1956 Chris-Craft 54' Constellation by bcochran

[bcochran]

I’m running into a bit of trouble with the cabin roof. It’s been the biggest pain in the butt of this whole kit beside the electronics. 
 

I’ve had trouble painting it because of the paint I chose. Because I chose to build the cabin framing as one piece the roof doesn’t fit well and it was a bear getting it in place. 
 
This will be an area that I won’t be pleased with and years from now I won’t remember why when I look at the boat.

[bcochran]

Here's where things stand at the moment.  I said before here, that where and how you glue some pieces together is a guessing game.  I have unglued some of the cabin frame to get the roof to fit right.  Fixing all that is for tomorrow or the next day. Sometimes you just have to walk away from it for a while until the negative vibes pass and the model is seen in a more favorable light.

 

Also, it is good to wait until a solution to the problem comes to mind before banging ahead.  The solutions come to me as I lie in bed at night or early morning.

 

That's one of my little dogs waiting for her supper.

 

Edited September 3, 2023 by bcochran

[bcochran]

I am repairing the cabin. I took parts apart to reassemble correctly.  I should be done within a week. Then I'll be back on schedule.

Edited September 5, 2023 by bcochran

[bcochran]

I took most of the cabin apart and found I didn't align some of the parts well.  I stripped the paint off the roof for repainting.  I have to touch up the paint on the window frames and reassemble as much of the cabin as I can. There will be gaps that I'll have to live with if I want the cabin removable, and that is a must if I want to work on the electronics

 

[bcochran]

I epoxied the roof of the cabin in place

[bcochran]

Still making progress

Edited September 7, 2023 by bcochran

[bcochran]

Getting the decks ready

[bcochran]

Well the cabin roof is on.  It's not as good as I would like but I am tired of working on the cabin.

 

It comes off in one piece so I can get at the electronics,

Edited September 9, 2023 by bcochran

[Ian_Grant]

Looks good Bruce!  That's one lucky helmsman .... 😁

[bcochran]

All that is remaining to add are a few parts, the life boat, the starboard side chrome trim, the railings and stanchions.  I am going to try Alclad II to paint the stanchions chrome.

Edited September 10, 2023 by bcochran

[bcochran]

Here are the stanchions painted chrome with Alclad II.  The parts were molded in gray. I first painted them with Alclad gloss black primer then with chrome.

 

Edited September 12, 2023 by bcochran

[bcochran]

The back railing, anchor and boats davits are in place.

Edited September 13, 2023 by bcochran

[bcochran]

When mounting the port and starboard railings, you can't permanently attach them to the fore stanchion if you want to be able to remove the rear deck to get to the electronics.  That stanchion is not mounted to the rear deck.   The instructions don't mention this but a little thought makes it obvious.  You have to lift the railing off that stanchion to remove the deck.  The others can be permanently attached to the railing.  There are quite a few places where you can screw up this model by not knowing what you don't know.

 

Be sure to mount the stanchions in the right direction.  This isn't obvious but a look at the real thing helps.

Edited September 13, 2023 by bcochran

[bcochran]

Sometimes when working on a build like this there are days when you can't do anything right.  Your skills seem to have abandoned you for a while.  Or other mishaps like breaking or losing a part happens.

 

Then there are times when it goes right! 

 

I thought I lost one of the stanchions.  I was resigned to either scratch build one or just substitute a piece of plastic rod and live with it.  I decided to try and scratch build one.  I was looking through a pile of tools and junk on my work desk to get what I needed for the scratch build.   There at the bottom of the pile of junk was the missing stanchion!!  It was incredibly serendipitous!  I have no idea how it got there.

 

I didn't want to get out my airbrush and Alclad II paint for just one stanchion so I sprayed it with Testors chrome in a rattle can.   It doesn't look all that different from the other ones. 

 

So rather than spend a day trying to correct for a mishap I am moving forward again!

Edited September 13, 2023 by bcochran

[bcochran]

The rear railings are in place.

[TBlack]

Bruce,

I've looked at all the photos you've provided and I can't see any gaps in the cabin assembly. Aren't you being a little hard on yourself?

And are you telling me that to get chrome it's better to use Testor's spray rather than the 2 step process?

Tom

[bcochran]

7 hours ago, TBlack said:

Bruce,

I've looked at all the photos you've provided and I can't see any gaps in the cabin assembly. Aren't you being a little hard on yourself?

And are you telling me that to get chrome it's better to use Testor's spray rather than the 2 step process?

Tom

There is a gap between the deck and the right front corner of the cabin.  I think the deck is warped.  I am going to try and prop up the deck from the underside.

 

I think the Alclad II is the better method of painting chrome provided you go about doing it correctly.  It is meant to be sprayed with an air brush. You must first apply a glossy black undercoat then lightly mist on several coats of chrome to bring out the effect.  That is not easy to do if you are not skilled with an air brush. Too heavy a coat and the chrome effect will not work.

 

Testor's spray chrome is easier but not quite as good a look as Alclad II I think.  Also you can't spray it too heavy either, it builds up fast and it takes a while to cure completely.  You can't control the flow of the paint from a rattle can like you can with an air brush.

 

Alclad II has many different shades of finish and I think it pays to learn to use it.

 

 

I read lot's of threads about things like this and I see what I call "absolute" statements.  I don't believe in absolutes other than to say there are no absolutes.  You have to use what works for you.  If you are happy with the results it doesn't matter what other people say.

Edited September 14, 2023 by bcochran

[Roger Pellett]

Bruce, 

 

You’re doing a beautiful job.

 

Like most sailors, I never paid much attention to power boats.  In this case, the deck arrangement is interesting.  The major seating area (the after deck) would be dangerous in any sort of seaway with unsecured folding chairs skating around and restrained only by the open rail.  Chris Craft must have marketed these to appeal to buyers using them in protected waters or better tied up to a dock.

 

Roger

[bcochran]

Well the superstructure of the boat is almost complete.   I need to add the dingy, the canvas railing covers and a few more things.

[bcochran]

16 minutes ago, Roger Pellett said:

Bruce, 

 

You’re doing a beautiful job.

 

Like most sailors, I never paid much attention to power boats.  In this case, the deck arrangement is interesting.  The major seating area (the after deck) would be dangerous in any sort of seaway with unsecured folding chairs skating around and restrained only by the open rail.  Chris Craft must have marketed these to appeal to buyers using them in protected waters or better tied up to a dock.

 

Roger

When I see them for sale they they are mostly on freshwater.  I live 9 miles from the Pacific Ocean and there are days I wouldn't want to be on a submarine.  Last weekend the waves were 5 to 8 feet above normal.  The surfers love it but don't expect me to go whale watching in waves like that.

 

I was looking into joining a club in Santa Barbara that has rental boats to use on the sea.   They were 15ft single deck with a tiny cabin.   I said no thank you.

Edited September 14, 2023 by bcochran

[bcochran]

Except for the flags and some touch up she is complete.

[bcochran]

It is getting to be time to get the electronics working.

[schooner]

That is one sharp-looking model! Your "chrome" stanchions" look great, I'll have to remember that trick.

[bcochran]

2 hours ago, schooner said:

That is one sharp-looking model! Your "chrome" stanchions" look great, I'll have to remember that trick.

Thank you,

 

I learn a lot by reading other people's logs and that's where that idea came from.  The one in the pictures here is acceptional I think.

[bcochran]

If there are any high rollers out there and you want to build this model, there is an original Marx Chris Craft Constellation on Ebay for $875 plus $40 shipping.

 

It is a rare kit but a bit too expensive I think.

 

There is a Marx power kit on Ebay for the Constellation for $749.99. 

It looks like from the pictures for the Marx constellation there are no motors or anything to power it.  My Lindberg kit has motors and things to power it.  I am not using them though.

 

There is a Lindberg sports fisherman for $850 plus $80.65 shipping.

 

I would rather make a Dumas model which is much cheaper. I am seriously thinking of doing that.   Or maybe the Lindberg PT-109.

 

I will be completely done with building my Constellation today.  Pictures to follow.

 

I will next work on getting the electronics working then on to the pond at Waller Park here in Santa Maria, CA.

Edited September 16, 2023 by bcochran

[bcochran]

The model is finished.  The next step is to figure out the electronics.

Edited September 17, 2023 by bcochran

[torro]

what a beauty

[bcochran]

I want to keep this build log open since this boat is a R/C model and I haven't gotten the R/C components working yet.  The superstructure is finished but not the electronics and she has yet to float in the water.

 

Several people here have offered help with the electronics and I want to use that advice.

[bcochran]

I am back

I am going to finish the electronics and float this boat

Edited May 29 by bcochran

[bcochran]

The first step for me is to charge the batteries.  I could not do that before.  On rereading the charger instructions I learned you have to hold the start button for 3 seconds to start charging.

 

My batteries are NiMH 1,2 volts in packs of six totaling 7.2 volts.  There are two of these together supplying 14.4 volts to the R/C system.

 

I have one charged to 8.43 volts not 7.2.  I don't know if that maters.  If you are new to this log I'll tell you that I know little to nothing about R/C boats.

 

The next step is to plug the batteries into the system and see what happens.  One battery is charged the other is charging.

 

 

Edited May 29 by bcochran