AMRAAM 4 has arrived!!!

You know Phil and his command of the English language. He meant to say decals and Ink Jet printers don't mix. He told me that he had problems with the ink smearing.

Mark

hehehehe... OK, so I'm losing my mind.

I meant Ink Jet. I printed a test page. I sprayed that stuff that is supposed to "cure" the ink and all it did was smear the ink. Then the next day I rubed it to see if it at least dried, it smeared even more - not dry. So, now I'm on to looking for a laser printer.

Re: Epoxy. The final fillets were done with method C of the Carl School of Epoxy. Mixing the epoxy till it goes cloudy then clear makes a big difference in the quality of the fillet. Those new fillets are smoother than a babies butt. They sand more evenly too. Very nice...

Oooooo, the end is near.

Last night I sanded and primed with grey primer. The grey shows up all the flaws so I can fill them up with hobby filler. I filled all the flaws and then sanded and primed again. It looks good, not perfect, but acceptable. I put the final coats of primer on the lower CPR tube and still have 2 more coats of grey for the fin section.

Tonight, I will be finishing up the grey primer on the fin section, then 2 coats of white primer on both the fin section and the lower CPR section. The lower color has been identified and the white primer will help the color show true.

Tonight, also, will be "pack up for Whitakers" night. I'm real excited... Going for Cert 1 with the Mirage with Mark and Ken. I will have plenty of pics.

Still having fun.

good luck on your L1 man... just keep that thing away from the tree's ok....

Thanks E-man. I'm not sure I am going to be able to stay away from the trees though. I have a karmic bond that draws the rocket to the trees and this weekend we are expecting 7-11 mph winds... I will bring back pics.

7-11 mph winds.. you sissy... up here in the mid-west we push it to the limit of insanity.. we've flown with 15 mph winds and gust to 20 mph... so that mean's that you sit in the 20mph winds and wait for the 15 mph wind to start.. then 3..... Launch! That's why rocketry is soo good for the health.. long walks... very long walks.. lol...

More white primer was added to the lower CPR section. Prime, sand, prime, sand. In the end everything was smooth as a baby's bottom. I then added a very thin color coat. After doing the thin color coat 3 times, I had reached the desired color. It looks really cool. Now I need to mask and do a colored collar which I will work on tonight.

Question: In the Testors paint, colors that are labeled "Pearl", what affect are they supposed to have? and Can you put a clear coat over them and still have the affect?

The lower fin section didn't do as good. I added white primer to the grey sanded primer and immediately it cracked. so I let it dry and sanded deep. A light coat of white primer was added but it cracked as well. I think I'm going to have to sand all the primer off and start from scratch. That is what I will work on this week.

Mirage update... I guess Saturday we had 5-10 mph winds. I certed early trying to head off the wind. It worked out great cause I think I only had to walk, at maximum 100 yards. I love it when a plan comes together.

Still having fun...

Good update Phil...

To save yourself a ton of sanding, use paper towels and a can of acetone to remove the primer; it will go fast. Be careful to stop right before you get to the Quantum plastic, as the acetone can attack it. I stripped the Raam using this method, going through 2 coats of stripes, 3 coats of paint and 4 coats of primer...it worked great!

btw...I really enjoy seeing that Cert 1 in your signature

I didn't have much time and as I was out of white primer. I really didn't do much... I did get the lower half back down to quantum tube. I used a combination of dremel and acetone. It worked out pretty good. Tomorrow night: White primer.

I also put another color coat on the lower CPR. I wanted to make sure the color was even. Tomorrow night, hopefully, the effects.

I tested some of that Monokote trim stuff tonight. I played with seams and was very suprised how the seams turned out... Almost unnoticable.

Still having fun.

Oh, and Carl, thanks but I bet you don't enjoy seeing it as much as I enjoyed typing Cert: 1. - doing the cabbage patch -

Well, tonight I bought a few finishing supplies....

1) I bought 2 cans of white primer. My thought was to put so many coats on the lower fin section that it couldn't possibly crack. Guess what... It didn't work, crack city...

2) I bought some Monokote trim and did some trim around the lower CPR. It turned out pretty good. See for yourself:
https://scooby.cybergatetech.com/Projects/Rocketry/Pictures/AMRAAM4/LowerCPR1.jpg
https://scooby.cybergatetech.com/Projects/Rocketry/Pictures/AMRAAM4/LowerCPR2.jpg
https://scooby.cybergatetech.com/Projects/Rocketry/Pictures/AMRAAM4/LowerCPR3.jpg

For number 2, I couldn't be more pleased. For number 1, I couldn't be more frustrated. After talking to Carl it was decided to use alcohol to remove all the primer and start from scratch. Well later I figured that since I was going to remove all the paint, I might as well sand the heck out of it and then put one coat of color just to see what it looked like. So I did that. And you know what? It looked quite good. Not perfect, but acceptable. I have to let it dry overnight and then put another coat on tomorrow then it is picture time. Almost done...

Now for the decal design and to decide if a clear coat is waranted.

Still having fun...

Another color coat was added to the lower fin section... complete color saturation, it looks good.

I also took the chance and covered the nose cone with Testors clear coat. Why the chance you ask? Because the nose cone was covered with Painter's Touch Rustoleum Semi-Gloss White. I just new they were going to react, but how much was the question. Well, I did 2 light coats and one heavy coat. Reaction: Perfect!!! Shiney with no reaction.... Meesa pleased.

Time last night was also spent on the decals. I think I'm about 75% done with those and hope to do a test run soon. The local Office Depot here in town will print to my decal sheet with a color laser for around $.99. So, I will give that a whirl...

Pictures tonight!!!!

Still having fun.

Oh, and BTW, the blue collar coat is not Testors, it is Boyd. Just thought you would want to know.

Tonight was a slow night....

The decal sheets were taken up to Office Depot and they printed them for $.99 and they looked great:

https://scooby.cybergatetech.com/Projects/Rocketry/Pictures/AMRAAM4/decal1.jpg
https://scooby.cybergatetech.com/Projects/Rocketry/Pictures/AMRAAM4/decal2.jpg
https://scooby.cybergatetech.com/Projects/Rocketry/Pictures/AMRAAM4/decal3.jpg

I also took some pictures of the non-decaled finished rocket:
https://scooby.cybergatetech.com/Projects/Rocketry/Pictures/AMRAAM4/final1.jpg
https://scooby.cybergatetech.com/Projects/Rocketry/Pictures/AMRAAM4/final2.jpg
https://scooby.cybergatetech.com/Projects/Rocketry/Pictures/AMRAAM4/final3.jpg

Still having fun...

Oh, I forgot to mention... I weighed the rocket last night too. 121 ozs. This was without chutte, shockcords, altimeter, hardware, as well as the final clear coats. So my estimation for final weight is going to be around 125 oz.

At 7 lb 12 oz. do you guys know what that means??? I BEAT CARL'S weight!!! LOL!!! Sniff, I'd like to thank the Acadamy and all the little people who assisted along the way. - bows -

How did you do that Silver looking piece? Is that Monokote?

That is a monocote trim sheet. They are self adhesives. They worked out pretty cool, but I may have done them the hard way. This will be a discussion I have with Carl in March. It does do a great affect though. Better than painting.

You beat Carl's weight, huh? Must be because you only used 10 coats of paint whereas Carl uses seventy-leven coats.....

On the other hand, if I did my cipherin' correctly, you seem to be only allowing 4 ozs for all the stuff you don't have in there - shock cords, parachute, electronics, etc. I'm not sure that 4 ozs is going to cover all of that stuff. Soooooo..... hope you don't end up eatin' crow over your early-announced victory.

Actually Ken, I meant that my rocket is heavier than Carl's. I think Carl's weighed 7lbs 8oz, by my estimate mine will weigh 7lbs 12oz. But we will see. Carl's reputation is on the line. If the hardware, etc weighs more than 4 oz then I have stomped Carl's record...

Welllllll, now the decals are on. I really question on whether they will stay on with normal flight. I guess I will just have to glob tons of clear coat. I put 2 coats so far. Tomorrow I will put on more clear coats and then take a picture. Going to a Rocketry Forum organized event in Salisbury, NC tomorrow so it might be late when I get the chance to do the clear coats.

Still having fun...

My turn...

First off, congrats bro!!! You A4 is absolutely beautiful!!! Even though I am a big scale fan, I must admit you have a great color scheme and theme.

As far as the weight goes, a J275 or higher will work great for it according to both RASP and Rocksim. You should get near my recorded altitudes, minus 50 feet or so. This load is practically "MARRIED" to the rocket and is a perfect combo.

Also, Mine did weigh in at 7lbs 9oz (121oz) WITHOUT altimeter, so you did indeed exceed my building weight, however, remember your rocket is at least six inches longer than mine, so I would call it a tie!!!

Well done! I am (sniff, sniff) proud of you, Young Skywalker!!!!!

Carl

LOL... a J275 it will be then, gulp, if I can find one...

With the decals applied, I added 4 (or 5, I lost count) coats of clear. I wanted to make sure the decals were saturated and protected. The upper part of the rocket is now complete. 4 coats of clear were added to the lower CPR section and it too is now complete. Tomorrow, I'm going to get more clear coat to do the fin section, then I will be done finishing. Then I will move on to the electronics and the "fit" of everything. Pictures tomorrow hopefully...

BTW: Ken, I need help soldering the on/off switch. Can you help?

Still having more and more fun each day...

Be glad to help.

Carl is jealous. I can tell. You have done EXCEPTIONALLY well, Young Skywalker.

Ken, thanks. (blushing)

All the clear coats have been applied and I have to admit, this is the best job I think I have ever done. It ain't perfect but there is definitely improvement going on...

Here are some final pics:
https://scooby.cybergatetech.com/Projects/Rocketry/Pictures/AMRAAM4/final4.jpg
https://scooby.cybergatetech.com/Projects/Rocketry/Pictures/AMRAAM4/final5.jpg

I'm gonna let the rocket "setup" a couple of days. That way I wont screw up the paint. The remaining things that have to be done include:

1) Reaming out the lower CPR "charge" tube so the Altimeter will fit down inside.
2) Shaping the pistons so they move more freely down the airframe.
3) Soldering and installing the altimeter switch.
4) Installing the shock cords.
5) Final weigh-in.

But all this will be done later. Now to start studying for the Tripoli Level 2 Cert test.

Still having fun and feeling proud...

Last night I spent most of the night studying for the Tripoli level 2 test. Yes, studying. It doesn't come as easy for some of us. Anyway, I'm almost ready to take the test.

I did spend some time on the pistons. First denatured alcohol was used to get any dirt/extra paint/extra epoxy out of the air frames. That was interesting as I never expected for so much crap to be inside the airframe. Anyway, now they are slicker than glass. Then 100 grit sandpaper was used to sand down the piston. Once I felt is was enough sanding, I used 400 grit to make the piston slick. Then the piston was placed in the airframe and tested. Now, I got confused: Is the piston supposed to be very loose or just move freely? So I compromised, the pistons now move freely and will slide down partially under their own weight, and if they ever stop, they can be blown with breath the rest of the way. I doubt I will have any problem with those guys.

Still having fun, but getting anxious. I wanna fly 'er now!!!