Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 9, Joining The Tubes

The picture on the left shows a dry fit of the two tubes joined by the coupler.

Note the pencil reference line, drawn where the tube fit is best. There are still small gaps.

On the right is a better fit, sanding the tube ends square with a sanding block.

The coupler ends are beveled for an easier slip fit in the tubes.

The bevel also lets the glue pool up at the edge a bit.

If you use yellow or white glue, don't use too much. The dried glue could shrink the tube.

I'd recommend using epoxy for couplers and engine mounts. Epoxy won't lock up like yellow or white glue can.

After sliding the two tubes together, I use a burnisher to mold any raised areas.

CWF is brushed on the seam joint and sanded.

On the right you can see the high and low spots after sanding.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 8, Fitting The Fin Pieces

When fitting the O brace part with the angled end against the N part, it came up short in the back.

I cut new longer O pieces using some of the leftover balsa.

While dry fitting the S brace, the O piece was glued on. 

The O piece was a hair wide. Masking tape was applied to protect the S brace while the overhang was sanded down.

Here's the finished O piece, fitting tight against the M and N pieces of the wing.

The wing is then glued together on a flat surface with weights.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 7, Fitting The Fin Pieces

Here's the engine mount before and after painting gloss white.

Thin masking tape strips were set over the outside edges where the short tube (Part G) will be glued.

The yellow engine block spacing tube is set in the tube to keep out the paint overspray.

With Part S set into the notches (see picture below) check the joint alignment of the L, M, N, P parts.

It took very little sanding to get a better fit. 

Here's the Part S brace in place, no glue yet.

It's amazing how strong this assembly is.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 6, Balsa Prepping

I kept the glue fillets on the vanes small. Any excess glue was picked up with Q-tips.

Lots of laser cut balsa in this kit!

Four sheets of 1/8" thick wood.

This is part of one fin assembly.

On the left - I've sanded the edges with 320 grit on a block. This is about halfway through the edge sand. 

On the right - The finished edge sand, just a small bit of laser cut ash remains. Sand off just the ash, don't change the size or shape of the piece.

Another sand,

On the left - With the block held perpendicular to the fin face, you can see how the laser cut isn't cut at a true 90 degree angle. 

The fit will be better if the edges are true.

On the right - 

The ash is removed and the fin edges square.

Old School Krylon Available Again?

From the Estes Model Rockets Group on Facebook - 

David Scigs wrote:

"Great news, Krylon has listened to us and brought back their Acrylic Lacquer spray paint now being sold at Lowes. No more heavy enamel paint and a paint you can recoat anytime without getting the rocket herpes. Much more affordable than Tamiya."

CLICK HERE

This is great news! The same paint I used back in the 1970s on all my model rockets.

Bear in mind, you will need a solid white undercoat as the lighter colors are somewhat translucent.

Avoid spraying a lacquer over enamel. The lacquer might craze the enamel paint.

Doing an availability search, it looks like the Krylon Classic is available at some Ace hardware stores and Walmart. It MIGHT be available at these stores.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 5, Fitting The Vanes

The engine hook retainer ring is rough with a wide seam that could be seen when painted.

I added a wrap of copy paper with a glue stick. This smooths out the surface and covers the seam spiral.

I sealed the surface with some CA glue wiped on with a Q-tip.

Notice the CA glue is not applied on the line where the vanes will be glued.

On the left is the glue applied to the vane root edge.

On the right is the same glue line after smoothing and removing the excess. This makes a cleaner glue line when the vane is pressed in place.

Set the first four vanes in a standard cruciform pattern.

When setting the other four, you might want to rely on visual spacing instead of strict pencil lines. Even with my payloadbay.com marking guide, I found a visual spacing was closer to the truth.

On the left - Notice the fit of the two vanes that glue beside the engine hook. Over the engine hook, the retainer ring is raised. 

On the right - The center notch was deepened with a diamond file to bring all three contact points onto the tube.

Estes Cosmic Interceptor Build, Part 4, Prepping The Engine Mount Tubes

There are many tubes in this kit - I'll be filling seams as I go.

The engine mount tube and the short tube that goes over the vanes got the seams pencil marked.

Thinned CWF was dragged into the seams using the tip of an old X-Acto #11 blade.

After it dried, sanding followed to surface with 400 grit.

I know - I'm filling an inside seam.

I won't know how visible this will be until the vanes are glued on.

After filling, more sanding.

The two tubes got a shot of Duplicolor Filler/Primer (FP101) and sanding. Two steps and the seams are filled.

The engine mount marking guide didn't quite match up around the engine tube. 

A comment once said: "It won't match up after the tube diameter is increased if the seams were filled."

The wrap was placed at the upper end of the tube where no filling was done. A new marking guide was printed at payloadbay.com.

To place the engine block, tape wraps were done at the 1/2" mark.