Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 31, Masking The Nose Cone Tip

At this point the very tip is covered in black paint.

Another Sharpie marked Scotch tape arc was cut.

This mask is a bit tricky with the recessed lines going around the nose cone. Be sure the tape edge is sealed all the way around.

After masking, the tip was sprayed white to give the bright red a good, light background. 

The red was sprayed after the white had dried for about 10 minutes. Remember - Recoat within an hour or after 48 hours. (Using Ace Premium Enamel)

The paint was pulled and the mask was almost perfect.

A little touchup was done with a fine point Sharpie.
 

This shows why the instructions suggest painting the tube ring off the engine mount. It would be difficult to mask otherwise.

Again, the separately painted intake assembly slid into the taper cut tube. No glue yet, just slid in place as an example.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build , What's up?

Rain and humidity!

Big rockets are difficult to paint, especially a large model with inside areas.

The model got a "final" gloss white coat that blued and ended up with flat finish in many areas. I'll still work on what I can but the final mask, black paint and decals will have to wait a month for lower humidity.

Anybody else have problems getting a good even gloss on your rockets?

In the next few days I'm getting the parts ready for the Estes Strikefighter clone.

I'm going to a launch tomorrow! Looking forward to flying the three engine cluster Estes Timewarp. I haven't done a cluster launch in a few years.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 30, Masking The Nose Cone Tip

Here's the nose cone tip paint suggestion - 

Black with a red tip.

I'll paint the black all the way forward, then come back and paint the red.

I have a clear plexiglass cutting board to cut the Scotch tape.

That texture underneath is my new countertop.

It took five tries to get the right arc. I kept going smaller with each try. Wipe a paper towel over the ink to pick up the excess.  

An arc is cut through the middle of the thick pen line.

The tape arc is wrapped around the tip. The tricky part is masking around the recess line.

Masking tape goes over the low end.

Paper is wrapped around the base of the nose cone.

Black is sprayed. 

The tape is pulled.

I got a decent mask but there was two small dots of lifted paint.

I'll show the fix in an upcoming post.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 29, I Gotta' Paint!

I'm tired of rain! I went outside to spray about 1:30 p.m. Humidity was probably a little high, there was some bluing of the glossy paint. I'll probably polish out any dull areas. 

Not the perfect scenario, but I've got to get moving on this one!

   

The side "shield" fins were painted off the model.

This is a big rocket with lots of inside areas. I felt it would be easier to mask these shields and the wings separately. 

They'll be glued on after the masks are complete.

With the nose cone in place, the model is longer than I can comfortably spray in a long, one arm sweep.

A cardstock "handle" was rolled and taped to the nose cone shoulder.

The engine mount ring got the final gloss black spray.

On the left is the first coat sanded with 400 grit.

The light sanding paid off, you can see the gloss in the right side picture.

Once in a while I run into balsa that shows grain even after filling.

The sanded paint helps fill them a bit, but this wood required more CWF. 

The final black will cover the bit of sanded beige filler. 
 

Adding A Pilot to the Odd'l Rockets F-18 Hornet kit

Frank D. added to his Odd'l Rocket F-18 build!

Inside the cockpit - 

You can see the pilot!

"A wooden bead painted yellow with a black visor."

A great addition - 

 

The full view of Franks F-18 painted Blue Angels style.

It's a tricky mask and looks great!

Waiting For Better Painting Weather -

Rain and humidity = 

No Cosmic Interceptor painting!

The Cosmic Interceptor is a big model, painting conditions have to be just right for good coverage.

Here's a look into what's coming up on the blog - 

Augendoc is 3D printing the ramjet nose cones for me.

I have vacu-form cockpits from the Odd'l jet kits.

I've already drawn up the decals.

The rest will be selected from too many accumulated spare parts.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 28, Small Things

The engine mount ring and intake vanes are painted black. It's easier to pre-paint then glue them in place. It would be nearly impossible to mask the intake vanes if they were glued into the tapered body tube.

The engine ring was taped to a painting wand (dowel) and sprayed gloss black. The paint will require light sanding and another coat.

Only the exposed front of the vanes need paint.

These also will require some sanding and another coat of paint.

The tri-fold mount was glued up and formed into a curve while the glue was still wet. I pre-form the mount so I can glue it in the tube later.

Here the mount is pressed into some of the leftover intake tubing.

It's been a frustrating weather week. I usually spray at about 2:30 p.m. when the humidity is low. Most all afternoons have been raining!

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 27, Launch Lugs

I know - I'm pre-painting almost everything. On this complicated a build, you'll have trouble getting spray paint into all the inside and covered areas. When you paint over a glue area, the surface has to be carefully scraped or sanded so the glue can soak in and adhere the parts.

 

The lugs were pre-painted white.

The bottoms are areas of the lugs are touching the cardboard and won't get any paint.

The lug gluing areas on the model are sanded using 400 grit wrapped around a Q-tip. Sand an area a little shorter than the length of the lugs.

It helps to use a log tweezer to set the lug under the T piece.

Note the two glue lines.

One line contacts the body tube, the other touches the wing near the root edge.

.

Here's the lugs in line.

I won't be applying glue fillets, there would be bubbles when the glue dries.

Because the glued areas had the surface roughened and paint removed, the bond is plenty strong.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 26, Fitting The Vanes

Don't glue the vane assembly in place. The body of the rocket is mostly white, the vane assembly is black. 

Paint the vanes and body separately, then glue the vanes under the tube intake.

Notice the high (middle) vane is touching the intake body tube while the smaller vanes have a gap.

The largest center vane was trimmed with a new razor blade.

Cutting into the corner, 

Shave a little and check the fit.

Here the fit is much better, all the vane forward edges are contacting the intake tube.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 25, Gluing The T & V Pieces

The instructions have you glue the vertical V piece (rudder) before gluing on the horizontal T pieces. Wait to glue the V piece. Even though the paper marking guide fit well, the V rudder piece ended up a little off the pencil line. I ended up visually centering the V piece between the glued in T pieces.

   

No glue yet - 

Set the T piece in it's slot, resting the tapered side on the body tube.

Trace around the tapered end outlining in pencil on the body tube.

Scrap away any paint until you can see the bare body tube. 

Scrape inside the pencil lines.

Then glue on the V rudder piece even with the tube end. 

Note the taper. You might be tempted to glued it flipped the other way.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 24, Fitting The "T" Brace

The T pieces fit into a notch in the vertical S pieces. They sit high on the body tube and have to be sanded to fit. The T pieces should end up flat, parallel to the face of the large wing. 

The upper picture shows the start of the sand, a small bit has been sanded away. 

The bottom picture shows the angle sanded down so the T piece sits flat.

You can get a better fit against the body tube.

I wrapped some 220 grit around a dowel to make the flat root edge curved.

On the left, the curve has been sanded.

The right side picture shows the new root edge fit against the body tube.

You might have noticed the pre-painting of the areas inside and under and T pieces. If glued together it would be hard to get white paint to cover the hidden surfaces.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 23, Wing Gluing

These large wing fins were difficult to glue on!

They remind me of the large Orbital Transport or even the Gyroc fins. You think they are tacked on then the weight of the fin pulls it off the body tube.

Looking from the rear - 

Make sure the fins are perpendicular before the glue sets up.

This fin required some tweaking.

On the left is an example of wood glue placed down the root edge.

TIP: Even out the glue line before placing on the body tube.

In the left side picture, notice the "V" formed by the thumb and index finger. Hold the V and run your fingers down the glue.

You should end up with an even glue line as shown on the right side. When pressed on the body tube fin line, there will be a cleaner joint with less glue squeezed out. 
 

New Odd'l Rocket?

Which head (nose cone) do you prefer? Please comment below.

The newer head (on the left) is a bit like the Lost In Space robot, clear with details inside. 

The original design resembles a robot toy from early sci-fi.

They are different! If I can get prototypes built, then comes flight testing.

If a kit is produced, they will be more colorful.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 22, Root Edge Fit

The supplied fin marking guide fit!

The root edge contact positions (two on each of the main wing fins) had the filler/primer scraped off for better adhesion. 

A dry fit of the wings showed the lower root edge not making complete contact. The upper root edge was good.

The root edge was sanded with 320 grit on a block until the fin made full contact down the fin / body tube joint.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 21, Side Fins

The "R" braces are glued down the centerline of the larger side fins.

You might be tempted to glue the brace as pictured on the left, Glue the sharper end forward as shown on the right.  

I glued the R brace tip a hair over the top of the side fin.

This will end up even after some sanding.

After the glue dried, the overhanging tip was sanded even with the side fin top.

Some CWF filled the joint seam remaining then sanded after it dried.

Boy Scouts & Rocketry, Paying It Forward

A few days back I walked to the grocery store. Outside, a group of Scouts was selling popcorn. Girl Scouts still sell cookies, Boy Scouts now sell popcorn. I looked closer and noticed model rockets on the kettle corn bag. 

The Scoutmaster asked if I was a Boy Scout. I said: "Yes. Scouting and rocketry got me through my teens." Two Scouts asked me about the rockets.

I don't always carry cash, that day only a debit card for groceries. I picked up a few things and returned home.

I immediately went upstairs to the rocket room and pulled two starter rockets from the kit stash. I grabbed some money for a donation. Returning to the store the kits were presented to the two interested Scouts. 

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 20, Nose Cone Fix

There was a recess divot in front of the canopy.

It looks like the kit assembler cut off a mold line. 

I'll fill it with medium Super Glue. Set a drop of glue in the recess. Let dry horizontally, the glue drop can run.   

After the glue dries,

Sand to follow the round curve of the cone. 

The recessed lines are lightly filed using a triangular diamond file. Don't go too deep!

The recess lines are back, not perfect but better than not having them at all.

A shot of filler primer showed areas that needed touchup.

The second photo shows another mold line to fill towards the tip.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 19, Filling The Tab Recess

The top picture shows the CWF on the tabs sanded down.

The sanded tabs were given a controlled shot of filler/primer.

The filled/primer is sanded down using 400 grit on a sanding block.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 18, Filling The Tab Recess

Here's the balsa plug fill on the upper end of the N piece.

Two fill pieces go into the L and M wing pieces.

After the glue dries, the raised fills are sanded to surface using 400 grit on a sanding block.

The T piece tab is a bit short. It'll also get a balsa fill segment.

The inset shows the tab before and after lowering the height of the tabs. 

Like on the wing, this allows for a thicker plug piece.

The T piece is fitted after the wing is glued on. 

For now, glue only the filler segment. 

With the T piece all the way in the slot, press in the filler piece until it butts up against the T piece tab inside.

Remove the T piece without gluing it in leaving the plug in place at the correct depth.

After the glue dries, sand the plug to surface.