Estes Mega Der Red Max

Brief Description

I’m about t' start me Mega Der Red Max build.

 Changes I’m thinkin' o' implementing.

1. Make Your Own Anti-Zipper Harness https://www.apogeerockets.com/education/downloads/Newsletter282.pdf
2. Was goin' t' paper, but everythin' I read says it’s t' add strength, which this build does nay need and paperin' can have issues (like more loot more problems, ya bilge rat, perhaps bigger fins more issues). Goin' old school on this one… CWF.
3. Plannin' t' add launch lugs and 1" button rails; hoppin' this does nay mess with decals too much. Will try and plot t' decals and lugs and buttons before adding.

Builds I’m readin' (Other suggestions welcome).

Mega Der Red Max By Steve Lindeman https://www.rocketreviews.com/mega-der-red-max-180703114933.html

Steve Lindeman, matey, "Next up was takin' t' NC and t' green centerin' rin' and pushin' it over t' NC t' try and stretch it. Yea right, arrr, that barely worked but after a couple three four tries I finally got it t' fit over t' motor tube. Aye aye! This is where at first I failed t' refer t' said mental note. Fortunately I only used 3 tack welds o' wood glue on t' bottom centerin' rin' t' glue it in place. It was when I got t' step 7 that I realized that I didn't want t' bottom one glued on yet."

Steve Lindeman, "As I said earlier mine are goin' t' be paper coated makin' them 5 layers total. Begad! I am experimentin' with yet another paper coating on this rocket in me quest to find the perfect paper for coverin' me fins. Begad! T' paper that I'm usin' this time is photo copy paper". Well, blow me down!

Steve finished his Nose cone with Dupli-Color Clear Effex which I think looks cool.

Ken E. Coyote at http://www.rocketreviews.com/mega-der-red-max-estes-mega-der-red-max.html.

Ken E. Blimey! Coyote, me bucko, “I would also suggest you leave out t' last centerin' rin' off t' bottom until after you glue t' fins so that you can apply internal fillets”.

Ken E. Well, blow me down! Coyote, “I thought about usin' self-adhesive label paper over them durin' construction, me bucko, but due t' time constraints, t' added cost o' so much label paper (6 entire sheets) along with nay wantin' t' screw around with t' weight made me skip what is normally part o' me standard fin treatment in favor o' followin' t' instructions fully”.

Ken E. Aye aye! Blimey! Coyote, “I used a dish bucket with warm water and just a bit o' liquid soap (I know some people say you shouldn't, but I've done this for years with good results).  Do yourself a favor and make sure you get a large flat pan/bucket like I did for decalling. Aye aye! Blimey!  Lay t' decals in t' water face down and this helps prevent them from curlin' up. Then pull them out o' t' water (don't wait too long or pull out too quickly) and check them by tryin' t' gently slide t' decal. Ya scallywag! Blimey!  For t' largest decal, I made sure t' wet t' body tube first and did a combination o' liftin' and gentle slidin' along with re-positionin' until I was happy with t' placement*. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!  Afterwards I realized that havin' t' seam where t' launch lugs are usually makes sense, but in this case t' skull and crossbones are then nay aligned with anything”. *EDIT:  Thinkin' more about t' large decal, I would now suggest that you cut it in half (between t' skulls) t' make handlin' easier.

Close-ups o' parts in files section

Note: T' MDRM has three centerin' rings in t' motor mount. T' posted Rocksim only has two.

T' tube came crimped from e-bay a few years ago (got t' MDRM for $25 because o' that), I ordered new slotted tube from Estes a while back.

Included be t' Super Big Bertha, goin' into paint so it will look like t' 1969 Big Bertha. Also included be t' Mega Mosquito decaled as t' Mega Brute – decals by Chris Michielssen - Model Rocket Building: Mega Mosquito Finished. T' Mega Brute is a work horse and has faded and chipped paint. It even survived several launches at LUNAR where rockets land on pavement at NASA Ames. I included these as all t' fins were laminated with Titebond II, which I'm open t' bein' convinced otherwise, but I'm plannin' t' do t' same with t' Mega Der Red Max…

To try and avoid paint winkles on such a big nose cone I sanded t' nosecone with 220 grit sandpaper, arrr, sanded down t' mold seam and wiped it down after sanding. That should clean out any mold release and prepare t' nose cone for primer. Begad! I primed t' nosecone and sanded it with 400 grit sandpaper till I could see t' plastic underneath. Now for t' paint…

Just choose gloss black paint was goin' though me head, ya bilge rat, it will look great… But no, I painted a rocket with Rust-olleum Black Night Metallic 5-7 years ago. I pulled t' Estes Reflector off t' ceilin' t' check it out. Well, blow me down! I think it’s been so long t' paint is beginnin' t' fade. Avast, me proud beauty! Just choose gloss black, it will look great! You know what !@#$ it, me hearties, I’m goin' t' hit this baby with Rust-olleum Black Night Metallic and I really hope I should nay have just chosen gloss black, because it would look great. *I never liked t' fact that Estes only gave white stripes for one side o' each fin, matey, it would look better with stripes on both sides.

 Well, what do you think (why would I ask that on-line...) I kind o' like it.……………………………………… I repainted it gloss black... 

I wipe t' nozzle of me spray can immediately after each use with a rag or wet-nap.

I wipe it down so next time I use it t' spay does nay build on old paint and start shootin' blobs at me work.

This can o' paint may be that same can from 5-7 years ago. 

I’ve already attached t' bottom centerin' rin' (top o' images), shiver me timbers, which was spaced usin' t' green spacer ring, in t' image t' t' left. I’ve created a rig (which flipped everythin' upside down t' gain t' aid o' gravity) t' properly space t' middle centerin' ring. Well, blow me down! You may need squint t' see t' two long rubber and safety pin looped through t' fins t' provide tension and holdin' everythin' in place. Ahoy! I’ve tacked t' bottom (previously) and middle centerin' rin' with 5-minute epoxy. After it’s set, I’ll do t' upper centerin' rin' which is also spaced and held in place by t' green spacer ring. t' permanently attach t' centerin' rings I'll use Fix-It epoxy which is like iron when it dries. I plan on flyin' up t' H engines in this bird.

*Just a little more paint and I can apply decals t' t' Apogee Slo-Mo.

This be t' completed engine mount with Anti-Zipper Harness. T' engine mount was finished in BSI Mid-Cure 15 minute epoxy, t' green spacer rin' also received Titebond II just before slidin' t' rin' on. Blimey! T' second image is dry fittin' t' fins – Perfect!

For t' knots I use a bowline with stopper knot and used Titebond II t' lock them in place. I think it would be fairly easy t' replace this Keelhaul®©™ line if I ever needed too.

* Next t' t' motor mount is a carded THOR and Chris M. Carded Yellow Jacket, ya bilge rat, reduced t' a BT2.5 (0.281" OD) tube - minimum diameter for MMX engines.

** Look to Steve Lindeman's build. Ya scallywag! I should nay have added t' bottom centerin' rin' until later - https://www.rocketreviews.com/mega-der-red-max-180703114933.html

·

 T' MDRM Fins:

You get twelve sheets o' wood and must attach two length wise, so at t' end you have six sheets o' wood t' cover your three fins (one sheet per side). I just used Titebond II and pressed them together for a bit. Now I have them stacked under some flat books overnight.

*T' blue with white stars flyin' saucer is an Art Applewhite Delta Flyin' Saucer, reduced for MMX, that I colored in MS Paint. I have all t' shapes (colored like this one, or painted); over t' Forth o' July we have a block party and I let t' kids launch them then hand them out t' t' kids in our court when done. Ya scallywag! They are made o' paper so who cares if they land on pavement. Well, blow me down! And they are nay fireworks, me bucko, which are illegal here, me bucko, so it's win win.

Fin Prep: T' wood was bound with Titebond II usin' a quick double glue joint with a very light application o' glue.

You barley notice where t' planks were bound together and they hold up well when cuttin' (all fins have been cut and non broke along t' glue joint or anywhere else).

Titebond sands about as easily as t' wood, no blobs o' epoxy that have t' be sanded out which can impact t' wood around t' blob.

T' wood is also laminated with Titebond II as well.
Unlike epoxy Titebond II contains some water which penetrates into t' wood and then hardens.
Wood was pressed under weight over night and remains flat.

I left a very very small over hang on t' tab end which I then sanded with sandpaper draped over me crimped tube t' shape t' root end so it would have a better form fit when attached t' t' body tube.

Then sanded everythin' ready for paperin' or wood filler.

 I went with Carpenter's Wood Filler for t' fins. Interestin' I found blobs (not uncommon) when brushin' on t' filler. Begad! So I decided t' filter t' filler through a mesh kitchen sieve and eventhough I was able t' filter out balls o' CWF, matey, when I burshed on t' filtered stuff I still got little CWF balls. Blimey! Perhaps a bit less and a bit smaller then before... Blimey! T' first fin painted with unfiltered CWF is in t' front o' t' picture. I know they will easily sand out, perhaps it's nay worth worryin' bout it.

I attached t' fins t' t' body tube usin' Titebond II; then I applied fillets usin' Fix-it epoxy.

No need t' worry about Titebond bubbles or wells when they are covered up and help Fix-it epoxy adhere better.

Paint is done!

I used Rust-Oleum Gloss Protective Enamel Sunrise Red.