Estes Star Seeker (Tri-Pack) Kit #0866, Part 4, Engine Block & Kevlar ShockCord

The original kit had two engine blocks,

one for the engine stop, the second to tie a rubber shock cord. No parachute or streamer, just nose-blow recovery.

Enlarge the picture on the left.

I can't imagine trying to slide in that upper block ring into a ring of glue with a binding rubber shock cord tied around it.

I'll be installing a single lower engine block with a tied on Kevlar line.

The engine block got a notch for a better fit of the Kevlar line tie.

The inside 1/8" (or so) of the tube got a wipe of CA glue. This was followed by sanding just the edge with 400 grit on a block.

I used a spent "T" motor to position the engine block and Kevlar line.

Occasionally your find a raised cut-off burr on the end of the casing. Roll that off with some 400 grit.

This makes for an easier slide into the engine mount tube.

TIP: When installing an engine block, have ALL your parts close at hand. You don't want to be looking for the engine block as the glue in the tube is starting to set.

The glue applying dowel is marked with a pencil ring about 1 1/2" from the top. 

A ring of glue is set around the top of the dowel.

Set the dowel in the tube up to the pencil line trying not to touch the inside walls of the tube. 

Roll the dowel and transfer a line of glue around the inside of the tube.

Quickly set in the engine block and push into position, with 1/4" of the engine casing extended out the bottom of the tube. Remove the casing.

Estes Star Seeker (Tri-Pack) Kit #0866, Part 3, Filling Seams & Gluing On Dowels

The body tube, dowels and launch lugs were CWF filled and sanded.

A dowel was slipped in for support while sanding.

A shot of filler/primer followed .

Here I'm sanding the filler/primer to surface with an old piece of 400 grit. Any filler/primer that might collect on the sandpaper can be cleaned off under running water with a soft brass wire brush.

Two of the four fins are marked 1" down from the top edge.

This is where the perpendicular fins will be glued on.

I found it easier to mark a 1" span on a scrap piece of cardboard, then set the fins on the pencil lines.

Here's the first try at the 1" long dowels.

Looking at the instruction drawings, I could tell they were too short. There are no launch lug or dowel lengths listed in the instruction parts list.

Here's the longer 1 1/4" dowels.

I now have the feeling the dowels should be a smaller diameter. Oh well, I'm going with what I've cut. 

Estes Star Seeker (Tri-Pack) Kit #0866, Part 2, Parts Prep

The Star Seeker fins are the 4 parallelogram shapes, fourth row down from the top.

Cut out four from 1/16" thick balsa.

Before the launch lugs were cut to length, 

I filled the seams with CWF. The long lug was held by pushing it onto a Q-tip.

There is a slight flared lip on the shoulder of the nose cone.

Roll down the lip with some 400 grit.

The balsa fins, dowels and launch lugs were filled with CWF and sanded with 400 grit.

All were taped down for a shot of filler/primer.

These are the first, incorrect length dowels and launch lugs. In the end, all were re-cut to 1 1/4" long.

Estes Star Seeker (Tri-Pack) Kit #0866, Part 1, Parts

 

The dowels and launch lugs (shown above) were cut too short. The build will show the longer and correct 1 1/4" long lugs and dowel pieces. Mistakes can happen when lengths aren't listed in the instructions. I took a guess by simply looking at the instruction drawings.

You might assume a BT-5 is 1/2" diameter and the BT-50 at 1" diameter. That would mean a simple 2x upscale. But, the BT-5 is actually .541" diameter and the BT-50 is .976" diameter - Not a 2x upscale.

I'll be building a original BT-5 version and after that an upscale BT-50 version.

To see Jay Goemmer's "Downscale Chart: CLICK HERE

While Jay's chart says to multiply by 1.79, I'll be using a heavy walled (and slightly wider diameter) BT-50H tube.

Here's my conversion chart. Every dimension of the BT-5 parts was multiplied by a factor of 1.8 to get at the BT-50H sizes.

I drew up decals for both the BT-5 and BT-50 version.

The rounded corner "door" rectangle will be fixed with a narrower line.

Gotta' love a model where the parts fit into a 3" x 5" zip bag.

Estes Star Seeker (Tri-Pack) Kit #0866, Background

The Star Seeker was part of the new Mini Tri-Pack. Introduced in the 1983 catalog CLICK HERE, it was available until 1990.  Three BT-5 "T" motor models in one kit bag! 

The second model was a two-stager called the Sting Ray. Descriptive copy says it could reach 2,500 feet!

The third design was a multi fin rocket named S.C.R.A.M. Years later, Estes brought back a variation of the S.C.R.A.M. fin design in a larger model called the Laser Lance.

For me, the Star Seeker was the most interesting of the three.

All three models use "nose-blow" recovery. Good luck spotting the two stage Sting Ray during recovery.

I'll try to add some sort of recovery streamer for visibility on descent.

I'll also be following up with a BT-50 based upscale of the Star Seeker after the original size build.

The BT-5 build starts tomorrow.

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Okay, shameless slug over! A NEW build starts tomorrow . . . 

Estes Black Star Voyager Build, Finished

The upper section with nine basswood strips.

The smaller vanes - 

The large vanes below that.

I took this picture outside to try and show the reflection of the metallic paint. Like I mentioned earlier, probably not worth the extra effort.

Nine more vanes around the engine mount tube.

This is an impressive model and a challenging build.

I've never encountered built up fins like this.

 

A great design from Jon Boren.