Bruiser
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2018
- Messages
- 1,598
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I have decided to try rocketry again after a 40 year hiatus. I wanted to keep the first rocket kinda simple and I wanted to try to purchase everything locally. It turns out the only place that actually sell kits in town is Hobby Lobby but they did not have a scale kit in stock so I have decided to bash an Estes Star Orbiter into a IQSY Tomahawk. I spent a few days last week researching how to go about that and I have come up with a plan. I started cutting and gluing this morning.
First I had to cut one of the tubes down and make the slots for the fins. The tube did have slots cut for the Star Orbiter but unfortunately, only for three fins. A piece of angle aluminum and a single edge razor blade worked great.
Next I had to decide how to glue in the centering rings for the motor mount tube. I decided to glue the top ring inside the tube first so I need to come up with a "tool" to push the ring up in the tube squarely. I went out to the tool box and this is what I found:
I carefully measured where my ring of glue needed to be. I marked the distance on a Bic pen and after several transfers, got the ring where I needed it, then I pushed the ring into position with the centering tool.
I used the end of the pen to smooth out the glue and I think I came out nice.
Next step will be to install the motor mount tube into the body. Need to wait for the glue to dry
More to come later,
-Bob
First I had to cut one of the tubes down and make the slots for the fins. The tube did have slots cut for the Star Orbiter but unfortunately, only for three fins. A piece of angle aluminum and a single edge razor blade worked great.
Next I had to decide how to glue in the centering rings for the motor mount tube. I decided to glue the top ring inside the tube first so I need to come up with a "tool" to push the ring up in the tube squarely. I went out to the tool box and this is what I found:
I carefully measured where my ring of glue needed to be. I marked the distance on a Bic pen and after several transfers, got the ring where I needed it, then I pushed the ring into position with the centering tool.
I used the end of the pen to smooth out the glue and I think I came out nice.
Next step will be to install the motor mount tube into the body. Need to wait for the glue to dry
More to come later,
-Bob
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