Estes Black Star Voyager Build, Part 5, The Upper Tube Assembly

The top tube/ring assembly has the bottom ring flush with the low end of the tube. 

The upper ring is recessed 1 11/16" below the top end of the tube.

The instructions have you apply a glue ring and slide the centering ring in position. Good luck with that, the ring will spin and probably end up crooked in the tube.

I applied the glue ring using the top edge of a dowel.

Notice the tape ring set at 1 11/16" from the top.

Apply a ring of glue around the top of the dowel. 

Use the tape ring as a depth guide as you roll the ring of glue onto the inside of the tube.

Used the flat end of a ruler to push the ring into position. 

The square end of the ruler helps keep the ring flat as it is slid into the glue.

Check around the perimeter of the ring making sure it is flat and the same distance from the top of the tube.

You can apply a glue fillet using small glue drops applied using a Q-tip.

Estes Black Star Voyager Build, Part 4, Tubes & Centering Rings

There are six centering rings used in the build.

The ring with the notch was already glued onto the low end of the engine mount.

Before freeing out the rings, the center pieces (Parts FF) were removed and stored in a zip lock bag.

TIP: One of my tubes had bends in one end. 

Use one of the flush mount rings to reform the round tube and push the dents back out.

Sorry, these last two pictures are out of order.

1. Apply a thin ring of glue just inside the edge of the tube.

Press the ring even with the end of the tube shown in the  picture below.

2. To get the ring faces flush with the ends of the tubes, press the rings just inside the tube lip using the flat side of your sanding block.

In the above right side picture above: 

3. I'm applying an interior glue fillet using a Q-tip taped to a dowel. 

Apply a drop of glue to the Q-tip, drop down inside and spread the glue drop into a fillet.

Estes Black Star Voyager Build, Part 3, Engine Mount

Here's the finished mount with the notched centering ring glued up against the black retainer ring. The flat face of the ring is spaced 1/2" from the rear of the engine tube.

Again, I used my aluminum angle to glue on the upper (Part L) tube in line with the engine mount.

Jumping ahead:

The base of the adapter has holes cut to allow the ejection charge gases to pass through and deploy the parachute. I don't remember ever seeing ejection holes made through a plastic adapter.

Pencil mark the hole positions before drilling. The four holes should be around 1/8" diameter.

Estes Black Star Voyager Build, Part 2, Engine Mount

The shorter engine mount tube (Part A) is joined to the longer Part L tube. 

The low 1/2" of the Part A tube is exposed, covered by small cardstock vanes. I went ahead and filled the tube seam with CWF, then filler/primer and sanding.

The green coupler doubles as an engine block, butting up against the upper bend of the engine hook.

The fit was loose, I built up the diameter with some rings of wood glue.

The slit for the upper bend of the engine hook is cut at 3 3/32" from the bottom.

I used my aluminum angle to insure that the two tubes were in line as the glue on the green coupler set up.

The instructions say to mark the low tube 1/2" from the bottom.

The illustrations show 1/2" space from the centering ring to the low end of the tube.

The pencil line is 1/2" from the bottom of the tube.

I set the black retainer ring a little above the 1/2" line so the face of the notched centering ring will end up at the 1/2" mark. (See next post)