Fliskits MACME Shrew Build, Part 13, The Real Nose Cone Part A

The nose cone shroud was cut from the kits pattern sheet.
Two posts back I made a practice nose cone from copy paper. With only one chance to get the shaping right I wanted to practice first.

The instructions say "A small hole in the tip is normal".
TIP: You can make the tip hole smaller on any conical shroud by lightly pulling down on the right overlap side off the shroud, where the tweezers are in the picture.
It will take a few tries to get it right. Try it without glue first.

The nose block was smaller than the hold in the nose base.
To increase the outside diameter, 
I added two wraps of a copy paper strip to get a good fit.
The strips were set down with the glue stick.

TIP: Instead of using the entire clay weight at once, use smaller pieces.
Start with a small cone shaped piece and drop it into the tip.
Pat that into place with the soft end of a Q-tip.
Knead another small piece of clay into a ball. Flatten the ball into a thick pancake shape. Drop this in and again form flat and against the sides with a Q-tip.
The instructions say: "Take care no to deform the nose cone".
Instead, use light pressure on the packing clay to round out and form the conical nose cone.

A Better Primer? Nope!

I had been using Duplicolor Filler-Primer with good results.
After my last can ran out, I went cheaper and bought some Rustoleum Gray Automobile Primer. Others on the forums have mentioned using it.
It's not the same!
The Rustoleum Primer looks the same after it dries. But the spray feels rubbery.
Sanding is harder and takes much longer. This stuff doesn't come off as a "dust" when sanding. It loads up the sand paper quicker.
The can says "Wet Sandable" but I wouldn't wet sand a first coat on a kraft paper (cardboard) tube.

It shot out rough like cottage cheese.
I've had other cans of Gloss White Rusto 2X do this on occasion. I still use the Rusto 2X for color coats.



Here's the stuff you want - 
Duplicolor Primer - Filler, High Build Formula.
You can find it at auto supply stores.

If you tried these two primers side by side you would probably prefer the Duplicolor.
It's worth the extra few dollars for the time saved sanding and sandpaper.

EDIT: The can graphics have just changed. It's now called:
Duplicolor Automotive PRIMER Series - FILLER -
The catalog number is still the same - FP101 Grey Filler

Fliskits MACME Shrew Build, Part 12, Shorten the Inside Tube

After over sanding the segment angles for the best fit,  I ended up with the internal tube a little long.
The top ring could be moved down about 1/16" and be closer to what was intended in the design.

With the tip of the blade, small punches were made around the glue fillet.
Look close at the inset picture and you can see the knife tip cuts.

This came off easier than I thought it would.
The ring was lowered 1/16" and glued on again.

After it dried the short tube extension was sanded flush with the top of the #5 ring.

Another dry fit -
The front end isn't illustrated in the instructions but this is probably what it should look like.
The Kevlar line will be tied below the #5 ring and come out of the side.

Fliskits MACME Shrew Build, Part 11, First Try Test Nose Cone

To make a practice cone some 24 lb. paper was taped beneath the kit supplied thicker stock.
By cutting through the single kit cone pattern I'll also cut a second practice cone on the paper underneath. I'll form the copy cone first to test the fit.

The glue tab seemed very narrow, I cut mine wider.

The practice cone was formed and the tab area closed with a glue stick.

On the left you can barely see angle of the the interior nose base through the thin paper.
Just like on the base shroud ring, an angle was sanded onto the edge to better fit the nose cone sides.
The open side of the ring centers over the seam.
This is still a dry fit, no glue or clay yet. I was more concerned about the next picture.

Check the inset picture to see how high the #5 ring ended up. This is my fault, I probably sanded the segment angles too much to get a better joint fit.
The angle of the nose cone lip does cover it all up, though.

I'm still going to carefully remove the #5 ring, slide it down slightly and trim the interior BT-2.5 tube flush with the top of the ring.
(I know, it's unnecessary. But I like a good fit.)

The Last Mexico Post - Strike Four!

If you follow the blog you know my recent experience in Mexico wasn't good. I had done the month of September there last year. Things were sketchy then, now it's worse.

On arrival, I was left at the airport with no pickup. Never informed about the (new policy) one hour bus and taxi rides. STRIKE ONE!
Got shocked three times during a performance at a resort. STRIKE TWO!
After being told the system was repaired I got the big 120 volt shock the following week. Paperwork and a trip to the hospital. STRIKE THREE!

I told the US based agency I was done and wanted to go home. Considering everything, the agency said they understood. I let them know I didn't want to perform again at the resort with the electrical problems.
They do require a minimum of one month for their contracts. Trying to do the right thing, I said I would finish out the month and give them time to find a replacement act.
No mention was made about any consequences or penalties.

The moment I got home on July 1 the phone was ringing.
I was told they (the agency or resort) would not be paying for repair or replacement of my fried microphone receiver damaged in the power surges at the resort. - $550.00 and
I was responsible to pay for the flight for the replacement entertainer! - $545.00 . . .
STRIKE FOUR!

Unbelievable! I've been a full time entertainer for over 30 years. I've dealt with good and bad agencies before, but never like this! They are trying to "teach me a lesson." 
They've only hurt themselves. I have many, many entertainment connections.

A Gift from Bill G!

You meet great people at club launches.
This is Bill Gibson. I met him at a Tampa TTRA launch a few years ago.
A great builder and flyer.
Bill was the first person I'd seen that marked the engine designation on the igniter tape.
A practice I use every time I prep a rocket. CLICK HERE

When I got home from Mexico there was a package in my overstuffed mailbox.
Bill made a display stand for my Quest Stiletto.
This stand seems to be made from aluminum. The base is polished, the vertical piece is sandblasted.
The black tube is machined plastic and fits a 24mm engine mount perfectly.

In addition to just looking cool - 

The polished aluminum even matches the metallic silver paint on the Stiletto!

If Shrox ever saw this (the designer of the Quest Stiletto) he would agree it's a perfect combination.

Thanks Bill! This made my day.

Fliskits MACME Shrew Build, Part 10, Base Shroud and Fit

The base ring is glued onto the "A" tube segment.
Be sure the launch lug hole in the ring lines up with the penciled launch lug line.
In the picture at the right it was incorrect! I had the base plate hole lined up with the black line. The penciled line was to the right. The ring had to be carefully cut off and moved to the correct position.

TIP: In the picture I'm lightly sanding the ring to an angle to better match the angle of the shroud. This makes a better fit on the low end of the shroud. Now the shroud won't bulge at the bottom.
Look at the brown edge and you can see where the upper edge is whiter. This is because some of the burnt edge was sanded down.
Be careful not to sand the top edge of the tube, just the top of the ring edge.

The shroud is glued on the tube/ring assembly.

Look through the hole in the base plate to be sure the lug line is aligned with the hole.

The skin was glued on next with the glue stick.

The inset picture shows the overhang of the skin.
On the left the skin has been sanded down to the edge of the base.

Here's the best dry fit I could get!
I had to turn the A, B, C and D pieces slightly away from the alignment lines to get the seams to butt up tighter.

There is a gap at the top, I don't know if this is correct or not.
I can only hope the overhang lip of the nose cone will cover this up.