Construction

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

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

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

T' main "gotcha" I ran into be gluin' in t' tube coupler. Well, blow me down!  This was me first build with a coupler and a huge learnin' experience. Aye aye!  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, matey, ya bilge rat, t' coupler seized within t' first 1/4inch. Blimey!  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. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad!  Lesson learned that in t' case o' a tube coupler, arrr, me bucko, more glue would have been better (thanks google). Avast, me proud beauty!   I placed an order for a new coupler and BT-60.   Fast forward a week and t' parts arrived.  Cut t' new tube t' length. Aye aye!  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. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty!  Attached t' bottom tube with t' fins in t' same way.