Dr Zooch Soyuz build (Completed!)

This is going to be my build thread of the Dr Zooch Soyuz. I'd appreciate any tips/help you guys might have for me as I progress through this build

The box!

The Instructions!


So, bite me, but I forgot to take pictures up until this point:

But basically, Its the Engine mount, a paper adapter, A 2 and 3/4 long piece of cut off tube, and a string of kevlar tied in the inside.
And with that, comes my first challenge, the Witches Hats and the fuel tanks...

The fuel tanks have not been an issue but the witches hats are confusing, Ive got not idea how to be folding these things.
If I fold them traditionally into a cone, using the little flap as a glue tab, I end up with something like this:

Im probably missing something obvious here, but can someone please explain how Im supposed to fold these witch hats?

Check out 5 threads below this one :wink:

You will find some good info and tips ,as well do a search ,there are a few great builds on this kit.

Paul T

sodmeister said:

Check out 5 threads below this one :wink:

You will find some good info and tips ,as well do a search ,there are a few great builds on this kit.

Paul T

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Yeah I read the way he did it but Im still fiddling around with it.
Its pretty difficult :/

It pretty much boils down to practice.I used to make (and still do) extra templates and practice on them until I got a technique that worked for me.Sometimes holding the cardstock part over some steaming water helps to make the paper roll easier ,but you must not get it wet.

I`m surec some of the folks that built this kit will chime in and give you some pointers and tips for rolling those small little hats.

Good luck and don`t give up !!

Take care

Paul T

After about an hour of fiddling I managed to get this:

Odo.....patience is a virtue with this build....but its a cool bird when she is done.
its tough to describe the process here...but when I tried my hats, I followed Chris' suggestion of steaming the paper to loosen it up...it allows you to roll the paper without creasing it...then try to roll these following the printed line of the glue tab at first. keep the tip of the tank at the top of your dowel and gently roll the hat around the dowel keeping the tip of the hat at the top and rolling the base of the wrap around the handle. I used the handle of my x-acto knife for the first few rolls to get the paper to curve..starting on that diagonal line of the glue tab and gently rolling it, rolling the paper around the handle then rolling it from the side opposite from the glue tab side until the paper was centered on the handle with the point of the hat on the center of your dowel...don't try to roll it tight on the first tries...you have to work it carefully until you work a curve into the paper.you'll see it starts to make a point and it allows you to roll the tab inside the cone...don't be afraid to keep steaming it...but Paul T is correct, you don't want to get the paper wet. I then moved to a smaller dowel for the tighter roll. The point is the hardest part because you have to work the glue tab into the cone and keep the point from creasing. I hope that makes some sense..its difficult to describe this . It can be pretty frustrating, and it is going to take you a number of times until you get it the way you want. Just keep playing with it. If you read the posts of the guy who made this, guys like Chris (HcmBanjo)...these are real pros and these guys had to work at these too....don't give up!

Odo said:

Yeah I read the way he did it but Im still fiddling around with it.
Its pretty difficult :/

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OK! good job! that looks great!

Odo said:

After about an hour of fiddling I managed to get this:
View attachment 143069

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Got a second one done, it just needs a lot of fidgetting like you said until you get it right. If anything goes wrong I scanned the sheet so I can go pick up some cardstock and print it out on it.

The Soyuz/Vostok/Sputnik and all the R-7 based models are very tough because American rockets are based on very symmetrical and cylindrical body shapes, while the R-7 is based on conical body segments, several of which are very UNsymmetrical.

I finished all 4 and then cut out all of the balsa discs and inserted and glued them.
After the discs go in these boosters are a surprisingly sturdy construct.

Currently glueing on the boosters.
Here is 2 of them still drying. With only 2 boosters it reminds me of something from the Titan rocket family.

4 boosters are now on, and drying

This beast is starting to take shape

Fins are on and drying, along with the launch lug. Ive now started folding the seemingly millions of little engine bells.

Thats all for tonight. Its 2AM and I am TIRED!

So after playing underpaid chinese worker for a couple of hours I managed to get all of the spider beams and engine bells finally finished and painted silver. Ive also picked up the trick of glueing the bells together in groups of 4 and then glueing them all on together at once. That is something I learned from Hcmbanjo's build thread.

And then while all of that is drying Ive put 2 coats of grey primer over the whole bottom half of the rocket.

(theres a little blushing inbetween boosters where I was unable to get any of the spraypaint in... Does anyone know any good tips to get in the crevices?)

Odo said:

Does anyone know any good tips to get in the crevices?)

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It's a little late to be giving you this advice, but paint them before you glue them on.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...ch-Vostok-Build-FINISHED!&p=294230#post294230

Mushtang said:

It's a little late to be giving you this advice, but paint them before you glue them on.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...ch-Vostok-Build-FINISHED!&p=294230#post294230

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Ah.
Well Ive gotten most of them, thanks for the help anyways
By the way your Vostock came out brilliantly

Ive finished the escape tower! After 3 zoochies these toothpick nozzles are a breeze.

Ive also painted the band below the 2nd stage orange, and Ive also finished the paint on the lower booster. (The colors in this picture dont show up right, the orange isnt nearly that bright and the gray color that the rocket seems to be has a very light green tint to it)

Meanwhile, as I delicately create the little "V" supports in the 2nd stage midsection, my cat has begun knocking things off the shelf right above me and trying to hit my Soyuz D:

He pushed a model Japanese Zero down at me. Its kamakazes all over again!

Hey guys I thought I post and let you know the reason the build is not progressing is because I havent gotten any copper paint yet..
Once I do Ill continue posting updates

So Ive got the alignment sleeve on as the second stage dries with the first.
(the reason the alignment stage is orange is because I used it as a substitution for masking tape 2 days ago ;3 luckily its not something that stays on the rocket)

Also my Saturn V is fine lol

Odo said:

Hey guys I thought I post and let you know the reason the build is not progressing is because I havent gotten any copper paint yet..
Once I do Ill continue posting updates

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Best stuff... get one of those little jars of Testor's copper paint at Hobby Lobby or a hobby shop and brush paint the interior of the nozzles... while you're at it, pick up a bottle of "Silver" and "gunmetal" colors, which are quite handy for painting nozzle interiors and details on rockets like your SLS...

A nice little model paintbrush is also a handy thing... I got a whole bag of them at HL for like a dollar or two... you can buy the "brush cleaner" or whatever there, but you'll pay as much or more for a tiny bottle of that stuff as you will for a small can of paint thinner/mineral spirits at the hardware store or lumberyard...

Later! OL JR

Looking good!

I've always loved the look of the Soyuz. I haven't done any scale models yet, so I want to get one. When I do, Dr. Zooch will be my main resource, definitely.

bavspaceprogram said:

I've always loved the look of the Soyuz. I haven't done any scale models yet, so I want to get one. When I do, Dr. Zooch will be my main resource, definitely.

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I would highly suggest it

Update:

Ive assembled the second stage section and have begun painting it. (also the reason the second stage looks crooked is because the camera is tilted)
the only part thats paint is permanent on this pic is the dark green/grey above the orange stripe, everything above that is either unpainted or has accidently bits of primer on it (hint the top of it being gray. Ive also accidently chipped the orange paint which is the white splotch you see there)
After Ive got the whole top bit painted white im going to add the SAS panels.
Id ont have any pictures of the assembly of the second stage because it was just sliding the pieces together really, you guys already saw the nose cone and escape tower and that was the hardest part about it.
(My build thread skills are slipping after a week)

Ive applied 2 coats of filler primer onto the second stage assembly. When that dries and cures Ill sand it, maybe add one more coat and then paint white.

Ive got the white paint onto the Soyuz fairing. (using my alignment sleeve as masking tape again)

After that dries Ill add the SAS Panels
Now I have a question for you guys, should I paint the lower section of the boosters orange to match the standard Soyuz color scheme?
Like this:

The instructions say nothing about it, but I wanted it to be accurate.
Also, what about painting the bottom of the engine bells a metallic red to match this:


Any responses would be great!

I went outside to paint my sas panels and as I was shaking up the can what happens? A huge *** cicada killer wasp flies right at my face :y:
I sprayed the can at it really fast and then bolted, It chased me for like 50 feet until it went back to sitting on my porch
It stung me once, and now if I try to go back to my porch to paint that litle ******* is waiting for me.
This is going to be a long day.

Odo said:

Ive got the white paint onto the Soyuz fairing. (using my alignment sleeve as masking tape again)
View attachment 143547
After that dries Ill add the SAS Panels
Now I have a question for you guys, should I paint the lower section of the boosters orange to match the standard Soyuz color scheme?
Like this:
View attachment 143548
The instructions say nothing about it, but I wanted it to be accurate.
Also, what about painting the bottom of the engine bells a metallic red to match this:
View attachment 143549

Any responses would be great!

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Your rocket, you can do what you like... Personally I think it looks more realistic with the added painted details, but it IS more work, and it was probably a much better idea to do that BEFORE gluing the boosters on (like painting them gray) rather than later... I remember a build thread awhile back (maybe NJRick's or Mushtang's, can't recall ATM) where someone added the "chrome panel" heat shield to the inside of each booster at the bottom, near the inside by the core booster... looked really great when they were done. It would be pretty hard to do now, though, with the boosters glued on.

The red nozzle lining would be pretty easy though...

All up to you and what you want to do... but some of these things are better thought out and planned for in advance, BEFORE you start building, or at least very early in the build, before you glue boosters on and stuff like that...

Good luck and KUTGW... it looks great!
Later! OL JR

Odo said:

I went outside to paint my sas panels and as I was shaking up the can what happens? A huge *** cicada killer wasp flies right at my face :y:
I sprayed the can at it really fast and then bolted, It chased me for like 50 feet until it went back to sitting on my porch
It stung me once, and now if I try to go back to my porch to paint that litle ******* is waiting for me.
This is going to be a long day.

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Cicada killer wasp?? Is it a cicada, or is it a wasp?? Didn't know there was a specific cicada killing wasp...

Time for a run to the store and a can of Bengal wasp/hornet spray-- it shoots up to 30 feet or so with pretty much laser accuracy... and it will knock down pretty much ANYTHING and do it near-instantly...

When I was farming cotton, I had the usual yearly ritual to look forward to of fighting yellow jacket (paper wasp) nests to get the cotton pickers cranked up and out of the barn. If you've never been around a cotton picker before, they're a machine the size of a big RV, with the engine in the back, picker units in the front, and a huge basket overhead, with lots of pipe frame, counterbalance springs, hydraulic lines, metal shields, and such all around the motor... which is, of course, PERFECT habitat for paper wasps building nests... It wasn't uncommon to see nests the size of a football, with THOUSANDS of yellow jackets swarming over it.

In the old days (70's) Dad or Grandpa would either throw a cup of gasoline on the nest from about ten feet away, or just have the squirt can (oil can) full of gasoline (to prime the fuel pump, carbuerator, and engine on those old pickers before starting it up) full of gasoline and spraying the heck out of the nest... in those days, leaded gasoline was HOT STUFF (lots of benzene and ring aromatic hydrocarbons) in it and squirting gas on/around the nest was all it took to wipe them out, very quickly. Back in the 90's after the leaded gasoline ban (we still got leaded for the farm stuff from the distributor until the mid-90's when it was banned altogether) I tried it with the unleaded stuff, and it didn't knock them down very well at all... by the late 90's, with the removal of all the aromatic stuff from gas and the addition of all the corn alcohol, you might as well have been slinging ice water at them-- you just p!ssed them off! That's when I started buying Bengal Wasp and Hornet spray-- stuff just wiped them out, even with a near-miss...

Later! OL JR

luke strawwalker said:

Cicada killer wasp?? Is it a cicada, or is it a wasp?? Didn't know there was a specific cicada killing wasp...

Time for a run to the store and a can of Bengal wasp/hornet spray-- it shoots up to 30 feet or so with pretty much laser accuracy... and it will knock down pretty much ANYTHING and do it near-instantly...

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Here's the results from a google search... DAAAANG those are BIG!!!

https://www.saltthesandbox.org/cicada_hunt/CicadaKillers.htm



Odo... This thread reminds me of something...

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