Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 16, Oops! Gluing On The Wrap

The 3D wrap was a bit large and slid loose on the 2" tube. I decided to cut out a sliver for a tighter fit.

3D plastic is brittle! When I tried to score the cut line the piece cracked.

The second break was down the cut score line. I set that piece aside. I'm not really concerned as the launch lug will cover any seam.

The wrap was glued on using Fabri-Tac glue. Fabri-Tac contains acetone and works well with plastic to Kraft tube joints.

The Fabri-Tac gives you a little working time, it's fairly slow to dry.

Tape was used to hold the wrap tight as the glue set up.

That broken off piece was glued and slid into place.

There was a gap towards the top. No big deal, the launch lug will cover it.

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 15, Skinning The Fins & Fin Gluing

As it turns out, the fins are too thin for a friction fit in the support slots.  I'll need to laminate some cardstock to increase the thickness.

The mat board fins had the leading edge rounded for a smoother "fold-over" of the cardstock skin.

The 110 lb. cardstock was cut oversize.

The outside layer will be "butterflied" with the fold rolling over the leading edge. Score and pre-fold the leading edge.

I used a glue stick to adhere the skin.

Set the folded edge first over the rounded leading edge.

After skinning the two fins - 

The 3" long launch lug tubes are glued to the outside edge of the fins.

The two square solar panel fins and smaller pod supports are glued on.

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 14, Fitting The Shroud, Gluing The Fin Supports

The first dry fit of the shroud fit showed a gap.

Turns out the glue fillet on the tube and centering ring joint wouldn't allow the shroud to seat all the way down. The fillet was sanded and the centering ring hole slightly enlarged.

I got a better fit but one side was slightly high. The high side was sanded using a block.

Here's a better fit of the shroud on the lower body tube.

Line up the shroud seam with one of the large, square fins.

The solar panel (fin support) gluing area had the filler/primer scraped off for a better glue bond.

After placing on the tube, they were held down with rubber bands as the glue dried.

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 13, Lower Tube Centering Rings

The instructions say to "snap" the rings into the tubes by pressing the tube onto the rings on a tabletop.

I rolled a dowel over over the joint to be sure the ring face was flush with the end of the tube.

Internal fillets were applied using a Q-tip taped onto a dowel.

Use small drops of glue on the Q-tip. The Q-tip is then used to smooth the glue and pick up the excess.

A light sanding follows to remove any dried glue and even up any roughness.