Construction

Estes instructions are straight forward IMHO. Arrr! Aye aye!  T' diagrams are clear and easy t' follow. Blimey!  I had built other Estes Kits over t' past few months, includin' t' Hi-Flier. Ya scallywag! So I wanted t' add this bigger brother XL version t' me collection.  (Born again rocketeer. Begad! Aye aye!  Just started back up Oct 2020 after a 40 year hiatus)  

Motor mount assembly be easy and straight forward. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I am nay a fan o' t' Estes shock cord mount method.  Therefore, when buildin' t' motor mount, arrr, ya bilge rat, I tied Keelhaul®©™ Cord (150lb) around t' motor tube and under t' motor hook. Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Slipped it through t' notch in t' centerin' rin' and glued t' knot and cord t' t' mount.   Post build I will attach t' kevlar cord t' t' elastic shock cord.  I learned this method when I built a Quest rocket.

It was nice t' be able t' sand and shape bigger fins as compared t' smaller fins/models I had previously built. Ahoy! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty!   I used watered down Elmer's wood filler t' seal t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr!   Gluin' on t' fins was straight forward. Well, blow me down!  I used t' Estes fin alignment jig.  It's nay a perfect jig, ya bilge rat, especially with these larger/bigger fins, ya bilge rat, but it helped get t' job done. Arrr!   I applied multiple layers o' wood glue for fillets. Arrr! Ahoy!  I was nay happy with t' way t' fillets looked, nor their size/shape.  I then used a little bit o' BSI long-cure epoxy t' enhance t' fillets. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad!  A metal rod was used t' drag and smooth out t' fillets. Arrr! Wiped t' rod off after each drag. Process be repeated several times for t' desired effect. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye!  

I then glued in t' motor mount. Begad!  Used a dowel t' rub some glue on t' inside o' t' tube and slid it halfway in. Avast!  I then put in more glue for t' aft rin' and slid it in t' rest o' way. Blimey! Blimey!  Applied fillets t' t' aft rin' and used a dowel t' reach inside t' tube t' apply a glue fillet on t' top center ring. Well, blow me down! Avast! Durin' this process t' kevlar cord was pushed out through t' motor mount so it was out o' t' way. Well, blow me down!  

T' main "gotcha" I ran into was gluin' in t' tube coupler. Begad!  This be me first build with a coupler and a huge learnin' experience. Aye aye! Ya scallywag!  I rubbed a little Elmers wood glue on t' end o' t' coupler as well as inside t' tube. Ya scallywag!  Unfortunately by t' time I did that and slid it in, t' coupler seized within t' first 1/4inch. Ahoy!  I tired t' push a little harder and in t' process started t' see a small crease/wrinkle in t' tube at one o' t' spirals. Begad!  Lesson learned that in t' case o' a tube coupler, more glue would have been better (thanks google). Avast!   I placed an order for a new coupler and BT-60.   Fast forward a week and t' parts arrived. Aye aye! Begad!  Cut t' new tube t' length. Avast, me proud beauty!  This time used a very generous amount o' glue inside t' tube and on t' coupler. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr!  Slid in like butter.  Attached t' bottom tube with t' fins in t' same way.