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Saturday, November 13, 2021

Binge Build: Fin Filling Fun, Frolic, and Frivolity !

The binge-build models have now been processed through the big fill n' sand step.


OWWWF ! MY FINGERS HURT !!

I have even built up really thick callouses on my fingertips!

Oh...wait...that's from playing guitar...

Never mind!

But, anyway, that was a lot of fins to fill and sand.

Hey, Elon.....where is my Tesla-Bot ???
 
For this multi-rocket build I chose to "CWF" the fins after they were attached to the body tubes, rather than my usual MO of doing them separately.  The only exception to this were the little 'tab' fins on the Crossfire.  Compound fins are usually more difficult to fill and sand if assembled.

Also, I was able to forego most of this step on the Icarus booster stage fins in favor of papering them.  I figured that these fins could use a little bit more reinforcing strength due to all of the hard landings they will be subjected to. I did, however, glue on some reinforcing balsa gussets along the fin roots.  These parts received the full  fill and sand treatment.

All of these models were subject to no less than three cycles of this process, so I've been quite busy covering myself with CWF dust.

You might have noted that the above photo includes a 7th model.  This is an Estes Interceptor that had been completed up to this point since last Spring.  It has now been integrated into the current binge-build.

Moving on.....