Shaping Estes Nike Smoke Fins, Part 1

I probably won't be doing a full build on the new Estes Nike Smoke.
It's a standard build except for the scale fin shaping. These following posts will focus on the fins.

Mentioned earlier, the older Centuri and Estes kits are almost the same size. The fins are also about the size. I used the Centuri patterns and cut a few from 1/8" stiff balsa.
Back in January of 2014 I did an article in the Apogee Peak of Flight on Shaping Scale Fins. These blog posts cover some of the same information in the article: CLICK HERE
The Nike Smoke fins are a different taper than those shown in the article.

BIG TIP: If you've never tapered or shaped a scale fin before, don't start with the laser cut fins supplied with the kit! Cut some extra fins from scrap 1/8" thick balsa and practice on those. I didn't get it right the first, second or third time. Practice makes close!

The leading, outside and trailing edges of the fins get a good wiping of medium CA. Don't apply CA glue to the root edge.
The CA seals the wood so the black marker (in the next step) won't get soaked into the wood, but just stays on the outside of the CA coat.
The CA glue also strengthens the fin edges, something you do want when they are sanded to a thin edge/

TIP: Notice to the right of the Q-tip in the picture. I made a point of brushing some CA glue over the rear corner where the tip could break down the balsa grain.

After the CA glue dries, the outside edge get a quick wipe of a black permanent marker. The black ink gives a high contrast making it easier to see and gauge the thickness when thinning down the fin from the root edge (thicker) to the outside edge (thinner).
For now, only blacken the outside edge that has been treated with the CA glue.

Here's the three practice fins with the blackened edges ready for shaping.
The black edges will be sanded off after the fins are shaped.