New Way Lunar Jumper Build, Part 13, Red Trim Tape

The red trim tape is cut using the cardstock template.

Set the tape down the lines and cut with a new blade. 

You are supplied with some extra red trim tape.

Near the top of the body tube, it gets a red line wrap.

I set down a wrap of masking tape for easier alignment and to make sure the red trim ends meet. 

The short BT-20 tubes get a wrap of red trim. Note the three wraps don't go from the fin fillet joint, around the tube to the other fin fillet. It seems short.

I marked the masking tape strip at the center with pencil. The red strip was also pencil marked at the center.

Set the red tape center over the mark on the tape and roll the ends around the tube.

Another strip of masking tape was set down for a guide.

The red strip was set down in line against the brown tape with the low end just a little beyond the curved trailing edge.

Carefully trim the red tape overhang that extends beyond the trailing edge to match the fin curve. Cut only the red trim, don't cut into the balsa fin.

Estes Monarch Build, #7214, Part 14, Placing The Upper Tube Trim

The upper body was spray painted gloss black, followed by two coats of my favorite Rusto Metallic Black. The black extends down 8.5" from the nose cone tip.

The metallic black compliments the reflective specks in the purple vinyl trim.

A 1/4" wrap of chrome is space about 1/8" from the bottom of the black.

The 1/2" wide purple butts up against the chrome.

Another 1/4" wrap of chrome sets against the bottom of the purple.

Estes Monarch Build, #7214, Part 13, Placing The Purple Fin Trim

The wider purple trim is cut much the same way as the chrome strip. 

A light wipe of glue stick and press the template onto the trim material.

Cut out the purple trim, a little long for overhang of the trailing edge. 

The purple is rolled over the leading edge and evenly spaced from the chrome strip.

The picture was taken after the overhang was trimmed off.

The left side shows the rolled over purple and chrome on the rounded leading edge.

The inset picture shows the trimmed squared trailing edge.

Estes Monarch Build, #7214, Part 12, Placing The Chrome Fin Trim

With the right side of my ruler set into the root edge - The right side of the chrome strip is about 2 1/16". (The ruler has a little extra border on the left side.)

This measurement is consistent from the top to the bottom.

 Notice the masking tape set down as a right side vertical guide for the chrome strip.

Set the center of the chrome V strip on the rounded leading edge.

The tails on the sides aren't stuck down yet.

Set the right side edge down using the tape edge.

When all it lined up, burnish the chrome strip down.

Trim off the overhang from the trailing edge with a sharp knife using a short back and forth sawing motion. 

With the tape guide removed, 

the chrome strips are placed, parallel to the root edge line.

Estes Monarch Build, #7214, Part 11, Cutting The Chrome Fin Trim - TIP

TIP: The larger Estes Optima kit supplies you with holographic tape trim. It's a long strip that won't wrap over the rounded leading edge of the fin, leaving a gap. Here's how I made a continuous "roll-over" piece. 

   

A fin tracing and indications of the purple and chrome trim.

The tracing is mirrored so the pieces could smoothly cover and connect on the leading edge.

A little bit of planning could saves a lot of frustration when dealing with peel and stick trim.

Here's the two templates cut from cardstock. The wider purple piece is on the left, the thinner chrome strip is to the right.

Mark the center fold over line.

Note the top and bottom ends are extended beyond the trailing edges of the fins. This allows an overhang to be trimmed off later.

Apply a light wipe of glue stick to the backside of the thinner chrome template.

The glue coat holds the template in place as you cut the chrome underneath.

The top picture shows the template tacked to the chrome. Cut around the template using a straightedge and sharp knife.

The light wipe of the glue stick allows the template to be lifted after cutting and used again.

Estes Monarch Build, #7214, Part 10, Planning Ahead For Paint & Trim

The instructions don't mention where the black paint starts on the upper end of the body. 

I assume the black paint separation mask is at the low end of the payload tube. The payload tube (catalog #031380) length doesn't come up on the Estes website.

To estimate the length - On my computer screen, I enlarged the instruction picture close to the diameter of the downscale BT-55.

The black paint area measured out at 8 1/2" from the tip of the nose cone down.

The instructions show colors and dimensions of the holographic tape trim. I'll simply half the height.

At Hobby Lobby I found some self adhesive metallic purple vinyl.

The self adhesive chrome is left over from the Estes Doorknob build. I didn't use the chrome trim on the blue "sport" version. I sometimes hang onto unused parts and trim for moments like this.

While not an exact match to the full size Pro 2 holographic trim, it's close enough for my downscale.

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 20, White Trim

I couldn't find 1/16" wide pinstriping tape at the auto supply stores.

I could find it online, but I didn't want to wait.

Michael's craft store had peel and stick vinyl in small rolls.

On the left is a closeup of the pod nose cone. You could smooth it out with sandpaper, but I like the extra detail.

The main nose cone picture shows the tie down lug. Whoever did the 3D work made it very strong.

The pods are centered when glued onto the smaller support fins. 

The glue line was scraped and the centers marked for easier placement.

The instructions show 1/16" wide tape strips added for extra details.

On the long upper body tube I'll wait until after the decals are applied. 

It would be difficult to apply decals over the raised tape lines.

New Way Letter - Go Build, Part 13, Black Tape Strip Trim

The kit supplies some pre-cut black vinyl trim strips.

When applied on the model the black and white paint pattern reminds me of the Wac Corporal.

The black trim is 1/4" tall. Get an idea of the spacing by setting the strip with 1/4" of the white showing.

The instructions wisely suggest wrapping a strip of paper around the tube for an alignment guide.

Don't peel all of the backing off initially - 

peel back an inch or so, apply and repeat.

Notice the pencil mark. That's the stop and start point directly over the launch lug. I started the strip with a slight overlap in mind so the left end is placed to the side of the pencil mark. 

With the rocket on the launcher and the launch rod in the back, any misalignment of the wrap won't be seen when taking pre-launch pictures.

Here's a better look of the alignment paper and the start (center) of the tape strip.

There is a third wrap strip at the top of the body tube.

Odd'l Rockets F-104 Starfighter Build, Part 18, Canopy Gluing

Squeeze out a few drops of thin CA glue onto some scrap cardboard. Dip a toothpick tip into the glue puddle and let dry.
Center the canopy over the decal.
Dip the dried tip into the CA puddle again.
Run the glued toothpick tip around the edge of the canopy. Be sure there is a bead of glue all the way around the canopy.

Some of the first kits might have grey "Canopy Trim Decal" lines on the decal sheet. These turned out to be translucent over the clear plastic.

I ended up cutting some thin strips from electrical tape and placing them as shown here.

Apogee Shrockets Skonk Wulf Build, Part 13, Nose Tip Mask

Some test cutting was done for the nose tip ring.
A black trim ring goes around the nose cone tip and over the edge of the silver. I didn't want to risk another small mask.

I cut some Contact Paper Blackboard Vinyl with a rigged up cutting compass. I know there are better circle cutters out there but this will do in a pinch. It took a few tries to get the arc width even.

On the left is one of the early tries. The cheap compass did wobble a bit.

On the right is the best ring I made.

On the left you can barely see the mask line between the two previous colors. This was lightly sanded between coats. The sanded paint helped fill what was left of the mask line.

I didn't do a real clean mask, the edge of the silver was going to be covered with the black ring.

The edge of the the silver paint was sanded with some 400 grit wrapped around the end of  a Q-tip.

The Big Fix, Estes V2 Fix Part 2 New Tube and Roll Pattern Stripes

The replacement BT-80 tube was cut to size.
The seams were filled, the tube primed and sanded.
White paint followed.




The tube was epoxied to the engine mount and fin can assembly.





Stripes were cut from the Contact paper blackboard covering.
In the picture the lower stripes were trimmed, the upper strips meeting the black fin have yet to be trimmed.

Peter Alway Saturn IV Build, Part 25, Decals Part D

Two small triangles go beneath the angled launch lug details.
On the white side the triangle is black, on the black side it is white.

The black decal was simply cut off an extra black decal block.




The white triangle was cut from some extra self-adhesive vinyl I had in the spare parts box.
Hang on to old, left over decals and trim material. you never know when it might come in handy.

Peter Alway Saturn IV Build, Part 23, Decals Part B

The instructions say to: 
"Cut double grooves in the nose cone to represent recessed landing legs. Paint silver."
It'd be pretty difficult to cut grooves into a thin plastic nose cone. You'd only have one chance to get it right.
I had to come up with something different.

I made a template and centered it over the disks already in place.
Light pencil marks were made.

It's much easier to do the trim with chrome trim Monokote.
Thin strips were cut with a straightedge and sharp blade.









Here's how it looked after placing the trim strips.

Peter Alway Saturn IV Build, Part 18, Upper Body Trim, Part B

The cut tape wouldn't fit tight under the small dowel details.
I used my center punch to cut small relief areas to go around the base of the dowels.





Here's how the vinyl looked after punching. There is only two small recesses along the top.

The front and back views with the black vinyl applied.
It took a lot of small trimming to get everything to fit well.

A dry fit of all three sections.

This is an impressive design and the decals aren't even applied yet.

Peter Alway Saturn IV Build, Part 17, Upper Body Trim, Part A

The upper black squares were easy enough.
I could have masked and black sprayed but went the easy route with my favorite trim material, the Contact Paper blackboard covering.

To make the trim pieces for the shroud, another print was made on 110 lb. card stock. I needed it thicker so I could trace around it.
The pieces would have to match the curvature of the shroud.

A center line was drawn using my middle finger as a pencil depth gauge.

The black areas were marked.

The inset shows the black pieces traced onto the covering material.

TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 50, Upper Section Orange Bands

The horizontal orange nose bands were scaled and traced earlier.

This template was simply taped to more of the orange sprayed label paper and cut out. Three were made.

Directly below the left side of a black vertical stripe, the low olive drab section was marked for the left edge of the orange bands.
Once one was set down, the remaining two bands were placed. Setting them directly below the black stripes made an automatic spacing between them.






The upper section colors are complete!
I'm very happy with the look, sharp and distinct.