1954 Chris-Craft Commander Express by mtdoramike - Dumas - RADIO - 36"

[Steve 12345]

Buetifull build mike I've just started a very old kit from a company called keilkraft ,it's  rc kit of a fast patrol boat but I'm turning it into a luxury yaght and will follow your build with interest for ideas 

 

thanks

steve 

[mtdoramike]

This with three coats of resin on the bow and stern, with sanding in between coats with 150 grit, 220 grit and 320, 400 grit wet sanding paper. 

[mtdoramike]

Thanks Steve, I hope to be finished with the Commander by the end of summer, but that will depend on the sanding of the hull. There are a ton of drips and runs that need to be addressed.

[mtdoramike]

On 6/2/2017 at 8:45 PM, Steve 12345 said:

Buetifull build mike I've just started a very old kit from a company called keilkraft ,it's  rc kit of a fast patrol boat but I'm turning it into a luxury yaght and will follow your build with interest for ideas 

 

thanks

steve 

Hey Steve, we would love to see your kit and progress on your build. I love these old kits.

[Steve 12345]

Hi mike I have a log on her it's called

fast patrol launch

i actually just started deck planking last night inspired from your own build 

[mtdoramike]

I have not been able to do much hobby work for the past several weeks, I have been fighting a bout of Pmonia and it has really kicked my old behind. I have just now started moving around and feeling a lot better, but still a might weak and get winded quite easily. But the breathing treatments are helping quite a bit. I think I picked it up while visiting relatives in the Virgin Islands last month. But hope to get bbaack to it very soon. I'm starting to feel the itch again. 

[gjdale]

Sorry to hear you've been ill Mike, but glad to hear you're on the mend and will be back at the bench soon.

[mtdoramike]

Here is the progress I have made on the commander since finishing the Montanes.

[Papa]

Nice boat. Always loved Chris Craft.

[mtdoramike]

I started painting the hull and cabin structure. I'll post pics in a bit.

[mtdoramike]

here you go, getting closer to putting in the running gear. 

[CDW]

Beautiful, Mike. 

 

Those red flower bushes in the background remind me of being a kid...we would pluck the flowers and suck the nectar from the base of the flowers. Sometimes, there might be insects inside, but it never stopped us from doing it. The nectar was very sweet. 

[mtdoramike]

hahahaha, I still do it, bugs and all.

[mtdoramike]

I finished putting on the rubbing moldings and fashioning the rudders and installing the rudder tubes. Then on to the grab rails and further running hardware installation.

[mtdoramike]

getting ready to start installation of the running hardware. cut out the slots on the bottom of the hull for the pro shafts.

[mtdoramike]

I'm getting ready to install the rudder shafts, but got stumped. I'm not sure what to use to seal the prop shaft slots in the hull as well as the bolt holes for the prop brackets to make them water tight. Any suggestions?

[CDW]

I think I might use epoxy for both tasks. The shafts maybe need a box form inside to give it a little bit of depth so the epoxy won't easily crack. Maybe just an 1/8", maybe 1/4" deep or so. The brackets I think I would epoxy in place on the hull and not drill it. If I did drill it, it would be to insert small wooden dowels that I could sand smooth once the epoxy had cured. 

Granted, they would not be readily removable after that, but it would eliminate the worry of leaks. 

[CDW]

Thinking about it some more, the places in the hull where the shafts come through might be well suited for epoxy putty. Just tape the outside of the hull so the epoxy does not run out, then form up that putty inside the hull and around those shaft housings. I'll bet you could just mix micro balloons with slow set epoxy to make your own putty. Your local hobby shop may have some pre-made two part epoxy putty ready to go.

[mtdoramike]

I used play dough from my grand babies stash of toys and smoothed it out over the exterior of the shafts and bottom of the boat, then I used 45 minute epoxy and poured it in grooves from the inside which did the trick. 

[mtdoramike]

But you are right CD, epoxy putty would have been a good choice for this as long as it is very pliable. 

[gktool]

Nice build , great job on details.

 

Do u still have the plans ?

 

I would be willing to buy a set , I do more scratchbuilds now.

 

Thanks , Gary 

[mtdoramike]

The Commander is almost done, everything is installed and working properly. I just have a few things to tiddy up and then she will be for sale.

[CDW]

She's looking top notch. 

Do you have a buyer lined up already, or how will you offer her for sale. Ebay maybe?

Edited January 24, 2018 by CDW

[mtdoramike]

don't know quite yet, no buyer as yet. ebay only as a last resort. I will list her here on the classifieds as well as the classifieds on RCgroups.com. I'm mainly only want to get what I have in it build wise. I figure $650.00 plus shipping would be close.

[CDW]

2 hours ago, mtdoramike said:

don't know quite yet, no buyer as yet. ebay only as a last resort. I will list her here on the classifieds as well as the classifieds on RCgroups.com. I'm mainly only want to get what I have in it build wise. I figure $650.00 plus shipping would be close.

RCgroups was/is a great venue to sell a model like yours. I've had great success selling and trading items there. Just make sure the potential buyer has a good reputation as some people these days just try to rip off buyers and sellers alike.

[mtdoramike]

On ‎1‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 7:17 PM, gktool said:

Nice build , great job on details.

 

Do u still have the plans ?

 

I would be willing to buy a set , I do more scratchbuilds now.

 

Thanks , Gary 

Hi Gary, yes, I have the plans, but as far as using them to scratch build is another question. These plans are not to scale and are quite smaller than the actual build. They are mainly used to help the builder during the build.Dumas offers the plans on their website for $25.00.

[CDW]

Yes, they have made sure there is nothing you can scratch build from their plans. They are not plans really, but more so instruction sheets. Same goes for others, not just Dumas.