Model Rocket Building Blog
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build BackgroundThe Asteroid Hunter was available from 2012 through the 2016 catalog. I remember seeing it in the Sport Rocketry magazine when it was being developed by John Boren. The magazine picture showed a prototype. This was one of the new Level 5 builder's kits. I was interested in building ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build , Part 1, PartsLots of new parts, some of the plastic pieces may to have been molded for just this design. The main (internal) body tube is a BT-50. There are three clay packets for a total nose weight of 3/4 oz. Four sheets of laser cut balsa! Many of the balsa pieces make up the internal body structure. Parts ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build , Part 2, Engine MountI was disappointed to find out the engine hook was not made of spring steel. I usually bend them to see if it will spring back. This one didn't and was tossed. I will use a spring steel replacement engine hook purchased from BMS. Why replace a engine hook that bends? When sliding in an ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build , Part 3, Parts Prep & Front AssemblyTIP: It is helpful to mark the piece names with pencil before removing them from the sheet. Use the parts illustration in the instructions for reference. The laser cuts are very clean and all the way through the balsa sheet. The structural pieces are freed up from the balsa sheets with a knife, ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 4, Fitting The End AssembliesI wanted to clean up the laser burnt edges of the formers without changing their shape or reducing the size. Notice the sides of the interior forms aren't straight but have a slight curve. Some 400 grit was wrapped around a used engine casing to give some supported sanding. This first former is ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 5, Former PlacementThe smaller "U" pieces are glued into the slots in the "N" piece. The sides of the U pieces don't quite touch the body tube. The angle of the "O" pieces sit on the top of the U pieces. It reminds me of a little birdhouse. This smaller end is the front of the rocket. I'd recommend marking the side ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 6, Interior AssemblyHere's another view showing the interlocking notches of the formers and stringers. This reminds me of the Guillow's balsa and tissue airplanes I built in my teens. A full view of the assembly so far. The two "Y" stringers are on the top, the "Z" stringers are on the bottom. The interior ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 7, Side & Bottom Brace GluingI added a short glue fillet at the tube side and bulwark joint. With the upper and lower braces in place I couldn't do a fillet all the way around the tube. A complete fillet wouldn't be needed anyway. Looking ahead, I thought it would be easier to fill and prime the AA side pieces before ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 8, Body Skin EmbossingThe Estes instructions say to use a ball point pen and ruler to make three firm passes over each fold line. I didn't want all that ink on the cardstock. In older instructions I remember a recommendation using a ball point pen that has run out of ink. The illustration shows a shorter wooden or ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 9, Body Skin AlignmentI used one side of my architectural ruler to "set" the emboss line and make a sharper crease. Set the line you have already embossed over the edge of the ruler and run a smooth burnisher down the crease. Here's one side of the skin after "setting" the fold. Do a few dry fits before ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 10, Gluing & Setting The SkinBefore gluing, the sides should be sanded. I took a little off the edges for s slightly wider glue contact line. A line of glue is set down the longest pieces (Ys, Zs and AAs). Glue is also applied to the O and P end pieces. The glue lines will tend to bead up, smooth the glue out and remove ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 11, Trimming Up The SkinsHere's where the main body stands now - Note the overhang is a little longer on the back, larger end shown on the bottom. This overhang will be trimmed then sanded to the flat faces of the balsa. Viewed from the side - These long side edges will also be trimmed and sanded. Use a new, ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 12, Cleaning Up The EdgesAfter sanding down the sides and reducing the card stock overhang - I ended up sanding through some of the primer/filler and the CWF filler. I'll have to fill these again. Maybe I shouldn't have filled them earlier on, but didn't know this much sanding was needed. The bare balsa strip (held on the ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 13, Nose Cone, Tail Cone & Nose WeightThe nose cone and tail nozzle are molded as one piece. I always double check before sawing them apart. Sometimes the molded rings could be mistaken for the line to saw through. The hole in the back of the nose cone will have to be enlarged to get all the clay nose weight in. Using a X-Acto blade ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 14, Even Up The Smaller FinsThe fins got a coat of CWF, sanding and a shot of filler/primer and more sanding. Why do I fill then glue the pieces together? I wouldn't be able to get the tight angles underneath the "R" trim pieces smooth. Once you lay down a glue fillet you are stuck with balsa grain in that area. ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, Part 15, Tail Shroud FitTIP: Where you can, when forming a shroud, turn all print ink to the inside. The ink could still show through if the models final paint color is light. The glue tab line was marked with a pencil. The card stock is slick - the gloss on the glue tab was sanded with some 400 grit. ...[Read More]
Estes Asteroid Hunter #3224, Build, FinishedThis was a Skill Level 5 adventure! I've never assembled a built-up model rocket like this before. On the left is one of the smaller nozzles, the gluing area had the paint scraped off. I actually went back, masked and re-sprayed the small laminate fin tips a gloss metallic black. In total there ...[Read More]
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