Estes Saturn 1B, #7251 Build, Part 12, Upper Wrap GOTCHA!

GOTCHA: After the middle wrap is in place - Don't immediately adhere the upper wrap using the single pencil line drawn down the body tube.

On my two builds, I found the longer tunnel would not sit  perfectly vertical in the upper wrap recess. If the edge is started on the pencil line, the upper wrap tunnel recess ends up almost 1/16" to the left of the lower wrap. (See right inset picture)

Extend lines up from the lower wrap tunnel recess and adhere the upper wrap positioning over the new pencil lines.

My two kits were pre-production. This upper wrap alignment might be fixed when the kit is released. Double check before adhering the upper wrap.

Here you can see the butt joint of the wrap edges, where they end up a little to the right of the original pencil line. (Enlarge the picture)

After spraying with 3M 77 and rolling around the tube, tape down the ends securing the joint. 

As with most wraps, the ends can lift over time. 

A drop of medium CA was squeezed out onto scrap cardboard.

Did the tip of a toothpick in the glue and run it down the joint and hold closed until dry. Medium CA can help fill the crack at the ends. 

Pick up any excess CA glue with a Q-tip before it sets up.

You can fold a piece of 400 grit and sand down the corrugation recess seam. If needed, go back and do another pass of CA seam fill. The medium CA should sand easily - don't sand through the thin vacu-form wrap.

Build time:

Fit and Adhere Upper Wrap: 45 minutes

Total build time so far: 8 hours