So after 2+ years, I thought I would give an update regarding my custom-made transducer mount.
The short version is that I should have called support at the company that makes the transducer shield and saver products.
http://www.transducershieldandsaver.com/home/. Although it wasn't listed on their website, they had an adapter pieces that
they sell that would have worked perfectly and exactly with my desired transducer and mounting it to my model of jacking plate.
Their product is lighter, as good if not better than what I built, cost less than half what I paid, and would not have required the many, many, many, many hours
that I spent designing, fabricating, modifying and installing my custom made solution.
Here's the long version for anyone who wants to hear the story.
I can also try to get a few photos to post of my work.
It's sturdy, and doesn't look bad, but it definitely looks home-made.
---------------------
My journey....
I was having a hard time finalizing a good design creating or using plastic brackets and connecting them to the side imaging transducer to both reinforce
the mounting and to allow me to mount it to the bottom of my jacking plate where it would be under the plate and out of the way of the engine and any obstructions,
and
With many of the ideas I considered, I was afraid of interfering with the side-imaging signal.
So, I ended up building a prototype out of cardboard and masking tape, using it as a pattern to create a design,
and drawing plans to-scale for a machine shop to custom cut the pieces, drill some of the holes for me, and put a required 90 degree bend
in one of the pieces to make one part a custom-shaped L bracket.
Because I was concerned about strength, I choice to use 3/8 stainless steel. I had lost my original side-imaging transducer (this is before HB improved
the design of the transom mount), so I was determined create a design that not only worked, but would also protect the the transducer
so that I wouldn't have to replace it ever again!
The machine shop laser-cut the pieces based on my drawings that had all of the pieces drawn to scale with markings
on where to drill and with the parts laid out so as to minimize waste
I purchased over a dozen stainless steel bolts with SS washers, lock washers and 2 nylon-locking nuts for each bolt.
I spent hours drilling 1/4" holes in 3/8" stainless steel. It's a lot tougher than I expected, and I ended up buying two different special drill bits at a cost
of about $20 each in order to get the job done.
Even then, and even using cutting oil on the holes, and/or water to cool the metal and bits as I drilled, it took me hours and lots of muscle fatigue
to get the job done. (Maybe I should have paid the machine shop to drill all of the holes... but I had to pay per hole and it wasn't cheap, so I thought I'd save some
money!).
I spent even more time assembling, bolting, drilling a handful of holes in my aluminum jacking plate (very easily, for a change!), and making a few minor adaptations to overcome the mistake in my design pattern. (I didn't account for the 3/8" thickness of the metal at the place where I had a 90 degree bend, because the cardboard mark up had almost no thickness. However, when I bent the 3/8" steel at 90 degrees, the thickness of the steel itself caused a few holes and the size and shape of a few pieces to be off by about 3/8"... more ore less!!)
In the end, I produced an over-built, time consuming, too-expensive bracket (although it is built like a tank!), that cost me over $350 for the materials and machine
shop work, while I feel that the "transducer saver" solutions are just as good if not better than my setup, look more professional, cost less than half what I spent, and
would not have required 10's and 10's of hours of my design, shop, build, drill, adapt and install time!
Here's a photo. I sprayed everything with black plasti-dip... just because I could!
Also, I embarked on this journey because the website for the manufacture of the transducer saver didn't list parts to exactly fit mounting my transducer on my jack plate,
so I thought I had no choice other than to make my own bracket. Initially, I thought it would be easy and save me money.
About half-way through working on my own custom mount, I EMAILED the transducer saver folks using the contact us link on their web site.
Here's what transpired....
ME: Subject L-Bracket for CMC Jack plate?
Message I have a CMC Hydraulic 5 1/2" PL-65 Jack plate, and would like to mount a TM-HD SI bracket to the jack plate.
Do you sell any L Brackets to do this or have any suggestions on if and how it can be accomplished.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
-Philip
Them:From: info@transducershieldandsaver.com
Subject: Re: Transducer Shield and Saver.com L-Bracket for CMC Jack plate?
Do you already have our TM-HDsi transducer shield ($79.95)? If not, you
will need that to hold the transducer. The shield then mounts to the jack
plate.
If the sides of your jack plate are ridged/stepped up you will need our
LB-CMC-8-5.5 with 1 1/2"spacers ($64.95).
If the sides of the jack plate are flat, you will need the same bracket
but with 1" spacers.
What is the make and model of your boat? Do you have power poles/tallons?
Also, please verify which transducer you have.
Sincerely,
Vickie
Product Innovations Inc
Home of Transducer Shield & Saver
So I found out that they had an extra adapter that would make everything work perfectly on my setup... and the cost was under 200 bucks! ...
but by then I had already spent almost $200 on my design, and had invested enough money and time that I didn't want to talk away from the project.
So here's what I would suggest based on my experience... if you want a good, secure mount for your transducer, look at the transducer saver.
If you don't see exactly what you need, contact them and ask! If I had done that I would have saved a lot of money and even more time!