Smuggler's runabout - FINISHED

[Frank3k]

The The AMT 3 in 1 Customizing Boat Kit is an old, but very nice 1/25 scale kit that can be built as a 19 foot Chris Craft runabout, a sea dragster or custom speedboat.

The original inspiration for this build is this Chris Craft (?) runabout from the 1946 serial "Lost City of the Jungle":


I decided to rescale the boat to 1/35, which makes it a 26 foot / 8 meter runabout. Almost all of the runabouts this length that I've seen online have the rear passenger area and the engine compartment locations swapped... I'm not motivated to do extensive plastic surgery on this kit, so I've turned it into a smuggler's boat.
Two songs to get into the mood for this build are Warren Zevon's Lawyers Guns and Money and Glen Frey's Smuggler's Blues

This is what I have so far. The engine doors are glued shut - I didn't add an engine. The main changes have been the dashboard, which has a 1/35 scale truck steering wheel - I'll add an instrument cluster later - and I replaced the molded on engine compartment handles with wire handles:



I've also removed the chrome and underlying barrier layer from the chromed parts. Most of the parts have details that are lost under all that material!

The boat has the basic paint on, which is a combination of Badger Stynylrez primer red with a clear coat tinted red.
Nigel Fitz-Lloyd Smith is at the wheel; if it weren't for Larry Manspread next to him, a third person could fit in the middle. I'll probably redo the rear passenger area and turn it into a cargo area and add some contraband:



I'm currently testing my latest resin printer (and Elegoo Mars Pro) in my modelling area so I probably get to this for a few days, so if you guys have any suggestions, let me hear them. The kit also comes with a trailer, two engines and a deck for the dragster.

[Dr. YoKai]

 It is a neat kit - I found one for three bucks at the Austin show about five years ago, and another at Hobby Lobby remaindered for about the same. This was the basis for the 'Tim Fleet' build I did for 'Floaty things' not too long ago.

Suggestions, well...maybe some subtle pipes along side the engine bay to suggest a larger motor?
Small arms under the front dash, for sure, and maybe some large, suspicious bales in the backseat?

Oh, I recently cut the fenders off one of the trailers to make a pair of truly heroic spats for...something. (I really don't know what yet.)

[Buzzbomb]

Well this could go anywhere.
Looking forward to see where

[Frank3k]

Thanks, guys!
Craig - I may use the exhausts from the dragster engine. The trailer's spats are pretty epic!

[Frank3k]

I think I've printed all the parts I need for this boat.
This has been an iterative process, but finally got what I wanted. First, I made steering wheels - not just for this project but for others. I now have about 20, with 2, 3 and four spokes:



Some more steering wheels, instrument panels, small scoops and a small marine radar:



Out of focus image, but here's a couple of instrument panel copies. The holes are 0.5mm in diameter. I'll add some Eduard PE switches:



The final print includes navigation lights (lower left) cleats (to the right - I copied them from a runabout image), handholds (middle left), another copy of my marine radar (middle) BIG scoops for the larger engine that Craig suggested and at the top, no-skid pads for the boat. If you look closely, they read "Smug", which is the name of the boat. These smugglers are very smug - and have enough money to pimp their boat.



The letters are 0.8mm tall. They're much sharper than this photo:



My favorite is the marine radar I drew up. All it needs is a flat styrene bottom and a styrene rod to go in the holder.

I also redid the body for my Morris-Ford Quad Commercial which is a long term project. I had to print three versions of the body; the first had some fit issues (measure once, cut twice? What's that?) the second ran out of resin with less than 5 mm to go. The last one finally worked. Each print was 7 hours:



Removing all the supports took a while - I still have a few in place to provide some stability.

The varying colors of the prints isn't a lighting effect - I'm using waste resin. It's a combination of green, gray and clear from previous prints. I want to use it up.

[Buzzbomb]

Wow some first class Resin production.

Do you do you own design ?

[Frank3k]

Brian - I do everything in Rhino3D and verify/repair the STL as needed in Autodesk Netfabb. I'm learning Blender now, both as a backup and because Blender has some mesh editing features that are missing in Rhino.

As neat as the current crop of resin printers is, I still find myself designing beyond their limits (walls that are too thin, objects that are too small to reproduce accurately). I added ridges to the back of some of the steering wheels above, and they printed but my first pass of the instrument panel had in scale switches that didn't print (and had to be filtered out of the uncured resin...).

[apophenia]

... As neat as the current crop of resin printers is, I still find myself designing beyond their limits ...

But still producing jaw-droppers for those of us who still associated '3D' with cardboard glasses and bad horror movie!

Love your planned out spares-box replenishment. Highly practical approach ... but still makes me feel like I've woken up in an alien future world 

[Frank3k]

@apophenia

It's not too hard to do - it's like doing a profile. Only in 3D, but the program helps.

I've been feeling vaguely annoyed with this build, and couldn't quite pin the reason, until I noticed two things:

1 - I reversed the colors by mistake; instead of a mahogany/reddish brown trim on a wood yellow deck, I made a yellow trim on the mahogany deck.
2- ... these are USC colors - AKA University of Spoiled Children

I repainted and it looks much better:



I also put in the rear passenger cover (which I was using as a painting /color test) and I kinda like the result:



I would have to repaint the cover, but it would make sense that a smuggler's boat would keep the goods discreetly hidden. Otherwise, I'll have to paint both passenger areas. Maybe I'll do both and see which looks best.

I used Molotow Chrome paint to paint the 3D printed intakes, nav lights and handholds:



I have to clean the handholds a bit.

Here are the steps, again. The scale to the right is in cm:



I also printed a new windscreen (which failed) two types of throttles (single and dual):



The walls are too thin (about .3mm) and could easily be thickened. The throttle handles are movable, although I would glue them in before installing. Since this is a single engine boat, I'll use the single throttle.

I also designed a modern marine radar screen:



The mount is loose and I need to clean some of the support attachment points.

Here's a render of the radar display. The smallest buttons a 0.5mm in diameter and 0.75mm long:

[apophenia]

Good call on covering over the rear compartment. Don't want to make it too easy for the Feds 

And to the sides of the hull, do we detect a wheel spats preview?

[Frank3k]

That's the included trailer, which I'm using (with some museum wax) to hold the hull in place so I don't knock off the dangly bits (rudder, prop shaft). The trailer does come with parts to make awesome spats.

[Frank3k]

I'm almost finished with the IP panel and just need a decal for the radar.

The panel is evergreen train siding (iirc) cut to shape and painted with Vallejo Mahogany and covered with a layer of red Tamiya clear:



The radar display mount may go on the hole to the right (formerly the steering wheel hole, but it was too high)

Here's a detail for the radar. I'll make a decal for the display; right now it's showing static:



cat hairs are a bonus.

[Frank3k]

Almost finished. There's a lot of chrome on this boat. Many of the parts are still loose:



I added a plastic rim to the windshield.

Here it is with the radar:



I think I'm going to skip the radar; it's just too much "stuff"

[apophenia]

Very nice and loving that rear hatch 

I think you're right about the radar. Right now, exact period is rather vague. As soon as the radome is there, it says 'present day'.

[finsrin]

Built kit in 1960s.  Not half as nice as Smuggler's runabout.  You are showing full potential of this kit 

[Old Wombat]

I think you're right about the radar. Right now, exact period is rather vague. As soon as the radome is there, it says 'present day'.

Depends on what you mean by 'present day':

PBR-31 Mk.II ca 1966-1970's


LSSC Mk.II same period

[apophenia]

Depends on what you mean by 'present day'...

Too true.

I was thinking that Frank's radar had more of a smaller, modern Garmin radome look about it. But, to my eye, that gorgeous mahogany and yellow decking somehow suggests 1950s or early '60s ...

[Frank3k]

Thanks for all the comments - I was just so happy at how the radar set came out that I didn't stop to think what it would look like. The original inspiration was a late '40s serial, so it would probably be in that time frame.

[Frank3k]

I'm calling this one finished - "...not great, not terrible"

Top view. So much chrome! I replaced the kit's windshield with something closer to the reference image. I cut it from some clear plastic, added some Bare Metal Foil and that was it. I just noticed that one of the side windows has moved:



Front view:



View of the cockpit:




Herr Kumpf trying to figure out how to explain the runabout he just bought:



The kit has a lot of potential.
Thanks for looking!

[apophenia]

Very nice! And the new windscreen looks excellent 

Herr Kumpf trying to figure out how to explain the runabout he just bought...

Frau Kumpf: "Sag es einfach Jacob! Wofür haben Sie jetzt unser Geld ausgegeben?"

[Robomog]

That looks really smart,  the chrome work finishes it off a treat.

Mog
>^-.-^<

[elmayerle]

Beautiful!!

[GTX_Admin]

Neat

[Buzzbomb]

Very nice work. very neat paintwork as well

3D printed details came out really well.
 

[Frank3k]

Thanks guys! If anyone wants the STLs for some of the parts, let me know.

also...

"Meine liebe Frau, ich habe das Boot in der Einfahrt gefunden! Es muss ein verrückter Tornado gewesen sein!" - J.A. Kumpf

[Old Wombat]

Build looks great & painting is very crisp!

However, I always think of mahogany looking like this:



Mind you, the same boat at the same show using a different camera & light settings:

[Frank3k]

I painted it mahogany and it looked too brown... when I screwed up the paint scheme, I redid everything and tried to make a mix based on a daylight photo and it came out too red/orange. I didn’t want to repaint everything.

[apophenia]

Frau Kumpf: "Ein Tornado in Kalifornien? Oh ja, mein Mann, das klingt absolut plausibel!"

... I always think of mahogany looking like this ...

It seems that mahogany's colour (and grain pattern) will also change depending on the variety of wood used. African mahogany can be quite pale; West Indian mahogany dark red-brown; Central American Santos runs from golden through to burgundy; etc. Presumably, woods from India or the Philippines will be different again.

BTW, the colour of mahogony may also darken with age. So, a vintage boat may well look difference now as compared with when it was built.

[Old Wombat]

Google translate's getting a pounding but I'm getting a laugh out of it!

[Frank3k]

I'd like to build a copy of the boat Guy posted. Maybe as a car... It looks fast just sitting there.

[apophenia]

Frank: Yes, Bruce Crandall did lovely work. For modelling, the attached may be helpful.

Also see: https://shipmodell.com/index_files/SHIPMODELL_FLYER.htm ... for a scratchbuilt 1/16th model with some WIP photos.

[Old Wombat]

Understandable, Frank, An odd but nice looking boat.

[Frank3k]

Wow - that's a cool link - thanks for the plans, too.

I found this boat on the site. Looks familiar:


https://shipmodell.com/index_files/SHIPMODELL_RUNABOAT.htm

[apophenia]

I found this boat on the site. Looks familiar ...

    Yep, familar enough to make Frau Kumpf uncomfortable 

[Frank3k]

Less bling than mine, though. I like it. As Emperor Franz Joseph I once said "There is nothing new under the Imperial Sun"

[The Rat]

Came out lovely!

[LemonJello]

How did I miss this one? It looks awesome, and I'm completely jealous of your 3D printer.

I may have to pick one of these up for myself, seems like it has a lot of potential for 1/35 fun.

[Frank3k]

How did I miss this one? It looks awesome, and I'm completely jealous of your 3D printer.

I may have to pick one of these up for myself, seems like it has a lot of potential for 1/35 fun.

Thanks! The new resin printers are getting better and cheaper. The Elegoo Mars and Mars Pro are excellent and so are the Anycubic Photon. There are low end resolution ones to avoid and some new ones are coming out. The existing ones are between $200-$280 and the resin is around #20-$30 per 500ml.

You'll also need a large supply of paper towels (Scott shop towels work great), nitrile gloves (many boxes...) protective glasses and alcohol for washing off uncured resin. Some of the newer resins are water washable.