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

roamer46

I've had the glass for the aft enclosure sitting on the aft deck since November. Spring briefly visited a week ago, so I installed the windows. But then winter came back with a vengeance, so the polysulfide sealant still isn't fully cured!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Aft Enclosure Glass

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

Winter hasn't cut me much slack this year. For the 6th time, I had to clear snow to get into the tent. I spent the day trying once again to get the helm station window frames dry-fitted, only to once again discover a deal-stopper problem that I'll have to resolve.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer Refit: Window Pains III–the Evil Helm Windshield Frames

Cheers,

Q

idcook

roamer46 wrote 1969 Chris Craft Roamer Refit: Window Pains III&#8211]Evil[/B] Helm Windshield Frames

HA! That gave me a real chuckle! :D

roamer46

Oh...you laugh, but only because you don't have to deal with them! They are truly evil! And there are so many of them!! :p

In other news, I got my Chris Craft Roamer Cruise Control (trim tab) patterns made, with the help of my trusty Shop Smith.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Trim Tabs

Cheers,

Q

idcook

All kidding aside, I’ve been astounded following this thread. For me, it’s one of the most inspirational. Especially considering that I’m still working on how to make a passable toothpick. :o

roamer46

Thanks, idcook!

There's no woodworking in my latest article (not even toothpicks!), but I did manage a big advance in the project: I finally got the bow deck hatch apart. What a bear that was...

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Disassembling the Bow Hatch

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

Just when I thought the winter was gone, we got dumped on again. Fortunately, there's plenty of stuff that needs to be done inside the boat in preparation for splashing this fall. Since I'll be installing the rudders, steering and trim tabs shortly, I decided to get floors installed in the aft stateroom all the way to the transom.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Aft Cabin Floors

Cheers,

Q

nuhobby

Thanks for posting! You're making nice progress.

roamer46

Thanks, Chris. Though I must say, I wish things were moving along faster. Ah well...

Over the long, nasty winter, I've been getting lots of things staged for when it finally warms up and dries out a bit.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: New Bits & Pieces Back From the Fabricator

Cheers,

Q

BuckeyeDennis

Roamer, this is the most amazing example of a DIY BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) that I have ever seen. Either you have an encyclopedic knowledge of both boats and fabricating, or else you must spend almost as much time on Google as you do working on the boat!

But you don't strike me as the kind of guy who would enjoy spending all your time sunbathing and otherwise lolligagging on a cabin cruiser! So my question is, are you going to actually use this thing? (The mind does boggle at the sheer babe-magnet potential) :cool: Or will you sell it, and then do it all over again on an even bigger one??? :eek:

roamer46

Thanks, BuckeyeDennis!

This boat will definitely get used. I have no intention of selling it, but you know what they say about never say never...

Anyway, it's been a while since I wrote a blog article on my Roamer project. Winter conspired against me, and a lot of projects got a little bit done but nothing advanced enough to inspire me to write. Gotta get back into the swing of things...

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Setting Up Shop

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

In preparation for moving the engines into position, I had to clean up the wiring and organize it a bit. It's nice not having dust falling in my eyes every time I touch a wire!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Organizing the Electrical System

Cheers,

Q

teacherman

This is one impressive project! Hope you have a large enough body of water nearby. I had a vision of you mounting a shop smith permanently in one of the rooms on the boat, designating it the ship's "shop smith shipshape ship shop."

Thanks you for posting pictures of your progress!

roamer46

Thanks, teacherman!

I actually considered putting the Shopsmith on the aft deck just to have all of the equipment onboard. But the thought of lifting that beast over my brand new paint job makes me cringe...I don't mind shlepping lumber up the ladder. Plus, it keeps a lot of dust off the boat. That 12" disk sander really makes dirt!

Cheers,

Q

roamer46

At long last, the prop shafts are in! Couldn't have done it without my Shopsmith 12" disc sander to resize the phenolic cutlass bearings!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the propeller shafts

Cheers,

Q

beeg

Did ya install that shaft yourself or did ya have help? It looks to be very heavy.

JPG

HMMMMM! 1 3/4" SS shafting.

Wonder where that could be used on a SS?:D

skou

Wonder why I didn't catch that one.

JPG, you'll pay DEARLY, when it comes time to go vertical with your drill-press, though. Like my cast iron head(stock) isn't dense enough.:D

steve

roamer46

beeg wroteDid ya install that shaft yourself or did ya have help? It looks to be very heavy.

It was very heavy! I hired a couple of yard guys to help install them. Best money I've spent in a while!

I've just about got all of my ducks in a row for the big engine install, but none of that preparation stuff is worth writing about on its own. I've had to think about installing chrome pieces, which requires a special tool to do it right (on a metal boat, anyway). Even though you might think chrome is a purely cosmetic thing you do at the end of the job, keeping out rain water will hopefully become very important later this year. Chrome and stainless parts fill many holes on the topsides of this boat.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Classic Chrome Bits & Pieces

Cheers,

Q

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