5 Times A Fool scratch build (was Viking upscale)

Really like the look of 5 fins,don't think I ever built one with 5.Any problems cutting the fin slots?

cjp said:

Really like the look of 5 fins,don't think I ever built one with 5.Any problems cutting the fin slots?

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No, I cut them with an Xacto knife as usual. It's surprisingly easy. This is my second five finned rocket.

bradycros said:

I can't see anything out of place in the pictures. Is this the rocketry version of find Waldo?

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See the forward edge of the fin where it comes out of the body tube? There's a flat spot. It should be a continuous angle.

I sanded the nose cone and rubbed it down with alcohol. Then primered it. I think this is the first black nose cone I've used. I was worried about painting it red, but the primer seemed to cover it well. The red should be no problem.

bradycros said:

This picture could have been taken at my home. Rocket building in the kitchen...

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You know, if my bathroom had an exhaust fan, I'd probably turn it into a paint booth.

I've actually done this before. I made the rail button block on the aft centering ring too big, so it wouldn't fit between the fin tabs. A little trimming on the bandsaw, and voila. It goes in far enough so that there's enough motor tube sticking out for the retainer.

And I got the retainer put on with JB Weld.

Got the rail buttons installed.

No bugs!

qquake2k said:

No bugs!

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Nice,I like it,I like it a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lookin great Cap'n !

Retainer test fit. I really like these Aerotech retainers.

It's nice and sunny outside, I've got the day off, so it must be time for primer.

I liked GlenP's suggestion of one red fin. So it now has one red fin.

Really cool, that is looking nice. Jealous of the painting weather, still too cold and wet here for outdoor spray paint.

The only thing cooler than 5 fins on a rocket is 8 (i.e. Saturn 1B)

I masked the one red fin, and sprayed everything else black. I couldn't find my wide Tamiya tape, so I had to use the narrow.

You must really love Black & Red.
2 build threads, both Black & Red.
btw, that is the school colors here for the Reed City, Coyotes.

I would have to say, black and red is one of, if not the most, favorite color schemes of mine. In my defense, the Bullpup has a red body tube ,and 5 Times has a black body tube. And the Coyotes have a cool logo!

Have I mentioned yet today how much I hate bugs?

Well, I'm quite disappointed with this paint job. Lots of problems. The Tamiya tape left a residue that I've never seen before. It's a couple of years old, but it was kept in the house, so it didn't get hot over the summer. After the paint sets, I might try to carefully remove it with some acetone. It also didn't leave a clean edge like it has for me in the past. But I'm not up to redoing it, at this point. And it looks like there was some ink transfer onto the fin from the newspaper. I can cover that with a red Sharpie. I have completely lost what little painting skill I had. Oh well, as usual, it'll look good from a distance.

I went to reattach the rail buttons, and promptly jammed the screwdriver into the body tube. I tried to cover it with a black Sharpie, but the paint is still really soft. Then as I was setting it outside for photos, I got dusty smudges on it. Not my day. Glad I wasn't doing anything structural with it.

Looking at it closely, I can see it is really a bad paint job. But it does look good from a distance. And for some reason, I like the brass screws with the rail buttons.

Put the rocket down and step away before something really bad happens! You may want to try alcohol on the tape residue first. I think acetone would kill the gloss and defeat the purpose.

I agree that the brass screws add a little something different, not that they will be visible from the rail.
All-in-all, not bad. Not your best paint, but not bad either!

with the red cone and fin that looks even better in real life than the sim image. No one will notice glitches when you light it up and it screams off the pad.

Another touch up trick it to spray some paint into a small paper cup and use a qtip or fine modeling brush and touch up the paint. I had to do that in some spots on my Mercury Redstone fins. After touching up the black I would have to go back and touch up the white, then again with the black, it was exhausting. When I put down my first coat of white I realized I forgot to glue a launch lug on, so I had to sand down to bare tube in spots to glue them on. Then I got some terrible globs from the spray can and had to sand all that down and start over again. So, there's always that option, if you like sanding.

Bad a$$! The paint could have been better, but overall I love this one!

Woah! That is awesome. That rocket ain't nobody's fool.

I like everything about the rocket except one thing.
I'm not a clown clown fan.
But that's all right, it's all about what you like.
Please post launch photo's of this one and the Bullpup.