Saturday, November 16, 2019

Estes Space Corps Corvette Class, #7281 Build, Part 4, Nose Cone, L. Lug and Fin Gluing




I noticed a slight lip on the tip of the molded nose cone. It was sanded and the tip rounded.

This is injected molded, not a blow molded nose cone. There are no seams down the sides! It was very clean.


The base is glued into the open bottom of the nose cone. This is one of the first times I have noticed a "twist" to evenly spread out the glue. 
I used the Beacon Fabri-Tac on the two plastic pieces.



The longer launch lug was glued on the tube, centered between two fins.
The online instructions don't show Page 4, the step where the launch lug is glued on the body tube. It is glued 6" brom the bottom of the tube.

TIP: These pictures show how the glue fillet is "rolled off" going around the front and rear ends. Roll a Q-tip to more of a point and pick up the excess glue from the ends.


I usually fill the tube seams and spray some filler primer before gluing on the launch lug and fins. You do have to sand off the filler/primer down to the body tube surface.

I sand a bit wider than the fin and lug width for glue fillet adhesion.









The three fins are glued on and glue fillets applied.

No comments:

Post a Comment