Estes QCC Explorer #3221

rharshberger said:

What kind of magnetic building board is that?

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I still occasionally build R/C airplanes and it's a magnetic system that I've been using for 25+ years though this one is a newer upgrade that I put in a year and a half ago when I bought my house. I converted the smallest upstairs bedroom into my workshop. I've got several fixtures as well as the loose magnets. The fixtures were purchased from: https://www.airfieldmodels.com/info...model_builders/tools/magnetic_building_board/



It makes building straight and true easy to do!

TangoJuliet said:

I still occasionally build R/C airplanes and it's a magnetic system that I've been using for 25+ years though this one is a newer upgrade that I put in a year and a half ago when I bought my house. I converted the smallest upstairs bedroom into my workshop. I've got several fixtures as well as the loose magnets. The fixtures were purchased from: https://www.airfieldmodels.com/info...model_builders/tools/magnetic_building_board/

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It makes building straight and true easy to do!

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Thanks!

You'll whip those out in no time then......I don't have anywhere near your experience with that sort of stuff, so I struggled with them.....took me probably 3-4 days to get them assembled, filled, sanded and fitted to the body tube. Even with all that, I had a few spots to fill and touch up that the first coat of primer showed me.

Experience takes time... And learning from mistakes. I started modeling with plastic kits when I was about 8-9 years old. I got my first rocket, an Alpha III, not long after. Was a member of a club in Ft. Wayne, IN, through most of my teen years so I built a lot of rockets. As a young adult in the USAF I finally had the money to start in R/C airplanes and I've built several of those over the years. I've also stayed with some plastic models and even some HO train models. I'm a modeler, through and through, I guess.

TangoJuliet said:

Experience takes time... And learning from mistakes. I started modeling with plastic kits when I was about 8-9 years old. I got my first rocket, an Alpha III, not long after. Was a member of a club in Ft. Wayne, IN, through most of my teen years so I built a lot of rockets. As a young adult in the USAF I finally had the money to start in R/C airplanes and I've built several of those over the years. I've also stayed with some plastic models and even some HO train models. I'm a modeler, through and through, I guess.
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Nice work on the railcars, the weathering is very well done.

rharshberger said:

Nice work on the railcars, the weathering is very well done.

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Yes indeed!

Thanks. Unfortunately, I stopped with those and a few houses.



I had grandiose plans to re-create the rail line(s) where I grew up in New Haven and Ft. Wayne, IN, but when I bought my house, I quickly realized I really wasn't going to have that kind of space (not a fan of N or Z gauge), nor did I really have enough of the requisite ambition. It was a classic case of my eyes being bigger than my stomach.

More work was done today on the intake/fin assemblies.
First, Aerogloss Filler was brushed on, and when that was dry, I smeared on some CWF to fill all the divets/holes where the pieces interlock. Then it was all sanded.


Next was to airfoil the fins. I even thought about cutting out the control surfaces that are indicated by the decals to give it more of a 3D effect with the gaps, but thought it might be better on an upscale version, so I didn't.

The tape helps to protect what I don't want to sand.


Ooh, that looks good!

Then the fins got glued into place. I like to use Titebond II for this.


Later I added a glue fillet to the underside where the tab of the fin enters the intake. I couldn't get the tip of the TBII bottle in there, so I used my other favorite glue, Super'phatic, with a hypodermic needle tip.



Observant onlookers will notice that the fins themselves have not been sealed yet. The entire assemblies will get another two coats of Aerogloss before any primer.

What is the Super 'phatic glue and where/why would you use it?

Super'phatic is sort of like CA in that it bonds much faster than typical aliphatic glues, but it dries to a slightly rubbery consistency when cured, more like a typical aliphatic glue in that respect. It also doesn't have the inflammatory odor that some people have issue with in CA glues. I don't have an allergy to CA, but I'm aware that many do, and Super'phatic is kind of the best of both worlds between CA and aliphatic glue. I've been using it for a couple of years now. My local Hobbytown USA carries it, but you can get it online through Horizon Hobby: https://www.horizonhobby.com/cars-and-trucks/glues-and-adhesives/super-phatic!-dlmad21

I use very little CA these days. My biggest reasons for Titebond II and Super'phatic is that they slow me down a little and help me avoid mistakes before it's too late.

In regards to an Ejection Baffle system, is there one that is pre-manufactured, in kit form, that fits this BT? I suppose I have the tools and ability to make my own, but since I've never used one, I'm not sure about dimensions and the number of gas ports necessary for proper results.

If any of you have that information and are willing to share it, I'm all ears. I'm at work until next Thursday so I won't be adding anymore construction posts to this thread until my return.

There are lots of BT60 baffles out there. Lately I've been eying the ones from Qualman Rocketry.

Do you have any experience with them, or know someone who does? Am I right in assuming that using the baffle completely eliminates the need for recovery wadding?

There have been many discussions of baffles around here over the years. I started one recently to discuss the Qualman baffles.

In theory it does eliminate the need for wadding, although many folks seem to use at least a bit of wadding for extra belt-and-suspenders protection.

[edit] Suggest we take the discussion to that thread, so we don't further hijack this one.

I love the look of this rocket. Its far enough away from 3 fins and a nose, but its not one of those wonky scifi models either.

I need to hit up AC supplies with an order, but after I've lowered my build stock. (I'm at my self-imposed cap)

Nytrunner said:

I love the look of this rocket. Its far enough away from 3 fins and a nose, but its not one of those wonky scifi models either.

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That's kind of what I like about it too. It has the feel/look of some kind of cruise missile development between what we had in the early 90's and the present day. There's a lot of little pieces, but it's not a difficult build by any means.

I started to glue the intake/fin assembly to the BT this afternoon.

TangoJuliet said:

Super'phatic is sort of like CA in that it bonds much faster than typical aliphatic glues, but it dries to a slightly rubbery consistency when cured, more like a typical aliphatic glue in that respect. It also doesn't have the inflammatory odor that some people have issue with in CA glues. I don't have an allergy to CA, but I'm aware that many do, and Super'phatic is kind of the best of both worlds between CA and aliphatic glue. I've been using it for a couple of years now. My local Hobbytown USA carries it, but you can get it online through Horizon Hobby: https://www.horizonhobby.com/cars-and-trucks/glues-and-adhesives/super-phatic!-dlmad21

I use very little CA these days. My biggest reasons for Titebond II and Super'phatic is that they slow me down a little and help me avoid mistakes before it's too late.

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I wonder if Super'phatic would work like an expert on casters or would just glue us together in an instant.... You know... Super'phatic Expert Caster Or Only Glue Us.

K'Tesh said:

I wonder if Super'phatic would work like an expert on casters or would just glue us together in an instant.... You know... Super'phatic Expert Caster Or Only Glue Us.

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Hahaha, I love to laugh! Long and loud and clear!

love that table...

fm

I wasn't home much over the weekend, so I didn't get as much done as I would have liked to. But today, I finally got the last of the intake/fin assemblies glued on. I'll still need to add finish glue fillets before priming.


I used the Estes 24mm motor retainer rather than the metal motor clip, and I did not add the thrust ring inside the motor mount.


The threaded nut fits almost perfectly inside the plastic nozzle, so I'm thinking about gluing the nozzle to the nut with JB Weld in order to retain the original look of the design.

TangoJuliet said:

The threaded nut fits almost perfectly inside the plastic nozzle, so I'm thinking about gluing the nozzle to the nut with JB Weld in order to retain the original look of the design.

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Hey, that'll be pretty neat if you can pull it off. Er, make that"put it on". You know what I mean.

Look forward to seeing the final result.

There's another thread where someone decided not to use the estes screw-on retainer as you proposed because it moved the motor forward in relation to the plastic nozzle, which is likely to then melt. I'm interested what you decide as I have the same rocket a few steps behind you on my desk right now (still trying to decide between a baffle and a bulkhead...)

Good point. I had not considered how much further forward that would place the motor mount. I may have to reconsider what to do with the nozzle.

Try flipping the nozzle around and doing a boat-tail instead. I did that on mine, though with a 3D printed tail, and it fits the lines much nicer than the nozzle look.

-Hans

HHaase said:

Try flipping the nozzle around and doing a boat-tail instead. I did that on mine, though with a 3D printed tail, and it fits the lines much nicer than the nozzle look.

-Hans

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I like that idea! The kit configuration seems a bit toy like to me. This idea would really transform the look with a simple change and screams for a "weaponized" color scheme.

I decided to forego using the nozzle. After measuring the depth of the MMT in the instructions, there just wasn't any room left to try to get the nozzle on around the retaining ring. I shot primer on it yesterday afternoon, so today I'll be sanding - one of my least favorite things to do.

After I sanded the Grey Filler/Primer, I shot a White Bonding Primer and I noticed some pin holes and voids so I had to add a bit more CWF and glue fillets. When all that dries, it'll get sanded yet again. Then hopefully I'll be ready for color coats.