Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 6, Fin Fitting & Fill

The tube seams were filled with CWF and sanded to surface.

The BT-55 had a definite seam, the heavy walled BT-50 was very tight.

After the fin tips were glued together, I tried a test fit on the main fin.

I wish the fin tabs (sticking into the smaller "shield" fin) were longer so you could sand them to surface after gluing them on. With the tabs slightly recessed there is more to fill.

Laser cutting burns through at a slight angle.

Look close at the right side of the root edges.

I sanded and evened the burned edges so they would glue on perpendicular to the body tube.

The fins have laser cut "slots" running parallel to the leading and trailing edges. I decided to leave them in and fill the slots with CWF.

Why leave them in?

The rough laser cut slots would be difficult to fill and sand. The visible edges would be rough. The design is interesting enough without the open slots.