Dr Zooch Saturn IB Build Thread

[Airoski]

I recently got my hands on the Dr Zooch Saturn IB kit. I was very impressed. Everything was really high quality! I was going to start the build today, but I couldn't contain myself and went ahead and marked out the thrust structure and spray painted some parts beforehand. I also started the LES (since I'm not a squirming hatch-blower I'm using Method A. It wasn't as tricky as I orignally throught). I did not finish it however because it got late and I was kinda tired so I left everything to dry.

I was intrigued by the yellow trash bag parachute. Never used one of that colour. I don't know, it just seemed a little odd but in a good way.

Expect some more build updates later today.

 

[luke strawwalker]

I recently got my hands on the Dr Zooch Saturn IB kit. I was very impressed. Everything was really high quality! I was going to start the build today, but I couldn't contain myself and went ahead and marked out the thrust structure and spray painted some parts beforehand. I also started the LES (since I'm not a squirming hatch-blower I'm using Method A. It wasn't as tricky as I orignally throught). I did not finish it however because it got late and I was kinda tired so I left everything to dry.

I was intrigued by the yellow trash bag parachute. Never used one of that colour. I don't know, it just seemed a little odd but in a good way.

Expect some more build updates later today.

Good! Post lotsa pics as you go...

The yellow trash bag chutes are actually an improvement. Dr. Zooch started off with white trash bag chutes and they were REALLY hard to see not only in the air but on the ground-- virtually indistinguishable from litter or rubbish on the ground-- when you think about it, most visible litter is white...

For awhile he had some red trash bags chutes, but he also uses his "extra supplies" of trash bags around the house, and found out the hard way that the trash service won't pick up red bags because the color red is used as a "no-no" indicator not to pick up the bags because red is reserved for biohazardous (medical) waste! They're hard to get too and so the red chutes went away.

Yellow is a pretty fair compromise-- lots more visible in the air and on the ground, and easily obtainable. If any extras end up in doing kitchen trashcan duty and go to the curb, the trashmen don't have a problem with it.

Course I'd like to see the Doc clean out the Halloween bins at W/M, Target, etc. after Nov. 1 to get some of those neat orange trash bags folks fill with leaves to make 'pumpkins' for decorations... Orange chutes would be a nice change of pace...

Course I've salvaged a small fleet of mylar balloons that my wife brought home from her high school graduation in May... after letting our four and a half year old play with them til the helium all leaked out, I cut them down to 18 inch round mylar chutes... they're pretty cool looking--green with a black 'Hurricanes' symbol on one side, and chrome silver on the other...

Reversible chutes-- goes with anything... OL JR

 

[Airoski]

Thanks for that trivia, never knew there was that much depth to trash bags :eyepop:

Anyway, last night I assembled the adapter and service module after painting them earlier that day. Came out pretty nicely. I'll add some extra details on the SM using some spare bulsar and card stock later today.

Spider beams were also cut and I assembled the thrust structure. Its drying in the workshop, and its cold out so I'll take some pictures of how that turns out later today. I'm continuing on the LES, adding those wire beams and stuff.

I'm planning on doing the fuel tanks today. Seems like some people have had trouble with these little suckers, so I'll try to be careful.

 

[Airoski]

OK, I made BIG progress today. First, I painted the thrust structure flat black. That took longer that I though but I made a good job of it. While the goop was drying I made the tanks, they were tricky but they turned out great. They seemed to be tight enough, and they were lined up correctly. I then inserted the T-60 thrust structure body tube and glued it in place.

After waiting a while for the thrust structure tube to be to be definitely tacked in place, I carefully installed the tanks: one by one. I lined them up and rotated them carefully until I was happy they were straight. I then injected some glue in the places shown in the instructions to tack them in place. I stood it up and waited for it to dry.

I continued on the LES, still sticking with Method A. It doesn't look perfect, but the instructions say the illusion will be that of a perfect tower even if it doesn't look perfect before paint. I'll hopefully finish that tommorow.

Lastly, I cut the fins from the provided bulsar using the template. I carefully laid them aside for use tommorow.

Here's the pics:

 

[Airoski]

In my space-race fanboy impatience, I stacked the S-IVB to the S-IB first stage, straightened it up and glued it there. I then put the wraps on. It looks fantastic so far! Dr Zooch really is the master of rocket kits.

After accidently stabbing myself with my hobby knife, I struggled with the LES so I came to a decision. To stick with method A, but not do all of wire details. It still looks great :confused2:
The LES was then spray painted.

I made a mess with painting the fins. So I dipped them in some ol' white spirit and started again. They're coming along nicely now. No pics of the fins yet because they're drying in the workshop. I also bought 2 packs of C-63s from my local hobby shop (I say local, but it took me an hour and a half to get back! Darn traffic jams...)

My jobs for today are H1 engines, parachute and shock cord and finish painting those fins. The whole build should be finished by the end of Thursday. How quickly it goes

Targetted launch: Saturday 31st October

BTW: I'm using the Apollo 7 wraps.

 

[rosko_racer]

Method A can be done... it is just a matter of patience. Here is the build thread link in the Archived section of my Dr Zooch Saturn 1B if you would like to review it.

r_r

 

[Airoski]

Thanks. Your 1B looks way better than mine

 

[luke strawwalker]

Method A can be done... it is just a matter of patience. Here is the build thread link in the Archived section of my Dr Zooch Saturn 1B if you would like to review it.

r_r

Hey, that looks great! KUTGW!!! OL JR

 

[Airoski]

What I did yesterday (forgot to post, little busy watching the awsome Ares I-X launch ):

After the paint had dried, the fins and fairings were aligned and glued. I then glued on the antena panels in the correct positions and mounted the shock cord. The H1 engines were also started.

This morning the parachute was constructed and tied. I continued on the H1 engines but I couldn't make F.G.P. I tried, but the glue just didn't go like putty. I used blue tack instead.

I also cut out the ullage motors and retrorockets.

Here's the pics (the fins don't look straight in one of the pictures, but I've measured and am sure that they are straight):

 

[Airoski]

Oky Dokey, I finished the H1s with some silver paint. After waiting a while for them to dry they were glued on.

I then cut out the APMs and painted them and the retrorockets and ullage motors. I glued them to the rocket. I did some finishing and stuff later that evening.

All I need to do now is apply those USA decals and I'll be ready to fly! Problem is I've never applied decals before and have NO idea how to do it. Please help!

Saturday is the planned launch and I'm having a joint launch with a friend. He's new to rocketry and he's flying his first rocket (its a RTF Estes Patriot). Your first launch is always special, and I'm glad to be able to fly it with him.

Here's some pics of the yesterdays build:

 

[Airoski]

Ok, the decals are done. Build is now finished. I'm flying it later today, I can't wait! I'll be posting lots of pictures and some video afterwards.