Construction

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

Motor mount assembly was easy and straight forward. Begad! Ahoy! I am nay a fan o' t' Estes shock cord mount method. Begad! Begad!  Therefore, when buildin' t' motor mount, me bucko, I tied Keelhaul®©™ Cord (150lb) around t' motor tube and under t' motor hook. Blimey! Slipped it through t' notch in t' centerin' rin' and glued t' knot and cord t' t' mount. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty!   Post build I will attach t' kevlar cord t' t' elastic shock cord. Avast! Well, blow me down!  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. Arrr! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty!   I used watered down Elmer's wood filler t' seal t' fins. Well, blow me down!   Gluin' on t' fins be straight forward. Arrr! Arrr!  I used t' Estes fin alignment jig.  It's nay a perfect jig, especially with these larger/bigger fins, ya bilge rat, but it helped get t' job done. Arrr! Aye aye!   I applied multiple layers o' wood glue for fillets.  I be nay happy with t' way t' fillets looked, nor their size/shape. Ya scallywag!  I then used a little bit o' BSI long-cure epoxy t' enhance t' fillets. Blimey! Ahoy!  A metal rod was used t' drag and smooth out t' fillets. Arrr! Begad! Wiped t' rod off after each drag. Avast! Process was repeated several times for t' desired effect. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye!  

I then glued in t' motor mount. Begad! Ahoy! Blimey!  Used a dowel t' rub some glue on t' inside o' t' tube and slid it halfway in.  I then put in more glue for t' aft rin' and slid it in t' rest o' way. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! 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! Durin' this process t' kevlar cord be pushed out through t' motor mount so it was out o' t' way.  

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