Semroc Saturn 1B arrives!

[Fred]

This is an awesome thread I am hopuing to get mine soon if i ever stop botherring Uncle mike with additions to that order of mine
Cheers
fred

 

[cmmeyers]

Yes, keep the build pics and tips coming!

This kit is going to be under my tree on Christmas morning, and I want to be able to come back here and check this thread out when I begin my build.

 

[CAS2047]

I've had more fun building this kit than I would have expected.

The instructions are very straightforward and the steps clearly laid out.

There have been no got ya moments yet. The only thing that I am concerned about is the masking and painting that will come soon. I'm building the fins now, which involve inserting cross braces and creasing and folding cardboard like fin material. I got the first one completed last night and expect to have the rest done by the end of this evening.

I found a great new wood glue at Home Depot over the weekend. It's called Elmer's Probond Interior/Exterior Wood Glue. It's weatherproof and better yet fast tack. Believe me it works great. Once you get the glue on a piece and then set it, you only have a short time before it's setup. No more waiting forever for wood glue to set!

 

[dtomko]

The corrugations on the wraps are probably not that deep, so careful masking will probably work well. I have a suggestion for the fuel tanks. Get some white decal sheet and cut pieces to go under the lettering. You may have to apply two layers, but it will be easier then masking and painting.

Drew

 

[CAS2047]

Originally posted by dtomko
The corrugations on the wraps are probably not that deep, so careful masking will probably work well. I have a suggestion for the fuel tanks. Get some white decal sheet and cut pieces to go under the lettering. You may have to apply two layers, but it will be easier then masking and painting.

Drew

Good suggestions. Thanks!

I just finished up on the eight built-up fins. The kit offers the option of creating the built-up fins or using enclosed balsa fins. The balsa fins look great but I decided on the built-up version and it only took me 10 minutes per fin so it wasn't that bad.

Here is a picture (left) fin wrap and 5 balsa spars needed, (left center) the wrap with the balsa spars glued on (a little tape is on there just to hold it while I took the picture), then (right center)the finished fin laying flat, and (right) finished fin on end.

Next is adding all of the small detail pieces and (deep breath) PAINTING, plus building the capsule...

 

[moonzero2]

Awesome thread,... keep it up!!!

Question:
What is the pros and cons of the built up fins -vs- the balsa fins?

Thanks
Bob

 

[CAS2047]

Question:
What is the pros and cons of the built up fins -vs- the balsa fins?

The built-up fins gives a more accurate look to the fins than the 1/8" laser-but fins. The instructions also tell you that the built-up fins gives the builder a feel for building the original model.

This Sat 1-B kit is a "Retro-Repro" of the original Estes Sat-1B kit released in 1967.

According to the instructions a "Retro-Repro" is comprised of the following elements;

-close approximation of a full scale model of an early historically significant kit
-not a true clone or copy of original kit
-incorporated improvements using modern technology, while keeping flavor and build appeal of early kits

 

[tbzep]

I should be getting mine any day now.

I'm very tempted to try finishing mine to look "aged". Not sure how I'd go about it, but there's something cool about a 30 year old model that's slightly yellowed over the years. Throw in some soot marks from handling the model after ejection and it just oozes with a majestic classic charisma.

My old Les Paul's bindings, tuners, bezels, switch, etc. are yellowed with age which makes it look super cool to me. New guitars are manufactured with yellowed bits to look "aged" right from the factory. Why not a rocket?

The Semroc Saturn 1B would fit in with my old classic Centuri Saturn V and Saturn 1B if it were artificially "aged".

Thoughts?

 

[Sheri]

Originally posted by tbzep
I should be getting mine any day now.

I'm very tempted to try finishing mine to look "aged". Not sure how I'd go about it, but there's something cool about a 30 year old model that's slightly yellowed over the years. Throw in some soot marks from handling the model after ejection and it just oozes with a majestic classic charisma.

My old Les Paul's bindings, tuners, bezels, switch, etc. are yellowed with age which makes it look super cool to me. New guitars are manufactured with yellowed bits to look "aged" right from the factory. Why not a rocket?

The Semroc Saturn 1B would fit in with my old classic Centuri Saturn V and Saturn 1B if it were artificially "aged".

Thoughts?

A lot of clear coats will start to yellow after some time.

 

[tbzep]

Originally posted by sheri
A lot of clear coats will start to yellow after some time.

True...the clearcoats are the major source of yellowing for an old rocket. However, I'd like it to look old when it's new.

IIRC, some clearcoats yellow pretty fast when left in direct sunlight, but it still might take a couple of years to get the look.

 

[dtomko]

I've had good success with Testor's Dullcoat from a spray can yellowing within a few days I recommend spraying only when the humidity is above 80%, however.

. . . still looks better on a Les Paul . . .

Drew

 

[CAS2047]

Haven't gotten as much done during the week as I would have liked due to work, daily responsibilities, etc., but have made some progress.

-Fins are on.
-All detail parts have been attached to the rocket.

When building the vector control jet housings the instructions tell you to use a dowel to depress four nozzle openings on the balsa pieces. I tried that, but ended up crushing the balsa more than making the round depressions, so I filled the indents, sanded, and then used my cordless drill with a small drill bit to make the round depressions. It worked great.

The only modification that I made was in building the four retro-rocket housings. The kit method just didn't work out well for me so I used four balsa strips, sanded them and attached them to the rocket. I know they don't look exactly as they should, but it looks just fine to me and I can live with it.

One of the original housings would have been used as a launch lug, so I will need to re-site the launch lugs on the rocket. No worries here because the kit provides for an alternate launch lug placement.

I'm working on the capsule now and let me tell you that involves some modeling! I't just a great kit to build.

Here are some pictures. First up - fins

 

[CAS2047]

Some of the details

 

[CAS2047]

Parts -

The four dowels had to be sanded down; two to .058 thickness and two to .041 thickness. The capsule kit provides a nice little guage so that you get it right.

The antennas (four rectangular pieces) just need to have the antenna pieces painted silver.

The four service module attitude control system nozzles were a real trip to make. They are ready for painting here, and they look just fine to me. I'm not doing them again!

 

[CAS2047]

This last one is the rocket itself. Still needs paint, some fillet finishing, etc..

I placed the partially finished capsule on top.

I'm sure there are many things I could have done better, but I am having a great time building this rocket so I'm happy with it to this point.

 

[Rocketcrab]

Originally posted by cas2047
................., but I am having a great time building this rocket so I'm happy with it to this point.

That's all that matters!

Your progress looks great. I know what you mean with those SM control nozzle units. I have scratchbuilt three 1/70-scale Saturn 1B's over the past 15 years, and they were always one of the most "challenging" parts!

Mine arrived yesterday, along with the Little Joe II kit. As always, the real challenge will be finding the time to start........

 

[CAS2047]

Originally posted by Rocketcrab
I have scratchbuilt three 1/70-scale Saturn 1B's over the past 15 years

You are a better man than I!

Building this kit gives me much more of an appreciation for those of you who have scratch built skill level 4 and 5 rockets!

 

[Rocketcrab]

Thanks, but if you saw them I'm not sure you'd say the same thing! At the time I thought they were pretty good, but looking at them now.......

 

[Fred]

Hi Cas,
Thas a nice loking rocket. I just orederred two
I usually build one stock and get a little more adventurous. i was thinking some combo of 8 engines
Cheers
fred

 

[CAS2047]

Originally posted by fred22
Hi Cas,
Thas a nice loking rocket. I just orederred two
I usually build one stock and get a little more adventurous. i was thinking some combo of 8 engines
Cheers
fred

You know that would be very cool! Using the 4 engine cluster setup, you could use 4 C6-3 engines, then use 4 of the body tubes to hold 4 additional C6-3 engines.

The actual modifications wouldn't even be that difficult I don't think...

The main thing is that you would have to have some way of venting the ejection charges from those 4 additional engines. It would be nice if there were a C6 plugged engine, but I don't think there is one...

One more reason to buy another one!

 

[vjp]

No plugged 18mm motors, but there are A10-PT's which are plentiful in supply thanks to the Estes 'Blurz' rocket cars...

 

[lamart72]

I received mine (#28) today. I will do my best to actually start building this one.
MRC used to have some small "FX" motors. They produced about 8 seconds of thick white smoke with hardly any thrust and were slightly larger than current MicroMaxx motors. I still have a pack of six that I never used. I bet that would really look cool to ignite the FX motors about 2 seconds before the clustered motors!

Lamar

 

[dwmzmm]

So, you guys are finding out why the original Estes 1/70 Saturn
1-B is a Skill Level 5 kit.

Finally got my work station set up to resume model rocket construction and repairs. I'm shooting the construction time frame for my Estes Saturn 1-B (yes, I still have one "in-the-box")
for the Christmas Holidays (side note: I did the Centuri 1/100
Saturn - V the last Christmas Holidays)...

 

[aerospike]

Put 4 Apogee D4's in it.

 

[CAS2047]

OK I finally finished the capsule. You know when you crack that little ziplock bag that it comes in, it looks like it's going to be an easy task, but it wasn't. Building the tower structure was probably the most difficult part of the entire build so far.

The final product though is straight and sturdy so I'm please with the results.

Here are a couple of pictures.

 

[CAS2047]

Here is one of the capsule on the rocket.

The parachutes have been put together and attached. Now all that's left to do is paint, attach retro rockets, and apply decals.

Does anyone have any advice on painting wraps...??? I'm leaning towards just hand painting since I just don''t think taping will accomplish much. The wraps are corrugated so I think there will be a lot of bleed either way I go.

 

[dwmzmm]

Originally posted by cas2047
Here is one of the capsule on the rocket.

The parachutes have been put together and attached. Now all that's left to do is paint, attach retro rockets, and apply decals.

Does anyone have any advice on painting wraps...??? I'm leaning towards just hand painting since I just don''t think taping will accomplish much. The wraps are corrugated so I think there will be a lot of bleed either way I go.

Nice pics of the capsule/tower! If you can hold up just a little, I'll
go look for my Sport Rocketry issue that has an article by John
Pursley on the finishing aspects of the Saturn models. He had a
good advice on what type of masking tape to use on those
corrugations. Give me about 24 hours (unless someone else knows what I'm talking about and answers before I do)...

 

[vjp]

You can mask wraps, but it is a slow and meticulous job. A tool made from a small dowel rod sharpened in a pencil sharpener will help press down the masking tape in the hollows of the corrugations.

It's important to remember that when you're painting, doing the actual paint application is the EASY part - how good it will look is 90% determined in your prep work and masking, so take your time and don't rush it. My last Saturn V took 2 days to mask...

 

[CAS2047]

Thanks Dave and VJP for your help/tips.

I sure can wait on the painting. I'm in no rush at this point to start since I know that if I don't get the paint right, it just isn't going to look right.

 

[dwmzmm]

Originally posted by vjp
You can mask wraps, but it is a slow and meticulous job. A tool made from a small dowel rod sharpened in a pencil sharpener will help press down the masking tape in the hollows of the corrugations.

It's important to remember that when you're painting, doing the actual paint application is the EASY part - how good it will look is 90% determined in your prep work and masking, so take your time and don't rush it. My last Saturn V took 2 days to mask...

My Centuri 1/100 Saturn - V I built during the last Christmas Holidays I spent a little over two weeks on the painting (did all
of the roll patterns and smaller details by hand, using paint pens
a lot during the process). When I post later the type of masking
tape John Pursley's article advises, I'll post a few links to the pics
of my Saturn - V...(got quite a bit going on right now...).

Also, not quite a Saturn, when I did my FSI 1/8 Black Brant - II kit
less than two years ago, I spent literally a whole day using a
pencil to mark the lines on the body tube to indicate the black/white colors and doing the masking work before the actual
painting. Talk about really neck breaking work, when I finally finished the job, I'd made a wish that I hope to never have to go
through that again!! BTW, the finished product came out extremely well...