Decal Fix on the Teros Upscale

I could never figure out why the TEROS 2 decal looked so large on the white fin.
This Teros was pretty much a 200% upscale. The original was a BT-50 (.976") to a Quest 50mm tube. (1.97") I enlarged the decal size accordingly. The "2" decal on the fin felt crowded and too close to the leading and trailing edges.

Then it dawned on me -
I had purposely made the fins slightly smaller, the fin surface area was large on the BT-50 original.

The Teros 2 decal lifted pretty easily.
Even with a coat of Future on them I grabbed a corner and peeled it off.

Home print decal sizes are hard to gauge until they are in place on the model.
I printed up two pair, one that I thought was the correct new size, and another two smaller yet.

It's subtle, but it did make a difference.

On the left is the first, larger try.
On the right is the smaller final decal.
DONE!

Estes Teros Upscale, Finished

Even though the US AIR FORCE decals aren't in the original white, the upscale captures the feel of the Estes kit.

The model is BIG and could be a good match for the Estes E9 and E12.

There is some transparency in the white block over the orange paint. It's not as noticeable with the second black decal over the top.
Even with the outside edges of the fins trimmed back they still seem large!
The ramjet nose cone was a major design feature of the Estes kit. The champagne flute nose cone isn't exact but close enough to the original profile.

Estes Teros Upscale, Part 14, Decals

Set the horizontal bands on first, the U.S. AIR FORCE decals will center between these.

There was a paint ridge on the upper mask between the white and orange below. The clear border was cut off the bottom and the black edge set right on top of the paint ridge.
The decal could have been centered on top of and over the paint ridge. Setting the decal right on top of the ridge hides the raised paint lip.

The inset picture shows the band decals with the overlap seams in line with the launch lug. This hides the overlap when the model is on the launcher.

Enlarge the picture and look for the pencil marks at the lower right of the "R".
For centering, mark the center point on the body and the decal. It's easier to set the long decal down when the decal and body center points are already marked.






I made the mistake of leaving a hairline border around the fin center decals. This thin line had to be cut off.

White decal squares were set down and centered between the fins.
The black print decals were set on top.

TIP: Whenever you do a double layer decal, wait for the first decal to totally dry. Otherwise both layers will slip around on the surface.

Estes Teros Upscale, Part 13, Paint and Repaint!

The new sanded epoxy fillets got another shot of primer/filler and were sanded again.

I didn't take pictures of the first mask. The two following pictures show the second attempt at spraying the orange.

I had some problems with the orange paint crinkling up around one root edge. It had to be sanded smooth and shot again.

There is only one white fin and it was masked off.

After the tape masks were removed everything was smooth and the mask lines sharp.

The original kit instructions say to paint the model white and red.
I went with white and orange. The catalog picture looked white and orange to me.

Estes Teros Upscale, Part 12, Fillets

Here's the Teros fin fillets after the first white coats.
I used three applications of the Titebond M&TG.
On a model this size the fillet radius seems too small. I didn't want to use epoxy but I'll need it to make the fillets larger and rounder.
I think the fillet size should reflect the size of the up scaled model.

In the first picture you can almost see the sunken center line of the fillet.
When roughing up the fillets that line is even more apparent.
I sanded the fillets with 220 grit wrapped around a Q-tip.

I've covered epoxy fillets in earlier blog posts.
The dried epoxy fillets look smooth and even.
After a shot of gray filler/primer you can see any inconsistencies.

The new epoxy fillets were sanded even with some 220 grit wrapped around a Q-tip.

The inset picture shows the fillets after a second sanding with 400 grit.

Estes Teros Upscale, Part 11, Four Fin Gluing

After the fin lines were drawn, the gluing area was sanded down with 220 on a block. This was to rough up the surface for a good glue bond.
It's easy to get control over how much is sanded off with the Easy Touch block.
The pencil alignment lines were redrawn.

TIP: It's a good idea to check the 90 degree angle of the root edge and trailing edge against a true corner.
I used CD box.
The inset picture shows how the root edge was a bit long at the bottom right side.
If the fin isn't true the rocket will wobble when standing up.
The bottom of the root edge was sanded until the root and trailing edges were at 90 degrees.

TIP: Here's one way to visually align four fin models.
Look over the top making sure the fin on the other side is in line with the fin closest to you.

The fourth fin isn't glued yet. On a four fin model the up and down position of the last fin can decides if the model will wobble.

Turn the rocket over and set it on the three fins already glued on.
(Note the tape wrap at the top. This is a good reference for getting the leading edge tips in line.)
TIP: Glue the fourth fin on making sure the trailing edges are all touching the flat table top. Make very small slides up or down the root edge pencil line until all four fin trailing edges sit flat and are even.
This extra alignment step only applies to four fin models. Three fin models stand flat without any extra work.

Estes Teros Upscale, Part 10, Primer Shots

The pencil lines on the nose cone is to remind me to sand down what remains of the molding seam.
After the primer is shot, many imperfections show up and I was able to see a slight wide raised seam.

The concave ramjet seam was sanded smooth with 400 grit around a Q-tip.

The body tube primer was sanded down, still leaving some filler in what was left over from the CWF fill.

In the back is a rolled up paper towel to keep paint out of the open area between the engine mount and inside tube walls.

The fins filled well, there's not much of the primer left in the grain.
From the outside edges there isn't any indication of a laminate seam.

Estes Teros Upscale, Part 9, Decal Draw

I found the decal scan online and redrew them.
Doubling the size of the art made the decals very large. It'll take two, 8 1/2" x 11" sheets to print them all in black.
These will be close, I couldn't find exact fonts.

On the left is the yellowed kit decal scan.
The tracings are next to that and my 2X decals are to the right.

The "U.S. AIR FORCE" was originally done in white.
Unless I send away to have them printed they'll end up being black on my model. I have white decal paper but matching the red on the decal to any available red spray paint would be nearly impossible.

The white "rivet" square between the fins can be a white decal square underneath with a black decal overlay.

EDIT: For whatever reason, the decals I printed ended up too large! Everything was reduced in size and another sheet printed up.

Estes Teros Upscale, Part 8, Fins

On one piece I had a chip on the trailing edge.
When gluing the two piece lamination, I'll turn this chipped side in to the center to the filler will stay in place better.

Here's one of the rare occasions I used yellow wood glue.
I didn't lay it on too thick I don't want the lamination to slip around.
Just be sure to get glue near the outside edges.
The fins were set under heavy books to dry.

I checked the fins and the edges were warping and lifted.
I pinched the open edges together and closed them with thin CA.

Estes Teros Upscale, Part 7, Fin Cutting and Change

I always thought the fin span on the Teros was pretty wide.
It'll look even wider on the 2X upscale.
The purists may not like this, but I am cutting about 1/2" from the outside of the fins.
The nose cone is a close to the correct size, the fins will be too.

The original model had 3/32" thick fins, the upscale will double that with the fins at 3/16" thick.
I'll cut eight fins from 3/32" stock and laminate.
That's a lot of balsa!

All eight pieces were pinned together for gang sanding.

When gang sanding be sure the edges are straight and sanded flat.

Estes Teros Upscale, Part 6, D.I.Y. Engine Hook and Kevlar

I didn't have any engine hooks for the 3 3/4" long engines so one was made from windshield wiper blade metal.
Anytime you bend one, always check against an engine casing.

TIP: Sometimes you can make an easier fit of the rings by rounding off the inside edge with a burnisher. This prevents the edges of the ring from rolling back the end of the engine mount tube.

Before gluing on the rear ring, check to be sure the engine hook relief notch is deep enough to allow the engine to be slid in place.

The Kevlar was tied below the forward ring. It was slid down and away from the forward ring.

A glue fillet was applied to the upper ring and left to set up for a few minutes.
The Kevlar loop was pressed into the drying glue.

The 50mm body tube was too wide to be used in my Cutter tool.

TIP: I went "old school" and wrapped card stock around the tube.
This gave me a temporary straight edge to cut against.
Note there is tape at the back of the wrap so it won't slip while cutting.

Estes Teros Upscale, Part 5, D.I.Y. Centering Rings

Four rings were cut, two will be laminated for the front and two for the rear ring.

All four were slipped over the BT-50 tube and gang sanded for a uniform friction fit.

Recesses were punched for engine hook movement.
On the left is the lower ring with a deeper engine hook notch.
The other ring has a very slight engine hook cut. Directly above that is the hole (marked K) for the Kevlar loop.

Glued was applied and two rings aligned.
Both were clamped together for a laminated ring.

Estes Teros Upscale, Part 4, D.I.Y. Centering Rings

I had some 50mm Quest centering rings but they were for 29mm engines. I'll have to cut my own rings from mat board for 24mm engines.

I'm using heavy walled BT-50 for the engine mount tube.
It's easier to center the circles if you draw the smaller inside one first.
I took the ring I had, centered it over the smaller circle and traced around the outside.

The inside circle is cut just inside the pencil line.

The inset picture shows the smoothing of the cut circle with 220 grit over a finger.
Test fit the inside circle over the BT-50 until a friction fit is obtained.

After the inside circle is fitted cut the outside circle.
This line is cut to the outside of the pencil line and will be sanded for a friction fit in the 50mm tube.

Estes Teros Upscale, Making The Nose Cone, Part 3

I made a coupler out of some scrap body tube. This will end up being the shoulder of the hollow plastic nose cone.

Here I'm gluing the joining strip to the inside of the slit scrap tube.

The shoulder needed two different wraps to get the shoulder to the right outside diameters.
Card stock was glued around the coupler with a glue stick.
There are two separate "steps."
The first step fits the inside taper of the nose cone wall.
The second wrap butts up against the base of the nose cone.

The champagne flute nose cone is a close fit on the Quest 50mm tube. The shoulder piece needs the shims to fit well.

Estes Teros Upscale, Making The Nose Cone, Part 2

I needed a plastic base to cover the lower nose cone half.
The clear cover from a CD case worked well.

It was glued in place with medium CA.
I'll have to do an internal fillet later. The CA glue gets brittle with time.
It did hold on well when the clear disk was filed and sanded down to the side of the nose cone.






Here's the top sanded smooth down to 400 grit.

The nose cone tip will be glued on with plastic cement.




The finished ramjet nose cone.
It still needs a built up shoulder made from pieces of body tubes.

The exposed nose cone length is 5 1/16" tall, just short of the 2X upscale size of 5.1"
The length and profile is close enough for a 50 cent nose cone!

Estes Teros Upscale, Making The Nose Cone, Part 1

A few years ago, I bought three packages of the plastic champagne flute glasses from the Dollar Tree stores. These go on sale before Valentines day.

The outside diameter is a close fit to the Quest 50mm tubes.
I haven't used one since the Scavenger model was built.

The Estes Teros nose cone is the "ramjet" style.





To start, the stem and base are cut off.
The tip is filed and sanded down until the point is smooth.

The tip on the original Teros nose cone is about 1/2" long.
This is a 2X upscale so this end was cut off at 1".

The inset picture shows the second cut line, 3/16" down from the first cut. Mark the second cut after the cut edge is sanded flat.

Estes Teros #1285 Upscale Background

The Estes TEROS started as a Coldpower Convertible rocket in 1972 - 1973.
The Coldpower Convertible line used a smaller Vashon style engine that fit into a BT-50 tube.
The ejection was an interesting spring release.

NUMBER: KL-5 or #1105
Introduced: 1972
Final Year: 1973
Designer: Mark Kellner
Type: Pseudo-Scale
Motor Mount: Coldpower
Recovery: Parachute
Length: 13"
Diameter: 0.976"
Weight: 2.01 oz (With Engine)

It was re-released as a 18mm black powder model in 1977

NUMBER: #1285
Reintroduced: 1977
Final Year: 1982
Designer: Mark Kellner
Type: Pseudo-Scale
Motor Mount: 1x18mm
Recovery: Parachute
Length: 13"
Diameter: 0.976"
Weight: 1.2 oz

The other models to use the "Ram-Jet"  BNC-50BC nose cone were: #0816 Wolverine and the #1311 Laser Torpedo

Coming up:
I'll be making an upscale of the Teros using the Dollar Tree store champagne flute nose cone with the Quest 50mm tubing.
The outside diameter of the the original BT-50 tubing is .976, the 50mm tubing is 1.97".
This will end up being slightly larger than a 2X upscale.