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2006,FlisKits, Inc., All rights reserved - Kevlar® is a registered trademark of Dupont
Thing-a-ma-Jig Instruction Sheet: INS-SP015
Thing-a-ma-Jig Finishing
To “Finish” a model means to apply paint and other decorations to
complete the look of your model. Meaning to “apply a finish”. That is what
we will discuss in this section.
Applying a finish (painting) to your model can be a simple or a complex
process depending on the look that you want, your skill level and how much
time you wish to spend on this part of your model build activity. Once
assembled, you can spend as little as 20 minutes to as much as 10 days
applying the finish to a model the size of the Thing-a-ma-Jig.
This section will talk about the simpler approach to finishing your model.
These lessons will provide you with the experience you will need as you
advance and move on to the more complex finishing methods.
Read each step carefully. Don’t be shy about asking an adult for help in
understanding how to perform a step. This will go a long way to helping
you learn the tricks of creating a beautiful model!
Finishing:
Since the Thing-a-ma-Jig is made from paper, cardboard and wood, you will
need paints and supplies designed for these materials. A good beginning
list of finishing materials could look like this:
Your imagination
(ALWAYS first on my list!)
Sand paper
(200, 400 and 600 grit) (The grit number on sand
paper tells you how many grains of sand there are along every
inch. So 600 grit paper has 600 tiny grains of sand for every
inch. The higher the number the finer the sandpaper.)
Wood Glue
(the yellow glue)
Water based art paints
(Spray paints and acrylics will be used
when you have gained some additional experience).
Magic Markers
(These can be used WITH or INSTEAD of paint)
Stickers
(These can really help dress up your model!)
Paint brushes.
Old clothes
(do NOT ruin your good clothes!)
A cup of water
(for cleaning your brushes)
Thick layers of newspapers
(to protect your table)
Soap, water, and paper towels
for clean up.
1.
To begin, carefully and lightly sand your fins. The balsawood fins may
have little fibers (hairs) that get pulled up from the wood. Sanding
them lightly will reduce these. You may also wish to sand off the tips
of the fin tabs that stick through the fins on the Fin Unit. Sand these
until they are even with the surface of the fin.
2.
Check the glue filets you applied in Step 27. When glue dries it can
shrink, leaving holes in glue filets. If this has happened, apply another
thin fillet to try to cover these holes.
3.
If you wish, you can choose to “seal” all of the balsa wood parts of
your model. There are many methods that can be used. Ask your
hobby dealer or hardware store for suitable wood sealers and how to
apply them. This helps to provide a very smooth finish to your fins
before painting them, but is not required.
4.
Select the colors you want to use. Starting with the lightest color first,
paint your rocket any way you would like. It is usually easier to paint
your entire model one light color (yellow, for example) and then when
it is dry, add other darker colors (like blue or red) on top of the yellow.
5.
Be sure to clean your brush completely as you change colors.
6.
Remember that wide brushes are good for large areas (body tubes
and the flat parts of the fins). Narrow (thin) brushes are better for
smaller areas (the edges of the fins, launch lug, etc) and details (small
lettering, windows, etc)
7.
Be sure to clean up all of your tools and your work space when done.
Be sure that all paint containers are closed as well as the glue bottle.
Take your time and enjoy the painting part of your model. The most perfect
looking model is one that expresses YOUR imagination and YOUR skills.
Your first rocket may or may not look “pretty” to you. However you will
appreciate how each new rocket looks a little bit better than the one before
as you gain skill and experience. If you want to explore more complex
finishing methods, check out the enclosed Hints-n-Tips sheet.
We hope you enjoy your Thing-a-ma-Jig!
Keep watch for more exciting rocket kits from FlisKits on
our web site http://fliskits.com/
Engineering Directive
From:
Office of Chief Engineer
Vehicle(s):
SP015
Effective Date:
31-March-2006
Chief Ordinance Engineer
Chief Deployment Engineer
Effective immediately, the attached procedures will be used in
the assembly and deployment of Launch Vehicle SP015,
known as
“Thing-a-ma-Jig”.
Flying Model Rocket
Recommended Motors:
A8-3. B4-2, B6-4, C6-5
Assembly Instructions
A note to kids and
grown ups who want to
be
kids again!
OK, now we are going to have FUN! The
Thing-a-ma-Jig
has
a
“Thing”
on top and a
“Jig”
on the bottom with a bunch of
parts in between that you could call “
a-ma
”… but we won’t.
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Building and flying a model rocket is FUN but it takes careful
work for it to fly properly. When you are building your
Thing-a-
ma-Jig
, be sure to:
READ
each step through carefully as you come to it.
LOOK
at each diagram then follow the directions from top to
bottom as you build.
STOP
and ask for help when you aren’t sure what to do. It is
much better to ask a question than to make a mistake that
could be avoided.
When you see this little guy looking over the figure it means
that the step needs extra attention from you and maybe even
help from and adult. That might be because you are using a
tool like a hobby knife which could be a safety hazard if not
handled properly. It also could mean it’s very important to do
that step right the first time.
So, instead of reading the back of a cereal box while eating
breakfast, read these instructions and get yourself ready to
have gobs of fun building -and then flying- your
Thing-a-ma-
Jig.
Be sure to read the front packaging card, which has lots of
interesting stuff about your rocket on it. And don’t miss the
Model Rocket Safety Code
and information about the
National Association of Rocketry (NAR)
on the back of the
enclosed warranty card.
