Spacex Falcon 9 & Fairing build
 

My box came in from Spacex yesterday with my (2) F9 & Fairing kits (yay!)

I'll build one and stash the other. The contents are very high quality. The pre-wrapped BT's are nearly flawless this time--far superior to the last F9 & Dragon kits with the pre-printed wraps. Plastic parts are nice and smooth. BT's are rock hard. The die cut black foam adhesive faux landing legs for the booster are cut very well. It appears that on this kit the clear flight fins are not removable. TBC

The engine mount:
Overengineering stuff is a sickness of mine ( a glorious sickness.) Rather than using a piece of masking tape over the forward end of the hook IAW the instructions, I've first looped and attached a length of 100# kevalr to the hook and then covered it with a ring cut from the core of a roll of tape. The ID of the tape core had to be enlarged just slightly to slip over the engine tube, hook, and kevlar. I then use epoxy generously for the adhesive. TBC

To prevent any danger of a premature glue "grab", I use epoxy to join the (2) BT's with the 2" coupler. Before the epoxy sets, I cradle the assembly in a length of aluminum channel and brace it with rubber bands. This way I know the assembly is straight without trusting the cut ends of the BT's to make it straight.

Time for a Scotch and a Fat Tire. Good night. TBC

Great idea using the aluminum channel when joining tubes.

Thanks. I do it quite often, actually.

My epiphany.
 

Epiphany: (n.) The realization of a great truth.

My epiphany came today when I actually read the instructions for the new F9 kit. This is in regards to the mounting of the shock cord. I had surmised that the shock cord was going to anchor to the ID of the main BT, but the supplied Kevlar leader actually ties to the "X" of the plastic reducer, and the recovery separation occurs between the plastic reducer and the payload BT and NOT the plastic reducer and the main BT.

So I cut the kevlar off of the engine mount and tied it to the "X" of the plastic reducer. To make the shock cord more serviceable I tied a loop of kevlar cord to the "X" and attached the kevlar lead of the elastic shock cord to it with a #7 snap swivel. I replaced the supplied 18" long, 1/8" wide shock cord with a 48" long, 1/4" wide shock cord. I normally don't use a folded paper anchor shock cord mount, but I did this time to mount the elastic shock cord to the ID of the payload BT.

I then gave the shoulder of the PNC some "tooth" with some 220 sandpaper and epoxied it into the payload BT.

Tomorrow I'll decide how to make the surface finish of the entire payload assembly match. I have (2) choices: 1) wrap white adhesive film around the payload BT, or 2) primer and paint the assembly. I'll probably go with option 2.

Time for a Scotch and an IPA. Good night. TBC

Now for the rear can and faux nozzle assembly.

First I sand some "tooth" into the ID of the can with a sanding needle and onto the OD of the faux nozzle array with 220. After joining the two parts I then apply epoxy to the joint on the inside of the can. Thge epoxy sets up and the joint appears perfectly clean on the outside. TBC

Now for the fins.

First I give the lower tabs of the fins "tooth" with some 220. I then apply the epoxy into the gluing slots in the inside floor of the can and then insert the fins. I temporarily place the engine mount into the can to align the fins as the epoxy sets.

This is a fun build! TBC

Now to join the engine mount into the can.

After giving "tooth" to the mating surfaces I apply a ring of epoxy around the tube of the engine mount approx. .25" from the bottom, I apply it to the top tabs of the fins, and to the ID of the top of the can.

I then insert the engine mount assembly into the can and let the epoxy of the engine mount tube seep into the lower CR. After that sets I apply a fillet of epoxy around the top of the can where the top CR registers to the ID of the can. TBC