Estes Nemesis #2175 Build, Finished

A good looking model and a nice break after assembling two of the Little Joe II kits. The canopy Sharpie ink painting experiment worked well.

Estes Nemesis #2175 Build, Part 11, Canopy Painting TIP

I've painted canopies before by masking and spraying. It's not easy to mask around a curved surface. Here's another way to do it with smoother results than hand brushing enamel paint.
You'll need three permanent Sharpie markers - Ultra Fine, Fins and Broad chisel pointed pens. If you don't have a steady hand you might have better results by masking and spraying.

The canopy edge was deep enough to use the pens. If the edge isn't well defined it's hard to keep the pen tip in to outline the canopy. Note the angle of the pen, about 45 degrees to the surface. This helps keep the pen in the outline rut.
Draw an inch then lightly scribble on some scrap paper to keep the point clean and the ink flowing. These ultra fine points can dry out quickly.

After you've used the ultra fine point for the outside line, switch over to the fine point pen widening the black line towards the center of the canopy.

Move to the wide chisel permanent marker to fill in the rest of the canopy.
Take the nose cone outside into direct sunlight to see if you have good even coverage.

If you end up with a rough spot where the ink passes have overlapped and have a raised line, sand lightly and ink over again.



This canopy inking only works with permanent black inks only. Don't try other lighter felt tip colors.
It all depends on the "trough" depth around the canopy edge. If it is shallow the ultra fine tip might slip out when doing the initial outline.

EDIT: I just opened up the Estes Puma kit. The edge trough isn't as deep as the canopy edge on the Nemesis nose cone. So keeping the ultra fine Sharpie in the edges of that nose cone won't be as easy.

EDIT: In a comment (below), Naoto Kimura mention problems using clear coats over permanent marker ink. The ink can run if a clear coat is applied. Don't apply a brushed on Future acrylic coat over an inked canopy.
I don't use overall clear coats (brushed or sprayed). I only apply a clear coat over decal area surfaces using a Q-tip. Overall acrylic clear coats get very sticky in humid Summer weather.

Estes Nemesis #2175 Build, Part 10, Stickers

I did use the "Go Wild" stickers.
The pre-cut stickers didn't match the leading edges of the fins.
I did my best to get them centered. The underside shows the overhang.

Before laying down any stickers or water slide decals, be sure the surface is flat and clean.

The overhang was trimmed off with a sharp knife. Be careful not to cut into the balsa fin.







The Nemesis sticker on the rudder needed to be cut close of the name would overhang the leading edge.

Estes Nemesis #2175 Build, Part 9, Paint Polishing and Suggested Paint Schemes

I decided to go with a combination of the "Conventional" paint and "Go Wild" stickers.
The conventional scheme suggests light grey overall, I went with Rustoleum metallic silver. This paint isn't usually a problem, it dries smooth and fast.

The humidity plays havoc with it, there was some fogging of the semi gloss finish. The centering rings and nose cone shoulder showed through the body tube!

Rubbing compound evened out the finish. I've done this before with good results. It isn't perfect but a whole lot better than shooting it again.

The "Conventional" paint scheme has you draw hatches and outline the silver paint areas with a black felt pen or with pin stripe paint. It's hard to get a clean, flowing line around a masked paint area. Drawing hatches around a curved surface would be impossible. Sorry Estes, not possible.

Estes Nemesis #2175 Build, Part 8, Damned Florida Heat and Humidity!

I seem to run into this every year. Florida heat and humidity really screws up paint drying and re-coat times.
This one had two days after the first coat was sanded down. Two full days! 
The can recommends: "Re-coat within one hour or after 24 hours.
Plastic nose cones typically take much longer to dry. Wood and body tubes dry quicker. Wood and body tubes "breathe", plastic doesn't.
On this model I hit the nose cone first and a bit of the body. Good thing I stopped before spraying the whole model.

TIP: One thing I've learned is to spray a little area and wait a minute before spraying the rest of the model. Check that small re-coat surface. If there isn't any wrinkling of the paint you should be good to go!
(Notice I said "should" be good to go.)

Estes Nemesis #2175 Build, Part 6, Random Things

TIP: I glue the engine mount in before marking the tube for fins and the launch lug marking.
It's much harder to line up an engine hook to the launch lug line when you have glue starting to set up in the tube.

Glue the engine mount in, let it dry then mark the tube with the marking guide. Simply slide the marking guide so the launch lug line is inline with the engine hook glued in place, then mark for the fins.

The was the worst nose cone mold I've seen in a long time.
The seam was very evident and required a lot of scraping and sanding to get smooth.
There were even mold marks on the small forward fins.






I tugged on the parachute lines and they didn't break, hooray!
Well, it is an older production kit . . . 

Estes Nemesis #2175 Build, Part 5, Wing Gluing and Grain Fill

The forward strakes are glued onto the fins and rudder.







After the glue dried, both wings were lined up and the front ends trimmed even.

Instead of holding the strakes when applying the CWF filler they were held down on masking tape, sticky side up.

On the forums, some builders have complained that the Carpenter's Wood Filler warps balsa when it dries.
It does . . .
But when you apply it to the other side it counteracts the warp. It should end up straight again after drying.
There might be a slight curve but you can coax it straight again with light finger pressure.

Estes Nemesis #2175 Build, Part 4, Strips or Vanes?

The six forward vanes weren't fully cut out on the die-cut sheet. There are three strips that are cut to 1 1/2" lengths. The 45 degree ends weren't pre-cut.

For a consistent cut I drew a 45 degree angle on my cutting board.
Both sides were cut on all six pieces.








Here's all six strips after cutting, trimming and sanding smooth.

Estes Nemesis #2175 Build, Part 3, Fin Grain and Repair

I'd rather cut out my own fins then deal with bad die-cutting.
You can be as careful as you want but chances are the trailing fin tips will probably break at the grain.

TIP: Note the direction I'm cutting. You have less chance of the tip breaking off if you draw the blade down and away from the brittle tip.

And it happened!

TIP: The corner broke off  one of the wings. I couldn't find it so I glued an oversize balsa piece with yellow wood glue. Don't use CA glue for this. You might find the wood glue sands easier.
Let this dry thoroughly before sanding.
Use a block with 220 grit. The inset shows the repair.

Estes Nemesis #2175 Build, Part 2, Engine Mount

I've got no internet wi-fi at home! So, I'm having coffee and internet at McDonald's this morning.
At home the internet has been spotty over the past week and now it doesn't come up at all. I'll do my best to keep blog posts coming.

The instructions don't say to but I notched the inside of the centering rings to clear the engine hook.

Around the inside edge was a turned over "burr" that would make it very hard to fit over the engine mount tube.
TIP: Instead of doing a peel to widen the inside diameter, sometimes you can roll the burr down with the back end of a Sharpie pen or smooth dowel.

The engine mount was assembled dry - no glue.
The finger tab was cut off and the hook flipped over so the upper end was now at the bottom of the mount.

Try this next time - 
TIP: Slide the centering rings on dry, into position with no glue. Then apply glue fillets to hold them in place. Instead of applying a ring of glue and sliding the ring into it, you'll have more time to make adjustments if the glue is applied afterwards.

Notice the back end of the thin blue engine mount tube. Because the blue tubes are a bit thin, the exposed end was strengthened with a wipe of medium CA glue, inside and out.

Estes Nemesis #2175 Build, Part 1, Parts

This is a repeat post - I wanted all the Nemesis build posts in order - 
Stay with me on this one. I came up with a pretty good way to "paint" the black canopy - without masking!

This model was a gift, sent along with a custom build for a client.
An interesting "Futuristic Spaceship" introduced in 1990.

Estes gave two different suggested paint schemes, the more reserved white and the "Go Wild" yellow and blue. Frankly, the Go Wild decor is pretty ugly.








On the back of the face card you could WIN ROCKET STUFF in a rocket decoration and naming contest. This reminded me of coloring contests I'd see when I was a kid.

It was a quarterly contest where you could win a $100 merchandise certificate. There is no expiration date - Who knows, the contest might still be running. (But I doubt it.)

Here's all the parts.
The model is BT-50 based and the tube is very clean with small seams.
The balsa is die-cut, the cuts aren't all the way through the 3/32" balsa.

Parts of interest:
The canopy nose cone seam is really rough. These molds should have been replaced before this kit was made.
This was one of the few Estes kits I've seen with an elastic shock cord. It's 1/8" x 18" long.
Stickers! I hate stickers.