HIROC build log: got a second wind after dinner so I thought I’d tackle the paper nose cone extension. Go ahead make a paper nose cone extension they said. It’ll be easy and fun they said. There’s a reason they gave you two chances in this kit and I almost and I mean almost had it on the second try. I can’t even imagine trying to get this done without the help of the 3D printed tool (not included with the kit…it really should be.) The first picture is the first try. There is a learning curve and there’s nothing easy about it. Well this is a skill level 5 build right? The second and last chance in the kit was going extremely well. I had learned from the first attempt and was applying what I had learned to this second attempt. It went so well, in fact, that I had it completed! You must be saying “well Joe if it was completed what was the issue?” Well I had just removed it from the tool still taped. I thought adding some thin CA to the very tip would further reinforce this delicate end. I saturated about half inch from the very tip, wiped it with a paper towel and gave a shot of CA kicker. Neat right? I needed to remove the tape still and was afraid I might bend it trying to remove the tape so I put it back on the tool for support and the split second I did that the horror hit me. What if there was still wet CA on the inside that seeped through but the kicker could not reach? I said a colorful four letter word that starts with an F and ends in a K! I immediately went to pull it off, but no it was stuck now. It was stuck so good that when I grabbed it even harder and pulled the part that wasn’t permanently attached to the tool peeled off like a sock leaving about an inch of the tip remaining! More colorful words were said including “Joe you SMF!” You should have known better! I had to saturate the end of the tool with CA debonder hoping it wouldn’t melt the neat tool I had just picked up in Fortuna earlier today. It worked and I was able to scrape most of the glue and paper from it. A quick sanding and it was ready for attempt number 3. The good news is that I don’t give up that easily. I went and retrieved a piece of cardstock from Lorrena’s office and used the cutout border from the kit as a reverse pattern for the shape I needed. This was cut out and I then proceeded once again. I also learned from the second attempt and employed that on this attempt. In the end it turned out fine. I removed the tape first then removed the extension cone from the tool. I again used thin CA on the tip, but this time kicker was used on the inside too! Being happy with the result, BSI 30 minute epoxy was mixed up, an amount poured directly into the tip and the rest spread around the inside of the paper extension. Finally the nose cone tip was inserted into the paper extension and secured with tape to cure. WHEW!