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That's pretty much what I've concluded, ERLover. There are some up-sides to staying in the yard for one more winter.

While I'm away for my FIL's funeral stuff, I figured I'd catch the blog up on a few things. I've got a raging case of jet lag, so don't be surprised if it reads like gibberish.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer Refit: Trim Tabs & Gauges

Cheers,
Q

Q, in the computer "bidness," we call that,
Magic Smoke. When the CPU maker, makes that
expensive little piece, they install the Magic Smoke.

Magic smoke is what makes the CPU (or any other
component) work. Once you let the Magic Smoke
escape, the CPU doesn't work anymore.

Yes, I'm having fun tonight. It's what I do best.
(At least, when it is 114 outside.)

steve

skou wrote:Q, in the computer "bidness," we call that,
Magic Smoke. When the CPU maker, makes that
expensive little piece, they install the Magic Smoke.

Magic smoke is what makes the CPU (or any other
component) work. Once you let the Magic Smoke
escape, the CPU doesn't work anymore.

Yes, I'm having fun tonight. It's what I do best.
(At least, when it is 114 outside.)

steve

We use to call it "electrical incense". But who knows that was a lot of years ago......

Ed

The heat of summer has made the deck level in the tent intolerable once again. So I've been getting things done in the engine room, where a couple tons worth of Cummins engines keep the space relatively cool. I got all of the 4" stainless mandrel bent tubing cut and tacked together, so the dry section of the exhaust risers are ready for welding. My Harbor Freight 4x6 metalcutting bandsaw is cutting much truer since I ignored the instruction manual that came with the machine and followed a yahoo user group How-To that's much more detailed. My Shopsmith disk sander has also been very helpful getting the cut ends of the 4" mandrel bent stainless tubing for the exhaust square and smooth. Now, I'm just waiting for another argon regulator and diffuser for purging to arrive, then I'll finish welding them. Oh, and I also need to find somebody with a CNC machine that can cut 12ga 316 stainless into a showerhead radial spray nozzle for the exhaust.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: New Exhaust Risers II

Cheers,
Q

I finally got the starboard side cut and tacked. It was more challenging than the port side but turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.
I'm just waiting on my argon diffuser to show up, and I've got to find somebody who can waterjet some stainless nozzle plates for the showerhead. Then I'll weld 'em up.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: New Exhaust Risers III

Cheers,

Q

New formed hoses, very flexible silicon hose, and some constant torque hose clamps arrived, so I finished up the cooling systems on my Cummins engines. I also tested the coolant to make sure it's up to spec. Cummins 6CTA engines have sleeved blocks, so it's crucial to have the coolant additives right -- not too high or too low -- or crevice corrosion can cause all sorts of expensive problems.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: New Coolant Hoses, Clamps, and Coolant Test

Cheers,
Q

I got back from the FIL funeral tour just in time for the nastiest heat and humidity we've had this summer. Even though I've vented it, the heat is so bad in the tent that I probably won't bother making a trip to the boatyard this weekend with the forecast anticipating near 100°F and dripping humidity. But I need to keep moving on this or I'll run out of steam, so I got busy making a better dust and paint overspray extraction system that will help as we move forward and wrap up the V-berth head.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Building a Fume Extractor & Paint Filter Box

Cheers,
Q

Don't laugh...this fume extractor really works!


New filter box doesn't leak and makes it easy to swap out filters.

I got back to work in the V-berth head and made a fiberglassed hole in the floor for a shower drain. Unfortunately, we're ramping up for a week of nasty heat and humidity, so I'm not even going to bother making the trip to the boatyard. There's some stuff I can do at home, though, so progress will continue.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Back to the V-berth Head (AKA the Throne Room)

Cheers,
Q

Man....the heat and humidity is killin' me. But the V-berth head panel work is finally done. Surprisingly, given that I'm a woodworking noob who's just kind of guessing with all of this, it turned out pretty good!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: The Throne Room Door Opening

Cheers,
Q

Lookin' good! I've really been enjoying following this project, and can't wait to see it finished!!