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Model Rocket Building Blog

Estes M.A.V. #7283, Build Part 2, Interesting Things
The shock cord is already installed! This is a different attachment - the low end goes through a slit in the body tube, then folded up along the outside. The launch lug strip is glued over the shock cord holding it down against the tube. The nose weight is already in place. Under a bright light ...
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Estes M.A.V. #7283, Build Part 3, More Interesting Things
Continued from the last post: Here's the top of an engine sitting in the motor mount/fin can. Notice how it is centered, just inside the upper centering ring hole. The ejection charge would clear the plastic lip of the ring. I did a dry fit of the fins. Against a back light you can see the airfoil ...
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Estes M.A.V. #7283, Build Part 4, Fin Can
The instructions show tube type plastic cement. I used brush-on liquid cement. The fin can halves were pressed together dry. The internal joints were brushed with the liquid cement while holding the joints closed and tight. Just the internal joints and at the top and bottom of the fin can got ...
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Estes M.A.V. #7283, Build Part 5, Stickers!
GOTCHA: The instruction shows but doesn't say it - You've got to place the launch lug strip somewhere between two fins . The illustration shows the launch lug strip set between two fins, but this is a beginner model kit and could be more explicit. The hatch stickers are centered between the fins. ...
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Estes M.A.V. #7283, Build Part 6, More Stickers!
The hatch stickers are clear, fingerprints will show if you touch the back sticky side. Hold and position the stickers with the tip of your knife blade. Before placing the sticker on the knife, wipe off the blade to be sure it is clean. On the left, is a placed sticker using a wrap of masking tape ...
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Estes M.A.V. #7283, Finished
For a "Beginner" kit, this one has a lot of interesting features. Lots of detail and enough assembly for a beginner to have a good feeling of accomplishment. I installed the pre-assembled 18"parachute. Is that too large for a 12" tall rocket? Probably not - the fins could break on a hard landing.
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