ASP Micro Hawk Build, Part 5, Gluing On The Fins

The fins are glued on with the trailing edge 1/4" from the back end of the tube.

I wrapped a strip of tape to have a consistent line for the rear edge of the fins.

The picture on the right shows how the fin will sit. After glue is lightly applied to the root edge, start the fin on the body at the rear corner and pivot turn the root edge down onto the alignment line.

I used the acetone based Fabri-Tac glue to initially tack the fins in place. The Fabri-Tac gives you some working time if you need to adjust the fins before it sets up.

Glue the opposite fin on. Sight across the back end to be sure they are in line.

After the Fabri-Tac dries, I used some medium CA glue to lock the fins to the body tube.

Squeeze out a drop of CA glue onto some scrap cardboard. Dip a toothpick tip into the glue, you don't need  big drop of glue. A little CA goes a long way.

Draw the toothpick tip down the root edge of the fin/body tube joint making a fillet.

Immediately pick up any excess glue with a swipe of a Q-tip.

ASP Micro Hawk Build, Part 4, Tube Spiral Fill & Fin Marking

I still like to fill body tube seams, even on a model this small.

Two Q-Tips slid in the back end make a good handle when applying the CWF filler.

The nose cone had a slight lip, a little wider than the shoulder.

Sanding down the edge on the 3D print nose cone was easy.

Now it easily slips into the upper short body tube. It was glued in place using medium CA glue.

On this smaller diameter body tube, the tube marking guide fit perfectly! 

You re supplied with a small plastic angle to extend the pencil lines down the body tubes. Good thing ASP includes this tool, These tubes are too small in diameter to mark in a door frame.

ASP Micro Hawk Build, Part 3, Cutting Out the Fins

The instructions have you cut out the fin cutting guide. I left mine on the instruction sheet.

All the cut lines were extended beyond the fin borders with a pencil and straightedge.

With the fin material taped down on the template, it was easy to extend pencil lines onto the plastic sheet.

You only have to cut (score) about halfway through the sheet plastic. You can then flex and crack the fins down the cut lines. Be sure the sharp upper tips are well scored for a clean break at the narrow tops.

On the right - 

I used small flat end pliers to crack the narrow excess plastic from the outside edges of the fins.

 

The fins are small and a little tricky to true up. Still, stack them old school and hold tight while sanding on some 220 on a block. 

I rounded the leading and trailing edges with 400 grit. 
 

New Estes Startech Starters

Updated, improved Estes "Starters" are on the way!

Estes announced the new STARTECH Starters with a YouTube video showing a side-by-side comparison. The current clear tip Starter is on the left, the new gray tip Startech Starter is on the right.

To see the video: CLICK HERE 

The igniter on the right seems a little slower to "fire" but this is a slow motion video. 

These will added to the engine packs and show up over time.

ASP Micro Hawk Build, Part 2, Engine Block & Kevlar Tie

You are supplied with two brown couplers.

Mark one coupler at 1/4". With a sharp knife, cut off the 1/4" end to be used as an engine block.

I like to restore the round shape and press down any burrs by rotating the block on a sharpened dowel.

The Kevlar line is tied on the engine block. Pull the knot to the top side of the block so the tied bulge won't contact the inside of the body tube.

The coupler is marked at 3/4" for a depth gauge. 

Note the top of the coupler was rounded off with 400 grit for easier insertion.

Slide the block into the long tube, no glue yet. Push into position using the long coupler up to the 3/4" pencil mark.

The inset picture shows a small amount of glue on the tip of a Q-tip. Insert in the back without touching the inside of the tube. Wipe off the glue at the engine block / tube joint.

The picture looks like I'm holding a Camel cigarette.

ASP Micro Hawk Build, Part 1, Parts

After building the BIG TLP Hawk, how about  small one - 

I still have to paint and draw up decals for the bigger Hawk.

This one I will finish and apply decal.

Enlarge this picture to see the specs - It's only  4.15" tall!

There are three full pages of instructions, printed on both sides.

From the left going clockwise to the center - 

1" x 8" orange Mylar streamer, Kevlar line, 3D printed nose cone, Styrene angle,

Fin and Tunnel material, water slide decals, two 1 1/2" long brown couplers, nose weights, two main body tubes.

Parts of interest:

The nose cone is very smooth for a 3D printed part.

Two US ARMY water slide decals

Three split lead weights

Plastic launch lug and placement spacer

Oh, My Achin' Back!

My new rule - 

"Don't help that neighbor move a King Size mattress into her house."

I didn't think it was going to be a problem, then I noticed the mattress didn't have those handling "ropes" on the side. There was nothing to grab onto. I carried the brunt of the load. I got the mattress into the front room but told her I couldn't risk taking it up the stairs.

I'm in the process of painting all the interior walls of my townhouse. My back didn't seize up until the evening when moving things in the Rocket Room. I wanted to paint that final wall behind the rocket shelves.

If you don't see a post in the next few days, there's a reason.

If I sit down at the computer, I might not be able to get up! Good thing I didn't put away the clean underwear in the dryer. I won't be going upstairs for a day or two.

One of my long rocket painting dowels has been repurposed with a wrap of tape on the end, sticky side out. If I drop something small I can pick it up.

Wolverine Jayhawk Build, Finished?

This Wolverine kit is available from Uncle Mike's Rocket Shack: CLICK HERE

As mentioned earlier, it reminds me of the old Centuri Wolverine kit without the fiber fins or cardstock tail cone. To see the Centuri instructions: CLICK HERE

I still haven't painted the nose cone tip black.

This mask requires a strip of masking tape (I use Scotch tape) cut in a smooth arc shape. It usually takes a few tries to get the radius of the arc cut correct.

The white decal underlay really sets off the decals.

The upper body and nose cone.

This is a good build for those looking for an easier, BT-50 based semi-scale Jayhawk.

 

Wolverine Jayhawk Build, Part 9, Nose Cone Decal Wrap

Placing this type of nose cone decal can be tricky - 

TIPS: Notice how it is cut out. The inside edge cuts are rounded.

This long red band is narrow, round out the inside corners. Cutting tight into the corners can start a tear.

Before soaking - Do some dry wraps to fins out how far down the decal wrap will start. When you find the place where the ends match up, lightly mark that line with a pencil. I mark a little outside the decal area. If the decal is set over a pencil mark you can't erase it later on! 

This is one of the few times I use Micro Sol.

There may be some folds along the top of the red line.

After the decal dries from the initial transfer, roll (don't rub) some Micro Sol over the decal with a Q-tip. Let dry and check the decal. It may require another application to soften up the clear coat on the decal.

Wolverine Jayhawk Build, Part 8, Decals!

The decals don't have a white undercoat.

They'll look okay as is, but there is a good work-around.

Here I've taped the decal to a window with bright sunlight behind it.

A white decal sheet was set on top of that.

Trace just inside the Star and Bars outside blue border line.

Cut out the white decal. On this type of use, no clear coat is needed on the white.

Set down the white piece. Without the clear coat it will transfer but feel a little slimy. Let dry before laying down the kit decal on top.

Set the star and bars decal over the white piece. Done! 

On the back side the roll pattern decal will need to be notched to work around the launch lug.

I should have looked ahead and maybe glued the launch lug higher up on the tube.

TIP: It's easier to notch a decal while it is still on the backing sheet - before soaking in water. Just be careful cutting those inside notch corners. Don't give the decal any reason to tear.

After the decal dries, the overlap on the body tube is cut with a single edge razor blade. 

Set the blade into the glue fillet and use no more pressure than needed to cut through the thin decal. Don't cut into the paint.

Carefully remove the overlap using your knife blade tip.

Wolverine Jayhawk Build, Part 7, White Undercoats

Filler/Primer was sprayed and sanded to surface.

Notice that any remaining filler/primer was scraped off the root edge fin gluing line.

White undercoats are important - 

1. They brighten up final finish colors

2. It shows any rough areas that might need to be cleaned up before the final color is sprayed.

Here's what I mean about rough areas after the white undercoat.

I honestly don't know what happened here. (How many times have you asked yourself that!)

The rough area was sanded smooth and would require another coat of undercoat white. 

I didn't want to re-shoot the entire model. 

TIP: The picture on the right shows a "floating" mask. A hole was torn in a paper mask and was taped so the edges wouldn't touch the surface. The paper mask was about 1/4" above the surface.

You can do this with a quick shot of filler/primer or if the area isn't too rough, just the white undercoat. This isn't recommended for the final darker color. Any rough or raised edge can be lightly sanded and feathered into the surrounding area after the paint dries.

After the small white shot was sanded the overall orange was sprayed.

I still have to paint that nose cone tip black. 

Wolverine Jayhawk Build, Part 6, Wing Tip Gluing

Here's the wing tips before and after sanding the filler/primer.

Note the filler/primer left in the remaining balsa grain.





The inside glue line is sanded to remove the filler/primer for better adhesion.

Some 400 grit sandpaper was wrapped around a Q-tip for cushioned width control.

I drew a pencil line at the front and rear center points of the wing tip for easier visual placement.
The tips were glued in place and centered.






You can let the glue dry while standing them up on a tabletop.

Wolverine Jayhawk Build, Part 5, Fit & Fill

Before filling the balsa,
Check the fit to be sure the wing tip is perpendicular or at a 90 degree angle to the larger wing fin. Sand and square up the outside edge of the wing if needed.








The engine mount tube will extend 1/8" out the back. It's not glued in yet - 
Don't forget to fill the visible seam on the engine mount tube.

On the left, CWF has been brushed on the balsa nose cone.

On the right is after the filler/primer has been sanded down.
I'm squaring up the nose cone shoulder edge. Pull the nose cone out slightly. Run a folded piece of 400 grit sandpaper around the open joint to sharpen the shoulder lip and smooth the edge of the body tube.






Here's the engine mount glued in with 1/8" of the engine tube extending out the back.

Wolverine Jayhawk Build, Part 4, Screw Eye & Parachute

The screw eye is screwed into a dowel that you glued into the nose cone base. This makes a very strong screw eye attachment.

I placed some glue in the nose cone base hole and pressed the dowel into place. I didn't press it all the way in, I wanted to sand the dowel end flush with the base of the nose cone.
OOPS: After it was glued in I realized the dowel was glued in backwards! The drilled screws eye hole was inside the nose cone.
I knew I'd never get it back out, so another small hole was drilled for the screw eye attachment.

Eight parachute reinforcement discs are supplied, only six are needed.
I wanted to be sure these were plastic, permanent discs so I tried to tear one of the extra disks. It did rip, telling me it was a paper disk.

I'd prefer stronger disks, so I switched them out for Avery plastic disks.

The instructions tell you to place the disks 1/4" from the edge. I don't see any reason to do this. The table covering plastic can stretch if pulled, I put the disks closer to the corners.

TIP: Because of the stretch, the shroud line hole was punched close to the outside of the inner disk circle.

TIP: Some tablecloth covering plastic sheeting has a smooth side and a textured side. Attach your discs to the smooth side for better adhesion.

Wolverine Jayhawk Build, Part 3, Kevlar & Engine Mount

This Kevlar is plenty strong, but braided Kevlar can unravel.

TIP: To stop the unraveling, just wipe some white or wood glue on the last 1/2" on each end.
DO NOT USE SUPER GLUES on any string! It will run down the fibers, stiffen the cord making it brittle.

The Kevlar loop isn't pulled up tight against the upper centering ring until after the glue fillet is added.

Pull up on the end of the line and press the Kevlar loop right into the glue fillet.
Be sure to press down and "seat" the knot close - If the knot is too high it could bulge out the BT-50 body tube when the mount is glued in.

When you draw up kit instructions, you follow the direction of the vendor. I didn't agree with the centering ring spacing. That being said, the rocket will perform just fine assembled the way the instructions show.

I did want more open space below the lower centering ring for easier movement of the engine hook. The way the rear centering ring is glued as shown here, inserting the engine could be difficult.



TIP: On a 20/50 engine mount, glue the lower ring higher up or 1" from the bottom.

There isn't much room for engine hook flex between the BT-20 and BT-50 tube as it is. Setting the lower centering ring higher up allows for easier movement of the engine hook.

Wolverine Jayhawk Build, Part 2, Engine Mount Tube & Centering Rings

The brown tube on the left is the rough finished engine mount tube included in the kit. The rear of the tube will be seen on the finished model so it will be replaced. Below it is the thick walled BT-20H from Odd'l Rockets. You can see the difference in the wall thickness between the tubes.

The outside diameter of the new heavy wall tube is wider than a standard BT-20, so the 20/50 ring ends up a bit small.

It's a simple fix -
Peel a bit of the inside ring wrap and peel it out.
On the right is a perfect friction slide fit over the replacement heavy wall BT-20H tube.

The instructions don't show this, but a Kevlar relief slot was filed into the upper ring with the side of a flat diamond file.

A engine hook relief slot was cut into the lower ring.

Wolverine Jayhawk Build, Part 1, Parts

All the Jayhawk parts -  

The parts of interest: 
The ridged dowel  tells me this is a BMS produced nose cone.
The dowel is glued in the base of the nose cone, the screw eye is screwed into the dowel making a very strong attachment.

The outside of the engine mount tube seems rough. I'm sure it is strong enough, but the low end is exposed and will be seen.

The Kevlar is the braided style, plenty strong for a LPR model.

The 12" parachute is cut from sheet table cover plastic.
While the chute is six-sided, there are eight reinforcement disks included.
The shroud lines are strong black thread. The line is one continuous strand and will be cut into three equal lengths.