Fliskit Stinger build thread

[Micromeister]

Well while i've been cooped up in the snow, I decided to complete the last of the Fliskits purchased just before Christmas.
The Stinger is an inseresting design kit and one of the few Flis micros that has Waterslide decals with the kit. KUDOs on the decals Jim!!!

As always the instructions and parts are first rate material with easiy to read and understand instructions.

As is usual with me on just about every manufactures kit, I immediately replace the supplied shockcord and recovery system with something from my stock. this kit comes with standard #16lb kevlar 24" shockline and a 1/2" x 12" plastic streamer. I've substituted a 36" x 90lb black Kevlar shock line and 1/2" x 12" yellow military grade Teflon streamer that will also double as the models permanent wadding.

Though I didn't take any photos of them this time can a say again how much I absolutely LOVE Fliskits laser cut Centering rings! after making my own for almost 8 year, having these rings avaiable at a reasonable Price is a real God Sent! Jim thank you once again for these Most under appreciated of Micro Modeling parts!

All that to say assembly of the MM and centering rings for the T3 body went without incident LOL!!!

 

[Micromeister]

another of the helpful tools i've collected building micros is the use of Glass plates in various thicknesses for the marking and extending of lines on our tiny tubes. This method works with larger tubes as well but is much more suited to our micro modeling. Glass being for the most part dead flat will alway give a nearly perfectly parallel line on the tube. it's important to double check the placement of our alignment marks before extending the lines.

The instructions say the beveling the two main wing basswood parts is an option but looking at the cardstock shroud it would be less of a fit without it.
120 and 320 grit stick sanding belts made very quick work of these bevels.

I decided to prepare the standoff and micro launch lug as the Clear lugs have a tendency to disappear. but Sanding the entire lug it becomes more or less opaque and a bit easier to see. Don't be gentle with it either, you really need to nick the surface creating some tooth for the glues to hold on to. I used and 80grit glit stick with a sanded down toothpick that just fits the inside diameter of the micro lug. Works like a charm to have a little something to hold on to while sanding.

while I was at it I also jumped ahead a little by punching out the 1/32" basswood forward gun parts and preassembling them for use later.

 

[Micromeister]

Attaching the 2 main wings and rear bulkheads goes quickly.

next is cutting out the cardstock aft body shroud. once trimmed out the fold lines are lightly scored with the back side of an X-acto knife. Folded fitted then then a very light coat of white glue is applied to both the glue tab and the inside of the mating shroud edge and allowed to dry. a second minimal white glue amount is spread on the glue tab and the halfs joined using tweezers to fit up the narrow end. The assembly is set aside for a few minutes to dry.

sliding the shroud down the T3 body if fits up to the wing & bulkhead pieces very nicely. a pencil line is drawn around the tube shroud joint lines and where the wings meet the shroud. sliding the shrould forward again out of the way, a small amount of yellow glue is spread all along these lines and the shroud again seated back in place in the glue.

lastly the previouly assembled forward guns, wing tip plates and launch Lug standoff are applied and yellow glue fillets applied. and there she is all ready for filling and finishing. maybe latter this week.

 

[jflis]

Looking good, John Can't wait to see what you do with it with regard to painting.

 

[Micromeister]

Looking good, John Can't wait to see what you do with it with regard to painting.

With all the very KEWL looking decals I'm having a hard time deciding on a base color....ya know i'm not a White rocket fan...why to many of them out there lol!!!!
I'm leaning toward a pearl based metallic but all the nifty colors in the decals are making me rethink the scheme... I may have to try mixing something special for this little guy

For those who haven't seem them I hope Jim will upload a pic of the Very Nicely done Micro DECAL sheet Fiskits had made for this model.
I am impressed Jim, First rate job by your Silkscreen printer!

Thanks Again for taking the time and extra expense to produce such exquisite decals for such a small model. :w::clap:

 

[jflis]

With all the very KEWL looking decals I'm having a hard time deciding on a base color....ya know i'm not a White rocket fan...why to many of them out there lol!!!!
I'm leaning toward a pearl based metallic but all the nifty colors in the decals are making me rethink the scheme... I may have to try mixing something special for this little guy

For those who haven't seem them I hope Jim will upload a pic of the Very Nicely done Micro DECAL sheet Fiskits had made for this model.
I am impressed Jim, First rate job by your Silkscreen printer!

Thanks Again for taking the time and extra expense to produce such exquisite decals for such a small model. :w::clap:

For the micro kits they are actually laser printed decals as I couldn't justify the quantities for silk screen... I've attached a image from the decal file so that folks can see the quantity and level of detail provided with this kit. It really did come out nice

However, you've identified one of the problems with providing decals with certain kits. Me designing and providing decals tends to restrict the creativity at the builders end of what they can/should/want to do with the model as they feel driven by the decals (my imagination) instead of relying exclusively on *their* imagination...

 

[kullas]

I like the decals they are great. The last one i built was the interloper (i think ) and the decals looks look good its just i had to use the end of my hobby knife to get them in the right place

 

[Micromeister]

update on the Stinger. finally got her primed 360grit sanded, basecoat and painted Metallic Silver flake. was going to two-tone the model but got impatient and decided to leave it with the base Rustoleum 7271 Silver Metallic (small flake) under the decals.

I'm hoping to get some pics of the completed model shortly.

 

[jflis]

Lookiing good. Can;t wait to see it with the decals

How did the body shroud and those forward guns work out? I am very please with how that kit worked out and welcome feedback.

 

[Micromeister]

Lookiing good. Can;t wait to see it with the decals

How did the body shroud and those forward guns work out? I am very please with how that kit worked out and welcome feedback.

Jim:
I was quite pleased with the way the guns turned out....I had my doubts they would be substantial enough to survive recovery but after assembly, sanding and painting they seem to be a single unit

You guys did a fine job with the body shroud as well with just a few tiny places it fit over the model very well.

I have a Second kit that I'm considering doing some cluster alterations to the rear end. I'll let you know how it works or doesn't work out. She's a bit of a little Piggy with a pretty high frontal area was well, so I'm hoping a larger kick in the pants will get her up a bit better.

 

[Micromeister]

Here she is with decals. poke it with a fork it's done.

 

[blackjack2564]

Nice Job! Don't you just love the way that silver metallic makes the decals stand out.

 

[jflis]

oh man, that thing looks SWEET! Great job

 

[Micromeister]

Thanks Jim:
I think it's a keeper

The Question:
Have you given any thought to adding two T2+ nose-blocked booster tubes to the back end of this model?
I'm thinking of offsetting these tubes in-line with the main by about 1/32" on paper standoffs with the tubes projecting thur the rear plates just enough to bring the nozzles within an 1/8" set back.
I though about venting these boosters into the main but haven't really looked hard at what would be involved.

 

[jflis]

Thanks Jim:
I think it's a keeper

The Question:
Have you given any thought to adding two T2+ nose-blocked booster tubes to the back end of this model?
I'm thinking of offsetting these tubes in-line with the main by about 1/32" on paper standoffs with the tubes projecting thur the rear plates just enough to bring the nozzles within an 1/8" set back.
I though about venting these boosters into the main but haven't really looked hard at what would be involved.

Blocking the tubes would certainly be easier... Haven't really looked at it, but it sounds exciting Let us know what you come up with!

 

[dragon_rider10]

update on the Stinger. finally got her primed 360grit sanded, basecoat and painted Metallic Silver flake. was going to two-tone the model but got impatient and decided to leave it with the base Rustoleum 7271 Silver Metallic (small flake) under the decals.

I'm hoping to get some pics of the completed model shortly.

Looks good! What were your plans with the two-tone? Were you going to use a different metallic or something solid? I'd be curious to know how you would approach the scheme. Might try it on one for myself.

 

[sandman]

Here she is with decals. poke it with a fork it's done.

Yep! Silver is the way to go!

Maybe even gold next time.

 

[Micromeister]

Looks good! What were your plans with the two-tone? Were you going to use a different metallic or something solid? I'd be curious to know how you would approach the scheme. Might try it on one for myself.

Dragon:
The second color was Metallic Copper with a liquid mask needed to seal around parts of the body shourd, fin tip plates and striping along both sides.
Liquid masks require overnight to dry and need to be applied to a dried film of at least 2mils for good recognition and easy knifing. I just got impatient wanting to see what I could do with Jim's very nice transluscent decals.

Working on a clustered version now, well see if I can control myself a bit better this time LOL!!!

 

[DavidQ]

However, you've identified one of the problems with providing decals with certain kits.

I realize that I'm resurrecting a long-ago thread, but heck, I'm building my Stinger now.

I've also encountered the decision to not have decals on some of the micromaxx rockets, as I'm working my way through all of them. Since I happen to prefer to make my rockets "stock" and save my creativity for my goony and cardmodel versions, I'd be quite happy downloading and printing whatever decals are "official". Even, that is, if the official decals were simply a FlisKits logo. For me, at least, that is just as good as, and may be even better than, including decals in the kit.

As a hint, I really like the Fliskit logos that depict the relevant rocket. When I finish the micromaxx series and move to the annual series, I plan to include the logo for the annual series on each of those rockets.