Estes Astrocam build

[Ronz Rocketz]

Which leaves me with the original Astrocam rocket. There's nothing wrong with the design. The gripe I have is with the paper the tube is made from.

I dug a nosecone out of the parts box. Looks good. Should I paint it? What color? Looks a lot like an Alpha.

View attachment 462274

I removed the plastic "lump" that held the shock cord in place. The paper was very soft and coming apart. I put a drop of CA on the area, and when that set, wrapped a band of red electrical tape around the area to cover the hole.

View attachment 462275

At the first launch, I had used some blue painter's tape to attach a temporary launch lug. Painter's tape is not supposed to stick. Except to Astrocam body tubes, where it peels it apart. So I used CA to glue the lug on, and put a wrap of blue electrical tape on. It doesn't looks stock, but doesn't look too bad.

View attachment 462276

I put the rubber band shock cord back into the body using a tri-fold mount. I think I'll put a streamer in for recovery. I'll take it along to the next launch, possibly give it away. The rocket would make a great first flyer.

Nice papering of the fins.

I'm confused with the above. It has 2 sets of launch lugs including the one in the fin can?

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Nice papering of the fins.

I'm confused with the above. It has 2 sets of launch lugs including the one in the fin can?

Thanks. I've started papering almost all of the fins in new builds now. My hat's off to the folks that showed me how.

There's the original set, built into the fin can. At a recent launch, the rod was too big for the factory lugs, so I taped a tube from a copperhead onto the side with painter's tape. It proved to be a bit more pernenent than I expected, so I decided to go with it.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Thanks. I've started papering almost all of the fins in new builds now. My hat's off to the folks that showed me how.

There's the original set, built into the fin can. At a recent launch, the rod was too big for the factory lugs, so I taped a tube from a copperhead onto the side with painter's tape. It proved to be a bit more permanent than I expected, so I decided to go with it.

That's awesome.

Do you use spray on glue for the fin paper? I've been using the label paper to avoid the mess.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

That's awesome.

Do you use spray on glue for the fin paper? I've been using the label paper to avoid the mess.

I use slightly thinned Titebond, and brush it on (into) the fins with a brush that has short, stiff bristles. It's an older bottle, so it's thicker than normal, but I would thin a new bottle, too. I figure both the wood and paper absorb the glue, thinning it helps the absorbsion. It needs to be done all at once, or you can make a mess. There's an idea in cooking called "mise en place", meaning that everything is in place to do the entire task without stopping.

Do you clamp your pieces, or just press the paper on?

 

[neil_w]

Do you clamp your pieces, or just press the paper on?

I know you didn't ask me but I'll answer anyway: you don't need to clamp label paper, just apply and press with your fingers, and done.

Before I do that, I brush off all the dust with a soft-bristled brush, and then apply blue tape and remove to really remove any additional dust. I figure that dust is the enemy of tape adhesion, so eliminating as much as possible is good. All I know is that I've never had a label-papered fin bubble or lift in any way.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

I use slightly thinned Titebond, and brush it on (into) the fins with a brush that has short, stiff bristles. It's an older bottle, so it's thicker than normal, but I would thin a new bottle, too. I figure both the wood and paper absorb the glue, thinning it helps the absorbsion. It needs to be done all at once, or you can make a mess. There's an idea in cooking called "mise en place", meaning that everything is in place to do the entire task without stopping.

Do you clamp your pieces, or just press the paper on?

I stack em and place books on top for a couple hours. I was having lifting issues until I started using a corner of the label paper to take off the dust. After cornering, I run a bead of thin CA along the edge for strength and smoothness.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

I've got some full sheets of label paper. I think I'll try this next rocket. I used to do veneering on top of my washer/dryer; they sit in a "nook" to the side of the hall way. If I needed a heavy "clamping" load, I'd stack 50 cal ammo boxes full of stuff on the project, if I needed less weight, I use boxes (or bags) of bullets. I've still got a peanut box full of 240gr .44 hollowpoints stuck behind the dryer. I might try using clamps.

 

[DMehalko]

 

[shockie]

This is going to last about 5 seconds. I'm going to rebuild mine.

I did rebuild it using a lariat loop......the booster section became separated from the nc/camera at ejection with the booster splashing down in the only pond around for a mile....then it sunk. I think, but I'm not sure that I forgot to close the snap swivel attached to the shock cord. But I did find a turtle while looking for it. The NC/Camera floated about 1/2 mile away but I was able to retrieve it ok. No film at 11 because I didn't turn the camera on at launch. DUH. So I ordered another one.