Surefire Explorer X-13 User manual

Flying Model Rocket Kit Instructions
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ShockCord Mount
How to Use These Instructions:
A. Using basic modeling techniques, this kit will
help in the development of modeling skills.
B. Check all parts before you begin building.
C. Test fit all parts before gluing.
D. Check off each step as you complete it.
Construction Supplies Required:
A. Ruler
B. Knife
C. Pencil
D. Glue
E. Scissors
F. Sandpaper
G. Paint
H. Sanding Sealer
I. Adult Supervision
1.
Engine Mount Assembly
Parts Needed: Engine Mount Tube (H),
Engine Hook (G), 2 Centering Rings (F)
 Measure and mark ¼” from the end of the engine tube
(H) with a pencil. (Fig 1a)
 With a hobby knife make a small 1/8” horizontal slit on
the mark. Lay the Engine hook (G) on the body tube
inserting the 90 degree bent section into the slit. (Fig 2a)
 Measure and mark ½” from both ends of the Engine
Mount Tube (H) with a pencil. (Fig 1a)
 Place one Centering Ring (F) at the top of the Engine
Mount Tube (H) and one at the bottom of the Engine
Mount Tube (H) as shown. (Fig 3a)

Place a small ring of glue around the Engine Mount Tube
(H) at both marks you made ( ½” from the ends) (Fig 3a)
 Slide the remaining Centering Ring (F) over the glue
onto the marks as shown. (Fig 4a)
1/4“
½“
½“
Ring mark
Ring mark
Hookmark
Glue
Glue
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(Fig 1a) (Fig 2a) (Fig 3a) (Fig 4a)
2.
Tube Marking
Parts Needed: Main Body Tube (C)
 Place the Body Tube (
C
) on the template. (Fig 2a)
 With a pencil carefully draw small alignment marks at
the intersection of the tube and the fin guide. (Fig 2a)
 Using a door frame or a tube marking guide (to make
straight lines) extend the four fin alignment marks 3”
down the Body Tube (C). (Fig 2b)
** NOTE ** Make sure not to press too hard on the
tube. A light mark is all that is required
H) Shock Cord Mount
Expanded View
P.O. Box 271 Grayson, GA 30017
Explorer X-13/X-19
Educational
B) Nose Cone
(Two Part)
A) Streamer
D) Shock Cord
G) Engine Hook
F) Centering
Rings (2)
H)Engine Tube
I) Launch Lug
C) Body Tube
E) Fins
(Configuration will vary)
Fig. 2a
*Use the dotted lines for 3 fins
*Solid lines for 4 fins

5.
Engine Mount Installation
Parts Needed: Body Tube (C),
Assembled Engine Mount, Glue.
 The engine mount assembly should be completely dry
before starting this step.
 Locate the end of the tube that has the fin markings.
This is the end that the engine mount will be glued to.
 With a glue applicator (small stick, pencil, your finger,
etc…) place a ring of glue about 1 ½” from the bottom
of the tube on the inside. (Fig 5a)
 Slide the assembled engine mount into the body tube
until the engine tube (H
) is flush with the bottom of the
body tube. (C) The completed engine mount should
look similar to figure 5b.
6.
Fin Attachment
Parts Needed: Fins (E) , Body Tube (C), Glue
( Fin design will vary )
 Apply a small bead of glue along the root edge of the
fin. (Fig 6a).
 Set the rear edge (trailing edge) of the fin even with
the bottom of the body tube. Make sure you are using
the end that has the engine mount installed.

Press the fin gently against the body tube making sure
that the root edge is aligned with one of your marked
3” fin guide lines made in step 3.

Carefully adjust the fin as needed to make sure the fin
is aligned. An incorrectly placed fin will drastically
change the flight of your rocket. Hold the fin in place
until the glue is set.
 Carefully repeat the above steps for each fin. (4)
 Stand rocket to allow for proper glue drying. (Fig 6c)
3.
Fin Cutting and Preparation
Parts Needed: Fin stock/ PDF fin printout,
sandpaper, knife
 Lay your piece of sandpaper rough side up on a table.
 Align all four Fins (E) together.
 Lightly sand all edges so that they are equally smooth.
***OPTIONAL*** For even better performance sand the
leading edges round and taper the trailing edge.
4.
Shock Cord Mount Assembly
Parts Needed: Shock Cord (D), Shock Cord
Mount (H), Glue.
 Cut out the Shock Cord Mount (
H
) from the back of
this sheet.
 Lay the Elastic Shock Cord (D
) on the mount so that the
cord starts on section #2 and
lays across section #3. (Fig
4b)
 Glue the cord to the mount on section #2 (Fig 4b) Fold
section #1 onto section #2. Hold till glue dries. (Fig 4c)
 Glue the cord to section #3 (Fig 4c). Fold sections #1
and #2 on to section #3 (Fig 4d). Hold until glue is dry.
(Fig 3a)
Root Edg
e
Leading
E
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e
(Fig 3b)
T
railingEdge
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2
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3
Shock Cord
Mount
Shock Cord
Mount
Shock Cord
Mount
SureFire Rockets
SureFire Rockets
SureFire Rockets
(Fig 4b)
(Fig 4c)
(Fig 4d)
ShockCord
ShockCord
ShockCord
Glue
Glue
Body Tube
Body Tube
Engine Mount
Engine Mount
Installed
(Fig 5a)
(Fig 5b)
Root Edge
Leading
E
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e
(Fig 6a)
Body Tube
Fin Mark
Fin
(Fig 6b)
(Fig 6c)
 Go online to
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/sfr/sfr710180.htm
 Select one of the fin configurations
 Print off the PDF file containing the fin design.
 Follow the instructions printed with the PDF file for
cutting out your fins.
*Fin configuration will vary

9.
Shock Cord Mount
Attachment
Parts Needed: Rocket, Shock Cord/
Attached Mount
 Apply glue to the shock cord-mount (Fig 9a) and insert
into the rocket tube. (Fig 9b)
 Make sure you place the mount at least
1” from the top of
the body tube. This space is needed for the nose cone to
fit.
 Press the mount firmly to the tube with your finger or a
small rod. Hold mount until glue sets.
***NOTE*** Before you launch your rocket, lightly pull on
the shock cord to make sure it is firmly attached. A bad
gluing job here could mean only one flight for your rocket.
10.
Attach Your Nose Cone
Parts Needed: Shock Cord (attached), Nose
Cone (B), Streamer (A)
 Glue on the cap of the nose cone. Follow the drying
instructions provided by the type of glue you are
using. It is very important to let the glue fully dry.
 Tie the Shock Cord to the Nose Cone (B) at the
location shown above. (Fig 10a) Tie a triple knot in
the shock cord to ensure that it does not come untied
during flight
 Tie Streamer (A) to the same location as the shock
cord as shown above (Fig 10a) Again, triple knot your
streamer so that it has no chance of un-tying during
flight.
 Congratulations! You’re done building your rocket.
You can prepare it for flight now (Step #12) or
proceed to painting and decorating (Step #11).
7.
Launch Lug Attachment
Parts Needed: Body Tube (C), Launch
Lug (I), Glue, Ruler, Pencil
 Measure and mark from the bottom of the rocket (where
the fins are) 3 ½” as a reference line. (Fig 7a) Use this
line as a starting point for the Launch Lug (I).
 Apply glue and attach the Launch Lug (I). (fig 7b)
 Make sure that the Launch Lug (I) is aligned with the
Body Tube (C) as shown. (Fig 7c) Let dry.
8.
Fin Reinforcement
Parts Needed: Glue, Rocket frame
 Filling in the ‘gap’ between the fins and the rocket
tube is important. It improves the aerodynamics of
your rocket while improving the strength of your fins.
 Take a bead of glue and run along the fins where they
join the body tube. (Fig 8a) Glue only one fin at a
time.
 Smooth the glue into the gap creating a fillet of glue
between the fins and the tube.
 Stand the rocket as shown (Fig 8b) to allow the glue
to dry.
3
½
”
(Fig 7a)
(Fig 7b)
GLUE
(Fig 8a)
(Fig 8b)
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Glue
(Fig 9a)
1”
ShockCord Mount
*Not to scale
Attach Streamer Here
*Nose cone comes in two parts

13.
Launch Supplies
To launch your rocket you will need the following items:
 A Launch controller and Launch pad with a 1/8” launch
rod.
 Three to four sheets of recovery wadding for each
additional flight.
 Recommended engines: A8-3, B4-2, B4-4, B4-6, B6-2,
B6-4, B6-6, C6-3, C6-5, C6-7, C5-3
 It is recommended that you use smaller engines such as
the A8-3 for your first flight in order to check your
rockets flight pattern.
15.
Rocket Launch
1. Make sure the safety key is not in the launch
controller.
2. Slide your rocket onto the launch pad making sure
the launch lug slides freely over the launch rod.
3. Attach the wires from the launch controller to your
igniter. Make sure the clips are separated (for Estes
igniters) and not touching the blast deflector plate.
4. Make sure everyone is at least 15 feet back from the
launch pad.
5. Insert the safety key and depress it so the light
comes on.
Give an audible countdown
5…..4…..3…..2…..1….BLAST OFF !!!!
( press the button )
11.
Painting your Rocket
Parts Needed: Assembled Rocket. Colors.
Painting and detailing your new rocket is a personal
choice. You can paint the rocket with any hobby
quality acrylic or enamel paint. Additionally the
rocket can be colored with markers.
Tips on painting or coloring your rocket:
1. When spraying your rocket make sure to keep the
spray can 12 inches from the rocket.
2. Make long sweeping strokes starting before the part
you are painting and stopping after.
3. Only do one coat at a time. Several thin coats are
better than one thick coat that will run.
4. Make sure to paint outside or in a well ventilated area.
5. Adult supervision is required for children under 10 for
painting.
6. Adult supervision is recommend for all children under
8 using markers to color their rocket.
12.
You are Done!!
Congratulations on successfully building your SureFire
Rocket! Please take a minute to read the following pre-
flight information to ensure a successful flight of your
rocket.
Preparing your rocket for Flight.
 Crumple and insert three to four sheets of wadding into
the nosecone end of your rocket.
 Push the wadding inside the body tube using a pencil or
pen.
 Fold the streamer in three-inch lengths and insert into
your body tube.
** NOTE ** Streamer and wadding should fit loosely
into the tube.
 Stick the remaining shock cord in the tube and insert the
nose cone.
Preparing your Engine for Flight.
 Holding your engine upright insert the igniter until it
makes contact with the propellant. (This is usually about
¼ to ½ inch).
 Insert igniter plug into the engine. Firmly push the plug
all the way in.
 Bend igniter wires back and insert the engine into your
rocket.
 Your rocket is now ready for flight!
14.
Rocket Flight
Choose a large field with no power lines or trees. Try to
find a field that is at least 650 feet square. The larger the
field the less rockets lost. Launch your rocket during calm
days only. If windy make sure you aim your rocket into the
wind to adjust for drift after the recovery device has been
deployed.
Always make sure to follow any local laws and the NAR
model rocketry safety code.