first MMX build -Buckshot

I had hoped to start building a couple weeks ago, but needed a spent MMX motor for my Nanite build and helpful for other builds as well. Motors finally arrived! The Buckshot seemed pretty straight forward build and perhaps less likely to be lost on first launch than some of the smaller Fliskits models, so here she is at 4.2 grams without motor or paint, I am hopeful to fly it tomorrow if the weather is dry, then paint to see how much the weight effects performance. The build was quick and very enjoyable, my nose cone is made of very soft grade of balsa, this means very light...but also very easy to dent, does anyone have a method to harden balsa with min weight gain?

Coat the nose cone with thin CA (superglue) and then sand smooth. Just be sure to do this in a well-ventilated area!

Buckshot flew!... very well in fact, Fliskits advertise flights of approx 100 ft high, mine flew easily 50 yards or bit more!.. of course mine is naked without paint or even sanding sealer so not a very realistic flighing weight at 4.2 grams...it was dead calm this AM so I could not resist a flight in my front yard. My only issues are the launch lug supplied with kit fits my rod very loose, and my streamer did not fully deploy at ejection...perhaps someone has tips on packing micro rockets? I kept folding streamer in half until had small bundle then wrapped excess kevlar cord around bundle...here is a pic of how it landed with a couple wraps still around streamer

hunterdude said:

Buckshot flew!... very well in fact, Fliskits advertise flights of approx 100 ft high, mine flew easily 50 yards or bit more!.. of course mine is naked without paint or even sanding sealer so not a very realistic flighing weight at 4.2 grams...it was dead calm this AM so I could not resist a flight in my front yard. My only issues are the launch lug supplied with kit fits my rod very loose, and my streamer did not fully deploy at ejection...perhaps someone has tips on packing micro rockets? I kept folding streamer in half until had small bundle then wrapped excess kevlar cord around bundle...here is a pic of how it landed with a couple wraps still around streamer

Click to expand...

Harding the Nosecone can be done easily with Thin or Medium CA soaked into the wood then sanded smooth. I generally chuck-up a 1/4" hardwood dowel, tape a piece of T2+ to the dowel with enough room to insert about 3/4 of the NC shoulder adding a bit of tape to the extended shoulder. Spinning the NC with the drill I hold a Medium CA soaked Paper towel to the Balsa Nosecone, working the CA into the wood and Polishing the CA as it air dries while spinning. makes for some very light weight and Hard balsa cones.

The Buck Shot is a fine little Fliskit as it is. It just begs to be "SteamPunked" so that's what I did. Being a BT-5 model anyway it wasn't likely to be a super high flying micro anyway so adding a bunch of external parts didn't really hurt anything. Her finished mass empty is 8.9g, LOWt with MMX-II is 9.8g...She fly's pretty well to about 75-90 feet.