Estes QCC Explorer Finished

This is a great example of what laser cutting can really do. I wish the tabs were a little taller, there would have been less filling.
Construction was both frustrating but in the end, rewarding.
A strong, impressive rocket when finished and a great value even at the retail price of $22.99.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 24, Ends and Edges

A 1/8" wide shock cord was run through the elastic loop at the top of the coupler.

A loop was tied near the top to attach a altimeter.
The end was tied onto the nose cone base with a Duncan Uni Knot.
With the nose cone tied on you won't lose it at ejection.






The top and bottom edges of the payload tube were blackened with a marker. This makes a cleaner color separation when the nose cone is inserted.





One of the intake side decals wouldn't release from the backing sheet. Most of the decal slid right off except for a small area near the top.



A small red decal patch was tried but it didn't blend well.
I ended up dabbing a red Sharpie over the open area. Perfect? No, but hardly noticeable.

(This is not the model sold on Ebay. Those decals transferred just fine.)

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 23, Fin Decals

I centered the fin decals as best I could. I had rounded the leading edges of the fins which may have lead to how the two decal sides didn't match up at the top.








Here's how the leading edge decal sat.
I wish there was an overlap and meeting of the red bars.






I save old decals. Some red was cut off an old Groove Tube decal sheet.
The ends were rounded off anticipating the fit over the rounded leading edge.








Here's the leading edge after the decal patch.

Be sure to brush on some Future over the patch to be sure it adheres.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 22, Intake Decals

This decal goes inside the intake.
Notice the backing paper. Slide the decal back so it overhangs the rear of the backing. Set the decal inside, all the way in. Then slide off the backing paper.
It's hard to get the decal inside if the surface is a little rough.

Normally you would cut decals close to the printed image.
On the intake side decals cut the narrow ends a little wide. It helps keep the back end straight when transferring it onto the model.

Here's how the top on my intake decal was centered.

Sight from the rear and try to get them a straight as you can.

I made two QCC kits at the same time the first one only had the left side intake decals. Instead of left and right sides there was eight left decals.

The inset picture shows how the decal was flipped over and applied upside down on the right sides. This does work in a pinch but may not adhere as well.
After all is dried all decals got a coat of Future clear acrylic to set it down.

The second kit had both right and left intake decals so the correction has been made. The decals on the correct sheet were dated 02/16/12.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 21, Payload Section Decals

I always start with a medium size decal to get used to the soak times and how it slides on the surface. Decals from two vendors can differ on how easy they transfer.
These decals took a full 60 second soak before they slid off the backing paper.

The two payload section decals are directly opposite each other. For positioning a paper wrap was marked at the overlap and then at the halfway point. The inset picture shows the other side where the second decal will sit.
The wrap also helps align the tops of the two decals.



TIP: You can also use your aluminum angle to check the straightness of the decal side. Just be careful not to scratch the decal with the metal angle.

These wrap bar decals aren't separated on the sheet. You'll have to cut them close to the print.
These bands go around the top and bottom of the payload section.

The edges are even with the top and bottom of the tube. Cut the top edge of the upper ring close to the black line.
Cut the bottom decal wrap close to the bottom black stripe.

I cut the "TM" or trade mark off the QCC Explorer decal. There's no need for it on the model.

This decal centers on the open area above the intakes. Mark the center on the tube with a pencil.
Mark the center of the decal and align the two pencil marks.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 20, Color Paint Upgrades

The great thing about duplicating the face card decor, there is no masking!
If you didn't glue on the tail cone, nose cone or upper body tube, spray each part separately and glue together afterwards.

The tail cone was painted separately. The gluing surfaces were masked off.








Instead of the suggested gloss black, I went with the Rusto Metallic Black.
It's a subtle change that might make your model stand out from the crowd of QCC models at the next club launch.

The primer grey I first used on the payload section didn't give any contrast to the light grey color on the kit decal.

I ended up going with the Rusto Aluminum paint. It gives a little shimmer and is still in the grey family.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 19, First White Paint Coat

The areas under the front of the intakes are very hard to get smooth.
It's tough enough to get fillets in there.
I used Titebond M&TG for the fillets. You can sand this glue easier than a white glue fillet.

After the first gloss white was shot, some 400 grit was wrapped around a Q-tip for cushioned sanding. I was able to get into the small inside area and do some smooth sanding.

Here's how the intake areas looked after sanding, before the final white coats were sprayed.
Enlarge the picture to see how much of the glue boogers were sanded down.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 18, Intake Fillets

I used Titebond M&T glue for fillets on the lower 2/3rds of the intake joint. There is no way to get a good glue fillet under the inside top of the intake.

The Titebond M&T Glue skins over before you can wipe it off. I decided to use white glue for the fillets under the intake front.
You can't apply it right out of the bottle, the nozzle won't fit.

I used a small drop on Q-tips to transfer the glue then immediately wiped off the excess.

Glue was applied to the rounded top of the intake first, then the sides were done.
Use a Q-tip once, then throw it away.

After the upper white glue fillets dried - 
I lightly dragged the tip of my knife blade over the upper intake joint and could feel bubbles in the dried white glue.
I went back and did the upper fillets using Titebond M&TG.

The fin tabs were just a little long on all four fins.
On the left is the before, the inset picture shows the fit fin after sanding down the tab.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 17, Gluing On The Intakes

I made a four fin marking guide and used the fin lines to line up the left side of the intakes.
The entire intake sides were traced with a pencil.

Inside the pencil lines, the primer was scraped off down to the tube.

The first two intakes were glued on opposite sides and spaced visually from the rear.

A piece of paper was marked and used to guarantee the space between the intakes was consistent.

The flat side of a sanding block was set against the tube end to be sure the rear of the intakes were even with the bottom of the body tube.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 16, Ends and Edges Prep

Here's a dry fit of an intake and fin. The fin won't be glued in until after the intake is glued onto the body tube.
This is an impressive assembly unlike anything I've seen before.

I did a pull on a shroud line and it broke pretty easily.
I got out the 100% cotton embroidery thread and replaced all the lines.

When the intakes are glued on it'll be very hard to get the white paint underneath.
I sprayed some white in a small cup and brushed it on the inside surfaces.

This is the before and after showing the painted underside of the intakes.

I also painted the inside walls of the open top intake where I knew the spray paint wouldn't reach.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 15, DIY Payload Section Coupler

Two holes are punched in the disks. The shock cord will be tied through these.

Now the disk can be glued in over the reinforcement ring.
The reinforcement ring prevents the disks from being pulled down or out.

The red coupler is 3" long. Mark the center at 1 1/2". The lower half got a coat of medium CA.
Leave the upper half of the coupler as is, no CA coat. The upper 1 1/2" will glue into the 8" payload section tube.

After the CA dries, sand smooth with 400 grit.

Round the ends of the coupler edge for easier insertion in both tubes.

All open tube ends got a coat of medium CA and smooth sanding.

Don't use CA on a tube end that will have something glued into it.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 14, DIY Payload Section Coupler

The upper 8" of the rocket are a second, coupled tube. This makes for an easier color separation, don't glue the two tube sections together until after painting.
Anytime I see a model with a second body tube section I look for a way to make it into a payload section.
The red coupler will glue into the 8" section of tubing. The lower half of the coupler will slide into the longer, lower body tube.

Trace around a BT-60 tube onto some heavy cardstock.
Draw two circles.

Even though the card stock is thick I can still make a rough cut with scissors. Cut just inside the pencil lines, the circles will have to slide into the BT-60.
Glue the two disks together and let dry in a heavy book.

For a reinforcement ring I cut a 3/4' length of scrap BT-60 coupler.
Make a straight split cut through it and slip into the red coupler from the kit.

Mark the overlap and cut off the strip.

The reinforcement ring is glued flush inside the end of the red coupler.
The inset picture shows a dry fit (no glue yet) of the laminated disks after sanding the sides until it fits.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 13, Nose Cone / Nozzle Prep

This is a LONG blow molded nose cone, 8" exposed from shoulder edge to tip.

The nozzle is molded on at the base.

The molding seams were pretty clean on this one, but will still need some filling.
The raised seam was reduced about half way down with 220 grit on a block. The remaining "trench" will be filled with medium CA glue.

Run a bead of medium CA down the seam using the ridge as a guide for the glue nozzle.
Only apply down one side seam and set up so the wet glue line can dry facing up. Keep the nose cone in a horizontal position, this glue will run!
When totally dry, apply a bead line of glue down the other side seam.
A heavy bead of CA glue will take a while to dry.

After the glue is dry, sand to surface with 220 grit on a block.

It's easy to cut the nozzle off the back of the nose cone.
The cut notches running around the nozzle are wide and the knife stays in easily. As always, don't try to cut through with one pass. Use several lighter cut passes.
The plastic wall thickness is not consistent. Be ready, your knife could cut through when you may not expect it.

I couldn't find this step in the directions, it's on the first page to the right of the parts drawing.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 12, Intake Notch Fix! TIP

I had seen Squadron Putty mentioned in the forums.
Most use it to fill seams in nose cones. I use medium CA glue to fill nose cone mold seams.
The Squadron Putty contains Toluene, a solvent that breaks down the plastic and allows the filler to bond to the nose cone plastic.
I thought I'd give it a try on the QCC intakes.

The CWF is water based and wouldn't stick and stay in the notch recesses. The CA glue used to assemble the intakes had sealed all the notch areas.

The solvent in the white Squadron Putty stayed in the shallow intake notches!
The upper picture shows the putty applied, spread out using the flat side of my knife.
The inset is the same area after sanding with 400 grit.
The putty dries quickly and sands easily. Most important, it stayed in the notch cracks and shallow recesses over the dried CA glue.

I had chose the white Squadron Putty over the original formula green putty. The white putty will be easier to cover with color spray coats.

Estes QCC Explorer Build Part 11, First Paint on Intakes

I thought I filled all the seams and notches with CWF and sanded primer filler! Obviously not.
These intake tab notches are hard to get smooth!

On the sides you can still see some of the tab notches.
Oh boy! - more filler and sanding.

EDIT: I've got to be honest. I got so frustrated trying to get the intakes smooth I set the model aside for six months.
Every built QCC model I've seen has tab notches showing through the paint.
Sometimes I take a break from a model and hope a solution presents itself.

I found a "fix"! See the next blog post.