Quest Gamma Ray Build, Finished

This is a good looking model, well set off with the chrome reflective stickers.

It reminds me of the old version of the Estes X-Ray payloader. Both are about the same size.

The face card showed a clear red payload section. New releases have the clear tubing.

The nose cone and adapter shoulders were loose and required a few wraps of black electrical tape to friction fit them in the clear tube.

LAUNCH! Schoolyard Soccer Field, June 28, 2021

I tried twice over the past week to launch a few at the Schoolyard. 

The first time the wind was blowing when I stepped out the front door. 

A few days after that I saw the lawn sprinklers on. A second later they shut off. I figured I was good to go - I entered the field and started setting up when I heard a loud voice: "You've got to leave the field. We're testing the sprinklers! I stayed bout 10 minutes hoping the testing would be over - no luck. Small areas had the sprinklers turned on and off, on and off. I walked home. 

Today - Clear skies and no wind.

Two MicroMaxx launches to start. I installed new batteries hoping for quicker ignitions.

The Semroc MMX MARS LANDER was up after holding down the launch button for a full second. It wasn't vertical through the entire flight, only getting about 40 feet in the air.

The next flight was much better, about as high as you can get with the little MMX motors.  

The new ASP MMX JAYHAWK flight peaked out at 100' with streamer deploy at apogee. No damage to either small rocket.

I've never been a fan of staged rockets - this one I do like.

The Estes TWIN FACTOR is the perfect small field two stager. With an A10-3t and A3-4t motor combination it could have reached 175'. 

A little tip off at staging but both landed close.

Here's the Jim Flis designed SPACE RAIDER flew with an Estes B6-4.

Perfectly vertical, draggy boost to 250' or so.

Who says only Space X can land a booster upright? This is how it touched down after the small chute descent. The best launch of the day.

First flight of the new Estes INDICATOR with a 13mm A3-4t motor.

Textbook launch and recovery. Altitude was an estimated 200'.

I did talk to the trees this morning - "Stay our of the tree - stay out of the tree!" It did, and touched down without limb contact.

Almost a perfect day - 

This was the 19th launch of my Semroc ASTRON. I prepped it with one of the loud Chinese Quest A6-4 engines.

Boost was good to 300'. A second after ejection I realized the shock cord had snapped and the nose cone was drifting away under the 12" parachute. The main body landed within 20 feet of the launcher, the nose cone and chute were hung up high in a tree in the nearby homes. 

19 launches? I should have replaced the shock cord by now!

A good, productive start for a Monday.

Quest Gamma Ray Build, Stickers

This won't be a full build, this kit is a standard style 3F/NC model.

It does have some slick reflective stickers that look great over the red paint.

On the left is a "dry fit" to check the spacing when set into the outside edges of the fin. This gives me an idea of how much spacing is needed from each edge of the fin.

On the right side picture - The sticker is peeled off and dipped in water. Set the wet sticker on the fin. The wet backside of the sticker allows lifting and repositioning if needed. 

Roll out any remaining water from the center going out. Dry off with a paper towel.

Body wraps are always tricky - hoping the horizontal lines match when the ends meet after it rolling around the tube.

Do some dry fits before peeling off the back. It didn't look like it was wide enough to meet up, but the fit was fine and the seam joint is almost invisible after burnishing.

I like to set name decals so it reads "going up".

Notice only the centerline area of the sticker is set on the body, the outside edge are lifted for now. 

Sticking down just the centerline allows you to lift the sticker to straighten it out before pressing the sides in place. Again, use a dip of water.

Sight down from the rear, then from the top. After you are sure the line is straight, press down from the centerline out to the sides.

School Glues?

On TRF, the question came up about the difference between School Glue and regular White Glue. 

Some posts talked of LPR Model Rockets (A-C motors) being assembled using School Glue.

When I started building rockets in 1969, I used regular Elmer's Glue-All. 

Now I prefer yellow wood glues. I still use white glue on carded models because the visible glue fillets will dry clear.

Here's what I found online - so it's got to be true.

"School glue is a nontoxic and washable adhesive made for the classroom. It comes from a line of glues made with PVA or poly vinyl acetate. White glue is water-based and so is school glue. Because they are water-based, both white glue and school glue are not used for bonding heavy materials, metals or anything less porous than wood.

Made For Kids

White glue is used for bonding things like paper, cardboard and wood. It dries fast and can even bond fabrics. For use in schools, however, the glue needed to be more forgiving. School glue is washable and of a lighter strength than other glues in the white glue family to protect the desktops, clothing and other materials that would unintentionally come in contact with the glue. School glue is also nontoxic, although it does maintain a slight smell that the Elmer’s Glue company calls “acetic.”

Bonding Materials

School glue is strong enough to bond paper and lightweight paper products including cardboard. It can handle the projects that students create in the classroom. Macaroni pictures and string art are a few of those projects. However, school glue cannot handle the projects that many other white glues can. Bonding wood pieces, ceramics, and even glass are materials that would not hold a bond using school glue, but do respond to white glue.

Physical Traits

White glue is white in color and so is school glue. They are both thick, viscous liquids. School glue is thinner, more runny than white glue. School glue also dries white, while many of the white glues dry clear. Both glues dry quickly, but school glue may not bond heavier materials like wood, no matter how much pressure is applied.

Other Considerations

Some wood glues are white and not PVA-based. However, all school glue has the PVA to allow for the thin consistency, according to the Scale Model Guide. Both glues are easy to remove from the skin when dry. They peel right off. the glues also wash off with soap and water. Because white glue is much thicker, it does give some resistance when washing off."

References:

Elmers, “Material Safety Data Sheet,” Elmer’s Glue All.
Elmer’s, “Material Safety Data Sheet,” Elmer’s Washable School Glue.
Scale Model Guide, “All About Glue.”

I thought it was interesting that School Glues dry white, many White Glues dry clear.

New Division at Estes - Estes Enerjetics

Something new and BIG at Estes: CLICK HERE

Check out the video - 

Stickers On The Quest Cobalt

The picture above shows a finished Quest Cobalt build. It's a short, 4 fin, nose cone model with streamer recovery.

The stickers require some extra attention. On the two blue fins some triangle stickers are applied.

To be sure I got the positions consistent, I traced the fin on cardstock and cut out a triangle the size of the stickers.

After peeling off the backing, dip the sticker in water so the adhesive won't fully grab. The water allows for lifting and repositioning. Don't use water on a sticker unless the fins are sealed and painted. 

Some Quest kits have self adhesive backed paper stickers. Don't use water on paper stickers! Water is fine if the decal is printed on clear plastic. 

Push the template into the root edge and slide the stickers underneath held on a clean knife blade. Try not to touch sticky back side with your fingers.

The Nuclear symbol won't fit the curved taper of the nose cone without some cuts and overlays.

Two cuts were made from the top almost halfway into the sticker.

Set only the vertical centerline of the sticker on the nose cone, leaving the left and right sides up and off the surface. Press just the center area down onto the nose cone from top to bottom.

The inset picture shows the right side of the sticker laying over only the center section.

Here's how the nose cone sticker ends up. 

The left and right sides are rolled down with with a little overlap at the cut lines.

Not perfect, but better than raised folds at the top.

Estes Indicator #7244 Build, Finished

Even with my painting error and decal problems, the model looks good.

It's size reminds me of the Estes kits from the late 1960s.

The mid section is clean.

Starting a decal wrap at the back hides the mis-match of the checker

pattern.

 

There you go - 

Another good 13mm rocket for the smaller soccer field.

Estes Indicator #7244 Build, Part 11, Decals - Ack!

I took a good look at the decal sheet and realized my dilemma. There were decals for two black fins and one red fin. I decided to leave some on and others off. I usually plan ahead and should have seen this coming.

 

I checked the roll wrap decal with a dry fit at the top of the BT-50 tube section.

I hate it when this happens! The decal wrap hits the short upper launch lug. 

One way around this is to cut the decal and make a flap that will be cut off later after it dries.

On the left, the cut slit allows the decal to sit underneath the launch lug. The upper red stripe is actually going around the top of the lug.

The checker pattern didn't match up! Another reason why I hide the decal meeting point on the back/launch lug side of the model. I did my best to trim the overhang but the thin decal didn't cooperate.

These were very thin decals and probably could have used a acrylic clear coat to thicken them up before soaking.  But - kit supplied decals shouldn't require that from the builder.

Two decals tore when sliding off the backing paper. Other decals wanted to fold under and needed careful transfers.

Estes Indicator #7244 Build, Part 10, Black Fin & Shock Cord Tie

Here's the mask for the lower black fin. An upper fin also got black paint

As shown before, I use Scotch tape for masking. I mark the clear tape  with a wide Sharpie pen before cutting the strip.

The Sharpie ink can transfer to your fingers and onto the model. Instead of smoothing down and sealing the tape edge with a fingernail, I use a Q-tip. You can see a bit of black ink left on the Q-tip.

Here's the low black fin after shooting with paint.

I usually leave a short tail on the shock cord tie.

This tail is tucked into the open slot below tie down loop. This keeps the loose end of the cord from getting stuck between the adapter shoulder and body tube.

The rocket looks good before the decals were added. 

I could have left it like this . . .

Estes Indicator #7244 Build, Part 9, Red Fins

Well, I messed up! 

I should have paid closer attention to the face card coloring. It's not immediately apparent, but there are two black fins and one red fin. I got those reversed. You've really got to look close to find that second black fin. Not a big deal, but that won't work with the supplied decals! I didn't notice until I went to apply the decals.

   

The rounded leading edges of the fins needed a little push with a knife blade to make the curve smoother.

It looks pretty good - so far!

Most of the straight root edge masks were good -

This one was a bit rough. Oh well!

The low end of the upper fins root edges look okay.

As I mentioned earlier, there is little chance of the low end making contact on landing or breaking off.

Estes Indicator #7244 Build, Part 8, White Undercoat & Kevlar Mount

I only did glue fillets where the root edges contact the body tube.

No wood glue will go on the adapter area. There is little chance of the low end of the fin making any contact with the ground or breaking off.

TIP: When applying glue for a fillet - (left side picture)

Squeeze the bottle to start the fillet, then stop squeezing and simply let the glue flow as you draw the nozzle down the root edge.

The right side picture shows the same glue line smoothed out.

The entire model got hit with it's first gloss white undercoat.

Light sanding follows with some 400 grit. The outside of the glue fillets are usually rough and will need some smoothing.

A second white undercoat followed, with even lighter sanding with an older piece of 400 grit.

Notice the reflection on the flat side of the fin. I was just knocking down the tops of  the slight orange peel.

I should have tied some Kevlar to the engine mount, but this engine mount had thinner cardstock rings.

The lower body tube section is a BT-50. 

Some Kevlar was tied around a notched 20/50 centering ring.

This was pressed into place using the base of the 20/50 plastic adapter.

A glue fillet was applied around the top joint of the ring.

Estes Indicator #7244 Build, Part 7, Fin Primer & Fin Gluing

The fins were held down to scrap cardboard, set on tape with the sticky side up.

Before spraying with filler/primer,

The balsa fins got swept over with a wide brush.

This removes any dust after the CWF sanding without using a tack cloth. A newer tack cloth can leave a sticky surface. 

Here's a before and after sanding down the filler/primer to surface with 400 grit. You can see some gray filler left in the body tube wrap seams.

Note the primer is removed at the penciled fin line. Sand just enough to rough up the tube, no need to remove the glassine wrap.

I didn't glue the adapter into the upper tube yet. I thought it would be easier to mask and paint the fins without the adapter in the way. The adapter will be glued in after the two different colors are shot.

The root edge fit against the adapter is pretty tight. It should make a clean color separation after painting.

Estes Indicator #7244 Build, Part 6, Engine Mount Gluing & Adapter Fill

The instructions imply that the rear centering ring is even with the low edge of the body tube.

The picture shows a dry fit, no glue yet.

If you recess the lower ring about 1/16", you can add a glue fillet along the bottom joint.

I like to use a dowel to apply the inside ring of glue for the upper centering ring on the mount.

Set the dowel next to the mount and mark just below the lower ring. With the glue bead (in the tube) slightly below its final position, you will push the glue up creating an interior fillet.

Don't use too much glue - the tube could shrink in as it dries leaving a "Coke Bottle" ring depression.

On the left I'm rolling the glued dowel around the inside of the tube using the pencil mark as a depth gauge.

Turn the mount as you slide it into the glue ring, making a more even interior fillet.

The engine hook is in line with the two launch lugs.

There is two small dents where the adapter was twisted off the mold tree.

I fill them with a dot of medium CA glue. A drop of CA will take a few minutes to dry before sanding to surface.

Note the adapter is slid out a little so it won't be glued into the tube yet.

Estes Indicator #7244 Build, Part 5, Truing Up Fins & Balsa Fill

The outside edges of the the upper fins will need to be evened up with a block.

When gluing up the two piece fins, I was more concerned with the root edge fit against the body tube and adapter. With those edges held against the body tube and adapter - the outside edges weren't in line.

On the lower fins - 

I rounded the leading edge of the smaller strake piece before gluing the pieces together.

I find it easier to "feather-in" the other leading edge (inside corner) to the rounded strake after it is joined. 

Notice the angle of the sanding block. At this 45 degree angle you can sand in a 45 degree "pocket" into the corner.

Here's a pretty good example of the inside corner of the leading edges.

Most new builders freak out when the CWF filler dries, especially on thin balsa like this. Water based filler does warp the wood when only one side is painted and dries.

Don't panic - when the other side gets a coat of CWF, the wood will straighten out.

Years back - When sanding sealer dried it would warp balsa, but not to this extent. 

When sanding off and smoothing the dried CWF,

Hold the fin under a bright light and check the shadows. Here towards the small tip, you can still see a brush stroke. This will need a little more sanding to bring that filler down to the surface.