Wrong Grain Direction Fin Fix

On the Model Rocketry Fanatics Facebook page -
Brad W. Hanley posted pictures of a rocket he built.

Face it, we've all did this when we were starting out.
The balsa grain is running parallel to the length of the body tube. The fins could crack off down the grain line. A few pointed his mistake but offered no solutions.

There is an easy fix.
Cut a few long strips of printer (20 lb.) copy paper about 1/2" wide. Fold it down the middle lengthwise.
Coat one side of the paper with a thin coat of glue, a glue stick will give you more working time.
Lay the folded strip over the front of the fin. Press in place trying to get a tight fit of the middle fold over the leading edge. For more strength, you could roll the front corners of the paper strip onto the body tube.

On a design like this I wouldn't cover the entire fin. This model has a lot of fin area and it could add too much weight to the rear effecting stability.
TIP: Big fin models should be launched on low or no wind days. Too much fin area and the flight could go horizontal!

Mistake in Estes #1969 Saturn V Inter Stage Wrap? Part 2

Kylie Gamble posted on Facebook:

"Update, on the issue of the inter stage wrap being molded incorrectly. Estes told me to cut the bottom line of the wrap and rotate the cut bottom so the tunnels line up. The best John Boren Estes R and D man could tell me. Still not quite correct but will have to do."

Some (nameless) builders went overboard with their responses - 
"Why can't F-ING Estes rockets company do it, and do it right the first time."

My thoughts in italic:
Wow - you should count your lucky stars there is even a new Saturn V kit. 
It's an easy fix, easier than cutting out the vacu-form wraps themselves. On a revised, complex production like this you might expect adjustments. Every rocket kit I've built from easy to complex has required cutting, sanding and fitting of the parts. 
Hold that "F-ing Estes" comment until you've produced and sold a few thousand scale kits. 

"Given the historical importance of this rocket, plus it being marketed for the 50th anniversary, I'm ashamed Estes didn't double check everything like this. Yeah it's no big deal in terms of flying but when it's marketed as the limited edition 50th anniversary kit, it is." 

You're ashamed? Given the historical importance - changes were made. The Illage rockets are Apollo 11 correct now, four instead of eight. The vacu-form details are better. The decals have been corrected. The tower is easier to assemble. There's that new LEM Shroud. No more vacuform fins! 
Estes R&D has made the build much easier.

Evan Patrekis said it best: "I've dealt with far worse!!"
You and me both!

An Estes "Like!"

Well, I've hit the BIG TIME!

All "Likes" on Facebook are appreciated, but yesterday I got a Like from John Boren!

So Estes, are you interested? The design is available for (In my best Dr. Evil voice) . . .          "A Million Dollars!"

Paint Problems On Plastic Nose Cones? TIP

On the NAR Facebook page, Thomas VanBruggen posted:

"I am so frustrated right now… I know I have seen you guys post about the same issue but thought it was always because the clearcoat was a different brand then the paint underneath. Well I’ve learned my lesson, and I’ll never use clearcoat again. Rustoleum 2x paint and then Rustoleum 2x satin clear."

Some thoughts:
Plastic typically takes much longer to dry than body tubes and wood fins. Tubes and fins "breathe" and can dry from both tube surface sides, from the outside and inside. Plastic is "sealed" and and the paint only dries from the outside paint skin going in to the surface of the plastic.
So . . . You might want to wait a day or two longer before follow-up coats on that plastic nose cone. John Boren of Estes has posted that Estes will no longer include balsa nose cones in new kits. If you come across balsa nose cones in a recent Estes kit, they are probably using up old excess inventory.

Did I Just Cram A Few Ounces Of Clay?

This struck me as pretty funny - 
On the Facebook Model Rocket Fanatics page, Mark Geidel posted -

To see the video clip, CLICK HERE

Opinions On Someone Else's Work

I was on Facebook yesterday.
Someone built a Mercury Atlas. It was a scratch build, I don't think any commercially available tubing was used.
Somebody responded saying that the transition was wrong.

WHO CARES!

Why not give credit to the builder that went out of his way to build and post a sport scale Mercury Atlas build! That's a very involved project.
Until that critic can build a scratch Mercury Atlas, he shouldn't comment on somebody's work. Hell, he shouldn't criticize anybody's work.

If I didn't receive some positive feedback growing up, I never would have pursued any hobbies - rocketry included.

Again, kudos and congrats on your Mercury Atlas build!