Estes Aries SST, #1927, Build, Part 7, Engine Shrouds

A comment by Naoto K. has proved true!

Those round leading and trailing edges cause the engine shrouds to overhang the balsa.

With the front of the shroud pulled back a little from the rounded edge, the rear of the cardstock overhangs the trailing edge.

I tried the fit of the shrouds over the middle rib.

The rib height is good, at 3/8" away from the root edge, it's just a hair off center.

I trimmed back the back side of the shroud to better fit at the rounded trailing edges.

The rounded wing trailing edge also required trimming back the middle rib.

There was some surface cracks at the sharp folds. The thicker the cardstock, the more likely the folds can start to break up.

I brushed on a thin coat of white glue, keeping the glue on the fold, not down the sides.

After the glue dries, some light sanding can smooth some of it out.

Estes Aries SST, #1927, Build, Part 6, Engine Shrouds

I wanted to make the shrouds out of something a little thicker than the regular 110 lb. cardstock. I had some thin posterboard for years, it's about time to use it! It's also shinier on one side - perfect!

The templates were printed on cardstock, the posterboard would be too thick to run through the printer. Shrouds were traced onto the the posterboard with a sharp pencil. Fold lines were added.

Emboss the folds before cutting out the shroud.

I always use a un-serrated butter knife tip and a metal straightedge. 

Gently coax the folds little by little to keep the the edge clean. I did get some slight breaking of the paper fibers. More on this in the next post.

The fold was worked in over my aluminum angle, rubbing the line with a burnisher.

The right and left engine shrouds, almost ready for assembly.

There will be some adjustments when fitting to the model.

Estes Aries SST, #1927, Build, Part 5, Fin Grain Filling

The balsa pieces and launch lug were first filled with CWF and sanded to surface using 400 grit.

All pieces were taped down to cardboard for some spraying with filler/primer.

While the filler/primer was still wet, you can see the remaining balsa grain that should disappear after sanding.

I still had a few small spots where the grain was deep.

Some CWF was pressed on using a finger.

The pic on the right side shows the same wing after sanding to surface. The balsa is filled and sealed.

Estes Aries SST, #1927, Build, Part 4, Smaller Fin Fitting

The root edge of the Rudder fins is slightly longer that the outside edge.

I marked the root edges with pencil.

The hand cut engine ribs were a bit higher than the fold height on the engine shrouds.

I sanded the top down until it fit just inside the dashed lines.

Double check the length of the engine ribs when set next to the 3/8" spacing from the root edge. Sand the rear end if needed until flush.

Estes Aries SST, #1927, Build, Part 3, Larger Wing Fins

The straight cuts were made with my break off blade knife.

Save your curved lines for an X-Acto style #11 blade.

That rear curved cut can be sanded by wrapping some 400 grit around an engine casing.

The Estes instructions suggest rounding the trailing edges of the wing. Pay attention to the single rounded leading edge of the engine rib.

I only rounded the flat side of the trailing edge near the root edge. Rounding an inside curve is difficult and unnecessary.

Estes Aries SST, #1927, Build, Part 2, Engine Mount

The engine hook and Kevlar line relief notches are initially cut with a knife. 

Instead of picking out peeling out the wrap layer between the cut lines, I use diamond files to remove the recess. This makes a cleaner notch, especially on the Kevlar side. 

I don't apply a ring of glue then slide the centering ring onto it. Instead, I slide the rings on dry, apply spot glue at the joint and then smooth them. After the spot glue dries, it allows me to tighten the Kevlar wraps without the rings sliding around. Then apply full glue fillets

Note the upper ring is centered over and on top the upper bend of the engine hook. This makes a stronger mount - instead of the upper ring positioned above the upper bend of the hook.

Tighten the Kevlar wrap, then apply the glue fillet over the the Kevlar wrapped line.

An engine block wasn't included in the original kit, I added one, even with the tube top when slid against the top bend of the engine hook.

A 1/16" diameter heat shrink tube was slid down the Kevlar line and hit using the low setting from a heat gun.

Hold the heat shrink end down against the top of the upper centering ring. The after pics shows the tubing hugging tight over the Kevlar line.

Note the shrink wrap starts below the top of the engine mount tube. This protects the the low end of the Kevlar line.

Estes Aries SST, #1927, Build, Part 1, Parts

 

The Estes Aries SST kit had a short run, from 1984 - 1985. It was described as a "futuristic transport".

It used the PNC-50S nose cone with the Sandpiper "finlets". I have a second nose cone 3D printed by Augendoc. I'll put it to use on the only other kit to use it.

The model is BT-50 based, the length is 13.5 inches tall.

Another spare parts drawer build, other than the 3D printed nose cone.

Note: Nose Cone is same as BNC-50Y with added finlets.

1  Engine Tube            BT-20J    2.75"                     30326

1  Engine Hook           EH-2                                     35025

2  Centering Rings      AR-2050                               30164

1  Marking Guide                                                     83702

1  Body Tube               BT-50H   7.75"                    30360

1  Shock Cord             SC-1        1/8" x 21"             85730

    1  Balsa Stock             BF-1927   3" x 12" x 3/32"   32627    

1  Pattern Sheet           SP-1927   2.7" x 8.5" card    83703

 1  Launch Lug             LL-2B      2 3/8" Length       38178 

1  Plastic Nose Cone   PNC-50S 4 3/8" Length       72045

1  Parachute                PK-12A  12"                         85564

1  Shroud Line            SLT-72   72"                         38237

            6  Tape Disks              TD-3F    1/2"                        38406           

     1  Decal                       KD-1927 Red/Blk                37242   

I added a engine block, Kevlar line and heat shrink tube, not included in the original kit.

Not shown: Decals and pattern sheet. Those are still being drawn up.

Why Do I Redraw Decals & Templates?

The next project:

Why bother redrawing online scanned decals?

I do appreciate the instructions and scans at spacemodeling.org/jimz/ and at oldrocketplans.com. Sometimes I use them for initial tracings in Corel Draw.

The problem - You never know when the decals were scanned and at what resolution. Every time something is copied, original details are lost. Many scans don't include a 1" reference

measurement. Sometimes the color register is off.

Working at a print shop probably made me too picky! 

 

On the left is the name decal from the online scan.

On the right is the name set new after a font search.

Things become pixilated when copied and transferred. Here's one of the windows before and after redrawing.

These are enlargements and the rough edges are magnified. Some of the pixilation would disappear when the images are reduced.

Estes Sandpiper, Kit #1389, Finished

 

Another build crossed off the list!

Trickiest part of the paint is the nose cone tip.

The white underlays work well. The green and brown bands set over the orange paint could have used a white underlay. Oh well! 

The vertical stripe band sets right on the top of the shroud joint. This would cover any rough edges.

I haven't added the clay weight in the nose cone yet. 

Does anybody know the clay weight that came in the original kit?

Estes Sandpiper, Kit #1389, Part 16, Painting The Nose Cone Tip

One way to mask a nose cone tip - 

Set down a strip of clear Scotch tape.

Draw a curve with a wide point Sharpie. Let dry, wipe off excess ink with a paper towel.

Cut a smooth arc through the middle of the ink line.

The winglets are masked of with strait pieces of tape.

Cut the curved tape in half into shorter segments.

The curve allows you to lay the tape line in a "straight" line.

The lower half of the nose cone is masked off with brown paper tape.

Here's the finished nose cone.

Scotch tape masks will give a good line if your surfaces are smooth (no fillet bubbles or balsa grain) and the tape is sealing the edges.

Estes Sandpiper, Kit #1389, Part 15, More Decals

Note the tunnel (launch lug) is considered the bottom when the model is held horizontally.

Set down all the wrap bands first - 

then center the Air Force logo between the two forward bands.

The stars and bars were slid back a little to cover the white underlay. 

The TARGET decal follows behind the stars and bars. Another TARGET decal goes on the opposite side.

Two TARGET decals go on both sides of the wings.

The largest USAF and black stripes decals are a little confusing.

The USAF and stripes decal is separated on the decal sheet. The two pieces go on either side of the tunnel.

Cox .049 Engine History

 A well produced and narrated history of the Cox .049 model airplane engine.

CLICK HERE 

Lots of childhood memories here - The smells and the sounds of a Saturday at the school yard.

Estes is mentioned in the video.

I have a personal tie to this box art.

My cousin's ex-husband was a graphic artist. 

Here's one he produced for Cox.

Estes Sandpiper, Kit #1389, Part 14, White (Under) Decals TIP

On the decal sheet are star and bar outlines. These will be the white decal layer under the blue and red Air Force logo.

The dashed blue border lines are a hair smaller than the blue border on the Air Force logo overlay decal.

The underlay decal is sprayed with gloss white paint. This seals the surface, no clear coat is necessary for a water transfer. 

You should still be able to see the dashed cut lines.

Cut out the white sprayed decals. 

Soak and transfer the white underlay decal.

I'm rolling a damp Q-tip over the paint thickness "decal" to smooth it out and remove excess water and air bubbles. Let dry.

The white decal on the model gets some water lightly rubbed on with a finger - leave wet. This water acts as a lubricant for the overlay positioning.

Soak and transfer the red and blue Air Force logo. In the right side picture it isn't in position yet.

After sliding around a bit, you can center and cover any white edges with the overlay decal. Use the rolled damp Q-tip again to smooth it out.

This white paint decal idea works well in some applications. It certainly looks better than the orange paint showing through the clear areas.

Estes Sandpiper, Kit #1389, Part 13, Orange Paint

Finally, a dry afternoon for painting!

The model is an overall orange with a black tip of the nose cone.

Most of the prep was worth it, I had two areas of concern - 

The orange Ace enamel was a bit runny.

The upper edge of this fin had a run. I might wait for it to dry, sand and spray just the outside of the small fin. 

Dog hair! 

It had to happen sooner or later.

Look close and you'll see the fine line hair.

The finlet isn't a clean orange, some of the gray plastic is showing through from some earlier sanding. I may mask this finlet, spray white then orange again.

Improvements In Odd'l Rockets Kits

While I wait for drier weather to paint the Sandpiper -

Here's two improvements in the Odd'l Rockets 104 Starfighter kit.

3D printing has come a LONG way!

This is the PNC-24D nose cone from Apogee. Resin printed and very smooth. The plastic color is a light gray, the older cones were bright yellow. The gray is much easier to cover with lighter spray paints. Here is one coat of gloss white.

The intakes of the F-104 kit were split balsa nose cones.
While I pre-split the nose cones, the builder was still required to sand the inside contour to fit tight against the body tube. 

The new intakes are resin 3D printed by reallykoostuff.com 

Light gray, smooth and the underside is curved to fit the heavy wall BT-50 tube.

Estes Sandpiper, Kit #1389, Part 12, Ends & Edges, Decals

While waiting two days for the white undercoats to dry.

I doubt I'll get to the orange paint today, it's Father's Day. I'll be spending the afternoon with my daughters. 

My eighth grade woodshop teacher told me: "Anybody can get a table top smooth. A craftsman will focus on the ends and edges."

That statement stayed with me.

One thing I usually do is round out the cut ends of the launch lug. Rotate a sharpened dowel in the lug ends without flaring out the diameter.
 

I re-drew the kit decals. They'll be available soon to Patreon subscribers.

At the bottom are outline templates for cutting out white decals that go underneath the stars and bars.