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

[roamer46]

I don't want to hold up the headliner installation, but I had to get the base coat of varnish on the V-berth/galley bulkhead since the headliner will butt up against it on the V-berth side. Six coats of ICA base clear later, it looks pretty good.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: ICA Base Coat on the V-berth/Galley Bulkhead

Cheers,
Q

Before


After

[algale]

Looking good! Keep it up!

[roamer46]

Thanks! I had to laugh when I saw 'Gale's Law.' It's so true!! lol

That said, I've been working to get the living spaces ready for the headliner installation for several months now. Over the weekend, the headliner installer came out. We broke open the Whisper Wall box, and he got busy. I have to say, it's turning out very nicely.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: The V-berth Headliner Install Begins

Cheers,
Q



If you were wondering how that ugly track in the complex corner of the V-berth was going to turn out...


It turned out like this!

[roamer46]

I'm working on some things in the V-berth, so the headliner installer got busy in the aft stateroom. He got three panels installed, then I went through and installed the Kai LED lights. This is looking really good!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: The Aft Stateroom Headliner Install Begins

Cheers,
Q

[roamer46]

The trim ring for the aft stateroom hatch hole is looking great! Chris Craft used aluminum molding, which had some corrosion coming through the anodizing. I decided to go with mahogany.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Aft Stateroom Hatch Finish Panel

Cheers,
Q

[roamer46]

It was hard putting that veneer in the hatch hole. I cut the piece a half inch or so bigger than the height of the tube, which only gave me 1/4" of leeway top and bottom. And it was four feet long, so if I didn't have it aligned just right at the start, it'd run out of alignment as I went around the hole pushing it in place. Anyway, I got it in and I have to say...it looks pretty good. Definitely better than the white paint Chris Craft used.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Mahogany Veneer on the Aft Stateroom Hatch Hole

Cheers,
Q

Before (sanded and ready for contact cement)


After (with 3 coats of ICA base clear)

[algale]

Beautiful attention to detail! This boat is going to be something when it is finished!

[roamer46]

Thanks algale! I just wish it'd get done quicker! lol

The headliner installer made the V-berth hatch trim ring out of mahogany. It looks a lot better than the stainless sheet metal and anodized aluminum moldings that Chris Craft used. But instead of using the bandsaw, slot cutter, and other tools I've got on-site, he used a grinder to do most of the shaping. That made it a lot more time consuming for him and for me to get it ready for varnish. In the end, it turned out OK.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Mahogany Trim Ring for the V-berth Hatch

Cheers,
Q

[roamer46]

I jumped back into the aft stateroom to deal with a problem caused by a 'Mr. Good But Slow' years ago that I just discovered when getting ready to do the final veneer panel work so the headliner can be installed. Basically, the bulkhead wall at the aft stateroom door has a bit off a curve in it. Since the door won't have a curve in it, I need to make a door jamb that's straight to match the door, but curved on the other side to match the bulkhead. It was challenging, but the mahogany door jamb turned out pretty good. It looks lots better than the original one!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Aft Stateroom Entryway Door Jamb

Cheers,
Q

OEM door jamb piece


New door jamb piece

[roamer46]

Before the guy can install the headliner tracks at the aft stateroom door, I have to do something about the ugly bulkhead there. I had one last sheet of 1/8" mahogany plywood in the stack, so I pulled it out to finish this off. I haven't glued all of the panels in place yet, but it's looking a lot better.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Aft Stateroom Entryway Mahogany Panels

Cheers,
Q

Before


After