Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Finished

The model is taller than you would expect.

The upper payload section could be used for an altimeter. I used some masking tape on the nose cone shoulder for a tight friction fit.

The yellow adapter was glued into the white BT-50 using Fabri-tac.

If you are trying to match the face card paint, the fin mask is difficult.

Overall, the finished look is very good. 

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 16, Lower Decals

These two wiring and instrument decals go between two fins. There is no third decal on the launch lug side.

The "shield" decals go on each fin.

There are six CAUTION decals, each going on the rear of the BT-5 motor tubes.

The engine mount was finally glued in using epoxy. The slower dry gave me some time time to insure movement and alignment.

 

The marked masking tape was my depth and fin alignment line.

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 15, Upper Decals

The roll pattern decal is shown positioned all the way against the top of the BT-55 tube. This could lead to upper edge peeling.

I'd recommend leaving a little of the clear above the upper edge.

Position the top of the decal a bit below the top of the BT-55 tube. 

The roll pattern has four black vertical boxes. How can you center four boxes over three fins? Well, you really don't. Center one box over the fin opposite the launch lug and let the wrap fall where it may.

I did a tape wrap below the decal final position marked with a pencil line directly above the fin below. This was the fin opposite the launch lug.

This centers one black box over one fin and spaces the other three boxes evenly around the body.

The TIMEWARP 00143 is set down a little to the bottom of the white tube.

TIP: Use your aluminum angle to check the alignment.

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 14, Fin Mask Fix?

The black fin was masked off by rolling a strip of tape over the rounded leading edge.

I attempt to "blend" in more sprayed yellow paint.

Notice the tape around the brushed and sanded white undercoat is "floating", not stuck to the surface. This makes a smoother merge of the surfaces.

You have to be sure to spray directly over and not from the sides. You don't want yellow spray on the black fins. 

Here's the touched up fin after pulling the tape and bag mask.

There is a slight discoloration of the over sprayed yellow.

Not perfect, but better than it was!

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 13, Fin Masking

Most of the masks turned out well after the tape was lifted. 

There were some scraping back of the black to round the leading edges.

Whoops! I had some black bleed around one fin leading edge.

The black was scraped off for a touchup.

White paint was touched up for a light undercoat. Yellow is a translucent color and needs white underneath.

It took three applications of the white. 

Light sanding between coats filled the depression left from the scraping.

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 12, Fin Masking

This was a tough mask!

The tip shield fins are yellow on the face and backs. The picture on the left shows the Scotch tape border outlines. The tape strip ends overlap on the outside face.

On the right, the leading edge is accomplished by many pieces of Scotch tape making up the round shape. 

Here's the competed mask ready for the black paint. 

The larger areas are covered with brown masking tape.

This is one of those: "Cross your fingers and hope for the best!"

My Dog Dakota -

My Sheltie Dakota and I dropped off some Odd'l Rockets kits at JonRocket in nearby Oviedo, FL.

After we got home I brushed out Dakota's heavy coat.

Something was stuck to her butt.

When you know, you know. 

New Estes Catalog and Apogee Products

 

The new Estes 2026 catalog is available to view online:

CLICK HERE

Also - 

What's New at Apogee Components - NARCON 2026 Presentation

CLICK HERE

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 11, Lower Fin Gluing

My plan was to spray the BT-5 cluster tubes - just the tight areas at the center.

Notice the centering rings and upper tubes between the rings has been masked off.

I ended up spraying more of the tube surface and the area where the main fins will be glued.

I sprayed the yellow fin tip (front and back) yellow before gluing the fins onto the model. On the left is the white undercoat, on the right is the yellow. 

Yellow paint was sprayed on the outside face and underneath into the fillet area.  

I tried to concentrate the yellow paint to just the inside areas between the tubes but the spray covered a wider area. 

The glue line (fin root edge contact area) was marked and the paint sanded off down to the tube.

Here's the gluing line sanded down to the white tube.

Keep the sanded area narrow so it will be covered by the width of the root edge.

The fins are a bit difficult to place, they want to fall off when gluing, like on the Gyroc and Orbital Transport. 

On the right, the fins are in place and filleted with white glue. 

Pre-painting will make masking the black easier and gives a consistent  yellow coverage. Those inside areas would be difficult to spray if all were glued together.

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 10, Upper Fin Gluing

The scratched fin glue line was slightly widened using the side of a diamond file.

Note the masking tape. That's the stop point so the scratch stops before the top of the root edge of the fin. 

The lower tape is the top of the launch lug glue line.

The glue fillets are done with white glue. The white glue dries clear, yellow glue would dry yellow.

The white glue also dries with a flat finish. To gloss it up, I applied some clear acrylic using a Q-tip. No masking here - 

The inside lip of the BT-55 got a wipe of super glue then light sanding with 400 grit.

The brown edge was "painted" gray with a second Q-tip.

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 9, Upper Fins

The upper fins were filled with CWF and sanded. Then, filler/primer and sanding with 400 grit. Two steps and the balsa grain is filled.

I'll be painting these upper fins off the model. This will save some masking. The upper fins won't break off as the lower fins take the stress on landing.

Estes got it right!

The fin marking guide and alignment drawing are on a separate page of the instructions. There is no printing on the reverse side. You don't have to cut up an instruction page - no build steps on the other side - 

The fin marking guide matched up perfectly.

I wouldn't normally glue fins on this way and wouldn't recommend it for the occasional builder. This will not give you the strongest glue joint. 

The BT-55 mid tube was already seam filled and painted dark gray.

A fin glue line was scraped using an aluminum angle and the tip of a diamond file. Be sure the scraped line is shorter than the top of the root edge length.

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 8, Scattered Steps

I'm always apprehensive about using pre-made parachute shroud lines.

These broke with a good tug!

I cut them off the chute and replaced them with #10 embroidery thread.

Plastic nose cones and adapters take longer to dry between paint coats.

I waited three days before spraying the yellow and the paint wrinkled!

Sand smooth, wait four days and spray again!

Here's the new Estes self-adhesive shock cord mount.

It's a simple knot, I left a loose tail for some extra insurance.

I'll be checking the adhesion of the mount after a few flights.

Older rocketeers might remember the problems with the Centuri self adhesive mounts - 

Initially claimed to be "permanent", they did loosen and pull loose over time. Later kits would include an addendum to the instructions reminding you to burnish the fastener between launches.

Granted - in 1971 we didn't have the 3M tape that is on the back of the new Estes shock cord mounts. Time will tell . . .  

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 7, Gluing & Filling The Fin Tips

The fin tips and fins had the balsa grain filled and sanded.

Filler/primer and sanding followed.

I used a small diamond file to slightly open up the slots to a friction fit over the fin tabs.

The fin tips are glued on.

There is now gaps around the fin tab joint.

This joint required additional filling,

first more CWF and sanding flat with a block.

The backs of the shield tips are masked and the flat face got a shot of filler/primer and sanding with 400 grit.

Once the fins are glued onto the BT-5 cluster tubes, 

Masking will be tight to separate the black and yellow paint on the inside of the "T" fin.

I sprayed some white undercoat on just the fin tip face and the underside joint.

Notice the root edge is masked off with a narrow strip of tape.

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 6, Fin Fitting & Fill

The tube seams were filled with CWF and sanded to surface.

The BT-55 had a definite seam, the heavy walled BT-50 was very tight.

After the fin tips were glued together, I tried a test fit on the main fin.

I wish the fin tabs (sticking into the smaller "shield" fin) were longer so you could sand them to surface after gluing them on. With the tabs slightly recessed there is more to fill.

Laser cutting burns through at a slight angle.

Look close at the right side of the root edges.

I sanded and evened the burned edges so they would glue on perpendicular to the body tube.

The fins have laser cut "slots" running parallel to the leading and trailing edges. I decided to leave them in and fill the slots with CWF.

Why leave them in?

The rough laser cut slots would be difficult to fill and sand. The visible edges would be rough. The design is interesting enough without the open slots.
 

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 5, Upper Centering Ring

Here's the upper laminated centering ring,

glued 1/2" from the bottom of the BT-5 tube cluster.

The instructions say to add glue fillets down and between the three tubes.

TIP: I wouldn't do this, it's a long, deep joint. When the glue dries you'll have bubbles and an uneven fillet.

I used a few drops of glue to fill the small center gap. This will block any ejection charge escape.

Years back we used "tissue/glue putty" to fill gaps like this. Tissue/glue putty is a mix of glue and tissue torn into very small pieces. It makes a strong gap filler.

This gap is small, if it were larger I'd make up some tissue/glue putty.

To read more about this gap filler: CLICK HERE 

This top and bottom glue fill also strengthens the mount.

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 4, Centering Ring Laminates

The center triangle of the centering rings will probably break off. There's not much to hold it in the center.

I'll show how to block the hole (and the ejection charge) in the next post.

When laminating the two sets of two rings, 

use one of the BT-5 tubes to check the alignment.

Don't glue the tube to the rings (yet), use the tube to be sure all three holes are lined up.

The instructions suggest sliding the ring down from the top into a glue ring.

For a cleaner build and less visible glue -  

I slid the centering ring up from the bottom pushing the glue ring up. It's a cleaner visual outside joint on the finished model.. 

You don't have to use much glue, you can always add a glue fillet later.

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 3, Engine Blocks

Jim Flis (Fliskits) gets credit for this engine block setting idea calling it the "Block and Tackle.".

TIP: The mini motors (friction fitted) extend 1/4" out the rear of the BT-5 tubes. 

A 1/4" strip of masking tape is wrapped around and even with the end of the yellow spacer tube. 

This tape ring stops when it hits the end of the tube. 

All three engine block will be at the same depth.

The instructions the engine block glue line at 1" inside the tubes.

I'd recommend using a dowel pencil marked at 1 1/4" to apply a ring of glue inside the tube.

Apply the glue ring, slide in the engine block. Use the taped yellow tube to set the ring depth.

The three BT-5 tubes are ready for the centering rings.