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  #1  
Old 07-28-2011, 11:32 AM
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Swillie Swillie is offline
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Default Estes Wasp upscale build

Ok I have started with an Estes Executioner for this upscale. The engine mount is installed and I have cut the fins and the upper body tube to scale. I modified the plastic cone from the kit as close as I could to the ramjet style cone. To get the right diameter where I cut the cone it ends up being 3/4 " short of scale, so I left the upper BT 3/4" long and plan to paint that portion white to get the overall scale look of the cone. I wish I had a lathe to try spinning a more acurate cone, the original did not have the ogive curve to it but was a series of angles straights, but I am pretty happy with this one for now.

I am trying to find a suitable chrome wrap for the upper tube. There is this stuff called Bare Metal Foil which is used for applying chrome to model car trim, ect. It come in a 6 1/2" by 11" sheet so is the right size but seems kind of delicate for this application. If anyone has a better idea I would appreciate any input. Maybe there is a page size mirror finish sticker out there, but I can't find one.

Here is a mock-up next to my Ramjet for scale.
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Old 07-28-2011, 03:42 PM
jetlag jetlag is online now
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You are going to have to use Monokote Trim sheets in Chrome.

From Tower Hobbies:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bi...p?&I=LXHX87&P=7

It is 5 inches wide, 36 inches long. Works fantastic and is quite durable. Cheap enough to check it out (about $3). Your local hobby shop probably has some; we use it on R/C aircraft all the time.
I love the stuff, but for compound curves, you may have to use the Monokote that one applies with an iron (comes in rolls), which is more expensive and can be problematic if you have never done it before.
It also works quite well.

Allen
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Old 07-28-2011, 05:13 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jetlag
You are going to have to use Monokote Trim sheets in Chrome.

From Tower Hobbies:

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bi...p?&I=LXHX87&P=7

It is 5 inches wide, 36 inches long. Works fantastic and is quite durable. Cheap enough to check it out (about $3). Your local hobby shop probably has some; we use it on R/C aircraft all the time.
I love the stuff, but for compound curves, you may have to use the Monokote that one applies with an iron (comes in rolls), which is more expensive and can be problematic if you have never done it before.
It also works quite well.

Allen
IMASAM #50


Thanks Allen, that stuff looks perfect. I like the idea of heat shrinking it to get a nice fit. The scaled up wrap needs to be around 6.37" wide. I guess I could lay 2 rows of this stuff, it would be much pricier to buy the wider rolls. I have found this stuff online today called chrome vinyl sign material , a 1' by 2' roll for 6.00 $ shipped.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Silver-Chrome-M...=item43a823095b

Dangit now I have 2 choices and I still don't know what to use
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Old 08-03-2011, 12:21 PM
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Default Finished......

I finished the rocket this morning. I ended up using the chrome vinyl sign material I found on ebay for the upper body wrap. That stuff was real easy to work with. I printed the decals on Testors decal paper with two coats of bonder on them. Really brings back memories. I built an original kit when they first came out back in the 80's. On its second flight the D12 cato'd on the pad and detroyed it. Estes sent me another kit as a replacement as they had discontinued this model.

So I have a couple question for you all. I have been using Valspar satin clear coat with nice results, but I have seen it mentioned here that Future Floor Shine works really well, in partucular someone said it worked good over there Wasp clone chrome wrap too. I have never used that stuff, how do you apply it? Or should I stick with the satin clear?

The original Wasp used a streamer for recovery. I was thinking I would stick with a 24" parachute for this size rocket, but could a streamer bring it down safely? How big would it have to be and what material would I use?

Steve
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Old 08-03-2011, 01:23 PM
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Very nice!
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Old 08-03-2011, 03:28 PM
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Love it! That really turned out nice. I'm guessing you did paint part of the body tube white, but I don't really see the seam between it and the nose cone.

I've always liked the look of the Wasp. Never had an original, but I built one of the Inflight clones when they were available (about 3 years ago). I quite enjoyed it but unfortunately it ended up lost in a tall wheat field last year. (It had a nice mylar streamer ... but a parachute might have stayed on top while the streamer just disappeared to the bottom. There's one case where parachute beats streamer for lost rocket avoidance.)

I used Future Floor Finish on my Wasp clone, and it turned out just as nicely as any other rocket I've used it on. Excelsior Rocketry has a write up on how to apply their decals and include a step to coat with Future. This foam brush method is the technique I've used. (I've read that others use an airbrush, which I've not tried). I've found that the foam brush method works fairly well, but you have to really be careful or you'll get runs. The write-up mentions wiping with a paper towel. I don't think that would work well, but I do you use a paper towel to lightly blot drips that form at the bottom of fins for example. If it turns out badly, you can remove with the finish with Windex and try again. (I did that once with no adverse effects.) Link to Excelsior write up:

http://towrowrow.tripod.com/excelsiorrocketry/id3.html

Best wishes on the launch when you get to it.
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Old 08-03-2011, 08:04 PM
Vanel Vanel is offline
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Outstanding!
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  #8  
Old 08-05-2011, 03:22 PM
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I haven't found the Future Floor Finish yet, so I sprayed the Wasp with satin clear. First coat, no problem, second coat........ crackled the entire finish on the body tube The fins and under all the decals were fine, but everywhere else looked like an earthquake hit it. After a few choice words that my neighbors probably heard, I began the salvage job. Sanded all the cracked areas, covered the decals with blue tape and feathered in 2 coats of yellow, rocket almost fell, caught it instictively putting fingerprints into the fresh coat of yellow One of those days you wish you could start over I guess. I have fine sanded the edges where the new yellow meets the old and it has 2 new coats of satin clear on the whole thing. Still looks great from arms length, but it will never be what it was short of a complete redo so I would say it's a 'flyer' at this point. I was considering entering this one into the Classic Model competition at Naram 54 next summer but I think I would have to sand it down all the way and start over for that. I don't know how tough they judge the finish up close. I don't care about winning anything anyway, I would still like to bring it out and fly it there and check out the scene.
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Old 08-05-2011, 03:37 PM
space_bus space_bus is offline
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Really sorry to hear what happened to the Wasp.

If you're still interested in Future Floor Finish, you can try this link:

http://www.greatmodels.com/~smartca..._num=GMWFUTURE3

They sell the stuff in smaller quantities.

I found that link off of this reference (called 'The Complete Future'... has a bunch of info):

http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html
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Old 08-05-2011, 04:02 PM
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Thanks for the link space_bus. See I knew there was a reason I was thinking of trying the Future wax instead. My fault , I should have let the first clear coat dry for an hour or so. I usually have done my clear coats 10 minutes apart without a problem. After doing some research I probably should be letting gloss paint dry for days or a week before applying any clear. Oh well, I build them to fly them anyway but the perfectionist side in me is still a little sore about it. I wonder if a couple coats of Future on this one would maybe help smooth the finish out even more.
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