4" Madcow Black Friday AGM 33 Pike "Overbuild" Thread

Aft Fins and internal Fillets...

Had the grand kids over during the weekend so not much progress..
Got the aft fin internal fillets finished up and got the 4th CR epoxied in place along with its MMT reinforcement ring.



Disregard the holes in the CR, I drilled those because I used this ring (along with the coupler tube) to set (push) the outer reinforcement rings into place earlier in the build, so I could tie a pull string into it for ring removal.
Anyway, one more CRing and I can start on the DREADED EXTERNAL FILLETS!!! LOL
Can't wait to get 'er ready for prime and paint!!!!

SS

Getting a little progress...
Installed the reinforcement ring for the last centering ring...
Plenty of epoxy...



...then pushed into place with the CRing and coupler tube, then CRing removed....



Then I marked and "pilot punched" the location for drilling a hole to accept the "weld nut" "T-nut" "flange nut" or whatever they are called for the bottom rail button.....
(I drilled it by hand with the bit going slow, no point in rushing and having the drill find it's own "off center route"...

It'll be centered between the 4th and 5th CRings (yes, it has 5 instead of 2) opposed to drilling into the bottom CRing as suggested by the instructions....

I was a bit undecided on that but after I got the flange nut glued up and covered with epoxy....

...it is ROCK SOLID!!!

Then, I got the 5th CRing epoxied in place along with a "tail reinforcement ring" that I "stole" from the heavy duty coupler tube to help protect the butt end from getting damaged from landing...

I intentionally left the reinforcement ring slightly "proud" of the rocket bottom, I think that will help when it lands, plus, when I get done with primer and paint, it should look nice!
I CAed the crud out of it and now I'm ready to JB Weld the Aero Pack retainer on....then....
..."with the theme music from Jaws in the background playing"....
FILLETS!!! LOL

Fillets on...

Primed and working out the bugs....

FWIW...

Used about 3 "coats" (6ish layers) of Dupli-Color Self-Etching primer (green) first, for adhesion.
Gave it about an hourish to dry a bit, then,
gave it about 2 "coats" (4ish layers) of Dupli-Color Grey Filler primer, then, next day
2 "coats" (4ish layers) of Dupli-Color Red Filler primer, then, waited about 6 hours, then,
2 more "coats" of Dupli-Color Grey Filler primer
No sanding between coats.
Has a nice build thickness and a built in "guide coat" to keep from sanding in to the body tube too much: when you see "green" primer, you are approaching the sanding limit....

Sanding and sanding and sanding....

Every well finished rocket develops a case of leprosy at some point n the process. Yours is particularly multi-colored!

Hey Hooked, good to see you back at it again!!

Thing is looking good, in spite of having a case of the rocket mange!

Thanks Mugs and Nyt!
Yeppers, a bit of leprosy and a bunch of sanding.........hopefully doesn't = gang-green!!!

After the first stage of leprosy (sanding the primer), another set of coats with the Self-Etching primer (green)..



Then, a few coats of Duplicolor "Sandable" "Hot Rod Grey" (because I ran out of DupCol Filler Grey)



Then a coat or two of more DC Red Filler Primer.....


FWIW, the first primer build up/sanding was around the fins and fillets, this build up is mostly forward of the fins and to find the botches (my mistakes) for more refinement....

After all that, I took/found some time to look at the buggers and circle them all in pencil,
Then I did some detail sanding, and also found some spots that need some build up....

Now for the HORROR!!!!! LOL


My Fillet tie ins...





More priming and sanding and repeat and continue.....

Been on hold figuring out the DD vs the single deploy and not wanting to exclude the former from the latter, not to mention having the capabilities to change the amount of nose weight to compansate for different motors.
I decided today that I will use screws (removable) for the coupler/future AV bay and I've cut the bottom off of the nosecone and I will be able to access the all-thread that I will glue in to the nose cone for the nose weight that I can adjust to compensate for the motor used.
As of this picture:

I haven't even started priming the upper BT, yet but I have been working on that a little at a time lately...
BTW, it wont be gray, that's just the primer...

Upper body tube, primed and ready for more sanding........

Glad to see you are back at it!