Estes V2 from Washington, DC build thread

Hey folks,
Had a fun time and learned a few things building my last Estes V2 so when I went into Hobby Works in Laurel, MD and they had a 30% off sale I bought another. I reinforced the centering rings by cutting out duplicates out of cardstock then laminating them to the supplied centering rings. The balsa fins on these have a reputation for not being very durable so I cut one fin using the supplied fin and scale template and will use it as a template to cut the other 3 fins. I have some 380# braided Kevlar that I will use as a shock cord. I will get a nylon parachute for it as well.

My questions are should I get a parachute protector or just use dog barf? Would you use an Aerotech E20-4 or E20-7 with this? Someone mentioned using the Testors orange tube glue for the fin fillets but I have seen more examples of people using epoxy clay.

Here are a couple of photos I shot with my smartphone as I was too lazy to shoot them with my Nikon then transfer the images. The fin needs a bit of cleaning up with some sandpaper.

Rocket2Russia said:

My questions are should I get a parachute protector or just use dog barf? Would you use an Aerotech E20-4 or E20-7 with this? Someone mentioned using the Testors orange tube glue for the fin fillets but I have seen more examples of people using epoxy clay.

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First off, that fin looks great, and good luck matching it.

Personally, I don't like the epoxy clay. It gets very brittle and adds weight "at the wrong end of the rocket" as some say.
My first thought is to suggest a filleting wood glue like TB No-run No-drip or TB Quick and Thick. I'm unsure how that'll adhere to that plastic transition though.

Rocket2Russia said:

Boattail on the Estes V2 all cleaned up.

For those who are considering building this kit I scraped off the tabs that covered the fin slots with an Xacto knife taking off just a little bit at a time like I was whittling wood. Afterwards I finished with course sandpaper. I took off both ends with a hobby saw rotating the piece as I cut to make sure that I stayed in the groove and got a uniform cut

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Nice job. Removing the plastic to expose those slots is a non-trivial task (for some of us ! :blush Looks like you got'um nice and flush and kept the slots nice and straight.

ARE YOU BUILDING THAT ON YOUR WIFE'S GRANITE COUNTER TOP???

Lowpuller said:

ARE YOU BUILDING THAT ON YOUR WIFE'S GRANITE COUNTER TOP???

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So brave! We'll honour your memory

Lowpuller said:

ARE YOU BUILDING THAT ON YOUR WIFE'S GRANITE COUNTER TOP???

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That is MY counter top. I am single. After removing the tabs and cleaning them up with sandpaper they needed to be widened a bit with some filing. I have a set of small files that worked perfectly for the job. Someone suggested 30 minute epoxy for the fillets but at the big box store I went to they didn't have any. Someone did the fillets with Gorilla Wood Glue and it came out real nice. I know how many people here really like the Titebond so I bought my first bottle. I will experiment by gluing the scrap plastic cut off from the boattail to a piece of scrap wood. No work until Monday night at 11pm and the weather will be cold and crummy this weekend so I hope to get the fins cut out tonight or on Sunday. After that all the major work is done.

I know almost nothing about the space program but I am a big WW1 and WW2 nerd. The V2 has such an important place in the history of rocketry. I plan on building all the variations of the rocket that I can. Someone has the big Estes V2 for sale but I think my money would be better spent on one of the Loc Precision V2s.

Good work.

Rocket2Russia said:

The V2 has such an important place in the history of rocketry. I plan on building all the variations of the rocket that I can. .

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You'll enjoy this, then: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMb0g2tgJlcQGSO7ODFQWlOn_LJa-nReX

James

James Duffy said:

You'll enjoy this, then: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMb0g2tgJlcQGSO7ODFQWlOn_LJa-nReX

James

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Thanks James. Youtube is one of the greatest things to come along in my lifetime. Just recently I have been watching an 18 part documentary on Operation Barbarosa. I have learned so much about photography, model trolleys, building train (in my case trolleys) layouts, history, travel, you name it. I plan on shooting some videos which will explain the world of rocketry as time goes on.