Estes Monarch Build, #7214, Part 2, Questions?

It looks like I already sanded the coupler. 

Sometimes these red couplers are too tight and can get locked up in the wrong position when gluing.

Why are two joined tubes used in this design? Was it a SPEV?

The parts list says it's balsa, but a blow molded nose cone is included. No screw eye is provided, it's not needed.

The instructions don't mention using glue on the screw eye threads.

The plastic nose cone has one of the small, breakable eyelets for shock cord and parachute attachment. I'll fix that in a later post.

GOTCHA - In order for the rocket to sit flat on the fin tips, 

The fin sanding instructions are wrong!

The leading edge (shown here) is actually the root edge.

The root edge is the leading edge.

I'm not going to use the Monarch fins. 

The next post will show something more interesting.

A Email Question About Filling BT Seams

Chris-

You frequently explain how to fill the spiral seam on a rocket tube. There is a detail, however, which is not clear; I thought it might be something of general interest to your blog - reading community.

There are typically two spirals on a body tube. There is a "primary" spiral, where the gap is open to the air, and a harder-to-see "secondary" spiral, which seems to be under the outer layer of paper. 
I have seen on your blog and in the article you wrote for the Apogee newsletter that you use a pencil to highlight the secondary spiral. But what is not clear is how you fill this secondary spiral. 
Do you somehow rupture or slice through the paper covering it so that you can push the filler down into the groove, or do you simply put filler on top of the outer paper layer? (Clearly, for the *primary* spiral, you can push the filler down into the groove.)

If I knew the answer to this question, I could do a much better job of filling spirals!

O.S.

________________________________________________________________

Hi O.S.,

I only fill what you refer to as the "Primary Spiral" where the gap is open to the air. 
You can feel it with your fingernail.
The Secondary spiral is never filled with wood filler.

I wouldn't want to punch or cut into through the clear glassine skin, 

that would weaken the tube.

Usually any slight secondary spiral indent is filled with the sanded filler/primer.

That pencil line is only in the primary, outside spiral. 

The line makes the spiral easier to see when filling with the CWF.

Thanks and good luck with your BT seam fills - 

Chris Michielssen 

www.oddlrockets.blogspot.com www.modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

Paint Questions

This blog post may contain information I've posted before. But there are always new
blog readers who may not have found things from posts that go back a few years.
Please remember this is my experience, your technique and brands of paint will probably vary from mine. Jeff asked some questions in an email, here's my response:

Hi Jeff,

I do use the Rusto 2X paints - but - 

They have a chance of spraying out a rough "cottage cheese" when right off the shelf or after long periods of storage. Always spray about 10 passes on scrap cardboard to clear the pigment in the spray tube.  Be ready, the rough stuff can happen twice (start and stop, start and stop) when a can is new. This seems to happen most often with 2X Gloss White.

I don't use flat finishes at all on rockets, unless I was entering a scale competition. Flat finishes are a magnet for dirt and finger oil. I spray gloss and leave it be.

There is a picture on the cover of an older Sport Rocketry magazine where Chas. Russell is holding his scale model. He is wearing white gloves to keep the flat finish clean.

I also don't spray my models with a clear coat. In humid weather all clear coats become soft and you will leave fingerprints in the finish.

At one time I sprayed clear coats on and was initially happy with the shiny look - but one day at a hot Summer launch left fingerprints in the softened acrylic clear coat. I sometimes use some Future Floor finish (also a acrylic clear coat) on a decal, but I only roll over the decal with the Future on a Q-tip "brush".  

Regarding re-coats -

You can recoat (lay down another sprayed coat) between 5 minutes to 30 minutes after the initial spraying. If you wait longer than an hour the paint has "skinned over" but there is still some wet paint underneath that. If you spray over the not totally dried paint you'll get wrinkles. If you spray once and wait too long for a re-coat, don't spray, give it a few days to dry.

Chris Michielssen

www.oddlrockets.blogspot.com www.modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

NARCON 2016 Video Presentations Online

On the Rocketry Center Forum, Rich Holmes posted video links to the NARCON sessions: CLICK HERE That link will take you to the manufacturers session.

Questions about Quest Chinese engines and Q2G2 igniter supply are answered at about 24:35 in.

Gary also mentions Aerotech composite A, B and C engine production.

All the other presentations are on the right side of the screen.

A Package Coming!

Any guesses on what is being sent?

Super Glue Questions Part 1

On the Rocketry Center Forum, Kirk G asked about Super Glues:
His questions are in italics.

First up -
Super Glues get hard and brittle over time.
A older rocket constructed with Super Glue will have parts pop off during boost and on landing.
Don't use Super Glues to glue on fins, launch lugs or engine mounts.
In rocket construction it's only good for strengthening up a lip on a body tube, hardening a card stock shroud or lightly tacking some things in place.
Never use Super Glue on knots or shroud line knots. It runs up the line making it stiff and brittle.

IS there a shelf life to CA?
To extend it's life, keep it cold in the refrigerator.
Don't store it in the door, it might fall over and leak.

Is it known for leaking out of a plastic squeeze bottle?
Only when it's turned on its side! Don't let in fall over.

How often do you buy new CA, and in what quantity?
I buy small bottles as needed.

"Is there any way to revive an "old" or "Turned" bottle?"
Not that I know of.

What is best for rocketry?  Thin? Thick? or other 'brand'?
I have thin and medium. I buy the thin in a small bottle at a hobby store.
Unless you use a LOT of thin super glue, buy it in small bottles.
If the smaller bottle dries out, you are only losing money on a smaller bottle.
The medium I buy at the dollar tree store, two small bottles for a dollar.

What "brand" CA do you prefer?  And in what quantity?
You'll find your hobby stores name imprinted on Bob Smith CA.
Bob Smith makes all the different styles of CA glue.
The stuff from the Dollar Tree store is the original Super Glue brand.

And what do you think of this accelerator stuff?  Is it trustworth?  Does it harden at the risk of brittleness? Or other drawback?
I've never needed or used the accelerator. Thin CA dries pretty fast by itself. Medium CA just takes a longer time to dry.

Estes and Kevlar?

Here's the top centering ring on the new Estes Honest John.

There is a laser cut hole into the centering ring.
Many builder's have asked why Estes doesn't drop the tri-fold mount and switch over to Kevlar. This hole might be a compromise allowing the builder to add a Kevlar leader under the ring.
The hole is illustrated in the instructions but is not explained.

We've seen this type of thing before. The Estes Bullpup 12D kit had a notch for the engine hook but no hook is included in the kit. Maybe this ring is an existing part from another kit? I don't think so. These rings are made to fit inside the Honest John tail cone.

Anyway, I found it interesting. While I could have used the Estes hole for the Kevlar line to pass through, I still punched a hole closer to the engine mount tube. That's where I usually put it anyway.

What Part Is This? Answer

"Mushtang" got it right!
It's the second camera/eye on the R2D2 rocket!

When the model was glued together I only found one in the zip-lock bag. I found the second "eye" a week after building it, on the bathroom floor! I knew there was two when the kit was first opened.

The one I had was glued onto the front side of the rocket.
The back (launch lug side) of the model just got the second "eye" glued on.

What Part Is This?

Can anybody identify this rocket kit part?

No prize, I'm just curious if anyone knows what it is.
I usually keep small pieces in zip-lock bags and was surprised when I couldn't find it during assembly. I found it on the bathroom floor, of all places!

Answer in the Comments below . . .

Decal Soaking Questions

From the Odd'l Rockets Email box, a question - 

"Waiting to finish an Estes Mini-Max, with waterslide decals. You use the drop of liquid detergent in the water, which has worked for me. 
The Apogee site recommends using white glue in the soaking.  
apogeerockets.com/Advanced_Construction_Videos/Rocketry_Video_91. 
Your thoughts?"

My response:

I've never heard of using white glue in the soak water! 

This might work, but I've never tried it.

Decals from different vendors are so inconsistent, sometimes you can't move them once they are set down. 

I wouldn't want a tough to position decal to be any more sticky!

TIP: The inconsistency is sometimes the thickness of the clear topcoat. Too thin and the printer ink dissolves. Too thick and the decal ends up looking like a peel and stick. 

While I hate Krylon color paints, their clear acrylic spray still seems to be the best for clear coating a home printed decal sheet. Three coats (not too heavy) seems to be about right. It seals the printer ink and gives you the right thickness.

Home print decals are good, but never as great as a kit decal. Face it, you are not printing decals on a large press or silk screening. 

As Gus (Steve) on TRF once wrote: "They are a different animal." 

Most every source recommends using a very small drop of detergent soap in the soak water. 

It helps break up the surface tension in the soak water. Others say it helps the decal slide on the model surface.

On response on TRF tells you: "The decals are ruined because the drop of soap breaks down the adhesive on the decal."

I've never had a problem with the small drop of dish soap in the soak water. 

(Judging by the forum responses, many others haven't had a problem either.)

Wet the surface on the model with a drop of water where the decal is to go. Set the decal on the wet surface.

That water under the decal helps lubricate the surface for easier positioning.

TIP: If the decal can't be easily moved, use a wet brush to work some water into the edges. The soft brush will get some water under the decal without tearing the edges.

After the decal is in in position, don't rub over it with a paper towel. A thin decal could tear.

Roll a wet Q-tip over the decal to work out any air bubbles or water drops.

I don't brush Future acrylic all over a model to seal the decals. I've never had great results with brushing or spraying Future.

Now I dip a Q-tip in the Future and wipe off the excess. You won't need much of the Future to apply a thin, protective coat.

The wet (with Future) Q-tip is rolled over the decal and the edges.

I've never had decals peel or lift after this light sealing. 

Good Luck!

Chris Michielssen

Odd'l Rockets

Questions? Good Questions and a Tip

Here's some questions and answers to Dana who wrote me at:
oddlrockets@bellsouth.net
Question 4 is actually pretty cool idea from Dana -

Hi Dana,

Thanks for writing, I'll do my best to give an answer or two.

My answers are only what has worked for me in the past. If you follow the rocket forums you know that everybody has their own way of doing things.

1. Do you get concerned about the black electrical tape "letting go" (on the motor mounts) after many heat cycles? I was wondering if the tapes' adhesive holds up well to that.

I thought I'd answered this in the comments section on the blog. If not -
I haven't had any problem wth electrical tape releasing over time. I would think that paper masking tape would loosen up long before a vinyl electrical tape would. It's tough to tell, since the tape is covered up once the mount is glued into the body tube.
Somebody on the forums had opened up a an old engine mount where paper masking tape was used. The engine hook was barely held by the deteriorating masking tape. black electrical tape was suggested and I knew it was a better way to go. Heck, it stays on spliced electrical lines for years - if it's properly applied.

2. For your carded models, especially the ones you print on 20lb paper. Do you clear coat them after all is said and done? Mine seem to get dirty easy so I thought about clear coating them but wasn't sure the ink would run.

I don't print carded models on 20 lb. paper, except for the body tube wraps. 110 lb. is used for the fins and "some" wraps. Most builder's who do carded nose cones (I'm not happy with the look of carded "shroud" nose cones) print the cones on 65 lb. card stock.

Definitely clear coat (lighter first seal coat) the printed card stock after printing. Then a heavier coat after the model is made. With an initial lighter clear coat before assembly the glue will still get into the card stock for a better bond. if the card stock is too well sealed, the glue may not old very well. Again, after it's built, do heavier seal coats.

3. Would you try this glue and give me/us your opinion on it? It's called E-6000. You can get it almost anywhere. I have been using it around the house for a while and just LOVE it. I've been slowly implementing it into the rocket hobby and am being impressed there also. I would really like to hear your pro's and con's on it. Here is what I am talking about: http://tinyurl.com/adgswrv

I'll have to check into this later - I'm Mexico right now, getting free Internet off the ship.
Be careful using Super Glues (CA or CYA) when assembling rockets. It'll stick well for a few months, then release! I understand Super Glues were used first in hospitals and medical units. It was developed it to close wounds. It bonds skin, then releases later after the skin has closed up.
Not great for rocketry construction.
I flew my Gooney Honest John once at a club launch. The upper launch lug came off before the model left the rod. The rocket went unstable.

4. Last is not really a question but something I've been doing over the past several years. Whenever I build a model with a big enough motor mount I always put my name and date and whatever else seems pertinent to the rocket written right on the mount. Then, years later when a model needs rebuilt and you pull out the motor mount you can get a quick synopsis of when and what was going on years before when you built the kit. I get a real kick out of some of them. Just an idea.

That is a great idea!
Years ago, I never re-built models, now I do. That's a good way to record when it was first built and any other information about the model.

Thanks for following the blog -

Chris Michielssen

www.oddlrockets.com