This thread has got me laughin out loud and Jan is staring at me with the WTF look......

I was going to go on about ribbed for her pleas.....  but my better half stopped me 

Course she liked the joke Josh made       she can't wait to see what new toy you whip out 

-Rebel 

Josh, you damn near made me spit out my beer on that one.....  Should we tell grumpy that you have MY shaft in YOUR hand............

JUST WHO YOU CALLIN' GRUMPY ANYHOW !!

JUST WHO YOU CALLIN' GRUMPY ANYHOW !!

Just callin em as I sees em Cupcake........

Hot Damn!!! Cupcake, those are fricking awesome..  Thanks so much

Appreciate it STC.  I've slowed way up but have been collecting some parts in the meantime and am anxious to get going again.  Good luck with your boat and please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. I made about every mistake a person could and would be glad to keep you from doing the same.

John

Where ya Been Bro ??

Aw you know me  9 to 5   

Okay, I'm ready to begin the rail kit install.  I have the two gorgeous water jetted plates & 6 pillow blocks from JBP, 8' of 1/4" 2X2 angle , 8' of 1/4" by 2" flat bar for the outside of the stringers, stainless bolts, flat washers, lock washers and Knuts....

I'll need to narrow the plates about an 1/8" on each side for them to set down between my stringers.  This is only necessary cuz I'm a dumb azz and dont want the rails to be flush with the tops of the stringers as my stringers have the most gorgeous radius on top (borderline sexy) and prefer to mount the rails just below that radius....

I will also have to open up a spot on the front plate because I want to run a mechanical pump. I'll be putting a porthole for that.

PS... the extra two pillow blocks are for a pump reinforcing plate that JBP is cutting for me so the pump & motor will all be tied to the rails making one hell for stout solid unit.....ps......this is a full stringer boat

Stay tuned gang and wish me luck............john

Hey John,  What brand of fuel pump are you going with?

Okay guys, for you guttons for punishment here you go.....(I'm taking a break and havin a cold one before I pester Tommy or that punk azz kid of his for tech advice..)

Figgr'd since I needed to trim the plates a bit I'd try to make a poorboy millin machine  (i.e.  router and straightedge)

Picked up a carbide router bit



My straight edge and some WD40



Are you shittin me, this actually may work!!!



Pop's old router he left me when he passed was not up to the portamill idea



Off to Homedepot and picked up this badazz mofo



Like butter......this thing is making me look like I may actually know what I'm doin (though we all know better)



Due to the design of my 10qt oil pan the plate lightly touch a portion of the pan. To keep from vibration potentially rubbing a hole in the pan from the plate, I decided to fire up the Portamill one more time.



Bitchin!!!!!  Works regoddamndiculasly well







As it sets, the pump is at 1 degree, motor is at 4.5 degrees and it's about 2.5" too high (I think).  Next step is to call Tommy......stay tuned

Yep Ralph, I'm more of a measure a dozen times and cut it once but this time around I took baby steps and took a little off at a time like you suggest. I appreciate the advice and you were spot on!

Talked to Tommy (thanks cupcake and sorry to pester you on your "day off")

Leveled up the pump per Tommy and took some more measurements and fired up the "portamill" which from this day forward will always be refered to as the "PuertoMill".



It's still a touch high (maybe 1/4") but the angle of the dangle is spot on!!!!

Yah Ralph, this thing is the shizitsh!  I don't have many good ideas but this is one of my better ones.

Called Tommy and between him and that punk azz kid (Josh) in the background, I did some more fine tuning.  Got it as low as I can go and still have some room between the pan on the hull and less than 2 degrees high in the nose so with that, I'm gonne drink beer and try to get some of this 3 lbs of aluminum shavings out of of everything.....crap what a mess but it's in there... 

Now I gotta blow it apart and cut the extra metal off, porthole it for the fuel pump and then buzz it with my DA. I'm not going for a full polish look. A nice satin look is what I'm after........