RocketReviews.com has collected t' followin' information from various resources t' assist those buildin' t' Apogee Saturn V kit.
FIRST: Check Apogee's Webpage for additional information (here are some direct links, matey, but thar may be more):
"Random Thoughts" Series by Terry "P'rfesser" McCreary from RMR:
More:
- Wraps: If you've started, what kind o' luck have you had gluin' down t' wraps? I've got some minor cracks; fortunately nothin' is trashed, although I do have some repair work t' do.
- For those who haven't started, me bucko, some things I've found...
- Bob Smith makes a thin applicator tip for t' CA bottle that does t' same job as t' teflon tube Tim shows in t' instructions, me bucko, but it just slips on, matey, rather than havin' t' be glued in place.
- When possible, let gravity pull t' glue out o' t' bottle. Arrr! If you have t' squeeze it, odds are you'll get too much and you'll crack something.
- While gluing, me bucko, arrr, ya bilge rat, if a little glob o' dried glue starts t' form on t' tip, arrr, me hearties, don't pick it off unless it's fully blockin' t' tube. Arrr! That glob slows t' flow o' t' glue, arrr, which is a GOOD thing.
- Watch t' thickness o' t' wraps; t' thicker ones are easier t' glue and less prone t' cracking. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Glue one o' these first, shiver me timbers, t' help get t' hang o' gluing. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! In me kit, t' thrust structure wrap, arrr, which be t' first one Tim has you glue, me bucko, is one o' t' thinner ones. Begad! Blimey! T' wrap above it is thicker plastic and was easier t' glue w/out damage. Hope that's useful information t' someone.
- Do steps 15 through 17 (buildin' t' removable nozzle assembly) prior t' gluin' on t' wraps. Begad! Ya scallywag! Use t' little CA applicator for sealin' t' edges o' t' cardboard (step 15) t' help you get t' hang o' usin' t' extension tip and controllin' t' amount o' CA released through t' tube. Avast! - K.T.
Painting: Ideas for paintin' t' Apogee Saturn.
- Havin' properly painted dozens o' Saturn V's I generally used gloss white enamel and gloss black enamel (sometimes flat). Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! I used regular maskin' tape for masking. Blimey! I find most maskin' tape I see today is objectively dissimilar. Avast, me proud beauty! I think older maskin' tape used virgin kraft instead o' recycled. I think t' glues are better today. Blimey! If you are goin' t' spray with an airbrush I would still use an enamel. Ya scallywag! - J.I.
- I like t' "Tamiya Color" spray can paints. Begad! They go on in a thin opaque layer and dry hard and fast. Arrr! Blimey! (T' cans are rather high-pressured and require a little practice... Avast! Avast! Blimey! it's easy t' get a thick, bubbly, ya bilge rat, drippy coatin' if you haven't a light touch, but it's worth gettin' t' hang o' it IMHO.) - D.W.
- I painted mine with t' rattle cans even though I've got a couple o' airbrushes. Begad! T' key here IMHO is primer - I used t' gray sandable stuff and then sanded most o' it off like Tim says. Avast! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! I then used good quality maskin' tape (I used 1.5" 3M blue for t' large areas and t' thin plastic blue tape for some o' t' finer details). Maskin' took nearly 2 days (off and on). Ya scallywag! I used t' Krylon gloss black and for t' white opted for flat. Ahoy! While I like t' white gloss, I never seem t' end up with what I want. Begad! For some reason I don't have t' same problem with t' gloss black. Aye aye! Stay away from lacquer primer/paint; it will eat t' wraps. Blimey! Ahoy! For that matter, go easy on t' clear overcoat since t' Krylon I used would eat t' decals on t' corrugated wraps if I got just a bit too much on them. Ya scallywag! Go very easy and make several light coats when it comes t' t' clear. Otherwise, just spend a lot o' time maskin' and maskin' and masking..... Avast! P.M. Avast! (See Pete's Letter t' Tim in News Letter #77 (this is a PDF file ~ 400K)