Construction

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

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

I then glued in t' motor mount. 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!  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! Avast! Blimey! Durin' this process t' kevlar cord be pushed out through t' motor mount so it was out o' t' way. Begad!  

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