I got this idea from a fellow rocketry guy. The screw-on retainer cap used on the Star Orbiter interferes with my launch rail (might also do so with a launch rod), so I originally ground off one of the cap’s ribs. But it didn’t look great.

I chucked the cap in my wood lathe and removed all the ribs. I also polished it with MicroMesh pads to return the gloss to the plastic. Here it is next to a stock cap.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold!
Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp

Your mod takes away some of that bottle cap look. I like it. You could even take it farther by cutting grooves to simulate what we've done with cardboard rings or gluing bits of plastistrut on to make a nicer cooling vane effect than the stock ridges.

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I love sanding.

Nice, Lee.

Flying a Star Orbiter off a rod one has to be aware of where the ridges are and tighten against the masking tape thrust ring such that the rod is between two of them. I’ve not put rail buttons on a Star Orbiter. All the other models I have the Estes 29mm retainer on are larger in diameter than BT-60 so this isn’t an issue, rail or rod.

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Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

I was thinking similar thoughts. I almost cut some grooves but decided I better check thickness of the plastic before trying it. Gluing on some styrene bits, like vanes, is a great idea.

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Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold!
Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp