for our 6'x6' blunt robotics platform requires a few basic tools, as well as a couple specialized tools. Below we have provided a list of everything that you'll need, as well as a part numbers and links to where you can get the specialized tools from McMaster, which is a reasonably priced industrial supplier. Click on the part number to view the item on the McMaster website. Many customers will already have the majority of these tools, if not all of them. These tools (other than perhaps the transfer punch) should be stocked at your local home supply or hardware store as well.

3/8" transfer punch McMaster PN: 3374A32
Center punch McMaster PN: 3451A31
3/8" drive ratchet
9/16", 3/8" drive socket
3/8" drive ratchet extension
9/16" box wrench
5/16" hex-key wrench (Allen wrench) McMaster PN: 7122A25
Long needle nose pliers
Electric drill
3/8" drill bit McMaster PN: 8870A36
Countersink bit (optional) McMaster PN: 2846A39 - ALTERNATIVE
Carpenter's square
Tape measure
2 saw horses
2 C-clamps
3-4 ratchet straps
Steel hammer
Rubber or plastic hammer (optional)
TORQUE WRENCH SEE NOTE




STEP 1

Place one of the pontoon main beam extrusions across two saw horses. The main beam is the aluminum tube in your frame system that has a "T" shaped cross section with two slots on the top. Place the extrusion so that the slots face down and use two C-clamps to clamp it to the top of your two saw horses.

FLOAT ORIENTATION - FOAM FILLING PLUGS

Each of the straight floats (blunt end floats) in your ponton platform kit have a foam filling plug in the flat upper portion. This plug is offset to ensure that the frame seats properly in the float. During assembly of each pontoon, orient the floats so that the plugs are on the same side of the pontoon assembly. Later on, when the two pontoon assemblies are built, the plugs in each float will face inward on the boat. This is purely for aesthetics.

STEP 2

Place one of the straight floats (blunt end floats) on an end of the main beam. Tap the float into position so that the end of the float is even with the end of the main beam. A rubber or plastic hammer can be used for this. Place a ratchet strap around the float and the main beam to temporarily hold it in position and ensure that the float is properly seated on the frame member.

NOTE:
If you purchased a set of lifting brackets with your raft kit, the float must be placed 3" from the end of the main beam, not even as shown.

STEP 3

Place a second float on the opposite end of the main beam and butt it against the first float. Place a ratchet strap around the second float and main beam. If the main beam is slightly longer than the two combined floats, align the end of the second float with the end of the main beam. As minor dimensional variation can occur from float to float, there may be a small gap between the floats. Tighten both ratchet straps fully to ensure the floats are seated on the frame member.

NOTE:
If you purchased a set of lifting brackets with your raft kit, double check that the main beam extends beyond the outer ends of the floats by the same amount. Adjust floats as necessary before moving forward.

STEP 4

Using a 3/8" transfer punch, go down BOTH sides of the pontoon assembly to mark the position of each bolt hole. To do this, insert the punch into EVERY bolt hole and give it a solid tap with your hammer. Don't smash it; just give it a solid tap. The ratchet straps will hold the floats in position for this.

STEP 5

Remove the ratchet straps. Before removing the floats, number the positions of the floats on the main beam as shown. You can use a piece of masking tape to write on or you can use a marker to write on the floats and main beams. If using a marker, lacquer paint thinner will remove the ink after assembly, and the paint thinner will not hurt the plastic or the aluminum. Remove the floats and unclamp the main beams from the saw horses.

STEP 6

Using a standard center punch, make the marks you made with the transfer punch in step 4 more pronounce. This will make the holes easier to drill in the next step.

STEP 7

Using a SHARP (prohibits wandering of the bit) 3/8" diameter drill bit, drill through ONE WALL of the main beam at each marked position. DO NOT drill all the way through both sides of the main beam during this operation. Drill through every marked position on one side of the part, flip it, and drill through every marked position on the other side of the part.

For this operation, you can use a hand-held drill, but we find it much easier and quicker to use a drill press. If you have a drill press, you will need to use a spacer block, such as a piece of 2" x 4" lumber, to make the material surface level. If using a hand-held drill, be careful to keep the drill bit perpendicular to the surface you are drilling through. You can't undrill holes, so take your time.

After drilling the holes, they must be deburred. We like to use a countersink drill bit for this, but a little bit of sand paper or a file will do the trick as well.

STEP 8

Clamp your main beam back onto your saw horses and place the floats back onto the main beam, matching up the numbers you marked in step 5. Place the ratchet straps back over the straight floats and tap the floats into position so that the holes line up. DO NOT INSERT THE BOLTS YET.

STEP 9

With a 3/8" drill bit mounted in your hand-held drill, start at one end of the pontoon assembly and drill through one bolt hole in the float and all the way through both sides of the main beam. When doing this, go slowly, as your drill bit should only be clearing chips and verifying hole alignment, not drilling a new hole. Insert one of the 3/8" x 4 1/2" hex bolts with a 1" outside diameter fender washer over it, and tap it through the hole with a hammer. We prefer to use a plastic hammer for this. Drill through the next hole and insert a bolt with fender washer. Do this until both floats have bolts installed in both holes. DO NOT INSTALL THE NUTS YET.

When building your pontoon assembly, be sure to install the bolts from the opposite side as the foam filling plugs. The intention is to have the foam filling plugs and the float bolts facing the center of the craft. This is purely for aesthetics.


STEP 10

Using a rag, remove any chips from the exposed threads of the bolts you just inserted through the floats. Place a 1" diameter fender washer over each of the bolts. DO NOT INSTALL THE NUTS YET. Using the included Loctite capsules (blue medium strength Loctite type 242), apply a little bit of the thread locker to each of the bolts. Your kit has 3 capsules for every 4 float bolts, so more than enough is included. The Loctite lubricates the threads, makes the nuts more secure, and is 100% required. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.

Thread 3/8" lock nuts onto each of the bolts and tighten the nuts until the mounting flanges on the floats start to flex inward. We do not have a torque specification beyond this.

Remove the ratchet straps and C-clamps holding the pontoon assembly to your saw horses. Place the pontoon assembly aside.


STEP 11

Repeat steps 1 through 10 to build your second pontoon assembly. Place your two pontoon assemblies on a flat surface so that the foam filling plugs face inward on the platform. Adjust the placement so that the two pontoon assemblies are about 69" apart on center.

CROSSMEMBER PLACEMENT DIAGRAMS:

Moving forward, you will need to reference the crossmember placement diagram to the right. The three central hat channel crossmembers will self align with the included anchor bracket during assembly.

NOTE:
If you purchased a set of lifting brackets with your platform kit, the frontmost and rearmost crossmembers are to be placed 3" in from the ends of the main beams, not even with the ends of the main beams as shown moving forward (diagrams and pictures). This allows space for the lifting brackets to be bolted to the pontoon assemblies.

STEP 12

Each hat channel crossmember requires 8 sets of nuts, bolts, and washers for installation. The two end crossmembers are square tubes and each requires 4 sets of nuts, bolts, and washers. For each hat channel on your crossmember diagram, insert 2 square nuts into each main beam slot. For each of the square tube crossmembers, slide 1 square nut into each main beam slot. Position the square nuts in the approximate positions of the crossmembers on your diagram. You will be sliding in a total of 12 square nuts per main beam slot.


FRAME & ACCESSORY FASTENER TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS

Each of the 3/8" diameter bolts for the frame crossmembers and accessories (transoms, lift plates, tie-down plates, trailer winching plates, etc.) require the proper amount of torque to ensure that they are fastened securely and retain full strength. The proper amount of torque for all 3/8" nuts and bolts from this point forward is 55 foot pounds. DO NOT TORQUE BEYOND THIS SPECIFICATION. From this point forward when we say to fully torque or fully tighten a bolt or nut, we are referring to the 55 foot pound specification, and it is good practice to draw a line on the head of the bolt with a marker after to indicate it has been torqued properly. If you do not own or have access to a torque wrench, be careful not to apply too much torque to the bolt heads. If you do not own one, or do not want to purchase one for your assembly, many autopart stores will allow you to borrow one at little or no cost.

STEP 13

Place a 2" x 2" square tube crossmember across both ends of your pontoon main beams and place the side of the tubes with the larger holes upward. Position the two square tubes so that their edges are even with the ends of the main beams. Align the square nuts at the end of the main beams with the holes in your square tubes.

Locate the 3/8" x 3/4" socket head cap screws (bag may say "Allen bolts) and place a 3/8" lock washer and 3/8" SAE flat washer on eight of the bolts. Using long needle nose pliers, insert two bolt assemblies through each end of the square tube crossmembers, through the holes in the base of the tube, and use a 5/16" hex key wrench (Allen wrench) to loosely bolt down the tubes.

NOTE:
If you purchased a set of lifting brackets with your platform kit, the square tube outer crossmembers must be placed 3" from the ends of the main beams, not even with the ends as shown.


NOTE:

Crossmembers have "A" written on one end. Be sure to place the marked ends of the crossmembers on the same side of the boat (doesn't matter which side). When the hole pattern is machined in each crossmember, this is the end that is referenced on the machine cutting the holes. Placing the "A" end of all the crossmembers on the same side of the boat ensures perfect alignment of all the mounting holes.

STEP 14

Verify that the square tubes are still even with the ends of the main beams and use a square to ensure that one of the pontoon assembly main beams is square with one of the square tubes. Completely tighten all 8 square tube bolts. A great way to get extra leverage on your hex key wrench is to use a box wrench.

STEP 15

Loosely bolt standard hat channel crossmembers on both ends of your pontoon assemblies and butt them against the square tube crossmembers. Be sure to select the two hat channels that DO NOT have holes in the center. For this, you'll be using the 3/8" x 7/8" hex bolts, 3/8" lock washers, and 3/8" SAE flat washers.

STEP 16

Referencing your crossmember placement diagram, loosely bolt down the three remaining hat channel crossmembers. These crossmembers will be labeled "Central Crossmembers" or similar and each hat channel will have 4 holes in the center. Verify that your center hat channel is positioned properly and tighten the bolts fully on ONLY the center hat channel.

STEP 17

Locate the bag of hardware labeled "Anchor bracket hardware" or similar. The bag will contain 3/8" x 1 1/4" hex bolts, 3/8" SAE flat washers, and 3/8" flange lock nuts. Insert a 3/8" x 1 1/4" hex bolt with 3/8" flat washer through each of the center bolt holes in the three central hat channels. Align the hanging bolts with the holes in your anchor bracket and use the flange lock nuts to fasten the bracket into position under your platform. Fully tighten all the anchor bracket nuts and bolts.

Fully tighten all the hat channel crossmember bolts. A great way to ensure you don't miss any bolts is to use a marker to draw a line on the head of each bolt after it's fully tightened.

STEP 18

Install the pin shackle from your hardware kit onto the pin tab on the bottom of the anchor bracket. The nut on the shackle doesn't have to be tight as the cotter pin prohibits it from falling off. Install the nut and the cotter pin on the clevis pin. Bend the ends of the cotter pin so it can't fall out.


YOU'RE DONE!

Assembly of your 6'x6' blunt robotics platform is now complete! You did a great job, so pat yourself on the back!