Estes Saturn V Build Part 48 Masking Reduction

This is a tough part of the mask.
Those raised nubs on the reduction wrap are rounded and not very high. Trying to get tape to adhere to the angled sides will take some extra consideration.

First, a thin band of Scotch tape was tried. No luck.
I ended up using a strip of standard masking tape cut to 1/8" wide.

TIP: Don't use masking tape right off the roll. Chances are, the sticky edge won't be clean or give you a sharp line.
A strip is torn off and set on the glass patio door. A new, clean edge is cut with a strait edge.

This 1/8" wide strip was wrapped around the four nubs on the reduction wrapper. Right now the tops are open, but to match the small curves, you need the flexibility of a thinner strip.

Clear Scotch tape was used on the straight lines going down the adapter. You can see where the clear tape was marked with a Sharpie first - off the model.
Masking tape strips were used going around the adapter.

NOTE! The masking lengths in the Estes instructions are wrong! On the reduction wrap the height should be 1 3/16", not 1 1/8".

I can only guess these are the masking area measurements from the older Estes kits. The instruction measurements don't fit the raised masking areas on the Centuri vacuform wraps.
Molded into the corrugation on the wraps are raised areas to make the masking a little easier. Lay your tape separation masks on the raised areas, not at the 1 1/8" suggested spacing.

Going around the reduction wrap can only be done with a flexible tape. The less wide the strip, the more it can follow the curve. 1/8" wide strips of masking tape worked well.

In the BMS Peter Alway Saturn V kit, you are give a pre-cut vinyl wrap for the reduction adapter. At first, I wasn't too hot on the idea of the vinyl wrap, but it turned out great! Certainly a lot easier than masking a straight line around a tapered adapter.

After shooting the black, the mask didn't look very pretty.
I used Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2X coverage. I'm used to it and get pretty good results.
I know it's gloss - for now. Decals lay down better on gloss paint.
Planning ahead, I might hit it with a dullcoat after decals are applied.

Time spent on build: 1:30
Total time on build so far: 48:00

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/7    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Estes Saturn V Build Part 47 Third Stage Wrap

After spraying, here's what I was left with.

I pulled the tape before the paint had totally set up, maybe 15 minutes after spraying the black.
So far, so good.

There was glitches, a few small bits of black had got underneath the tape. Before the paint sets up, you can usually push the paint back with a knife tip.

Note I said "push" and not scrape.
If you scrape the paint, you run the risk of knocking off some of the white exposing the gray primer underneath. If you do scrape, scrape lightly - just enough to remove some of the black.

Time spent on build: 1:00
Total time on build so far: 46:30

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/7    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Estes Saturn V Build Part 46 Masking

Oh boy - here comes the fun!
The first mask should be the easiest - the upper 2nd stage wrapper.
I'll be doing each masked section separately.
If I were to mask the entire rocket in one sitting, some of the taped areas might come loose after sitting too long.

This is a big hard project to mask! Take your time, plan ahead.

With all the complex surfaces involved, chances are that some areas will give you problems and require touchup.

This is the first piece of Scotch tape used in the mask.
First the tape was colored with a black marker so it could be seen against the white. A new, clean edge was cut with a straightedge on my patio glass door. I never use tape as it comes off the roll. A new edge is always cut.

The vacuform wrap seams were masked first.
There is no way to get a good painting seal by trying to press any long strip of tape into this recess. It'll take some smaller pieces to get a clean mask.

On the other side of this wrap you run into the flat wood tunnel.

There are three pieces of Scotch tape here. Two thin strips on the sides of the tunnel, one wider piece over the top.

Again, all three pieces were cut by laying the tape on glass, blackening the tape with a Sharpie pen then cutting clean edges with a straightedge.

Finally, a long piece is rolled around the tube centered on the flat raised line.

The long piece of tape (above) shows a thick line and a thin line below it. That thin line is just an black overlap from another piece I cut from it. Disregard the lower line.

Masking tape is layed on top of the scotch tape to extend the mask. Still more copy paper is taped to that. Whew!

Time spent on build: :45
Total time on build so far: 45:30

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/6    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

MX-774 Fix!

A while back, Bradycros on TRF referred me to some MX-774 scale plans.
Every picture I'd seen showed the small squares at the rear of the fins as black.
Of course they were black, every picture of the MX-774 is a black and white photograph!

As it turns out, the little squares are red.

I finally made the correction in time for the May TTRA launch.
Sure it's subtle, but it does make a difference!

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/6    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Estes Saturn V Build Part 45 White Basecoat

I didn't take any pictures of the model sprayed with gray primer.

It always amazes me how many flaws show up when sprayed gray. Suffice to say, I had a bit of sanding to remove some glue spots and rough edges.

After the gray primer was sanded the overall white followed.

TRIVIA: I found it interesting, in the original Centuri instructions, they have you paint the entire rocket black first, mask and then paint it white!
They explained (at the time) that the white paint adhered better over the black as opposed to the black over white.

I can't see doing it this way. Can you imagine how much extra white paint (and added weight) it would take to cover over a black undercoat?

The above picture shows the lower half painted white. The roll of paper was taped to the inside of the body tube to keep paint out of the tube.

The upper end got the same paper roll block. I did ball up a small towel and pushed that into the top to keep the shock cords in the tube.
The corrugations on the upper 2nd stage wrapper are deeper than all the rest. You can see gray primer showing through after I thought I'd got a good coverage. I had to go back and shoot white again from the sides to cover all the deep gray.

Time spent on build: 1:30
Total time on build so far: 43:45

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/6    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Estes Saturn V Build Part 44 One Last Fix!

Take a look at the box cover picture. There is a pretty substantial gap at the rounded front of the fairing.

The fairing tip is raised from the height of the lowest wrap.

I thought about filling the gap with scrap plastic from the vacuform sheets. I took a simpler route.
It took two fillets of white glue to fill the gap.

I know, white glue won't stick to the vacuform plastic. but, it does stick to the body tube. That'll be plenty to hold the fill glue in place.

Next up - gray primer!
While the primer will add a little weight, it also helps the final coats stick better with all the complex masking coming up. It's amazing how many small flaws you can see when the primer is dry.

Time spent on build: :30
Total time on build so far: 43:45

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/5    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Estes Saturn V Build Part 43 Launch Lugs

The lugs are glued to leftover tunnel wood standoffs.

A slight curve was sanded to match the body tube.






This shows the difference in the fits, unsanded on the left and contour sanded on the right.



I didn't glue the lugs centered on the seam line, but a little to the left. The 3/16" rod would run too close to the raised S-II motor beside the seam. Check yours with a launch rod and you'll see what I mean.

NOTE: Check Step 40 of the Centuri instructions HERE
It says to check the lug clearance using a 3/16" launch rod to make sure the rod doesn't hit any of the raised areas on the vacuform wraps. The illustration clearly shows the lugs glued to the side of the alignment line.

Time spent on build: 1:00
Total time on build so far: 42:45

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/5    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Estes Saturn V Build Part 42 Shock Cord Mount

Nothing too special here, the classic Estes tri-fold mount.

I do set the shock cord at an angle so the finished mount isn't too thick. This way the rubber lays beside itself in the folds instead of two or three layers of rubber and paper.

I pre-scored the mount folds before gluing.
The end of the shock cord was cut at an angle to better fit into the fold.

Before gluing, roll a slight curve into the mount to better fit the inside of the body tube.

The curve should not be as extreme as shown in the picture. In a tube this large it's a subtle curve.

The instructions say to glue them on opposite sides, 2" from the top of the tube.

Time spent on build: :30
Total time on build so far: 41:45

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/4    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

LAUNCH! Schoolyard May 25, 2011

I was out at 7:45 a.m. to beat the heat and wind.

Here's my kitbash of the Estes Bullpup kit, turned into an MX-774.
It flew well with an Estes A8-3 with parachute recovery.
Estimated altitude was 250'.
To information on the conversion, go HERE

This little ASP Jayhawk gets great altitude for a MicroMaxx engine.

Stability - well, it did veer to a little North.
I would guess it got 150 feet up, it's only 3 1/2" tall.
Very fast off the pad, it's a hard one to keep an eye on. But, it was recovered.

I was recovering a model when I met Brandon. He was on his way to school and had questions about the rocket.
I invited him over and answered more questions. I gave him a card with a few rocketry web addresses.

Brandon took me up on the offer to launch the carded MINI BERTHA powered with an Estes A3-4t.

After hitting over 650', it drifted under a streamer and landed 200 yards from the launcher.
After five minutes of looking, I almost gave up. It never fails, about the time you are going to chalk up as a loss, you find it.

Also flown:
The Quest powered FLIC with an Estes A3-4t engine. I'd estimate the altitude at 600' with a slow turn during boost. Even though the rod was slightly angled for the wind, it still drifted 200 yards away.

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/4    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Fina lägenheten

Utsikten från köksfönstret och även från vardagsrum och ena sovrummet.

Som jag skrev i förra inlägget så gick flytten över förväntan. Det var nästan så jag inte hann med i svängarna. Alla kämpade och bar och med gott humör dessutom. 

Det mesta är uppackat här och sen är det bara pysslandet kvar som gör att det är vårt personliga hem.

Det är otroligt skönt att inte bo mitt i värsta trafiken i stan och alla avgaser och ljud som är där. Visst har det varit bra att bo där också. Men var sak har sin tid och nu njuter vi här med att bo nära backen, med egen liten uteplats, fin utsikt, nära sjön och lugnt omkring oss.

Det äe bara utstädningen av lägenheten kvar och sen att lämna ifrån nycklarna.   Nästa projekt är studenten nästa vecka, 1 juni, sen ska det bli lugna gatan med det mesta.

Kram

Strömma

منبع:
http://lojrom-vittvin.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/4    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Suverän flytthjälp av beundransvärda ungdomar och väninna

Flyttbilen jag körde i lördags. 

Jag är full av beundran över all god hjälp jag hade med flytten. 8 timmar tog det att tömma en 5:a + förråd och köra allt till nya lägenheten. Den lilla lastbilen svalde mycket och 4 vändor blev det. Så bra flytthjälp, av så många har jag aldrig haft. Min snälla väninna körde min bil så att alla kunde transporteras mellan lägenheterna.

Kram
Strömma

منبع:
http://lojrom-vittvin.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/4    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Мы говорим слова свои, как прежде...

24 мая - день рожденья Иосифа Бродского, одного из небожителей на поэтическом Парнасе. Это Мастер, сплетающий обычные слова в изящное вербальное кружево. В его стихах восторгаешься и содержанием, и формой, когда  смыслы облечены в фантастической красоты словесную оболочку. А это в поэзии бывает не часто.

  

ПРОРОЧЕСТВО

М. Б.      Мы будем жить с тобой на берегу,      отгородившись высоченной дамбой      от континента, в небольшом кругу,      сооруженном самодельной лампой.      Мы будем в карты воевать с тобой      и слушать, как безумствует прибой,      покашливать, вздыхая неприметно,      при слишком сильных дуновеньях ветра.      Я буду стар, а ты - ты молода.      Но выйдет так, как учат пионеры,      что счет пойдет на дни - не на года, -      оставшиеся нам до новой эры.      В Голландии своей наоборот      мы разведем с тобою огород      и будем устриц жарить за порогом      и солнечным питаться осьминогом.      Пускай шумит над огурцами дождь,      мы загорим с тобой по-эскимосски,      и с нежностью ты пальцем проведешь      по девственной, нетронутой полоске.      Я на ключицу в зеркало взгляну      и обнаружу за спиной волну      и старый гейгер в оловянной рамке      на выцветшей и пропотевшей лямке.      Придет зима, безжалостно крутя      осоку нашей кровли деревянной.      И если мы произведем дитя,      то назовем Андреем или Анной.      Чтоб, к сморщенному личику привит,      не позабыт был русский алфавит,      чей первый звук от выдоха продлится      и, стало быть, в грядущем утвердится.      Мы будем в карты воевать, и вот      нас вместе с козырями отнесет      от берега извилистость отлива.      И наш ребенок будет молчаливо      смотреть, не понимая ничего,      как мотылек колотится о лампу,      когда настанет время для него      обратно перебраться через дамбу. На YouTube стихи Бродского поют и читают, но мне мешает навязываемый видеоряд. Исполнитель творит его, руководствуясь  собственным вкусом, или его отсутствием. А когда читаешь сам, возникает свое видение, своя система образов. А вы как думаете?

منبع:
http://irina-alicelovers.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/3    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Estes Saturn V Build Part 41 Parachutes

Here's a corner from the parachute sheet.

It's a copy of the older Centuri Saturn V kit parachutes.

While the sheet corner directions show a shroud line simply looped under a tape disk, the supplied disks have a center hole.

As I've explained before, lift the disk off the backing using your knife blade, not with your fingers.

Touching the self-adhesive disks will diminish the adhesion on the parachute.

Using a knife lets you get a more accurate placement on the printed circle.

I'm concerned because the disks aren't sticking very well to the thick parachute material. I'll wait a few days before tying on the shroud lines. Sometimes a self-adhesive will stick better after a few days and become more permanent.

Time spent on build: 1:45
Total time on build so far: 41:15

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/3    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Estes Saturn V Build Part 40 Parachute Hook

You can see the original Centuri Saturn V plans HERE

It's a fascinating read. There are scans of the vacuform wraps as supplied in the Centuri kit, #KS-12.
The wraps and fin edges were die-cut. Check out the rough edges and the plastic lip surrounding the interstage wrap.

This scan also includes the original hand written instructions by Centuri designer Keith Niskern.
It's a good insight into what goes into producing instructions.

The reason I bring this up -
On page 46 is a PDF of the service module wrap. I always thought the Centuri service module looked better than the silver painted Estes version.
If cut correctly out of trim Monokote, it should cover up the filled slit under the U shaped hook.

Here's how the hook turned out after filling and spraying.

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/3    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Estes Saturn V Build Part 39 Parachute Hook

There is a short piece of brass wire in the kit.

This is bent into a hook to be attached to the 18" upper body parachute. The hook allows the upper section to hang at an angle, reducing the chance of damage to the tower in a hard landing.

While the instructions don't say so, the illustration is full size. I bent mine as best I could to match it, but it's slightly larger.

You are instructed to cut a 1/4" slit above the shroud.

NOTE: The instructions say "slit", but you should cut a thin slot as wide as the wire diameter. My slit was the width of my X-Acto blade and not wide enough for an easy insertion of the wire.

The "U" shape in the wire is pushed through the slit. In my case, this raised the edges of the cut line.

Time spent on build: :45
Total time on build so far: 39:30

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/2    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Estes Saturn V Build Part 38 Nozzle Fix

Earlier I had glued the supply tube to the nozzle.

Looking at the picture you can see the top of the supply tube is lower than the gluing nub on the nozzle top.

If left like this, the nozzles wouldn't glue in straight to the bottom plate.

I'll have to lengthen the supply tube.




Using the rotary punch, a small "donut" was made from a double thickness of scrap vacuform plastic.

I wanted the ring to be about the same diameter as the top of the supply tube gluing nub.





Here's the donut ring glued on the top of the supply tube.
Another ring is shown on my fingertip.

When all is painted and glued in place it won't be noticeable.

Time spent on build: :30
Total time on build so far: 38:45

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/2    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Estes Saturn V Build Part 37 Wood Tunnels

In step 16, my plastic shim ended up being closer to 2 7/8" long instead of the 2 1/2" long suggested in the instructions.

I cut it wider than what was needed. It was glued on, and then trimmed and sanded to match the width of the tunnels.

You won't have to make a very deep notch to have the smaller tunnel fit the upper wrap.

The bevel was marked with a pencil and carefully sanded with a block, 220 grit then 400 grit.

I sealed these off the model using clear dope. Two coats, sanding afterwards. Be careful to keep the dope away from that plastic shim. If it gets on the plastic, it'll eat right through it.

Time spent on build: 1:30
Total time on build so far: 38:15

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/1    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

LAUNCH! TTRA Tampa, May 21, 2011

To be honest - the low power pads at the TTRA launches could use some repair.

While waiting for the only two available LPR pads, the line was cut into and crowded by a dozen enthusiastic boy scouts.
I decided to come back later when two more LPR pads opened up.

The Odd'l Rockets WEDGIE flew well and stable with an Estes C6-3.
That's me connecting the clips on my GOBLIN clone with a C6-5 engine.
A long streamer brought it down into the line of cars. No damage to the cars or rocket.

Roger Smith (jonrocket.com and rocketreviews.com) had a great boost on his VERTICAL ASSAULT rocket with a CTI J330.
After his highest flight of 4,312 feet, deployment was a little late.

Roger, your zipper is down.

Brian Urban at the recovery of his scratch built PERSHING.

If you are ever at a Tampa TTRA launch, check out Brian's workmanship. Truly, some of the best craftsmanship I've seen in a long time.

Lonnie Buchanon always brings some vintage models to fly.
That's a Estes Citation PATRIOT ready to fly on a C6-5.
It is original right down to the tape strips holding the shroud lines on the parachute.
Sure the decals are a little yellow, but I wouldn't change a thing.
A classic design and true flier.

This is Carl Campbell of DFR Technologies with the Delta IV. This is a five engine cluster, (check out all the clips in the inset picture) four A10s surrounding a central C6-5.
It was fast off the pad with a little wiggle. It could have just been an outboard A10 igniting a fraction of a second late. Impressive flight and recovery.

Carl had a perfect flight with a Sheri's Hot Rockets Mercury Redstone.
His Semroc Saturn 1B didn't fare as well. You can check out the picture analysis HERE on TRF. Carl just shrugged his shoulders and is planning a rebuild!

Roger Smith took plenty of great launch pictures. there are posted HERE.
His camera is better suited for capturing distant launch shots than my point and shoot.

Also flown:
Dr. Zooch ATLAS AGENA with a 36 year old Centuri C6-5.
It performed like a new engine but with a lot more smoke in the 5 second delay. On recovery, the Atlas Agena seemed to hang too long in a thermal.

منبع:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/1    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()

Her MAGICsty Alice

It’s Sunday evening. I’ve just realized that for the whole day I’ve been reading up for tomorrow lecture and for the whole day I’ve been smiling like the Cheshire cat. It’ll be Carroll’s Alice. There’s sort of inexplicable Magic about Alice that works in the same way whatever time I open it. Some sweet madness which I don’t mind. Do you remember the dialogue:

We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad. – How d’you know I’m mad? –You must be, or you wouldn’t have come here. 

You know what I mean? Are you among that mad folk as well? What's Alice to you?

منبع:
http://irina-alicelovers.blogspot.com

نوشته شده در تاریخ 1390/03/1    | توسط: فیروز قوچ داشی    |    | نظرات()