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  #1  
Old 08-29-2005, 01:10 AM
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Tau Zero Tau Zero is offline
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Talking Minwax Wood Hardener, Balsa Cones

I *finally* managed to get some actual rocket building prep work done today!

Here's what I did: After these SEMROC nose cones and reducers were fitted and sanded, I inserted round toothpicks in the bases (off-center, to leave room for the screw eye, if needed) and plunged the remaining "pointy" end into these styrofoam blocks (which were "scrounged" from packing materials).

Then I poured Minwax Wood Hardener about 1/4" deep into a clean, dry tin can. Using a "disposable" (since I didn't have any acetone) 1" wide camel hair brush (49 cents from Michaels), I brushed the Wood Hardener onto the exposed portions and let them dry in the open air for several hours.

The excess hardener oozes out and makes "droplets," which can easily be sanded off. The balsa parts tend to swell, so it's especially important to sand hardener off the shoulders to ensure proper fit. Now the parts can be filled, and it will take substantially less "filler" to do the job.

I'd only planned to "harden" about 8 parts, but the process was going so well, I got carried away! So after I fill these parts and some fins, I shouldn't have any excuses to do some actual building.


Cheers,

--Jay

P.S. The last picture shows why I need a 100 watt "trouble light" to illuminate my basement when shooting pictures there!
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  #2  
Old 08-29-2005, 02:03 AM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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(Heard by a fly on the wall in the Goemmer household.)
Mrs. C-G "Girls, have you seen your father?"
Little C-G's "Yes, he's down in the basement working in his nose cone garden."

(BTW, nice crop. )
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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #3  
Old 09-01-2005, 11:51 PM
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Tau Zero Tau Zero is offline
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Cool

Quote:
Originally Posted by A Fish Named Wallyum
(Heard by a fly on the wall in the Goemmer household.)
Mrs. C-G "Girls, have you seen your father?"
Little C-G's "Yes, he's down in the basement working in his nose cone garden."

(BTW, nice crop. )


(chuckling) Thanks, buddy. --Oddly enough, I left the farm so I wouldn't have to do any farming. (Fat lot of good *that* did me!)

Now I just need to carve out some time for sanding. My TV station has been swamped with the county fair this week... although I put in my annual "Hey, we're out here at the fair" live appearance today.


Cheers,

--Jay


"How you gonna keep 'em, down on the farm?
How you gonna keep 'em, close to home?
...Livin' in the limelight..."

--Peter Cetera, c. 1983
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  #4  
Old 09-02-2005, 12:07 AM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CenturiGuy
"How you gonna keep 'em, down on the farm?
How you gonna keep 'em, close to home?
...Livin' in the limelight..."

--Peter Cetera, c. 1983


I was thinking more like 1982. I've always liked that song. It's made every 80's compilation I've ever made, along with Angel City's "Fashion And Fame", The Sherbs "No Turning Back", The Hawks "It's Alright, It's O.K.", and Tarney Spencer's "No Time To Lose". Ahh, youth.
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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #5  
Old 09-04-2005, 03:17 PM
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Tau Zero Tau Zero is offline
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Question "It was 1980-Something..."

Quote:
Originally Posted by A Fish Named Wallyum
I was thinking more like 1982. I've always liked that song. It's made every 80's compilation I've ever made, along with Angel City's "Fashion And Fame", The Sherbs "No Turning Back", The Hawks "It's Alright, It's O.K.", and Tarney Spencer's "No Time To Lose". Ahh, youth.


I think you're right. That's along the time I was listening to [extremely relaxed AOR disk jockey voice] "The *Coors* Rock Album Countdown."

Was it The Sherbs who did "I Have the Skill?" Or the Strawbs?

Last edited by CenturiGuy : 09-04-2005 at 11:48 PM. Reason: Corrected verb tense. ;-D
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  #6  
Old 09-04-2005, 09:23 PM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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The Sherbs. Got that one too.
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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #7  
Old 09-04-2005, 11:57 PM
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Tau Zero Tau Zero is offline
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Talking

Quote:
Originally Posted by CenturiGuy
I'd only planned to "harden" about 8 parts, but the process was going so well, I got carried away! So after I fill these parts and some fins, I shouldn't have any excuses to do some actual building.

This afternoon I sanded about half of the Nose Cone and Transition Forest (Bill said, "Forest? It *was* a garden!" You know how it goes when you leave something alone for a week... especially if living plants are even remotely involved ).

Tonight, I filled nose cones and transitions for 5 separate rockets (one duplication) as well as 3 sets of fins. (One fin set was already filled and sanded, and the last rocket has tube fins instead of balsa ones. ) I also used the wood filler to fill body tube spirals for the first time. We'll see how the sanding goes... later.


Cheers,

--Jay
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  #8  
Old 09-05-2005, 12:04 AM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CenturiGuy
This afternoon I sanded about half of the Nose Cone and Transition Forest (Bill said, "Forest? It *was* a garden!" You know how it goes when you leave something alone for a week... especially if living plants are even remotely involved ).

Tonight, I filled nose cones and transitions for 5 separate rockets (one duplication) as well as 3 sets of fins. (One fin set was already filled and sanded, and the last rocket has tube fins instead of balsa ones. ) I also used the wood filler to fill body tube spirals for the first time. We'll see how the sanding goes... later.


Cheers,

--Jay

What projects might we be planning with the "crop" from the garden?
__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #9  
Old 09-05-2005, 12:26 AM
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Tau Zero Tau Zero is offline
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Talking Taking the Crop to Market

Quote:
Originally Posted by A Fish Named Wallyum
What projects might we be planning with the "crop" from the garden?

For the next batch I harvest, I'm looking at the Cloudbuster (right hand page):

http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rock...endesign30.html


...also visible as "Number 3" below:

http://home.earthlink.net/~gomero/rocketdesigns.html


Additionally, I'm eyeing the Uni-Bird downscale (picture #5 above) for that go-around. This first time, though, I've got the bottom 3 designs on the above page (Shhh!) at the top of my "build" pile, as well as this one:

http://forums.rocketshoppe.com/show...99&postcount=28


So, there are the pictures. "A mere testing ground for... our *ultimate* plan!"
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  #10  
Old 09-05-2005, 09:39 PM
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ScaleNut ScaleNut is offline
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Couple questions about this wood hardener, can you rate how hard is it to sand ? you mentiond sanding a few in an afternoon.
Is it the "wear it down with 80 grit" type hard or does it come off in a nice powder?
I've been using layers of yellow glue and can get a pretty cone but it still dents very easily.
also how would you rate the smell .can this be used indoors without getting cursed at?

thanks in advance
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