#1
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Old projects, new life
In my quest to finish the rockets I have laying around for one reason or another I placed a Semroc order on Monday night. (I was left unsupervised.) One that I bought parts for was the Launch Missile. I'd built the tailcone assembly and still had the fins in the box, but the main body tube, transition, payload tube and nose cone were nowhere to be found. Those were the parts I ordered, so I started the construction process yesterday when they arrived. Turns out the tailcone is the most detailed piece, so with that done this should go quickly. The other piece that I ordered was a replacement nose cone for the Centurion that I hung on a wire by B6-4 Field when I first picked up a keychain camera. The Centurion had hung overnight and suffered a 1 inch zipper during the rescue the next day. I watched the nose cone hang for several weeks, but it eventually disappeared and I think it may have eventually fallen and been mowed. I cut the zippered tube off last night and sanded everything even, so once it's painted only a keen eye will notice the difference. I'm going to be unsupervised again tonight, so I plan to finish these two as well as the Recruiter (horrible paint treatment,) and Squire (masking fins for the final white coat.) All Semroc. All Thursday.
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Bill Eichelberger NAR 79563 http://wallyum.blogspot.com/ I miss being SAM 0058 Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark |
#2
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I need to finish about a half dozen....ok about a dozen unfinished models in various states of sanding/finishing, and a couple that even got base coats before my mother broke her hip. They are actually in that condition because I love to sand so much. Funny you should mention Centurion, keychain cam, and tree in the same sentence. I recall using the same Semroc kit to boost a camera payload section. I used a gum stick style cam mounted horizontally for increased drag....ok, so I did it just to get it done quick and get it in the air. It had a nice launch and recovery right into a maple tree. IIRC, it was on a B6-2 or B6-4 because the flight video was very short. It got a little lip damage on the BT, but that's about it.
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I love sanding. |
#3
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It all started to sound familiar. Turns out it was. https://www.oldrocketforum.com/show...=centurion+wire
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Bill Eichelberger NAR 79563 http://wallyum.blogspot.com/ I miss being SAM 0058 Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark |
#4
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Quote:
I need to finish about a half dozen....ok about a dozen unfinished models in various states of sanding/finishing, and a couple that even got base coats before my mother broke her hip. They are actually in that condition because I love to sand so much. Funny you should mention Centurion, keychain cam, and tree in the same sentence. I recall using the same Semroc kit to boost a camera payload section. I used a gum stick style cam mounted horizontally for increased drag....ok, so I did it just to get it done quick and get it in the air. It had a nice launch and recovery right into a maple tree. IIRC, it was on a B6-2 or B6-4 because the flight video was very short. It got a little lip damage on the BT, but that's about it.
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I love sanding. |
#5
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Quote:
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Bill Eichelberger NAR 79563 http://wallyum.blogspot.com/ I miss being SAM 0058 Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark |
#6
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I have about a dozen built and ready for paint just sitting for spring to come so I can take them outside . I have a spray booth in the basement but it won't hold at least 9 of them.
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#7
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I am not alone!
I’ve worked on a few little rockets, since it’s usually pretty dry here, even when temperatures tend to keep me in. I dash out, spray primer, and dash back in, and put my rocket back in the basement to dry. Any work on larger rockets is limited to sealing wood, filling spirals, or sanding things I primed months ago. My projects: - Squire ( I think this was a freebie from Carl, it’s old). Built, needs primer/paint - Repairs on Estes V-2 - Repairs on a bashed Estes Stormcaster - SuperNova upper stage priming and painting, booster done. - Assembly of BMS Mars Snooper (the shrouds were not included, rather they were typing paper patterns. I had to take the pattern sheet to Kinko’s to get copied onto cardstock. This really qualifies as a builder’s kit. - Super Sky Hook, need to fill fin grain and body tube extension joint. - Super X-Ray, need to fill fin grain - Astron Farside-X, scratch built a 24mm booster, just received kit and will start some assembly, maybe motor mounts. - Viper-like rocket (29mm cluster) for flying on 3xF15 Estes BP, is primed, needs more sanding/priming. - Estes Saturn 1B (1:100) — needs primer/paint - Conversion of a red and black plastic Mini Marz Lander to a painted white Mini with red legs. I flew this on Sunday, it’s painted today, will add Tango Papa decals tomorrow. (Downscaled regular Mars Lander decals.) Here are before and after pictures. I’m dying to get the decals on it.
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Lee Reep NAR 55948 Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold! Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp |
#8
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Scott McCrate gave me one of these years ago, along with the decal set for it. I've actually flown it recently, but I've never gotten around to painting it. Other than that, my "work to do" list includes: Dr. Zooch - Mercury Little Joe Needs escape tower. Makes my sack shrivel just thinking about it. Estes - Airborne Surveillance Missile Needs paint and decals Estes - BLU 97B Cluster Bomb Needs decals Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter Needs paint and decals Estes - Falcon Commander Needs repair Estes - Jayhawk Needs repair Estes - Long Tom Needs paint and decals Estes - Monarch Needs paint and decal Estes - Nike Apache Needs paint and decals Estes - Plasma Probe Needs paint and decals Estes - Ranger Needs decals Estes - Rattler 7 Needs paint and decals Estes - Sky Warrior Needs paint and decals Estes - Star Wars R2D2 Needs paint and decals Estes - Top Shot Needs decals Estes - Twin Factor Needs paint and decals Estes - Wizard Needs decals Fishhead Rocketry - Cherokee E Needs decals Fishhead Rocketry - Maverick XL Needs decals Fishhead Rocketry - Sky Jart Needs decals InFlight Rockets - Mach 10 Needs paint and decals LOC/Precision - Hi-Tech Mini Needs paint and decals MPC - Microsonde 3 Payloader Needs paint and decals Peter Alway's Scale Bash - Blossom V-2 Needs paint Quest - Intruder Needs paint and decals Semroc - BatRok Needs paint and decals Semroc - Egg Crate Needs paint and decals Semroc - Firefly Needs paint and decals Semroc - Hawk Needs paint Semroc - Hydra One Needs fins, paint and decals Semroc - Sam-3 Needs paint and decals Semroc - Scrambler Needs paint and decals Semroc - Sky Hook Needs stripes Semroc - Squire Needs decals Semroc - Starlight Needs paint and decals
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Bill Eichelberger NAR 79563 http://wallyum.blogspot.com/ I miss being SAM 0058 Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark |
#9
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Now I don’t feel quite so inefficient! My in-work list isn’t nearly as impressive Thanks though for the inspiration - I was pondering whether to take another substitute teaching gig today (I did elementary PE yesterday and could use some recovery time) or stay home and do some building. Sorry to Ms Nugent’s KG kiddos, I’m going to work on the rocket shop backlog!
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#10
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I meant to make a comment in my previous post about painting the plastic Mini Marz Lander. The plastic needs some serious cleaning and deglossing. I’m not sure what plastic is used for the legs, but paint can easily chip off unless it is prepped thoroughly. I think the body is a bit easier.
I took one apart years ago when I decided to scratch-build an upscale “Saturn IV”, based on a Peter Alway’s concept Saturn in “The Art of Scale Model a Rocketry”. The Mini was going to be the capsule, with legs folded down flat. I primed and painted, but the paint on the legs flaked off. I put the project on the back burner. Fast forward to this week. I scrubbed the entire Mini with #0000 steel wool, until all surfaces were free of any sheen. I washed them thoroughly, and primed them with Tamiya Surface Primer. I also did this to the twist-on nozzle/motor retainer. This Surface Primer is great for prepping plastic. Most models don’t need fillers, so this primer contains none. You don’t lose any surface details from buildup. In fact, I use it for any priming of detailed plastic rocket parts now, such as finely detailed parts like an Apollo capsule. After a day of drying, I shot the entire model with Tamiya Pure White. I could have used any white, but I’ve wanted to try their spray paints. After a day, I decided not to mask for painting the legs, I brushed Model Masters Italian Red. Flowed nicely, and looks fine. The aft “nozzle” that retains the motor got brushed with Testors Aluminum. It would have been easy to spray this part, since it’s a separate part, but brushing worked well again. I’m doing decals today, so I’ll post follow-up pictures.
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Lee Reep NAR 55948 Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold! Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp |
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