Estes Mini Arcas, #2441, Part 11, Fin Support Gluing

That score line is open, I had to fill it with some CWF applied using the tip of a knife blade.

On the right side, the filler is sanded to surface.

Note the pencil marks, they are just inside the length of the fin supports. I also marked the high points of the tail cone/body tube joint.

Glue is set down in between the pencil lines and the fin support pressed in place.

The fit of the supports isn't tight into the root edge, not as close as I'd like. Glue fillets will help fill the gaps.

Estes Mini Arcas, #2441, Part 10, Fin Gluing

 

The paper fin marking guide gave perfectly spaced fins. 

Part H (fin alignment and spacing tool) fit very well.

With the fin notches in line with the tail cone/body tube joint -

The trailing edges are about 3/32" from the end of the tail cone.

The fin support pieces should fit tightly into the root edge corners.

Go light with the glue fillets to allow a close fit of the support pieces to come.

Estes Shark #1111, Build, Part 8, Engine Mount & Fin Gluing

Set the engine mount and Kevlar line alongside the lower, longer tube.

The BT-20 engine tube is even with the bottom of the BT-50 main body.

This gives you an idea how long the Kevlar line should be, a little shorter than the top of the BT-50.

Tie a overhand loop knot (shown on the right) for the elastic shock cord attachment.

I used epoxy to glue the mount in, allowing me some positioning time.

Here's the BT-50 tube with the filler/primer scraped off where the fins will be glued. The scraping is a little shorter than the length of the leading edge.

The low fins are glued even with the end of the body tube.

On the forward fins and thrusters, I used a wrap of masking tape as an low alignment line at the corner of the trailing edges.

New Way Blade Runner, Part 8, Gluing On The Fins

Five fins!

The marking guide fit very well. Pencil marks were made and extended the full length of the tube.

On the right -

I used the marking guide as a height guide at the 1 1/4" mark.

The long strakes glue down the fin lines, butted up against the  top of the fins. 

For a better alignment, I used the reversed clothespins. Be careful not to glue the clamps to the fins.

To see the original post and make your own flat clamps: CLICK HERE

After the glue dried on the forward strakes,

I tried the fit of the ring tube. A perfect slip fit!

The ring tube will be glued on after the fins and strakes are painted. Otherwise, it would be very difficult to get good paint coverage with the ring glued in place.

Centuri Skylab Build, #KB-4, Part 15, Skinning The Fins & Fin Gluing

As it turns out, the fins are too thin for a friction fit in the support slots.  I'll need to laminate some cardstock to increase the thickness.

The mat board fins had the leading edge rounded for a smoother "fold-over" of the cardstock skin.

The 110 lb. cardstock was cut oversize.

The outside layer will be "butterflied" with the fold rolling over the leading edge. Score and pre-fold the leading edge.

I used a glue stick to adhere the skin.

Set the folded edge first over the rounded leading edge.

After skinning the two fins - 

The 3" long launch lug tubes are glued to the outside edge of the fins.

The two square solar panel fins and smaller pod supports are glued on.

Estes Mini Bomarc Clone, Kit #TK-5, Part 10, Gluing On The Rudder & Wing

The fin lines are extended down the length of the body tube.

The rudder goes on first using the center lines down the tube and rudder.

ry fit the wing under the raceway and mark the position.

Glue the wing onto the body tube. While the glue is still  wet check the placement with a dry fit of the raceway. 

When all is fitting together, remove the raceway.

Let the wing and rudder glue joints dry with the assembly placed on a flat surface. This aligns the wing and rudder.

Estes AMRAAM AIM-120 Downscale, Build, Part 9, Launch Lug & Conduit Gluing

It'll be hard to reach the root edges once the wide conduit/tunnel is glued on. There isn't much room for glue fillets.

I decided to lightly smooth the dried glue fillets with 400 grit wrapped around a Q-tip for cushioned sanding. Go easy, it is possible to sand a shallow groove in the balsa. You are just knocking down any roughness.

I applied two fine lines of wood glue so there wouldn't be much squeeze out when pressed in place.. 

The lugs were set down and positioned using long tweezers.

I won't be applying glue fillets to the launch lugs. Sometimes trying to fill the bubbles of dried glue isn't worth the time.

The narrow glue lines were positioned so there wouldn't be any visible glue when the lugs were pressed in place.

The conduit/tunnel was centered between two fins on the opposite side of the engine hook and launch lugs. The older Estes instructions showed the tunnel on the same side of the engine hook. I thought it would be more interesting in launch photos with the tunnel facing out.

Estes AMRAAM AIM-120 Downscale, Build, Part 8, Gluing On The Eight Fins

The lower fins are glued on with the trailing edges even with the end of the body tube.

Standard, 90 degree spacing with the engine hook centered between two fins. 

Sight across the bottom to be sure the opposing fins are in line.

The upper fins are 8.20" from the bottom of the model.

A wrap of masking tape was rolled around the tube to line up the trailing edge corners.

Be careful not to glue the masking tape to the fins or body tube.

New Way Letter - Go Build, Part 9, Fin Gluing

I applied wood glue to the root edge and to the sides of the TTW (thru-the-wall) fin tabs.

The name letters should read clockwise, to the right.

Note how the letters lean down, like a down swept fin.

I drew an arrow to show how the fin should intersect the centerline of the body tube. 

Here's all five fins viewed from the rear, spelling my first name.

I tried to fill the nose cone seams using medium CA glue and sanding to surface.

Well, the CA glue doesn't stick to this polystyrene plastic!

Filler/Primer and paint doesn't adhere to this plastic either.

Rough up the plastic surface before spray painting with color. 

The upper picture shows a painting "handle" using a wrap of copy paper.

Estes Advanced Target Drone, Kit #1913, Build, Part 8, Lug Position & Shroud Fit

The instructions show the the front of the launch lug even with the leading edge of the wing fin. This would put the lug beyond the back edge of the intake.

I decided to glue the lug a bit forward so it would be hidden under the intake shroud. 

A dry fit shows the lug better hidden under the intake.

You'll have more control if you glue one side of the intake at a time.

Look at the top inside edge of the intake and you can see the pencil marks I drew to show where the glue will go.

It doesn't take much glue to set the intake edges. Draw a bead of glue, smooth and remove excess with a fingertip.

TIP: Notice in the above picture, the printing is on the inside. When you can, keep the printing out of sight. Some printing can show through color coats.

Here's a good fit of the intake against the root edge of the top rudder fin. 

I haven't glued the slot joint yet.

Estes Advanced Target Drone, Kit #1913, Build, Part 7, Fixing The Intake Slot

On a new print of the intake shrouds, 

I punched a round hole at the front of the intake slot to match the rounded leading edge of the wing fins.

I used the rotary punch.

The folds are indicated by a dashed line.

I used the round tip of a butter knife to emboss the line and start the fold.

The very tip of the knife should be smooth with no serrations.

TIP: Make the embossed lines before cutting the outside lines of the intake. It's easier to do the embossing now.

Here you can see the embossed lines.

Pre-embossing gives you a sharp, clean fold.

My Sharpie barrel was used to make a sharp crease.

Estes Advanced Target Drone, Kit #1913, Build, Part 6, Fin Gluing & Intake Fit

 

There are four fins, the two longest are the "wings".

The large rudder fin is glued on the top,

The smaller ventral fin to the bottom. 

Note the fin line was sanded for better adhesion. The pencil line was redrawn after sanding down the filler/primer.

The wing fins followed. 

The trailing edge is 5/8" from the rear of the tube.

All four fins are glued on at 90 degrees, or standard four fin spacing.

I tried a test fit of the intake shroud.

Look close at the squared front edge. The wing fins have a rounded leading edge, the intake shroud slot is square!

I'll fix that in the next print.

Estes Star Seeker (Tri-Pack) Kit #0866, Part 6, Fin Assemblies

Keep your glue lines short - 

Set the lugs in place and make the fin edges with pencil. 

Apply some glue up to the pencil lines and place the lugs.

Here's how the lugs set when set against the fin joint.  

The wing fin assemblies are glued to a standard 120 degree three fin spacing, using just two of the pencil lines. This makes a wide "W" shape.

The "flight" launch lug is glued onto the third pencil line.

Estes Black Star Voyager Build, Part 22, Forward Basswood Vanes

TIP: You'll have better luck and less mess applying the wood glue to the bottom length of the basswood vane - as opposed to laying a bead of glue down a pencil line on the body tube.

I set down a wrap of masking tape for a bottom alignment of the vanes.

While you could set the glued vane on the pencil line,

TIP: I set it on the side of the drawn line.

You can use an aluminum angle to be sure the strips are straight on the tube.

Wood glue fillets were applied.

I gave this section a shot of gloss white to make sure the fillets were smooth and without bubbles. 

Some small bubbles did show and some glue ridges needed sanding.

Estes Constellation Build Part 14, Fin Gluing

There is a light paint ridge where the fillet area was masked.

Lightly sand the ridge line with 400 grit sandpaper. 

The fins were glued on using my prototype Odd'l Rockets FinTool. 

(The Fin Tool never went into production and is not for sale.)

The fin trailing edge is even with the back end of the body tube.
The rear end of the launch lug is even with the front edge of the fins.