The BT-101 tube wasn't cut clean. It wasn't a big deal to clean it up, just a few passes with some fine sandpaper on a block.
I'm not faulting Estes, cutting a tube this size is difficult. There could easily be some shifting of the tube and blade by the time you rotated it once in the cutter.
Heck, it took a bit of practice to get the technique down with my own Odd'l Rockets Cutter tool.
All the tube ends got a light strengthening of CA applied with a Q-Tip. The dried CA was smoothed with 400 grit.
TIP: Be sure to wipe down the laser cut centering rings before assembly. These charred edges will mark up anything they get close to. In the picture you can see what was left on the paper towel. These white rings aren't too bad, but the black Letramax rings from BMS and Quest can really blacken up other parts.
Just play it safe and wipe off the edges. It'll save you time not having to clean things up (or adding more paint to cover the marks) later on.
Time spent on build: :30 minutes prepping parts
Total time on build so far: 1:30
I used Letramax rings on my Big Bertha. It's messy stuff but it's earned my respect because it's more rigid, takes glue & paint well and can be filed easily and neatly.
ReplyDeleteI built an Estes Saturn V in 1979 when I was 14. I am looking forward to seeing how this kit turns out.
I agree, I prefer the black Letramax rings, much stronger than the white heavy cardstock. Ya just gotta wipe'em off!
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