Using a Shop Smith Mark V on a Chris Craft Roamer refit

roamer46

I made the new plywood pieces for the hatch opening and installed them using a different fastening system than Chris Craft did. Hopefully, I'll never have to redo that again.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Wrapping Up the Bow Hatch Installation

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

I finally got final settlement from my boat insurance company on the theft loss last year. Some of the OEM parts that were stolen cannot be replaced, so I have to break open the paint and do some more fiberglass work as an alternative solution. Time to get busy converting Tent Model X into a paint booth again...

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Transforming the Tent (once again)

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

Some unexpected complications have come up, so I shifted gears knocked off another item on the honey-do list.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Galley Bulkhead

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

It's nice when stuff that's been in the works for years finally just sorta falls into place.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Bow Seat Hatches

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

I can't believe how nicely some of my chrome is polishing up. I was dreading the bill from the chrome shop, but most of this stuff is looking so good I won't bother sending it off.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Interior Hardware (Chrome!)

Cheers,

Q

jsburger

roamer46 wroteI can't believe how nicely some of my chrome is polishing up. I was dreading the bill from the chrome shop, but most of this stuff is looking so good I won't bother sending it off.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Interior Hardware (Chrome!)

Cheers,

Q

So what did you use to polish it? It looks great.

roamer46

Thanks! After seeing your message here, I added this pic to the blog:

Unfortunately, ol' Collinite's #810 Chrome Wax is apparently no longer in production...probably causes cancer. I'll find out in a few years. :p

Coupled with plenty of finger-joint grease, it sure does a nice job.

jsburger

roamer46 wroteThanks! After seeing your message here, I added this pic to the blog:

Unfortunately, ol' Collinite's #810 Chrome Wax is apparently no longer in production...probably causes cancer. I'll find out in a few years. :p

Coupled with plenty of finger-joint grease, it sure does a nice job.

Go figure. We can't use the stuff that works the best.

roamer46

My blog for today is extremely grumpy. I'm very frustrated with the fabricator who said he could make an aluminum windshield frame that fits my boat and looks good, all without damaging my paint. That was back in October 2014. The frame he delivered in late April 2015 looks OK outside, but it doesn't look good on the boat because it doesn't fit...and he damaged my paint. And he says he's done with the job. And now I have my doubts about splashing this fall. :mad:

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: The Windshield Frame Saga Continues

Cheers,

Q

JPG

Food for thought!

Grind away the high areas.

Build up the 'low' areas with epoxy(to fit)[gradually]. That could permit angle correction at the top.

I do not know how well it will bond to the frame. If it will, perhaps that is a 'solution'.

I realize you are disappointed, but, when welding aluminum without a production jig and tolerance controls, exact fits are elusive. Do you really think that hole is the same as it was 'at the factory'? ;)

I leave it for you to find a suitable 'epoxy'. ;)

roamer46

I hear what you're saying, JPG, but I didn't give the guy a fully spec'ed plan drawing from the original windshield. The size and shape of the hole from the factory really doesn't matter, because they're all made custom (even Chris Craft built each one for each boat.

I talked to my painter about the epoxy idea, but the problem is the frame simply doesn't fit the hole. It's sort of like trying to put a Ford door on a Chevy. The only way the welder got the frame to [sort of] fit was to bolt the top in place then twist and stomp it into position. That's a guaranteed way to cause anything -- epoxy, paint, fairing compound...whatever -- to pop off the frame.

I've got an idea I'm working on. Stay tuned...

roamer46

While I stew over how to resolve the windshield frame problems, I'm full-steam ahead in other areas.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Bow Seat Window Interior Panels

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

I can't let the windshield frame saga slow this down too much, so we're blasting ahead on other things.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Aft Stateroom Head Walls

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

More progress on the aft stateroom head.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Aft Stateroom Head Walls II

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

More progress on the aft head (bathroom for the landlubbers). ;-)

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Aft Stateroom Head Ceiling

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

I'm still working toward a resolution on the windshield frame. Since the fabricator clown damaged the paint on the cabin top and hardtop that has to be repaired anyway, I've decided to break open the paint even more and change the shape of the fiberglass to meet the aluminum frame he built. The problem with that approach is that summer has arrived and daytime temps near the top of the tent go way over 100F. But while I've been thinking that through, I've also be wailing away on getting ready to spray foam insulation, which includes installing African mahogany plywood panels overhead in the aft stateroom.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Cutting and Installing Overhead Mahogany Plywood

Cheers,

Q

BuckeyeDennis

Fantistic, Q, I learn a lot from reading your blog. Can't wait to see that interior all come together!

roamer46

Thanks, BuckeyeDennis! I can't wait for it to come together, too!

And along those lines...I got the V-berth ready for the spray foam insulation...this kinda progress I can live with.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Prepping the V-berth for Foam Insulation

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

It's been a while since I posted. First, the painter/fiberglass pro I've got helping me on the boat got sick and was in the hospital. Then my computer died, and it's taken a while to get that sorted out. And then...well...the pic below sort of tells the tale. That big white thing next to the world's largest hand grenade is Tent Model X. So I'm not splashing in 2015, but all's not lost. It's just another kick in the teeth in a long string of kicks in the teeth.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Not Splashing in 2015

crikey

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

I'm still trying to track down the company that was responsible for the boat explosion. The owner isn't taking my calls or responding to messages.

In other news, I got my spray foam insulation done a while back. Check it out!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Spray Foam Insulation

Cheers,

Q

« Previous Page Next Page »