Well, after putting it off for over a year, I'm finally putting a dent in the build of the Neubauer LJI in 1/30 scale.

Jeez, this is difficult! I may have met my match.

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__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

You must be being sarcastic, cause it looks pretty good so far!

__________________
Jeffrey Deem
NAR16741
CIA section 527

I'm not being sarcastic. I've only done the easy parts so far. The booster isn't a big problem now that I have the fins are shaped and finished, but I've only scratched the surface on the LES scaffold. The "Z" bars are done with 1/16" dowel pieces and the nozzles will be 1/4" dowel pieces shaped in a pencil sharpener.

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

Hi Jeffyjeep,
Where did you finally find the kit?
I bought mine right after getting back into the hobby.

I looked it over then set it aside. At the time I wasn't sure I could pull off the tower.
The finish of the LES cannister was not good, lots of bubbles and imperfections.

It's been sitting in the box ever since.
I look forward to seeing your finished pics.

__________________
Hans "Chris" Michielssen
Old/New NAR # 19086 SR

www.oddlrockets.com
www.modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com
http://www.nar.org/educational-reso...ing-techniques/
Your results may vary
"Nose cones roll, be careful with that."
Every spaceman needs a ray gun.
Look out - I'm the Meister Shyster!

I swapped with a forum brother for it. If the construction of the LES scaffold starts to tank, I may do it in Plastruct. Fortunately, the resin LES motor didn't have any bubbles in it.

Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing the finished photos too!

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

OK, the work day is over! DAY-O!......and I can get back to the LJI. Major construction on the booster is done. The fins are shaped, scraped, filled, sanded, mounted, and filletted. Launch lug is mounted and filletted.
Now that I have the LES standing on it's own (barely), I use Dr. Shrink tape to tape the bottom plywood ring to my dead-flat piece of Corian. I then activate the tape with a heat gun and the LES is now bonded to the Corian slab--yet removable from it. Now I can build the "Z" braces with the 1/16" wood dowels while constantly checking verticality(?) with the square. TBC

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__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

OK. Now the LES main uprights and motor are truly free-standing. The broached tops of the uprights are epoxied through the top plywood ring and the bottom forks are surface mounted and epoxied onto the bottom plywood ring that's taped onto the Corian slab. I'll let the adhesive cure and then begin the "Z" bars. TBC

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__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

Now for the first horizontals. The horizontals are 1/16" dowels. I broach the ends of each with a round Swiss file to make more surface area for the adhesion. I very rarely use CA, but I'll apply thin CA here with a sharpened bamboo stick and then apply accelerator with a brass pipette. If I make a mistake, it's easier to disassemble it if it's glued with CA than with epoxy. I'll epoxy all of the joints after it's built.

3 horizontals down--6 to go! TBC (the loupe is starting to hurt)

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__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

All 9 horizontals are now on--and I'm done for tonight. TBC

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__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

If the only problem with your LES motor are the bubbles in the resin and they can't be filled with putty, it probably wouldn't be that hard to reproduce the LES motor from a .625" birch dowel for the body and cardstock for the bands.

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078