Finally Building my 29mm Mercury Engineering Integrator, with R.W. upgrades.

[86mustang408w]

Dug out a new knife blade and used that to trim the edges(I've found it easier to let the template be a little bigger than the fin and just line up two/three edges, then trim it after it dries) of the skins I put on last night. I'll use CA and sand them then after they are all done. Weight on them until 2morrow then they will air dry like normal. Fin number 2 I'll probably clamp for a day or 2 to make sure it dries straight. I messed with a few other things but nothing permanent other than the skins.

 

[86mustang408w]

I left fin 2 dry, just did the one side of that skin. I'll try to get the other side tonight or probably 2morrow morning. Then I'll get them sanded to fit and start assembly. I also messed with the nosecone, and put thin CA (on the 3" forward bulkhead to stiffen that nosecone up)to get it tacked so it wouldn't move. I'll get epoxy going on that too. There is alot to do, but there isn't if that makes sense, lol. A little bit a few times during the the week then Sat and Sun I'll go at it. It may not even get full paint, it won't bother me to fly it in primer. That's about it for tonight, I'm gonna run out to the garage and then watch Chucky at 9. It was definitely worth adding these skins, they are stronger.

 

[86mustang408w]

Fin 2's skin is dry enough to do the other side. I'm using the spare set of fins and weight on it, on a level surface. The other two are dry but ill keep them under weight until 2morrow. Bed time..

 

[86mustang408w]

Well earlier I was in a hurry and didn't get the epoxy quite warm enough for me. But this ring you won't see. And I looked good with a light theres no gaps. I couldn't see at all and had the longest stuff I could use. And having one good arm mad for a what looks like a mess. But I got it as good as I could where the NC and bulkhead/forward support meet.

I debated on putting a smaller bulkhead behind the 4" one with the eyelet to hold both together. Its not gonna be necessary, that one will be enough and the coupler will hold that in good. That another thing im thinking of which order to assemble. I think the BH first then slide the coupler in the shoulder. I'll still think on it. Hopefully within a day or two I'll start gluing.

 

[86mustang408w]

Still keeping an eye on the fins, this is the slower part. I like to give them 2 or 3 days to completely dry if I can. I could glue a few things but I'd rather do it all at once, I also keep forgetting I'm working on a rocket that I can fit my hand in. Put some LocTite on the hardware to get that ready, the chute stop is glued, and later today I might finish the nosecone. I'm still debating on putting the bulkhead on the coupler and putting it all in at once, or the bulkhead first then later the coupler. We'll see....

 

[86mustang408w]

The fins are dry enough to work with, having back spasms right now so might wait a little bit. I decided in not 100% concerned about getting the final paint done. I'm more concerned about a good assembly I can paint it later. It doesn't need paint to fly.

 

[86mustang408w]

Worked on this now since about 11am, getting fin tabs sanded down, messed around with the nosecone too. That's about the last sanding to fit before final assembly,(I'm so happy, never thought I'd see this day) 2 of the fins are done though. I'm going to do one more(last one)than take a little break. I have to sand down the upper body tube yet and finish the nosecone. But that can be done while the internal fillets are getting Titebond II, and drying.

 

[86mustang408w]

I worked on it a little more, then finally got glue on the top centering ring! Yay, things been taken apart and put back together in 10 years especially recently so many times. But drilled some holes to help with glue injections(lol..), and debating on moving chute stop up more. Either spot for the chute stop will have a coupler above it. Ill have to recheck it all though for the CG, which is no big deal. Bed time..

 

[86mustang408w]

I've been slowy working on this this morning, went outside it was so nice and sanded down the top tube outside on the spirals. Then wiped it down good with rubbing alcohol inside/out. The have been messing around with the nosecone again and some other stuff. Very soon I should have the fin attachment started, probably with fin #3. And hitting glue in other places its needed. Im going to put a back up eyelet in the top centering ring for a backup, you enter know and its easier now.

 

[86mustang408w]

I put fin thin #3 on with Titebond Quick & Thick for the root chord attachment. It stays in place and I love it. I'll use TB II then for inner stuff, I have to fill in those gaps too. Which I why I started with fin #3, thats the worst(gap wise from 1/4" to 1/8") so I'll be able to work on that while I'm doing other stuff too. Figured it would be best first, and got an emailed back from James at RocketyWorks. He said either spot it okay for the chute stop. I had it at 9" and 16". I'm still debating where, but the fins are started. Made a little rope tie down and added the NC for weight while the fins are being done, lol. Thats it for now I've been texting to work on it a few hours a day. Now it will move and glue, dry and wait. Thats fine, this is only 3 fins it won't be bad....

 

[86mustang408w]

I'll let it dry for a few hours, then hit fin 2. I want to sand #1 down a little more.

 

[86mustang408w]

Fin 3 was dry, so moved to fin #2. Ill let that dry for 2 hours or so then glue number one so that all can sit overnight. Starting to get a better idea of assembly for the NC/chute stop, and an email back from James at RocketyWorks on the best way to install the "chute stop"

 

[86mustang408w]

I sanded down fin #1 a little more, I like the fit now. I mixed some epoxy too to put on the washer/nuts on the eyelets in the nosecone and for the chute stop. Its so I I need to pull out those eyelets I can, and give the chute stop some fire protection at the bottom. I made even add more to that, that's probably it for now.

 

[86mustang408w]

I put glue on fin # 1 or the last one, thats it for tonight.

 

[86mustang408w]

Put fresh tape hoping some internal stuff will fill in some gaps, and made box to make this easier. Gonna start gluing now.

 

[86mustang408w]

Tonight I got the shock cord and the bottom section cut. Then I tied that to the chute stop eyelet and then the main quick link. I went a little over 9 feet, the other shock cord will be about 4 feet from the quicklink to nosecone. Then messed around with that silly little 1" piece of coupler that's going above the chute stop. I got some glue on the body tube( after having to cut the diameter of that coupler piece smaller), and I pushed it in place after glue was brushed in the body tube. The chute stop and coupler will go below that, I wanted it to have a good better to the tube, it does!

Then I took the tail section out and looked at it, put tape in the appropriate places. Then got a new bottle of TB II and started internal fillets. Thats it for tonight.

 

[86mustang408w]

Got a little late start, and noticed I put that 1" spacer in backwards and its not lined up. So I sat and thought, the best thing was a spacer to line that chute stop up with tube at a 90° angle. But thought maybe some CA just to make a spacer of sorts(so that the chute stop could rest on until glues around it), but then found a little pc of wood. That will be fine, ill just put glue in the right spots and once its dries it won't matter. The glue will hold it, im definitely going to come up with a better brace or whatever you'd like to call it for in front of the chute stop. But for now this will work. Oh I also used a brush and spread some glue on the top side of that 1" coupler.

But after messing with that(I put med CA on that spacer to hold it), I spun the rocket and continued gluing inside. First I got my Aerotech G-Force nosecone out to use, so I could get the bulkhead in this nosecone. Did that, and figured the best way(after thinking for a few days now..)is to put the bulkhead in with CA to hold it, then slide the coupler in with epoxy. I also put the aft rail button back in now that the glue is dry on the fin loc/slotted centering ring and body tube, that's what the box was for. Once that dries the chute stop can be glued in, def going to use TB Quick & Thick.

 

[86mustang408w]

Fin 2 and the other internal stuff was dry so I spun it, and did some more. I also put a good amount of glue in the top tube at the chute stop, and put that chute stop in. I used the coupler so could flip it upside down(or right side up), hoping that way the glue will drip downward. After I flipped it I used a brush and got it around that chute stop as well as I could.

Then I took a hairdryer to heat up the coupler and nosecone, I used thin CA earlier it got too hot* after a min or so, lol. The bulkhead came out as the coupler slide down and smacked that BH it slide in very easy warm. So I took it out, put it back in place hit it all over with thin CA, let that dry. Did medium then, and also let that dry(At this time I did the gluing inside). Then heated it up again but with the coupler under a blanket and the nosecone laying there. I mixed quite a bit of epoxy and didn't have to add more, this BSI stuff is amazing. I love it so much, always have. I think I did a few other things but don't remember, thats it for tonight.

 

[86mustang408w]

I had fin three facing upward, that has the worst gap from the 1/4" fin slots that were cut. I really wish I'd gone with 1/4" fins for this, they will be ok. Anyways, took the Titebond II bottle and squirted some in the gap from the outside. It was quite a bit more than I thought but it will be ok, after that put tape on the outside of the rocket where the fins at/where I put the glue in. Then spun the rocket sonthe glue would run back down torwards the fin and body tube outside, its in the pictures below.

After that got the coupler ready to be put in, I like to use just a little bit of watered down glue for couplers. It definitely helps me with installintion and its just enough to help it spread faster. So used my brush after I put just a little bit(1/4" or so of the coupler in the tube so I didn't have to struggle with that, and went around the whole tube with glue. Pushed the coupler down in, then used the brush to put glue all over the bottom side of that chute stop. I put a piece of brown paper in the bottom of the tube to keep glue from going down, thats that picture. I put epoxy on it(the bottom side of the chute stop) to help with ejection blasts anyways a few days ago. Ill probably do the same to the top side. I have some random places to glue, im on schedule to hit it with primer by next Thursday if not sooner. Once this drys I'll do more and add updates later tonight. Last night too I put thin CA on the coupler edge thats in the nosecone, thats dry. With 2 bulkheads, that coupler, and epoxy to hold it that nosecone is a beast...lol. I might use some all purpose sealer or something on the coupler inside the NC. I thought about epoxy but its really not necessary.

 

[86mustang408w]

Well the inside of 3 was dry enough to spin the rocket and pull the tape off so the outside can dry. The other ones will be ok and covered up with the outer fillets. I'm going do do those first before the aft ring gets put on, and the rail buttons. When I do the aft centering ring, I'll also inject some glue in the tube, at the bottom side of the very top motor tube centering ring(hard to explain). As well as the 3 holes in the 2nd centering ring, you can see them the picture. They will have to be first, and a little bit of glue only. Ill have too so it dries quick, and honestly isn't necessary to even put much in those 3 holes.

 

[86mustang408w]

3 was dry, so I got the rail button backing plates glued in, only went on 3 sides of it. I used the spout right in the bottle and made it easy. I used a wire to push the glue around and spread it. Strapped a rope around it, and I'll let the fan hit it. I made list if what to do yet, its not much.

I'll let the glue on the rail buttons dry, then start outer fin to body tube fillets. Once they are done put the fins up, and inject a little bit glue inside the 3 holes and the one hole in the airframe. I'll probably let that dry a good 12 hours plus, then put the aft centering ring on and JB the motor retainer on. I may at some point get the upper tube glued on during this. Then work on the nosecone shock cord, and sand for primer.

 

[86mustang408w]

Since this will take the longest to dry and im not feeling so hit in a few ways. I filled up a syringe all the way, and injected TB II into the rocket. I also put a little bit on the bottom side of the chute stop, to give that a cleaner seal. I'm not doing the aft rail button just yet. I want those 3 holes(even though they are tiny to help the glue dry and will probably just open the windows and let warm air in, and this dry for a while. I might even use the hairdryer to help accel this a little.

I can't really see inside, but after doing this to my SBB and being able to see in that one during a repair. I did the exact same thing by injecting it in, then moving the tube at angle to put it on the outside walls. Now it will just sit level until it dries. I think I want the nosecone shock cord about 3.5'/1m. That will give give me a total of about 12 feet, or about 3.6m. Im thinking by Sunday night this should be ready for primer, if I keep busy. But its glue and wait again...

 

[86mustang408w]

That epoxy and other glued stuff was cured/dry enough for me to flip it. I decided to do the aft fillets now rather than wait overnight.

 

[86mustang408w]

Took some extra time to make the coupler easier for me. I would have liked it to line up, and it did. Just got that together, I started by marking in the bottom body tube where the glue had to be. Then grabbed the upper body tube and didn't really need to mark it. But the lower tube didn't have glue right in the end, actually started 5/8" down. Then I brushed glue on the coupler on the upper tube, only about an inch down. That way when it was pushed in that glue would seal the top. Made it so much easier for me to get it lined up by having a dry for until I pressed it into the glue. Ill let that dry a while, actually just stuck it in that box I made. While that dries I'll do the motor retainer. Ill probably just add that to this post.

But I did a final sand down of the tubes, took some tape off(I'm just so happy I wrote this above, lol).. And added a smaller piece because it was bad from me dry fitting this thing 1000 times in the past 10 years. Not so much that as putting them together 10 years ago and starting this issue. Thats over now its finally together, such a sigh of relief. But I'll get to the motor retainer shortly and then probably one more fillet of Titebond around the aft CR, the outside/BT.

 

[86mustang408w]

I let that dry for about an hour then started the motor retainer. I have one I got from Rocketryworks that are good, but I like the Estes grey base because it has a little more grip on the tube, the base that goes on the tube Isenberg than the black Rocketryworks ones. But they are Interchangeable, so I'm using the grey base and black cap.

Mixed up too much JB, buts its ok. I ended up using most of it. I scuffed up the motor tube again as well as the inside of the retainer base. Spread the JB on, and pushed the base on. Wiped of any that went inside, that was very little. Then used my finger to just smooth it out. That's a pretty nice grip, ill let this dry, I'm debating if I want to put a fillet of Quick and Thick outside. TB II is ok, but not thr best for external appearance.
Once the JB dries a little I'll do something. The next step is fin fillets and vent holes in the airframe.

 

[86mustang408w]

I did decided to put some Titebind Quick & Thick on the outside and cleaned up the JB a little.

 

[86mustang408w]

That motor retainer was dry, so I decided to start fin fillets with # 3 first. That ones the worst, so the rest will follow that size/radious. But I just let it right out of the bottle(Titebond Quick & Thick)onto the fin/body tube. Then added more until the popsicle sticks caught it and it spread. Did the back the front this way, turned out pretty good.

The left side was first I may go over that one again. But was debating on using tape and decided not to just for glue. These will take a little while to dry, probably this all day 2morrow.

 

[86mustang408w]

The first set of fillets dried overnight, was a little learning situation with the popsicle stick, lol. Definitely better now, and as before wiped it down with rubbing alcohol right after. Probably going to let this dry until 8 or 9 tonight, then do the last one. One I get this thing finished its going to be a good weekend of cleaning and organizing.

 

[86mustang408w]

Third and final set of fin fillets are done. Not much more to do yet, Ill see what 2morrow brings.

1. I need to drill vent(pressure relief) holes yet.
2. Put some Loctite on the rail button screws.
3. Sand, and primer...
4. Tie the NC shock cord the the quicklink.
5. CA the fin/poster board edges.

So with the exception of sanding, that other stuff won't take long. I'm thinking Tues or Wed for primer, then wait until Saturday for a flight.

 

[86mustang408w]

Put some CA on the fin edges. Had to wrestle with the medium CA, its getting empty and the spout wasn't open enough. Lol, so I chopped a little off. If try to unblock it and it would harden b4 I even got some out..

Anyways did that, oh yeah and marked spots for 2 vent holes. Probably above the fins with the rail buttons. Used the jig to make it easy to mark positions.