Coronavirus work-from-home build thread

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afadeev

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I've found that extensive working from home over the past two weeks has been very conducive to taking stock of my rocketry stash inventory, and working on reducing its size while multi-tasking on conference calls.

What are you building?

Here are my recent additions to the flyable inventory:
Completed Estes Expedition (a surprisingly involved and challenging build):
Estes Expedition.jpg

Work in progress SR-71 and Estes shuttle:
Estes SR-71.jpg
 
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I've been telecommuting for the last 2 weeks as well. When the VPN slows to a crawl, I've had plenty of time to try to clear some of my build pile:

First up: My 3rd Andromeda! (Taking my time)

Andromeda3.jpg

Along w a new MAV (the easiest to assemble rocket I have ever built!):

MAV.jpg

I used the (gasp) stock rubber band too!

Since the MAV only took, like 15 minutes, I started this bad boy: :cool:

Interceptor.jpg

I guess, I'll build this pretty stock. Research does not show this to be an under-powered bird?

I'm now on my spring break for a week, then school will still be out here in UT till May 1, so unknown when I'll go back to the old brick and morter place! Which is ok w me! :)
 
I am actually working from home today. For a Soldier, work is 24-7. Today I am setting up plans for a virtual sick call.
 
Lately the Frank Zappa song “Po-Jama People” keeps running through my head.

Probably has nothing to do with wearing “day pajamas” and then later switching to “sleep pajamas” after dinner.

Trying to keep the epoxy off them is a challenge at times but a shop apron has helped.

 
hMg4aA5.png

Still going to work most days, it's a small operation, 4 people including me and anyone symptomatic isn't allowed to show up regardless of coronavirus because my boss can't get sick or he might die.
But in my downtime I've been tinkering with trying to make a better rocket simulator. Better in this case meaning a slicker UI. Still got a long way to go to a playable alpha though.
 
I am actually working from home today. For a Soldier, work is 24-7. Today I am setting up plans for a virtual sick call.

Chuck - with your schedule and workload, fun distractions are a must.
If family is too far, and Netflix doesn't do it, perhaps building something complicated and meticulous might offer a zen experience?!

a

P.S.: I just found out that (don't ask) I have two of Estes Protostar, Renegade-D, and Screaming Eagle). If you don't have a kit on hand, and want one, PM me, and I'll FedEx one to you.
 
hMg4aA5.png

Still going to work most days, it's a small operation, 4 people including me and anyone symptomatic isn't allowed to show up regardless of coronavirus because my boss can't get sick or he might die.
But in my downtime I've been tinkering with trying to make a better rocket simulator. Better in this case meaning a slicker UI. Still got a long way to go to a playable alpha though.

I likey.
 
Chuck - with your schedule and workload, fun distractions are a must.
If family is too far, and Netflix doesn't do it, perhaps building something complicated and meticulous might offer a zen experience?!

a

P.S.: I just found out that (don't ask) I have two of Estes Protostar, Renegade-D, and Screaming Eagle). If you don't have a kit on hand, and want one, PM me, and I'll FedEx one to you.

I appreciate the offer. I will take that suggestion and start a new build thread tomorrow.
 
I've been telecommuting for the last 2 weeks as well. When the VPN slows to a crawl, I've had plenty of time to try to clear some of my build pile:

First up: My 3rd Andromeda! (Taking my time)
Along w a new MAV (the easiest to assemble rocket I have ever built!):
Since the MAV only took, like 15 minutes, I started this bad boy: :cool:

I guess, I'll build this pretty stock. Research does not show this to be an under-powered bird?

Wow, I'm jealous, always wanted to get my hands on an Andromeda.
There is one on eBay right now, but I just inventoried my low-power stash, and have seventeen (17) kits in the build pile. I'm exercising self-control and not buying more, until I get that down into low single digits. :cool:

I do also have an Interceptor as well as a Cosmic Interceptor (24mm MMT) in that pile, and both should be fun builds.
Accur8 has a bunch of skins for Interceptor, and the kits always look better when I finish them with pre-printed vinyl skin (I suck at and don't enjoy painting). I like his "White "Chameleon Skin" the most, so far.

In the mean time, I'm done with SR-71.
It was a bear of a build, as those paper shrouds are a PITA to curve and glue just right. I've spent way more time on those paper shrouds than I would have ever predicted.
The waterslide decals went on perfect (must have been an older kit, as newer ones have stickers), and looked great until the last protective coat of clear. And then weaterslides' base layer reacted funny with clear, and turned silver.
Go figure. I had that happen once with another older kit (Estes Strike Fighter), but the base coat color was white, and waterslides discoloration was not visible. Black base paint of the SR-71 gives away all imperfections.
She will still fly, and pickup damage, get repaired.

IMG_20200405_143039.jpg


Next up - finishing my second Estes Shuttle (and repairing the first one that never detached from the booster and got squished), and Estes Screaming Eagle.
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/estes-screaming-eagle-build.158704/

Can you say I'm binging on plane-like kits right now?
 
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Just getting started on an Estes Little Joe II.
Waiting for some Accur8 skins to come in.
Escape tower is kicking my butt.
 
Finishing 3 mini Saturn V's. !3mmt, 18mmt and a 24mmt. Got the F1's ready for flight on the big Saturn V. Reprinting the first and second stage parts as I thought that they could fit better. Flew my proof of concept model twice on A10-3T, both perfect flights. Shows a fin less rocket with the correct base drag does fly.
 

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Thank you!

Just getting started on an Estes Little Joe II.
Waiting for some Accur8 skins to come in.
Escape tower is kicking my butt.

I built that kit over the winter, still haven't flown it due to virus lockdown.
It was like building a mini-Sat-V, minus the endless painting and masking. My trick for the escape tower was setting up all four legs on top of the capsule, before gluing. I didn't glue the legs to the capsule, just used it as a base for setting up the desired spacing and alignment to glue them to each other. Once glue was applied and attachment points aligned, I pressed in the nozzle plate at the top to ensure proper alignment at the other end. Then let the glue set.

Final finish was super-clean courtesy of Accur8 skins.
No way was I ever going to achieve anything resembling the proper roll pattern by masking and individually painting each rectangle!

LJ2.jpg
 
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For those that are isolating and working at home, thank you.
 
Working from home as well. Fortunately, I finished my indoor paint booth in the basement (see here: https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/show-off-your-spray-booth.518/)
which has enabled me to finish the painting on the rockets since it still isn't painting weather here (almost, today made 68F).

The red one is my Grandson's, he needs to decal it the next time he is over, whenever that will be now. Alien Invader, Astron Skydart II, and Loc 1" Big Nuke.

IMG_0425.JPG

Presently working on the Estes Crossbow SST, and a pseudo-clone of the EAC FireCat (Kuririn inspired me)

IMG_0443.JPG
 
Finished my Rocketman Miss Riley including ebay, built an Aerotech Initiator and a Mega Initiator, mostly completed my Sirius Saturn V, and built a PML Little Lunar Express. All still need paint/finishing. Next project I'll start tomorrow will probably be either a 2.6 Madcow Bomarc, or an Apogee Peregrine. Still slightly intimidated by the LOC Saturn V, Not content with decreasing my backlog of builds, I have also ordered a pair of Sunward kits, a pair of SBD kits (plus a pre-order of the Bomb), and just got 20% off a pair of Mach1 kits. Also have a custom parachute on order, lots of adhesives and miscellaneous supplies. I am lucky I can continue to work from home, but I do believe I've gone stir crazy. :headspinning: I can't wait to get out again, because I'm going to have a lot of launching to do! :D:D:D
 
Finished my Rocketman Miss Riley including ebay, built an Aerotech Initiator and a Mega Initiator, mostly completed my Sirius Saturn V, and built a PML Little Lunar Express. All still need paint/finishing.

Pictures, or it didn't happen! :D
pics or it didn't happen.jpg

Next project I'll start tomorrow will probably be either a 2.6 Madcow Bomarc, or an Apogee Peregrine. Still slightly intimidated by the LOC Saturn V

Nice - I also have a 2.6 Bomarc staring at me from the corner, next to an unpainted Estes Saturn V (another one is done, but this one has 5-motor cluster).
There is also the matter of Apogee 1B kit, but it will have to wait. Those things take way too long to build, and yet longer still to properly mask and paint!

I am lucky I can continue to work from home, but I do believe I've gone stir crazy. :headspinning: I can't wait to get out again, because I'm going to have a lot of launching to do! :D:D:D

Normally, it used to take me ~1 month to finish a build.
These days, I'm cranking them out at least 1 / week.
If this goes on much longer, I will have to rent an RV to pack and drive them all to the launch site...
 
Pictures, or it didn't happen! :D
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Nice - I also have a 2.6 Bomarc staring at me from the corner, next to an unpainted Estes Saturn V (another one is done, but this one has 5-motor cluster).
There is also the matter of Apogee 1B kit, but it will have to wait. Those things take way too long to build, and yet longer still to properly mask and paint!



Normally, it used to take me ~1 month to finish a build.
These days, I'm cranking them out at least 1 / week.
If this goes on much longer, I will have to rent an RV to pack and drive them all to the launch site...


Well ok then...
 

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Oddly enough, despite working from home for 3+ weeks, I've not been building. Yet. I did move and consolidate large portions of the rocket stash (two closets' worth), as I am still working on my basement, and have to move everything out of the bedroom side to lay the floor. This included a lot of consolidation - there are multiple boxes that are no longer included. Yes, there is still a crap-ton in the other room that hasn't been moved yet. In the foreground is the table on which I play virtual D&D with my daughters (with me) and their friends via Skype.

I don't have a problem. I can quit any time I want to! I just don't want to. Yeah, that's it.

Seriously, several UFOs (UnFinished Objects) can be seen in the picture, whether or not it's obvious that they are parts of rockets. Guess I'll start working on them soon. First up is finalizing the AV bay in the upscale Screemin Green Meenie...

Rocket Crap.png

[Edit/Update]
*@*#%&%#@%&()@#^&!!!!! [Can't post what I really said]

So I just went to look for the parts I need to finish the "first up" project I mentioned. For months I new exactly where they were. Now, SOMEWHERE in that mountain of stuff, are several conformal screw switch mounts from Additive Aerospace that I need to find so I can start finalizing things.

[Edit 2] Found them! I have 8 stackable bins, and two were hidden behind a much larger bin. Also, dumped them all out into a pile and sorted them into relevant groups. Nosecones. Fins. Body parts that are not nose cones (transitions etc). Couplers. Apparently an old(er - I'm not old yet! I don't want to go on the cart!) dog can learn new tricks!
 
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Nice to see some folks are getting stuff done. Can't count myself among them unfortunately.

Morerockets has an Andromeda kit as well.
https://morerockets.com/Reproduction-Rockets/Reproduction-Model-Rocket-Kits/USS-Andromeda
They have the Alien Explorer and other cool kits too (Upscale BG Viper!) Have not built one of their kits yet tho?
Morerockets is a mystery to me. Are they officially licensed by Estes? I mean, it's weird that they *and* Semroc are both producing an Andromeda kit right now.
 
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