Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Estes Python 4 Build, Part 13, Stickers!

I drew up home print decals for the worded blocks.
I'll use the stickers for the bands and squares. Because they are thicker they will add some more dimension to the model.

The face card shows the body was painted a very light gray, the reinforcement (card stock plates) are white. I couldn't see any way to mask these, the entire lower section was left white.




White bands and dark gray bands go between the strake fins.
A strip of masking tape was wrapped around the body for a guide when setting down the upper edges.


Center the stickers as best you can. They were slightly wider than the space between the fins.
After they were straight and burnished down, a sharp blade cut off the excess.

5 comments:

  1. Have you tried the new Elmers wood filler?
    http://www.elmers.com/product/detail/E912?filterPath=wood-filler%2fmulti-purpose%2f

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  2. Hi David,
    I haven't tried the newest formula yet.
    I still have a big tub of the CWF #842-10001US from WalMart.
    Elmer's keeps changing the formulas on everything.
    The biggest mistake they made was to mess with their white glue.
    By the time this tub of CWF is used up, I may have to use one of the newer formulas.

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  3. Chris, How many coats of CWF do you apply and sand before priming? Do you ever build the rocket then brush on CWF or do you always apply before building? I have tried CWF before but it wanted to warp the balsa.

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  4. Hi David,
    I read where others use three coats of CWF, sanding between coats.
    Then three coats of primer, sanding between coats.
    If that was my filling schedule, I'd never finish a model!

    I only do one coat of CWF and one coat of primer/filler. The gray primer/filler I use is the Duplicolor brand from auto supply stores.

    I fill and prime the fins, body tube and nose cone before assembling everything. I can't get a good grain fill near the root edges afterwards with the fillets in the way.
    It's also harder to fill the body tube seams with the fins and launch lug glued on.

    The CWF filler shouldn't warp the tung wood used by Estes in their kits.
    It might be too thin, too much water in the mix.
    Try this mix for a starting point:
    2 1/2 parts CWF, 1 part water.
    You can fine tune the mix after that.

    Usually if the wood warps after brushing on one side, the warp goes away when the other side gets a coat.
    The thinner the wood is, the more chance it can warp. Years ago when I used sanding sealer (to fill the grain) it would also warp the wood.

    Good luck, everybody has their methods that work for them.

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  5. Thank you very much, will give the ratio a try.

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