ESTES ROCKETS MASTER SERIES MERCURY ATLAS BUILD!

[JoeFilgas]

Just getting around to reading this. Really nice work Joe, your attention to detail is superb. This thread will come in handy when I get around to building one of these. (When I retire!)

Thanks so much! It was a fun kit to build!

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Just getting around to reading this. Really nice work Joe, your attention to detail is superb. This thread will come in handy when I get around to building one of these. (When I retire!)

Just be careful... I'm two years and a couple of months into "retirement" and still don't have much time for hobbies. I'm surprised at the challenge that this transition has been.

 

[JoeFilgas]

Approximate 40 days after the color coat was shot I painted the adapter skirt, capsule and tower with RustOleum Clear Satin. This finishes the build. I do need to do one thing though. I need to seal all the edges of the Mylar strips with plastic safe thin CA glue as many are beginning to come up. I know this procedure will work because I had to do the same at the very top with the last ring of Mylar. This post concludes this build log.

 

[RocketMan3D]

My circa 1994 Estes Masters Series Mercury Atlas (John Glenn - Friendship 7) flying model rocket is now basically complete. Still need to do some touch up work and configure the recovery systems. This is really a fantastic rocket kit! I sure hope Estes decides to bring it back at least for a limited production run.

That silver finish is amazing!

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Approximate 40 days after the color coat was shot I painted the adapter skirt, capsule and tower with RustOleum Clear Satin. This finishes the build. I do need to do one thing though. I need to seal all the edges of the Mylar strips with plastic safe thin CA glue as many are beginning to come up. I know this procedure will work because I had to do the same at the very top with the last ring of Mylar. This post concludes this build log.

I dunno. Should build logs include at least 1 launch photo?

 

[MarsLander]

@JoeFilgas what silver paint did you use for the airframe? Thanks! Beautiful build...

 

[JoeFilgas]

@JoeFilgas what silver paint did you use for the airframe? Thanks! Beautiful build...

Thank you! I used a RustOleum metallic silver for the duller parts. The chrome is actually the original Mylar stick on covering that came with the kit.

 

[JoeFilgas]

That silver finish is amazing!

Thank you! The duller silver is just RustOleum metallic silver. The chrome finish is the original stick on mylar strips that came with the kit.

 

[Steven40]

Joe,

I just obtained a 1/35 Estes Mercury-Atlas and have one question: as you look back on the build, can you think of things you would have done differently?

I'm a firm believer in taking advantage of others experiences!

BTW, I've posted a build of the Semroc Mars Lander here:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/semroc-mars-lander.170682/#post-2234400

Steve

 

[JoeFilgas]

Joe,

I just obtained a 1/35 Estes Mercury-Atlas and have one question: as you look back on the build, can you think of things you would have done differently?

I'm a firm believer in taking advantage of others experiences!

BTW, I've posted a build of the Semroc Mars Lander here:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/semroc-mars-lander.170682/#post-2234400

Steve

Hi Steve, the main things on the build was old parts a newer set of directions causing an issue with the motor capability and I should have finished the three engine bells and then glue them on last. Fortunately I caught the mistake before the engine block was glued in. I detail all of this above in the log. On the engine bells I was able finish them, but it was a booger sanding the primer down in preparation for the silver. There’s enough room between them to shoot the silver, but the sanding issue was time consuming. I did deviate from the instructions in glues used on various steps which I believe I detailed above as well. That’s about it. The capsule and tower is a real bugger and is the same as the Redstone if you’ve built that. Definitely use the old Centuri Redstone capsule instructions to build that portion. Good luck and have fun it’s a great kit!

 

[Steven40]

Thanks! I contacted Alex at Boyce Aerospace to see if he can print a 1/35 Mercury capsule with rectangular windows, more appropriate to the Atlas. He'll get back to me. You mentioned that the mylar had a tendency to lift at the edges; I have a bunch of chrome mylar and some spare body tubes. I was thinking of putting some pieces on the body tubes and giving an overcoat of clear gloss to see of that might be a solution.

I may also try printing replacement decals on my inkjet printer (I've had good luck doing that).

In any case your build log has been very much appreciated!

(Just for fun I've attached a photo of my grandson with my Apogee Saturn IB)

 

[JoeFilgas]

Thanks! I contacted Alex at Boyce Aerospace to see if he can print a 1/35 Mercury capsule with rectangular windows, more appropriate to the Atlas. He'll get back to me. You mentioned that the mylar had a tendency to lift at the edges; I have a bunch of chrome mylar and some spare body tubes. I was thinking of putting some pieces on the body tubes and giving an overcoat of clear gloss to see of that might be a solution.

I may also try printing replacement decals on my inkjet printer (I've had good luck doing that).

In any case your build log has been very much appreciated!

(Just for fun I've attached a photo of my grandson with my Apogee Saturn IB)

You’re most welcome Steve and love the pic with your grandson! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Thanks! I contacted Alex at Boyce Aerospace to see if he can print a 1/35 Mercury capsule with rectangular windows, more appropriate to the Atlas. He'll get back to me. You mentioned that the mylar had a tendency to lift at the edges; I have a bunch of chrome mylar and some spare body tubes. I was thinking of putting some pieces on the body tubes and giving an overcoat of clear gloss to see of that might be a solution.

I may also try printing replacement decals on my inkjet printer (I've had good luck doing that).

In any case your build log has been very much appreciated!

(Just for fun I've attached a photo of my grandson with my Apogee Saturn IB)

EDITED TO ADD: Joe, I just realized this was your build thread. I screwed up. I'm not trying to interfere or upstage you, I was trying to help @Steven40. I'll delete this if you'd like.


Alex may be able to, but I had contacted him once and he said it would weight 5 oz. I MAY BE WRONG. Or maybe he's updated his model. I'm always ready to give him business, but I'm pretty sure I confirmed the 5 oz. figure. double check with him. But anyway, last winter, I ordered a capsule and tower designed by Kevin Cepedes, on Shapeways. I'm just finishing detailing it, including adding the inside and outside window panes, instead of a cast-in solid plastic black window. Here's a picture... it is very light weight, like 0.5 oz for the capsule.




And here's a link to the post with that picture, which links back to earlier pictures of me putting the windows in. The tower is molded all one piece with the collar at the bottom. The tower does not come with the aerospike, I added that from Space in Miniature drawings. The bottom is open, I'll have to plug that to avoid ejection gasses and debris from fouling the inside window.

For the windows I used .010" clear polystyrene for the inside and .005" for the outside (that's flush with the capsule surface). BSI 5 minute epoxy holds the inside, canopy glue (as in RC modeling) holds the outside.

Hope that helps if Alex can't!

 

[Steven40]

Hello!

Alex at Boyce just got back to me and has the CAD data to print the "square window" Atlas version. He's posted it on his website. No mention of weight.

Steve

https://boyceaerospacehobbies.com/collections/new-releases/products/1-35th-scale-mercury-capsule-square-window-st-20

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Hello!

Alex at Boyce just got back to me and has the CAD data to print the "square window" Atlas version. He's posted it on his website. No mention of weight.

Steve

https://boyceaerospacehobbies.com/collections/new-releases/products/1-35th-scale-mercury-capsule-square-window-st-20

That's cool! And process is important, too. You'll notice mine has a rather rough finish - I wonder if resin would so better, and is he using it? Supposedly, you can buy some finishing epoxy that will smooth my roughness out, but I found out about it after painting... I do like that my version has the "in between the panes" details that allowed me to do both inside and outside "glass" as well as detail the in-between area per MR8 (Gus Grissom's) flight, the second Redstone flight. There Alex makes a mistake in his text as well. Alan Shepherd's MR7 had the round window; Gus Grissom's MR8 had the rectangular.

 

[JoeFilgas]

EDITED TO ADD: Joe, I just realized this was your build thread. I screwed up. I'm not trying to interfere or upstage you, I was trying to help @Steven40. I'll delete this if you'd like.


Alex may be able to, but I had contacted him once and he said it would weight 5 oz. I MAY BE WRONG. Or maybe he's updated his model. I'm always ready to give him business, but I'm pretty sure I confirmed the 5 oz. figure. double check with him. But anyway, last winter, I ordered a capsule and tower designed by Kevin Cepedes, on Shapeways. I'm just finishing detailing it, including adding the inside and outside window panes, instead of a cast-in solid plastic black window. Here's a picture... it is very light weight, like 0.5 oz for the capsule.

View attachment 647603


And here's a link to the post with that picture, which links back to earlier pictures of me putting the windows in. The tower is molded all one piece with the collar at the bottom. The tower does not come with the aerospike, I added that from Space in Miniature drawings. The bottom is open, I'll have to plug that to avoid ejection gasses and debris from fouling the inside window.

For the windows I used .010" clear polystyrene for the inside and .005" for the outside (that's flush with the capsule surface). BSI 5 minute epoxy holds the inside, canopy glue (as in RC modeling) holds the outside.

Hope that helps if Alex can't!

No worries Tom it’s all good and just adding more valuable information for any future builder’s about kit customization options out there. I appreciate the heads up though.