Estes Little Joe II Question

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kcobbva

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Forgive me if this has been answered or if there are build threads out here for this rocket, every search on Little Joe II comes up with nothing found.

I was looking over the instructions today in the new Kit I just purchased and they state to use spray adhesive to attach the body Tube Wrap. My experience with spray adhesive has always been a mess. I recall some years ago building the Apogee Saturn V and sealing the wraps down with CA Glue. While a pain, it worked very well. I am curious if anyone's tackled the Little Joe II and might share what they've done before I dive in and get started. At the same time, does anyone have any advice on spray glue should I go that route. Always seems to come out in globs, or at least the 3m brands I've tried. I welcome any advice!

Thanks,

Kevin
 
My suggestion on doing a search on the forum is to use google.

In Google's search bar put in your search selection followed by "site:rocketryforum.com" without the quotations. It works one thousand times better!!!

IE. "estes little joe body wrap site:rocketryforum.com"
 
My suggestion on doing a search on the forum is to use google.

In Google's search bar put in your search selection followed by "site:rocketryforum.com" without the quotations. It works one thousand times better!!!

IE. "estes little joe body wrap site:rocketryforum.com"
Thanks. I'll keep that tucked away!!
 
My experience with spray adhesive has always been a mess. I recall some years ago building the Apogee Saturn V and sealing the wraps down with CA Glue. While a pain, it worked very well. I am curious if anyone's tackled the Little Joe II and might share what they've done before I dive in and get started. At the same time, does anyone have any advice on spray glue should I go that route. Always seems to come out in globs, or at least the 3m brands I've tried.

I note that you've already located the extensive LJII build thread located elsewhere, which is great. Please allow me to suggest, strongly, that you use the 3M Hi-Strength 90 spray adhesive for your build. This particular adhesive has served me well for not only my Little Joe II project, but also for attaching the styrene skins to the airframe tubes of the 1/12 scale Little Joe models that I'm building for the upcoming World Championships. It is important to emphasize that the 3M 90 adhesive does not come of of the can in a fine, consistent spray, but rather a lace-like splatter. This is absolutely normal, and is how the product is intended to work. After spraying the surfaces of both parts to be attached, I start a timer and let the solvent flash off for nine minutes, after which the parts are joined.

Hope this helps,
James
 
I note that you've already located the extensive LJII build thread located elsewhere, which is great. Please allow me to suggest, strongly, that you use the 3M Hi-Strength 90 spray adhesive for your build. This particular adhesive has served me well for not only my Little Joe II project, but also for attaching the styrene skins to the airframe tubes of the 1/12 scale Little Joe models that I'm building for the upcoming World Championships. It is important to emphasize that the 3M 90 adhesive does not come of of the can in a fine, consistent spray, but rather a lace-like splatter. This is absolutely normal, and is how the product is intended to work. After spraying the surfaces of both parts to be attached, I start a timer and let the solvent flash off for nine minutes, after which the parts are joined.

Hope this helps,
James

A 1/12 Little Joe ....wow, love to see the finished model....is this the thread?
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...Joe-I-(was-Anyone-care-to-ID-this-component-)
 
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I note that you've already located the extensive LJII build thread located elsewhere, which is great. Please allow me to suggest, strongly, that you use the 3M Hi-Strength 90 spray adhesive for your build. This particular adhesive has served me well for not only my Little Joe II project, but also for attaching the styrene skins to the airframe tubes of the 1/12 scale Little Joe models that I'm building for the upcoming World Championships. It is important to emphasize that the 3M 90 adhesive does not come of of the can in a fine, consistent spray, but rather a lace-like splatter. This is absolutely normal, and is how the product is intended to work. After spraying the surfaces of both parts to be attached, I start a timer and let the solvent flash off for nine minutes, after which the parts are joined.

Hope this helps,
James

Thanks very much. And I have to say I am totally awed by your modeling skills. Between you and George, you guys did an amazing job on the Little Joe's yall built. I think i'm sold on your paint choices and technique after reading as well! Much appreciated!
 
A 1/12 Little Joe ....wow, love to see the fished model....is this the thread?
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...Joe-I-(was-Anyone-care-to-ID-this-component-)

Yep, that's the tread, and the model. It has been essentially a full-time job since September of last year, and the project is finally coming to a close. The last 10% of the build has consumed 30% of the time, unexpectedly, but the end is in sight. Just a few more details to be added and a photo of the finished beast can be shared, perhaps as early as the end of next week. The model will be flown at the World Spacemodeling Championships in the Ukraine next month, and if it survives the plan is to offer it to a museum.

James
 
I'm sure that 1/12 would be cool....however let's face it. The Little Joe you've built is AWESOME! I gotta say when I saw the Little Joe in the hobby shop a week ago, it was your rocket I saw out at battle park that made me want to buy it!
Hey thanks!
Yeah...either Little Joe is a fine subject to model.
Everyone should have one!

I have a large Red Arrow Hobbies resin Mercury capsule (11.5 inches dia. at 1/6 scale) just begging to become a BIG Mercury Little Joe....thought about making it my L3.
But those low dangling fins ......kind of vulnerable...
 
Multiple really big chutes! :)

Yes...might work.
Wasn't sure if making a "scale project" a L3 project is the way to go.

These days you can pretty much buy a kit to do a Level 3 and thereby, keep it simple.
Beyond that, requires some practical experience with electronics for deployment and good documentation skills.

...oh yeah, and MONEY.

.....to burn.

I have that same Estes Little Joe II rerelease myself...it is apparently much like the larger Centuri Little Joe II kit that I saw back in the sixties that put the desire in me to do a large Little Joe II.
Had the tiny Little Joe that Estes made back then, sold it to a friend.
Built the Semroc release as well.

But this Estes kit is a nice one.
If you have never seen the special release Gordon kitted under the Roachwerks name, it is the one to have...unfortunately OOP.
https://archive.rocketreviews.com/reviews/all/roach_little_joe.shtml
 
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I have used 3M adhesive on the little guy and it's still holding after six years though yet to be flown.
 
I am starting the Estes Little Joe II this weekend...The instructions dont make it clear if the small (H) section of body tube you cut the small piece out of goes all the way into the main body tube or sticks out...And if so how far?
 
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