New Way Blade Runner, Part 7, Gluing In The Engine Mount

The Kevlar and shrink wrap are run down thru the mount so they won't get in the way.

The instructions have you apply glue 1 3/4" from the bottom of the main airframe tube.

I use a dowel to roll a line of glue inside the tube. Setting the dowel beside the engine mount shows me the glue line would be better at 1 7/8" to apply the glue just below the upper centering ring.

Notice the two depth pencil lines on the dowel. The lower pencil line is the 1 7/8" mark.

A ring of glue is set around the top edge of the dowel.

Set the dowel in the tube up to the 1 7/8" pencil mark and roll the glue into a ring line inside the tube. You will have to apply more glue on the dowel to get a ring all the way around inside the tube.

Slide the engine mount in, turning the mount when in contact with the glue to even out and make a smooth interior fillet.

With the mount glue dried, 

TIP: Note the straightened coat hanger hook in the right side picture. The hook will help get the shock cord back through the top of the tube.

 

There isn't much room to get a fillet at the lower centering ring/body tube joint. 

I applied a small glue drop to one side of my long tweezers. Set the drop in on the joint to smooth as best your can. Keep some Q-tips handy to pick up any glue boogers.

New Way Blade Runner, Part 6, Tying Elastic Shock Cord To The Kevlar

As I normally do, some steps are out of order from the instructions.

I like to mark the body tube seams with a fine point pencil for visibility when filling.

The tip of my knife blade is dipped in thinned CWF. Wipe off the back of the blade leaving the filler on the top side of the knife. Set the knife in the recess seam and with a back and forth motion of the knife, leave filler in the seam.

You should be able to leave filler for a length of about 1 1/2". If not, your filler needs more thinning with water.

The instructions spell out how to tie the elastic shock cord to the Kevlar before gluing the engine mount in. You don't want the Kevlar line to extend beyond the top end of the body tube. This can lead to a "zipper" at an early or too late ejection, the Kevlar tearing through the body tube. 

Set the mount along the side of the body tube with the 1/4" pencil mark on the mount even with the end of the tube.

Straighten the Kevlar line out down the tube to the top. Mark the Kevlar 2" down from the top of the tube.

At the 2" mark, tie the Kevlar to the elastic shock cord using a simple, overhand knot.

The short, larger diameter heat shrink tube is slid over the knot. 

Hit with a heat gun or hair dryer at the low setting. On the left is the before, on the right is after using heat.

You can cut off the excess.

New Way Blade Runner, Part 5, Fin Prep & Grain Fill

Like all laser cut fins,

these aren't cut straight down but in a narrow wedge.

It'd be like cutting out fins with a straightedge and the knife blade at a very slight angle.

Just be aware of which edges are a glue joint, like the root edge. A root edge cut at an angle could glue onto the body tube at an angle.

The flat blades are glued onto an outside edge. I used a flat diamond file to easily square up the sides and inside corners. 

There are 20 pieces of balsa to fill!

When brushing on the thinned CWF filler, be sure to keep the tab slots clear and open. 

Here I'm using the backside of my knife to clear the slots.

New Way Blade Runner, Part 4, Freeing The Fins

Here's a closeup of the laser cut fins. There are hold down ticks - 

and the corners need to be free.

Use the tip of your knife blade.

I tried a dry fit of the flat "blades" in the fin tabs.

These tabs were purposely cut a bit high so they extend above the fin face. Too many kits have short tabs requiring extra filling. These tabs can be sanded to surface after the glue dries!

New Way Blade Runner, Part 3, Engine Mount

The rings are glued in place on their 1/2" marks made earlier.

Tie the Kevlar with a small square knot. Cut the loose tail off at about 1/2" long.

Press the Kevlar loop, knot and tail into the glue fillet.

Slide the heat shrink tube down the Kevlar line until the end rests on the upper centering ring. 

While holding the heat shrink tube against the upper ring - 

Apply heat using a hair dryer or heat gun on the low setting. It should shrink around and tighten over the Kevlar.

When tying the Kevlar knot, make it small and tight against the motor mount tube. There isn't much space between the BT-20 and BT-50 tubing.

Notice the Kevlar relief notch is to the outside edge of the upper ring. This keeps the Kevlar to the outside of the hot ejection charge.

New Way Blade Runner, Part 2, Engine Mount

The 20/50 centering rings are laser cut from plywood.

I like to sand off the charring from the faces using 400 grit on a block. 

It's not necessary to do this, I want cleaner parts - especially when the surfaces can be seen on the finished model.

The motor mount tube is marked 1/2" from both ends for centering ring positions.

Slot the tube for the engine hook at 1/4" from the top and insert the upper bend of the hook.

The retainer ring ends up centered between the centering rings. Slide on, apply a ring of glue and into position. 

The fit of the rings was almost perfect! A hair tight.

For a smooth slide over the ends of the tube, a piece of 400 grit was wrapped around a finger and used to lightly "ream" the center hole.

New Way Blade Runner, Part 1, Parts

What a great new design from New Way! I've never seen anything like it.

18.75 inches tall,

BT-50 based with five multipiece fins. The flat face fins drag stabilize the model, almost like a conical rocket.

Simple colors and an easy mask.

Decals are effective and clean.

All the parts are well produced. A sandpaper and Q-tip package is included.

The parts of interest:

Heat shrink tubing to protect the Kevlar line at the engine mount.

Larger diameter heat shrink tubing to go over the Kevlar/shock cord tie.

Plywood centering rings.

Engine lock retaining ring

Black vinyl stripe to go over white and light gray color separation line.