Loose nose cone

jef955 · Nov 14, 2009

Hello everyone. I am currently building a model with a very loose nose cone to BT fit. Being a BAR, I don't have a large parts stash (yet). How do you all handle tightening up the fit between the two ? It is loose enough to run about a turn and a half of masking tape around the cone before it tightens enough, but I would like to something a little more permanant. I was also thinking a ring of epoxy around the inside may do or a ring of masking tape soaked in CA inside the tube and then sanding down to fit. Any suggestions or ideas ? Thanks in advance !

tibadoe · Nov 14, 2009

jef955 said:
.........How do you all handle tightening up the fit between the two ? It is loose enough to run about a turn and a half of masking tape around the cone before it tightens enough, but I would like something a little more permanant........Any suggestions or ideas ?!

In the past if I had a loose nose cone, I would prime and/or paint the shoulder/tenon of the nose cone and the inside of the BT until I got the fit I needed. Then over time if the ejection particles made the fit too tight I would sand the inside BT and/or nose cone shoulder/tenon with 360/400 grit sandpaper until the proper fit was achieved again.

JAL3 · Nov 14, 2009

Run a few rings of masking tape around the shoulder until you get the tightness you want.

MarkII · Nov 14, 2009

Try "painting" thin CA or finish-cure epoxy around the first couple of inches of the upper inside end of the body tube. Wait (please) until it is fully cured, and then sand it smooth. Repeat as necessary. Thin CA will make the surface that it is applied to swell a little bit, as well as adding material (slowly, after several coats) to the wall. Finish cure epoxy will add thickness to the wall much quicker, with fewer coats (you might just need one) and it sands smooth very easily (unlike other types of epoxy). Just keep the tube horizontal and constantly rotating until it sets up (if you do thin coats, it won't take that long), so that it is evenly distributed and doesn't run down the inside length of the tube. If you use finish cure epoxy, after it sets up, let it cure for several hours or overnight. Just make sure that all of the product is cured before you try to insert the nose cone! :shock: If you do use thin CA, keep in mind that when you apply a thicker coat - as you would in this case - it takes appreciably longer to cure (as much as 15 minutes, sometimes even more).

MarkII

rokitflite · Nov 14, 2009

I would just use the masking tape... Permanent? I have some models 20+ years old with the original masking tape on the shoulder... Just TRY getting it off now!

MarkII · Nov 14, 2009

rokitflite said:
I would just use the masking tape... Permanent? I have some models 20+ years old with the original masking tape on the shoulder... Just TRY getting it off now!

True, very true. And what does it take, really, to replace the tape if you need to?

MarkII