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View Full Version : Hustler Clone and other pics


ghrocketman
02-26-2006, 06:53 PM
I have just completed a few clones; attached below is a picture of my Centuri Hustler Clone, Cherokee-D, A-20 Demon, and Astron Trident clones.

A Fish Named Wallyum
02-26-2006, 06:57 PM
Very nice. The Demon is a Pimpdaddy kit, isn't it? That one is high on my list. :cool:

ghrocketman
02-26-2006, 07:03 PM
The Demon, Cherokee-D, and Trident are all Pimp Daddy kits !
All were GREAT builds.
The Astron Trident sure used a LOT of Balsa Fillercoat and Sanding Sealer (of course ORIGINAL Aero-Gloss dope) for the NINE total nose cones !

The Cherokee-D used an all Aero-Gloss dope finish :p .....Sanding Sealer on top of Balsa Fillercoat for the fins and cone, Pactra Prep for primer, then Swift White and Stearman Red dope for the top coat....I sure am glad I bought an airbrush as it allows me to use some of the 5 cases of pints/half pints of original AeroGloss I recently acquired. I actually have one whole case of Bonanza Blue pints.

Ltvscout
02-26-2006, 07:13 PM
I have just completed a few clones; attached below is a picture of my Centuri Hustler Clone, Cherokee-D, A-20 Demon, and Astron Trident clones.
How did you clone the A-20 chrome decal?

They look great, BTW!

ghrocketman
02-26-2006, 07:18 PM
The chrome decal was included in the PimpDaddy clone kit.

A Fish Named Wallyum
02-26-2006, 07:26 PM
What did you think of the recovery systems?

CPMcGraw
02-26-2006, 07:28 PM
The Demon, Cherokee-D, and Trident are all Pimp Daddy kits !
All were GREAT builds.
The Astron Trident sure used a LOT of Balsa Fillercoat and Sanding Sealer (of course ORIGINAL Aero-Gloss dope) for the NINE total nose cones !

Great finishes!

The Cherokee-D used an all Aero-Gloss dope finish :p .....Sanding Sealer on top of Balsa Fillercoat for the fins and cone, Pactra Prep for primer, then Swift White and Stearman Red dope for the top coat....I sure am glad I bought an airbrush as it allows me to use some of the 5 cases of pints/half pints of original AeroGloss I recently acquired. I actually have one whole case of Bonanza Blue pints.

Which airbrush did you go with? Did you have to use any retarder to keep the blushing down?

ghrocketman
02-26-2006, 07:37 PM
Bill:
As far as the recovery systems, I did not like them, in fact that is the only fault I find with all the PDR kits....I used kevlar cord attached to the thrustring for a leader (but below the top of the body tube to prevent zippering) tied to 5 feet of elastic cord; I also did not use the mylar chutes, I replaced them with nylon Thrustline fluorescent green chutes; 12" for A-20, Trident, and Cherokee-D.


Craig:
For the Airbrush, I just bought a basic Badger Airbrush from Michael's craft store with a 50% off coupon, which made the whole kit around $30.00.
I did not use any retarder (I spray in a dry basement) to prevent blushing; I used 2 parts AeroGloss dope to one part Sig Butyrate dope thinner (costs 1/2 the price of AeroGloss thinner around me and works just as well). The only time I ever have to use retarder is with black; for some reason this color seems to need it & even then I only use about 10% retarder in the mix.

snaquin
02-26-2006, 08:32 PM
I have just completed a few clones; attached below is a picture of my Centuri Hustler Clone, Cherokee-D, A-20 Demon, and Astron Trident clones.

Love the Hustler and A-20 Demon! Question: where did you get the Centuri logo decal for the Hustler. I checked Excelsior and Tango Papa and didn't see Centuri logo decals at either site.

Also what are you using for your balsa filler coat? I generally spray two or three fairly heavy coats of Kilz primer but that doesn't always catch "everything". Local do it yourself stores in this area don't handle fill and finish, only the elmers wood filler and I'm not sure how that stuff thins out and haven't tried it yet.

Thanks! Great looking clones :)

ghrocketman
02-26-2006, 10:36 PM
The Centuri logo decal is NOT a repro; it is not currently cloned/reproduced; it is new-old-stock and almost impossible to find; I have two sheets of them.
I use REAL old-stock Pactra Aero Gloss Balsa Fillercoat high-VOC content dope for filling balsa grain; none of that water based garbage for me. I usually use 3 brushed-on coats of AeroGloss Balsa Fillercoat followed by 2 coats of AeroGloss Sanding Sealer with sanding after each coat. I really like the old-school finishing methods...some things never change for this BAR. It helps that I have over a case of quarts of Sanding Sealer and Balsa Fillercoat :D :D :D !
I usually prime over that with KILZ or Pactra Prep depending on if I am using Enamel (KILZ) or AeroGloss Dope (Pactra Prep) I have oodles of cans of all colors of Aero Gloss dope INCLUDING the now very rare Royal Purple.
The only thing I use thinned water-based fill-and-finish for is filling body tube spirals; I only use that because Pactra Plastic Balsa is no longer available...now THAT was a real filler !
Elmers wood filler does not thin out too bad though.

Ltvscout
02-26-2006, 10:48 PM
The Centuri logo decal is NOT a repro; it is not currently cloned/reproduced; it is new-old-stock and almost impossible to find; I have two sheets of them.
Scan one of the virgin sheets and send it to me to post on YORP. That way either Phred at Excelsior or Tom at Tango Papa can repro the decals for those that need them. Thanks.

A Fish Named Wallyum
02-26-2006, 10:52 PM
Bill:
As far as the recovery systems, I did not like them, in fact that is the only fault I find with all the PDR kits....I used kevlar cord attached to the thrustring for a leader (but below the top of the body tube to prevent zippering) tied to 5 feet of elastic cord; I also did not use the mylar chutes, I replaced them with nylon Thrustline fluorescent green chutes; 12" for A-20, Trident, and Cherokee-D.

Ditto. I'll use the Mylar on something small. I've had them turn to confetti with the Estes ejection charges of late. I hate Mylar. The "vintage" recovery systems were the only thing I found fault with in my review. (Now if I could only get a decent launch weekend for the qualifying flights. :mad: )

ghrocketman
02-26-2006, 11:04 PM
Unfortunately, I do not have a scanner & none of the sheets are un-cut...both have two Centuri Logos used from them.

CPMcGraw
02-26-2006, 11:48 PM
I use REAL old-stock Pactra Aero Gloss Balsa Fillercoat high-VOC content dope for filling balsa grain; none of that water based garbage for me. I usually use 3 brushed-on coats of AeroGloss Balsa Fillercoat followed by 2 coats of AeroGloss Sanding Sealer with sanding after each coat. I really like the old-school finishing methods...some things never change for this BAR. It helps that I have over a case of quarts of Sanding Sealer and Balsa Fillercoat ...

You want really old-school methods? Tried-n-true? Mix plain talcum powder into clear butyrate dope and thin with clean lacquer thinner, and use this for sealing & filling the balsa. Old model airplane builders' trick...

You can also use the lacquer thinner (or plain acetone) for color butyrate dope, but not for nitrite. Get it at Lowes or Home Depot even cheaper than the LHS...

ghrocketman
02-26-2006, 11:57 PM
Acetone, Toluene (Toluol), Xylene (Xylol), MIBK (methyl Isobutyl ketone) and MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) will all work for thinning Butyrate, but I have found common MODERN Lacquer Thinner makes a mess of Butyrate dope due to the fact that it is now loaded with Methanol (along with smaller amounts of Acetone, Toluene, and MEK). Sig or Aero-Gloss Butyrate thinner is a mixture of MEK, MIBK, Toluene, and Acetone (but ZERO Methanol).

Knew about the talcum/Clear Butyrate trick, but where can one find clear butyrate for less than the cost of sanding sealer ? Full-Scale aircraft supply house like Stits by the GALLON ?
Most LHS around me charge the same price for sanding sealer as clear per half-pint.
There is a guy that is selling Gallons of original Aero-Gloss clear on ebay (mis-spelled Areo Gloss on ebay) for around $$20.00, which is a bargain.

A Fish Named Wallyum
02-27-2006, 12:08 AM
Acetone, Toluene (Toluol), Xylene (Xylol), MIBK (methyl Isobutyl ketone) and MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) will all work for thinning Butyrate,

and they make an interesting cocktail around the holidays. Take a swig, then blow out a candle and let the party start! :eek:

A Fish Named Wallyum
02-27-2006, 12:36 AM
I just picked up a discounted PD Rocketry A-20 Demon on Ebay. :cool:

Ltvscout
02-27-2006, 07:49 AM
I just picked up a discounted PD Rocketry A-20 Demon on Ebay. :cool:
Alert the media! :p

snaquin
02-27-2006, 08:21 AM
I use REAL old-stock Pactra Aero Gloss Balsa Fillercoat high-VOC content dope for filling balsa grain; none of that water based garbage for me. I usually use 3 brushed-on coats of AeroGloss Balsa Fillercoat followed by 2 coats of AeroGloss Sanding Sealer with sanding after each coat. I really like the old-school finishing methods...some things never change for this BAR. It helps that I have over a case of quarts of Sanding Sealer and Balsa Fillercoat :D :D :D !
I usually prime over that with KILZ or Pactra Prep depending on if I am using Enamel (KILZ) or AeroGloss Dope (Pactra Prep)

Hey thanks to you and Craig for the "old school" methods. Brought back some memories when my dad helped me build some early Estes kits including my first rocket the Estes Alpha. He used the Pactra AeroGloss dope paints and he was familiar with building tissue covered planes prior to helping me get started in rocketry. I was wondering how you guys were getting such a nice finish on your balsa parts, they look like plastic :)

Unfortunately, I do not have a scanner & none of the sheets are un-cut...both have two Centuri Logos used from them.

If you ever run across a Kinko's, Docu-Mart or any full service printing copy place they will scan your originals. I used Kinko's to scan one of my AAA Model Aviation Fuels EnerJet drawings from Composite Dynamics before I had a scanner. Phred at Excelsior redraws the decals and turns them into a full letter sized sheet so it doesn't matter that you are missing a few as far as repros go.

If you were willing to do this, after Phred made them up I would purchase and mail you a full sheet to offset your scanning cost. The EnerJet logos that Phred at Excelsior now sells with the other Centuri decals are a full sized sheet made up from my small water-slide sheet I also purchased from AAA and I'm real pleased with those.

Bruce Temple
02-27-2006, 11:33 AM
Great Looking Rockets! :)

ghrocketman
02-27-2006, 12:00 PM
Thanks to all that liked the pic !!!