Wife's Away - Time to Play 2021

[les]

I think either the picture to the far left or the center picture would be good. You could use a shock cord protector to protect the shock cord.

Not quite certain I understand.
The screw eye sticks out the bottom of the rocket. The shockcord is supposed to connect to it and run up the outside of the rocket, and then re-enter the body tube at the nose cone/body joint. not certain why a shock cord protector would be required.
I'm thinking of doing more traditional. Connect the shock cord to the top of the motor mount, keep it internal to the rocket, and connect to the nose cone in the usual way.

 

[teepot]

Not quite certain I understand.
The screw eye sticks out the bottom of the rocket. The shockcord is supposed to connect to it and run up the outside of the rocket, and then re-enter the body tube at the nose cone/body joint. not certain why a shock cord protector would be required.
I'm thinking of doing more traditional. Connect the shock cord to the top of the motor mount, keep it internal to the rocket, and connect to the nose cone in the usual way.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, that is what I mean. Put it inside the tube.

 

[les]

Last minute I managed to get some strakes on the Starlight.

Did have some issues and at least one is not straight. Wife will be home in about 6 hours. Some last minute cleaning to get done.......

 

[les]

Used a belt sander on the remaining strakes. Took about 12 passes per piece.
Here they are just friction fitted



Have a few miles of fillets to do.........
My plan is to fillet the main fins with their strake extensions first, then mount the mid-fin strakes and then fillet those.
Think it will be easier to access the fins for theirs. The mid-fin strakes will have minimal loads on them and won't be as critical.

 

[dpower]

That upscale Starlight looks really nice! If I wasn't awash in kits, it'd be on my short list.

 

[les]

The wife is back and been keeping me busy remodeling her "sitting room".....

Masked the rockets for fillets - used a lot of tape!



Managed to sneak out and get one side done on each. Note - on the Martian Transport I am only using epoxy for the big fins. The two smaller "tail fins" will use titebond's thick no run.
Used proline. Had to wipe up some drips

Used some spare epoxy to secure the motor mount in the RIB Galaxy - since internal no pix.

 

[les]

3 of 4 fillets for Starlight, Bertha, and Martian Transport done - not going to bother with pix for each side.

On the RIB Galaxy, I used a small brush to sneak some leftover epoxy from the fillet to glue the bottom CR to the body. Used rubber bands to hold the tube against the ring.



Used Titebond thick for fillet of "wings" to tube

 

[les]

Starlight - All 4 fins have epoxy fillets.

Used my cutout guides to align the strakes and used a bunch of rubber bands to hold them against the body tube


I used CA to tack the strakes - 4 places each side. Then used thick Titebond for fillets. I felt wood glue would be sufficient for these. They are not really structural, have a nice long length for the glue fillets, and will effectively become "one unit" once the rings are installed.

Tried to get a shot of the glue fillets (white top side - bottom black is the epoxy fillets on fins)

 

[les]

Time to resurrect this. I've actually done little bits now and then but did not update the thread

Starlight - One of the strakes/fairings came damaged. It appears when cutting the plywood the pointed end broke off. I fashioned a piece from balsa and replaced the end, sanding to fit. Once painted, no one will know.



Installed the "heatsinks" and fillet



There were some gaps where the fairings and fins joined. Used some Elmers F&F

 

[les]

MC Martian Transport -
Did a bit of sanding in prep for primer. The coating on the tube got a bit funky



Primed - the initial pass had a lot of fuzzies to sand down



Painted everything white. Appears I missed getting a pix of this step.
Then after a loooong wait, I finally masked for the red. And despite my efforts, got leaks that I need to touch up.

 

[les]

USR Starlight
The directions call to make a notch on the fins/fairings for where the outer ring will sit on top. I don't recall doing this on the actual Estes Starlight.



I marked the inside of the rings where they will get glued to the heatsinks. I will cover these areas with tape before I prime and paint.


The plywood edges needed some cleanup, so more F&F

 

[les]

Side bar

I mentioned previously having to remodel my wife's sitting room. Final results

 

[les]

And now back to the rockets....

USR Starlight
The kit comes with lugs for a 1/2" rod. Really?? 1/2" freaking launch rod???
I think the biggest rod our club has is 1/4", and they prefer not to use it.

My plan is to switch to buttons, BUT....
If I mount the buttons directly to the body tube, the rail won't fit between the heatsinks/fins (this is basically an 8 fin rocket)
If I use a standoff to move the buttons away from the body so the rail fits, the rings will interfere.
To mount through the ring to a heatsink piece, the plywood is only 1/4" thick. Drilling a hole for the button bolt in the ply won't work...........

So I cut and sanded some pieces to glue to the heatsink to provide more material so drill into. The pieces and gluing them in place.



And hope not to have another multiple month gap before my next update..........

 

[les]

Looking for opinions.......

My Semroc Starlight I painted the "original" white rocket with red rings and nose cone.
This one I want to do a bit different with an extra color. Which looks better?

 

[les]

Martian Transport - cleaned up the paint issues


Installed inserts for the motor mount





Galaxy - Using F&F to clean up some joints


I'm going to add some detail (and cover a slot normally used for disassembly)


And added an insert to support motor retention

 

[les]

Starlight

Cleaning up nosecone


And using F&F to cleanup joints on this one as well



The supports for rail buttons are ready

 

[Hobie1dog]

you sure get a lot accomplished

 

[les]

Martian Transport

Messed up - just a little bit.
Went to apply the "decals".
Got a bowl of water - spilled half trying to get set up (and I was doing the forbidden - working in the Living Room so I could watch TV )
The decal just would not come off the backing - put it back into the water for a bit longer.

Discovered they are peel and press..... Getting the paper off that first one was a little troublesome since the paper was now wet

Final pix - one down!

 

[les]

you sure get a lot accomplished

Not really - it's been a month since I last posted. I get a little bit done now and then, but delay posting.....

 

[JackC]

Looking for opinions.......

My Semroc Starlight I painted the "original" white rocket with red rings and nose cone.
This one I want to do a bit different with an extra color. Which looks better?

View attachment 506283 View attachment 506284

The one with the red nose cone.