Estes Xarconian Cruiser Build Part 14 Fin Gluing

Look at the bottom of the wing root edge.

Some of the primer was taken down with 220 grit on a block for better glue adhesion. Take off about the with of the fillets to follow.

Use the "Double Glue" method to attach the wings.
The wings and rudder are heavy and large. You'll want the glue to grab.

You can use your aluminum angle to double check the straightness of the long root edges.

Here's a dry fit of the intake tubes after the root edge glue dried.
It's a very good fit and covers up more than half of the models main air frame tube!

BUILD TIME
Sand root edges: 15 minutes
Double Glue Fins: 20 minutes
Total Build Time so far: 7 hours, 10 minutes

Building The Card Stock Downscale Centuri Hornet Part 4, Body Covering

Draw a pencil line down the BT-20 tube using an aluminum angle.

Use this line to set down the edge of the body tube wrap

Set the 24 lb. print of the body tube wrap down on a clean piece of paper.
Apply an even coat of the glue stick over the entire wrap piece.
Be sure you have glue along all the edges.

Set the long edge down the pencil line drawn earlier.
Smoothly roll the wrap around the tube.
Here I'm using the side of my finger. Press accross the entire length of the tube in "strips" then roll to the next area.

Again, your hands should be clean when making carded models. Oils and dirt will transfer onto the paper and card stock.

Here's both sides of the wrapped BT-20 tube.
The inset picture shows the seam. When properly glued down it's almost unnoticeable.

Estes Xarconian Cruiser Build Part 13 Fin Marking Check

I thought I'd double check the wrap around marking guide against the full size drawing of the fins on the instruction sheet.
Semroc kits have you mark the body tubes by setting it over a marked circle on the instructions. Estes typically gives you a wrap around guide.

I'm not a big fan of the Semroc marking method and wanted to compare the two.




The tube was set on the full size rear view drawing and marked. I tried to be as careful as I could, but the tube tends to roll around on it's end.

After marking on the flat instruction sheet the Estes wrap around was used. The first fin marks were a little off!

This wrap around marking guide gives you two marks so you can line up the root edges with a pencil line on both sides.
I'm old school and will usually just set a root edge down on a single line.

The model has LONG forward strakes that tend to curve down the root edge. The double lines really help keep everything in line.

After the lines were drawn a sanding block took down the primer to the bare tube for better adhesion.

The pencil lines were redrawn.

BUILD TIME
Fin mark twice: 20 minutes
Sand lines: 5 minutes
Total Build Time so far: 6 hours, 35 minutes

Building The Card Stock Downscale Centuri Hornet Part 3, Fins

Glue sticks work great for these models.
Apply a even coat over the inside of the fin skin. Be sure glue gets into the opened fold line.

Set the fin over the cut straight edge of the cereal box cardboard.

Press the leading edge evenly down the edge of the cardboard.

Set a clean piece of paper over the fin and burnish.

Set the fins in a heavy book for drying.

Estes Xarconian Cruiser Build Part 12 Pod Edge and Test Fit

More CA glue was applied to the ends of the cut pods.

Wrap some 220 grit around a body tube for sanding.

Reapply more CA and smooth sand with 400 grit on the tube.

Here's the first test fit of the wing pod.
The fit is tight and strong without any glue.

BUILD TIME
Apply CA, sand smooth: 15 minutes
Test fit: 5 minutes
Total Build Time so far: 6 hours, 10 minutes

Picture Of The Day

Roger Smith took this picture right after the Odd'l Rockets SPUTNIK ejected it's engine. Look to the upper left and you can see the ejected engine.
The Sputnik was flown at the Orlando R.O.C.K. launch on October 5, 2013.

Hey, it's my blog and I can publish whatever I want.
It is a cool picture, though.

Building The Card Stock Downscale Centuri Hornet Part 2

Before cutting out the fins, score the fold lines.
Carefully line up your straightedge before scoring.
I use the back end of a single edge razor blade. The metal rolled over blade top (Not the cut side, flip it over!) is a good scoring tool.

Tape over the sharp side with a few layers of masking tape so you have no chance of cutting your fingers!  

Here you can see the scored line on the black fin.
If you don't pre-score the fold line you'll never get a clean, rounded leading edge. 

Separate the fins from the cardstock sheet with scissors (See next picture)
Cut outside the edges, you'll cut to the final size after gluing and laminating.

Gently fold the fin in half down the scored fold line.
Don't make a hard fold yet.

Set some clean paper over the the leading edge.
Burnish and sharp foled with the back end of a Sharpie.

Right now you should have four fins, folded down the leading edge.
These are still a wedge shape, the trailing edge is open.