New Way Lunar Jumper Build, Part 4, Balsa Fin Prepping

After removing from the laser cut balsa sheet,

here's the fin tips with the fins set side by side. The trailing edges are even.

Cut off the uneven front end square with a razor blade.

All laser cut fins are a "wedge" cut. The bottom surface cuts are wider than the top as the laser light is diffused while burning thru the balsa.

I always square up the fin edges holding the sanding block at a 90 degree angle to the flat face of the fins.

Here the sanding and squaring up is about half done. You're finished when the ash is sanded down and the lighter balsa shows across the edge. 

The fin leading and trailing edges are not rounded.

The trailing edge is cut in a round arc.

To sand it, wrap some 400 grit around an engine casing or whatever form you have that is round. I'm using a glue stick casing.

New Way Lunar Jumper Build, Part 3, Engine Mount & Shock Cords

The engine mount assembly is standard. A slip over coupler holds down the middle of the engine hook.

Here, the Kevlar line is tied beneath the upper plywood centering ring.

There isn't much space between the outer BT-50 and BT-20 engine mount tube. A larger square knot could bulge out the BT-50 tube wall.

I used an overhand knot, but rolled the Kevlar over and under the wrap 4 times. This still allows the wrap to be pulled tight and keeps the line close to the engine tube.

The wrap is set into the wet glue centering ring fillet. The loose tail is cut off and also set into the glue fillet.

The picture to the right shows the heat shrink tube slip down to the top of the ring, protecting the Kevlar line. 

The short shrink wrap is slid over the tied knot joining the elastic and Kevlar line.

Near the elastic, be careful with your heat gun - 

TIP: Using the low setting on my heat gun, the elastic started to melt!

I had to cut off the old knot and re-tie the elastic and Kevlar. I might tie an additional piece of elastic to the shorter line joined to the Kevlar.

The second time, I kept more distance between the heat gun and the heat shrink tube.

Second try was good! (Maybe that's why two pieces of tubing were included.)

New Way Lunar Jumper Build, Part 2, Parts Of Interest

New Way now includes heat shrink tubing to protect the Kevlar shock cord line. The smaller heat shrink tube goes over the elastic shock cord and Kevlar knot. My kit included two of the smaller tubes.

On the lower left is the big nozzle. 

Lower right is the re vinyl trim tape. 

The name decals are fun!

Read vertically, you can make out the "LUNAR JUMPER" name.

On the left are the red vinyl trim cutting guides.

And - the fin marking guides.

Included in New Way kits are some pieces of 320, 400 and 600 grit sandpaper. 

A short emery board and Q-tips.

New Way Lunar Jumper Build, Part 1, Parts

Here's New Way's newest kit -

The LUNAR JUMPER.

19" tall, BT-50 based, 12" parachute.

Lots of short tubes, fin details and large plastic nozzle. 

Skill Level 2
 

All the parts, more in the next post:

Estes USS Enterprise Build #1275, Finished

The picture above shows the Enterprise connected to the long "recovery probe", required for stabile flight. Note the dowel "finger" set over the top of the large disk.

This design had to be a stable flight challenge for the Estes designers. For me, it was a visual disappointment. 

The underside showing the clip on recovery probe. Painting it black doesn't camouflage the addition.

Will I ever launch it? Probably not. Even with internal plywood reinforcements it's delicate and would have recovery damage. I wouldn't want to repair cracked vacu-form plastic.

I know, the bead of glue on the radar dish is too large.

The decals ended up being a mix of originals and reprints.

To be honest - I'm glad this one is finished!

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 53, Loose Ends and "Probe"

I did my usual paint scrape of the engine hooks. 

Near the motor, that paint would blister and chip off.

On the recovery probe, the end of the engine hook was also scraped.

The Midget style nose cone gets two of the old style lead weights.

You'll need them for stability.

A SC-2 rubber shock cord is only 18" long. I replaced it with a much longer elastic cord.

I attached the 18" parachute to the shock cord, about 4" away from the screw eye.

Here's how the recovery probe clips onto the BT-20 tube at the underside of the assembly.

Slip over the coupler and lock the engine hook into the slit cut into the lower BT-20 tube.

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 52, Assembling The Assemblies!

This was one step I took very carefully.

Contact cement is applied to both parts to be joined. If it dries, the two glued surfaces can grab immediately!

I thought if I didn't let the cement totally dry there would be some extra time for adjustments.

I quickly applied a bead of cement to both sides and immediately pressed the two assemblies together.

Visually line up as best as you can from the front - Check the equal spacing of the propulsion units above the disk top.

- and the rear.

Hold both assemblies tightly together as the glue dries and sets up.

I'm glad this one is winding up . . . 

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 51, Replacing Lifting Decals!

Before starting this build I ordered replacement decals from cmrproducts.com. You're probably asking: "Why didn't I use the new decals?" 

Some of the CMR decals were blistered, shown on the right. Not all of the decals, just some. I kept them just in case.

That chipped yellow circle was replaced. 

Before soaking, I cut it where it lays over the raised hull seam. This gave a much better fit.

One of the red arcs was lifted off the surface.

Both arcs were replaced.

Most of the larger decals were fine and holding. 

The skinny line decals weren't staying down.

On the left is the before, the red line is lifting while the other one broke off and is short.

On the right is the replacements.

I also painted the raised beacon dome silver.

Sorry, no build post today -

I celebrated a birthday on May 15! My Sister and her husband flew in from Oklahoma. I spent the past few days showing them Orlando destinations. The Enterprise build will finish up tomorrow -

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 50, The Last Decals!

Two red line decals are cut close to the ink so they will fit close to the raised seam joint. These were brittle and one broke off at the end.

I still have to paint the beacon dome silver.

You may have noticed I haven't glued the primary hull disk to the secondary body assembly. I remember building this one in the 1970s. It was difficult to place the decals with the disk attached to the lower body assembly.

Here's the disk bottom with all decals in place.

And the top - 

These old decals will get some Future floor finish brushed on  with a Q-tip.

It's almost finished!!!

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 49, Still More Decals

This disk gave me problems! I should have cut it in half before soaking like the other round decal.

I figured I'd set it down, let it dry, then slice at the edge of the overlap.

When cutting with a razor blade, the cut line chipped.

Things were good up until now!

These thin arc line and window decals were tricky.

It took some visual spacing and luck.

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 48, More Decals

The decals are very close to each other other on the sheet! Check the sheet reflection near a bright light to we the clear coating. I thought these were multi-piece decals at first.

Good thing I used the decal coat. I doubt this decal would have transferred in on piece.

On the top of the primary hull - the raised running lights are painted red and green.

On the underside the primary hull are two more raised running lights. The instructions say to paint them white. 

I simply scraped off the light gray paint to show the white vacu-formed plastic underneath.

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 47, More Decals

Behind the sensor dish is a two-piece decal. It is cut in two to fit over the raised gluing ridge.

The center must be cut out to fit around the center post.

I used my rotary punch. The big cut punch wasn't large enough so the hole diameter was widened using a few bites.

From one side the decal halves look complete. 

Around the other side you can see a gap.

Some decal solvent might help lay down the decal on the raised center lip.

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 46, Decals

This old, long decal had me concerned. That decal coat probably helped keep it together.

The left (red bar) end is set 3/8" from the forward end of the gray rectangle.

These grid decals go on the inside face of the strut supports.

The top of the disk has two decals behind the gray elevator dot.

I didn't notice these black indents earlier.

They were filled with a fine point Sharpie.

You could use a toothpick tip dipped in black paint to fill them.

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 45, Adding More Details

TIP: Contact cement dries yellow. Be carful not to get any excess glue where it could be seen later on the finished model. 

The inside surface the propulsion units get more details.

Glue the small rectangles first, covering the rectangle line outline on the decal placed earlier.

The rear of the dowel end sets into the circle printed on the decal. The front end stacks on the low end of the rectangle.

Now we can concentrate on all the other decals that aren't covered with cardstock or dowels.

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 44, Adding Details

Immediately at the rear of the glued on caps,

Wrap the marking guide around the tube with the arrow in line with the bottom node.

Here's a dry fit of the rectangles. The front is at the halfway point of the shoulder cap ring.

I marked with pencil the glue contact points of the rectangle.

These are the areas to get contact cement, inside from the edge. 

Contact cement is applied to both parts and allowed to dry. 

Don't use the big brush that comes attached to the bottle cap. I used Q-tips to control how much glue was set down.

Touch both dried glue areas and contact cement will grab! 

I used tweezers to place the rectangles.

Here's the finished assembly.

Notice a little yellow discoloration on the lower corner of the top rectangle. That's a bit of contact cement and will need a paint touchup. 

Be careful when applying contact cement. Strings of glue can end up on outside surfaces.

Estes USS Enterprise #1275, Part 43, Starting The Decals

Here's the original kit decals, probably from the mid 1970s.

They aren't creased or yellowed.

I've had the same bottle of MicroScale Liquid Decal Film for years, it seems to last a long time. This comes in handy when you have older, questionable decals.

It seems to brush on thick but dries very thin on the decal face.

A few of the decals are set down first, then more cardstock rectangles and a dowel are glued down with contact cement. 

Down the inside centerline of the propulsion unit tubes. That forward rectangle will get a cardstock piece glued over it. A dowel is glued on over that.