How To Print & Assemble The BOOSTER-XS3

How to print the BOOSTER-XS3

If you want to save this How-To instruction as a pdf file (and print it out later if needed), simply copy the URL of this page and paste it to https://www.printfriendly.com/ . Printfriendly will generate a printer-friendly pdf of the page with all the texts and images for you.

The STL package of this model includes an “All-In-One” Print Profile created for Bambu Lab X1 and P1 Series 3D printers. If you intend to use any of those printers to print the model, follow this instruction to print all parts: How to use Bambu Studio’s All-In-One Print Profile

If you don’t have access to any Bambu Lab X1 and P1 Series 3D printers. All of the STL files are really straight forward to print. All you need to do is load them into your slicer software (e.g. Cura), select your desirable settings (e.g. layer height, infill percentage, etc.) and slice the parts. I used 0.4mm nozzle and 0.2mm layer height to print large parts and 0.1mm layer height to print small parts (e.g. Raptor engines)

Please note: I already saved the STL for each part in the orientation I printed them on my FDM printer. Hence, when you load the STL in your slicer software, you don’t need to orientate them again, unless you want to try to print them in a different orientation.

Below are some tips

All magnet holes can be printed without support regardless of their positions/orientations on the model. Please don’t generate support for these holes (unless you really need to). Otherwise, you may struggle to remove support inside the holes due to restricted access. The easiest way to stop Cura from generating support inside these magnet holes is to use support blocker to cover the holes.
The round magnets are used to hold all the main sections of the BOOSTER-XS3 together, which then allow you to quickly strip the model apart. If you don’t intend to disassemble the model at all, then the magnets aren’t required. Instead, you can print out a bunch of “Location Pin” in folder “STEP 05 (OPTIONAL PARTS)”, and use them to help align/glue all the main sections together.
There is an STL in folder ‘STEP 00’ called ‘BOOSTER-XS3 Assembly.stl’. If you load this file, you’ll see the fully assembled BOOSTER-XS3 model. This will help you understand where each and every part is fitted on the model.
In STEP 03 folder, there are two STL’s for the Booster Inner Compartment – you only need to select one of them.
If your printer is well-tuned/accurate, you can print the 0.3 clearance part. If not, use the 0.5 one.
Please note that you’ll need to print 2-off (e.g. either 2-off 0.3 clearance, or 2-off 0.5 clearance version of the part)
This model is designed at 1:200 scale and I highly recommend you to print at this scale to achieve the highest quality. However, if you decided to print it at a different scale, please be aware that the magnets I selected for this model will no longer fit and you will have to glue the parts together.

How to assemble this model?

So now you’ve got all your parts printed? Great! Let’s assemble the model. I’ll take you through the assembly process step by step but before that, you need to purchase some items:

5mm dia x 3mm thick N42 Neodymium magnets (LINK) | Qty: 57-off
Super glue (LINK) | Qty: 1 bottle

STEP 0: ‘Dry’ assemble the model

At this step, all I want you to do is try to stack all the parts together to get a good understanding of where they are located. Because there are a lot of magnets you need to fit during the assembly process, doing this first step will give you an idea of how to fit the magnets in each part correctly. Please use the ‘BOOSTER-XS3 Assembly.stl’ and the photos below if required.

STEP 1

STEP 1: Assemble the main parts of the BOOSTER-XS3

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

1x Booster Thrust Puck_XS3 (a)
1x Booster Aft_XS3 (b)
1x Booster LOX Tank (Bottom)_XS3 (c)
1x Booster LOX Tank (Top)_XS3 (d)
1x Booster Common Dome_XS3 (e)
1x Booster CH4 Tank_XS3 (f)
1x Booster Interstage_XS3 (g)
1x Hotstaging Ring_XS3 (h)
45x Magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in RED)

Assembly process

STEP 1a: Glue 3x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top face of the Booster Thrust Puck
STEP 1b: Glue 6x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top, and bottom faces of the Booster Aft Section
STEP 1c: Glue 6x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top, and bottom faces of the Booster LOX Tank (Bottom) Section
STEP 1d: Glue 6x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top, and bottom faces of the Booster LOX Tank (Top) Section
STEP 1e: Glue 6x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top, and bottom faces of the Booster Common Dome Section
STEP 1f: Glue 6x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top, and bottom faces of the Booster CH4 Tank Section
STEP 1g: Glue 6x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top, and bottom face of the Booster Interstage Section. IMPORTANT: Ensure that the 3x top magnets are pushed all the way in so that they protrude only 1mm above the top face of the Booster Interstage Section
STEP 1h: Glue 6x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top, and bottom face of the Hotstaging Ring. IMPORTANT: Ensure that all the magnets are pushed all the way in so that top magnets protrude only 1mm above the top face of the Hotstaging Ring, whereas the bottom magnets “sink” into their holes about 1.5mm from the bottom face of the Hotstaging Ring

These magnets are used to hold all the main sections of the BOOSTER-XS3 together, which then allow you to quickly strip the model apart. If you don’t intend to disassemble the model at all, then the magnets aren’t required. Instead, you can print out a bunch of “Location Pin” in folder “STEP 05 (OPTIONAL PARTS)”, and use them to help align/glue all the main sections together.

STEP 2: Assemble the Booster Aft Section, and Interstage Section

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

4x Grid Fin_XS3 (a)
33x Raptor Engine_XS3 (b)
1x Booster Thrust Puck from STEP 1 (c)
1x Booster Aft Section from STEP 1 (d)
1x Booster Interstage Section from STEP 1 (e)

Assembly process

STEP 2a: Glue 13x Raptor Engines to the Booster Thrust Puck.
STEP 2b: Glue 20x Raptor Engines to the Booster Aft Section
STEP 2c: Install the Booster Thrust Puck into the Booster Aft Section
STEP 2d: Install 4x Grid Fins into the Booster Interstage Section

STEP 3: Assemble the Booster Inner Compartment, and Basic Stand

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

2x Booster Inner Compartment_XS3 (a)
1x Booster Basic Stand_XS3 (b)
12x Magnets (5mm dia x 3mm thick) (highlighted in RED)

Assembly process

STEP 3a: Use 9x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets to join the 2x halves of the Booster Inner Compartment together. You can glue 3x magnets into the 3 holes on one half, and 6x magnets (in 3x stacks of 2 each) in the the 3 holes on the other half

You only need to use magnets here if you want to split the Booster Inner Compartment and store something inside (e.g. a pen). If you don’t intend to ultilise the space inside the Booster to store anything, then just simply glue two halves of the Booster Inner Compartment together without any magnets
STEP 3b: Glue 3x (5mm dia x 3mm thick) magnets into their locations on the top face of the Booster Basic Stand. IMPORTANT: These magnets should attract the ones on the Booster Thrust Puck

STEP 3a

STEP 3b

STEP 4: Assemble the BOOSTER-XS3

Parts required (refer to the photos below)

1x All assemblies from STEP 1, 2, and 3 above

Assembly process

STEP 3a: Assemble all parts of the BOOSTER-XS3 together
STEP 3b: Place the BOOSTER-XS3 on its Basic Stand.
Please note: There are 2 options to place the Booster on the Basic Stand. Option 1 is simple and straight forward but less secured. Option 2 is more secured but you’ll need to remove the Booster Thrust Puck (you can use a pen and push it out via the hole at the bottom of the Booster Aft Section) and rotate it 180 degree