Estes Photon Probe #3026 Build, Part 6, Engine Mount Gluing

The 150 lb. Kevlar line rolled up and inside the engine mount for gluing into the BT-55 main air frame tube.

On the replaceable Kevlar style mount the Kevlar is looped and tied under the lower centering ring. The orange Q-tip tube allows you to check the condition of the line after a few flights and feed a in new Kevlar line if needed.




The mount is set beside the main tube to gauge how deep the inside glue line will go.

I'll be using a stick to apply the glue. The stick is marked a little below where the upper ring will end up. Placing the glue line just below the upper ring final position pushes the glue bead above the centering ring joint.
TIP: When you can, turn the mount right before it is in the final position. That will smooth out the glue into an even fillet bead.

The rear edge of the engine mount tube is even with the main BT-55. Here a ruler was used to make sure the two tube ends were flush.





A Q-tip is used to apply a smooth fillet to the lower ring / body tube joint. A drop of glue is set on the Q-tip and carefully set into the joint. Flip over the Q-tip and smooth out the glue drop. It'll take four or five drops of glue to get a complete fillet all the way around the centering ring.