Sheri's Mercury Redstone

[JAL3]

Sheri's Mercury Redstone is an impressive looking rocket on her website. Its also fairly impressive when the box shows up on the doorstep. After delaying for a while, I decided to get this one started.

[JAL3]

The first step in construction is to read through the instructions. They are long but easy to read and doing so helps one to understand steps that will upcoming.

The first real "construction" thing to do is to fish out the 2 plywood centering rings and a 3/4" square of plywood. The plywood was eposied onto one of the rings in order to strenthen it of the mounting of an eye bolt for the recovery harness. I used 15 minute epoxy here because I grabbed the wrong bottles.

[JAL3]

When the epoxy was set up, I was instructed to drill a hole through the center of the block and through the ring to which it was mounted to receive the bolt. A 1/4" hole was drilled.

[JAL3]

The hole being drilled, it was a simple matter to insert the receiver for the bolt and epoxy it into place. It's teeth were forced into the plywood with a pair of pliers. I mixed some 5 minute epoxy and prepared to seat the bolt. Unfortunately, I did not pay enough attention and mounted the receiver on the wrong side. By the time I had descovered what I had done, it was too late and the epoxy had set.

[JAL3]

The centering ring without the bolt was mounted in the body tube flush with one end. It was mounted with 5 minute epoxy and a fillet was applied around the perimeter.

[JAL3]

The other centering ring, the one with the bolt, was mounted in the body tube 6 inches from the forward end. It too was mounted and filleted with 5 minute epoxy and it was ensured that the ring of the bolt was facing forward.

[Pantherjon]

I will be watching this build closely! I have one of those fine kits in my 'Kit Room' I got <cough, cough> awhile ago:o..No such thing as 'too much detail'..I may learn a trick or two!;)

[JAL3]

I will be watching this build closely! ..I may learn a trick or two!;)

From me? You gotta be kidding!

You need some serious help, my friend. I do better as the "how not to..." example.

[troj]

If it were mine, I'd toss that eye bolt and replace it with one that's either forged (preferred) or welded.

-Kevin

[JAL3]

If it were mine, I'd toss that eye bolt and replace it with one that's either forged (preferred) or welded.

-Kevin

That makes sense.

How would you suggest I install it? The CRs are already epoxied into place.

I could use one with wood screw threads but wouldn't it be in danger of pulling out without a nut on the other side?

[RangerStl]

Kevin:

Considering that it's anchored to plywood, would that eye opening up under load really be a concern?

Actually, now that I look at it closer, is there a possible "shock cord snag" issue due to the unclosed end? If it's just a snag issue, a little of Billy Mays' "Mighty Putty" shlapped on there might be enough. :D

N

[MaxQ]

Kevin:

Considering that it's anchored to plywood, would that eye opening up under load really be a concern?

Actually, now that I look at it closer, is there a possible "shock cord snag" issue due to the unclosed end? If it's just a snag issue, a little of Billy Mays' "Mighty Putty" shlapped on there might be enough. :D

N

I understand it is already installed, and if the deployment doesn't place too heavy a load it may work fine for many flights....

I realize your working space is confined by the body tube diameter - but would suggest next time getting a steel washer and nut on the sides to spread the load...I've had eyebolts (w/o a washer) yank and pull right out of plywood ...and a repair that is hard to get to is not fun to deal with after the fact.

In some cases I had to file down one side of the washer to fit in tight spots but I feel better having one.

[troj]

I think some folks are missing the point of my concern....

A standard eyebolt is a piece of metal that's been bent to a shape. Under load, the loop can straighten, resulting in a disastrous recovery. Forged eyebolts don't have this issue, because they're a solid, forged loop -- you have to totally destroy the loop to get it to come apart.

Depending on the amount of clearance you have, you may be able to simply unscrew the existing eyebolt and screw in a forged one. If not, it gets more tricky, and without knowing the overall assembly of that portion of the rocket, I can't give an answer.

I use eyebolts when space requires, but in general, I prefer U-bolts with a strap underneath. They spread the load over a much greater surface area an eyebolt (whether forged or not).

If I don't have one with a strap, or I have to use an eyebolt, I usually back it with a fender washer. The more you can spread the load, the less likely there will be a failure.

I'm intrigued by the fact that the kit has you double up the centering ring material at the point of attachment. What type of plywood are the rings made from? Obviously, a bit of reinforcement at a point of high load like that isn't a bad thing, but I've never seen a kit that recommended it before.

-Kevin

[Delta-IV]

Thanks for this thread too. I bought one a couple of months ago and was planning to do a summer build. I'l be reading this one closely.

So far, just looking at the parts, my only improvement idea would be on the body tube. It is thick and strong but I am afraid of the zippering or debonding of the wrap layers at the leading edge. I have used these type of tubes and have had that issue.

I may exchange the BT with a phenolic or similar if the OD is compatible (haven't yet looked at it that closely) or use some CA or epoxy to seal the edge.

[troj]

I may exchange the BT with a phenolic or similar if the OD is compatible (haven't yet looked at it that closely) or use some CA or epoxy to seal the edge.

I've not seen what Sheri is including for tubes, so I'm going to assume it's comparable to what LOC uses.

If so, wicking CA into the edge works like a charm, if you're worried about it delaminating.

-Kevin

[Sheri]

...

[Bravo52]

I think you should just quit building this kit immediately. Pack it up and send it to me for proper testing. I will complete the build and fly a series of flights to determine the ruggedness of the design…….;)

I’ve got a little experience with the SHR kits and I guaranty the provided shock cord will fail before the eye-bolt will. I also think you will more than likely experience a failure of the CR well before the eye-bolt. However, having said that, I think in the end you will not fly this rocket that much and if you do, the system will hold up just fine.

[JAL3]

I think you should just quit building this kit immediately. Pack it up and send it to me for proper testing.

ITs strange how my wife has gotten you to support her in this matter...:bangpan:



I’ve got a little experience with the SHR kits and I guaranty the provided shock cord will fail before the eye-bolt will. I also think you will more than likely experience a failure of the CR well before the eye-bolt. However, having said that, I think in the end you will not fly this rocket that much and if you do, the system will hold up just fine.

Unfortunately for me, I don't get to do too much MPR and even less HPR because of time/field availibility. It certainly will not be flown every month but it will be flown for as long as I have it. Once I build one, I try to keep it "alive" for as long as possible. That's where my concern lies. It may well take me 5 years to log 10 flights with this rocket but I want it to come down intact after the 10th, 50th, 100th etc. flight just like the (hopefully) first one.

[Bravo52]

ITs strange how my wife has gotten you to support her in this matter...:bangpan:



Unfortunately for me, I don't get to do too much MPR and even less HPR because of time/field availibility. It certainly will not be flown every month but it will be flown for as long as I have it. Once I build one, I try to keep it "alive" for as long as possible. That's where my concern lies. It may well take me 5 years to log 10 flights with this rocket but I want it to come down intact after the 10th, 50th, 100th etc. flight just like the (hopefully) first one.

It will be just fine......I have two kits and the mount is just fine. They are not exactly the same, but the same (more) loads apply and they are holding up great. If anything will fail, it will be the CR. Build it as designed and follow the instructions and it will not be a problem. :2:

Also, you can't go too wrong listening to your wife.......she will win, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but she will win............

[JAL3]

Also, you can't go too wrong listening to your wife.......she will win, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but she will win............


So what you're saying is that I should box up everything and send it to you, thereby saving myself the heartache of dealing with it in the future?

[MaxQ]

I think some folks are missing the point of my concern....

A standard eyebolt is a piece of metal that's been bent to a shape. Under load, the loop can straighten, resulting in a disastrous recovery. Forged eyebolts don't have this issue, because they're a solid, forged loop -- you have to totally destroy the loop to get it to come apart.

Depending on the amount of clearance you have, you may be able to simply unscrew the existing eyebolt and screw in a forged one. If not, it gets more tricky, and without knowing the overall assembly of that portion of the rocket, I can't give an answer.

I use eyebolts when space requires, but in general, I prefer U-bolts with a strap underneath. They spread the load over a much greater surface area an eyebolt (whether forged or not).

If I don't have one with a strap, or I have to use an eyebolt, I usually back it with a fender washer. The more you can spread the load, the less likely there will be a failure.

I'm intrigued by the fact that the kit has you double up the centering ring material at the point of attachment. What type of plywood are the rings made from? Obviously, a bit of reinforcement at a point of high load like that isn't a bad thing, but I've never seen a kit that recommended it before.

-Kevin

Kevin:

we're on the same page...forged bolts are much better for all the reasons you said, - but I think on a smaller project like this, with the size and shock loads we're talking about, I suspect that the eyebolt would yank out (it hapened to me on a high a speed flight on a Loc Vulcanite - w/o a washer on the eyebolt on the CR)...or like the other guy said ..the webbing would give way before the eyebolt straightened.....just my .02 and experience...

[Delta-IV]

John,

I agree with Troj on the gluing the end of the tube if it is a concern.

Thanks!!!

Thanks Sheri, I scratch built my 38mm scale Delta-IV Medium with a similar tube and after the second flight it had a major debond when the shock cord must had been pulling on the side during its descent.

I plan to start my build in about 4 weeks after I get back from my Indy 500 trip and will share my results too.

[troj]

or like the other guy said ..the webbing would give way before the eyebolt straightened.....just my .02 and experience...

You'd be surprised at what can fail when things get jerked hard.

Hopefully it's a non-issue.

-Kevin

[Sheri]

...

[JAL3]

Hopefully it's a non-issue.

-Kevin

You got that right!!:y:

[JAL3]

The kit came with 4 plywood fins and a styrene fin template along with a sheet of styrene from which to cut...fins! As it happens, the plywood is just for the core of some built up fins.

[JAL3]

The fin template was used to transfer the outline of the fins to the sheet styrene for 8 instances. The instruction recommended to use the template as a guide to score the styrene with a razor knife and then flex it to make clean breaks. The scoring and flexing idea worked well for me but the using of the template as a guide to do this did not. For me, it was much easier to use a steel rule as a guide for the scoring. That kept my poor template in better shape as well.

[JAL3]

A fact that may be worrisome for somebody who does not READ the instruction is that the styrene fins are somewhat larger than the plywood cores. There is a good reason for this. The plywood core is set flush against the base and root edge of the styrene. The styrene is then lightly scored with the razor along the leading edge. The rudders on the outer edge are also scored and then snapped off and saved for later.

[JAL3]

The styrene along the angled leading edge of the fins was scored but not snapped off. The scoring was to facilitate bending an angle into the leading edge. After trying several methods of getting this right, the one that worked best for me was to put the plywood core into place and then gently bend the plastic towards the centerline of the fin.

[JAL3]

When all of the angles were formed, the styrene was glued to the plywood cores using CA. The resulting bevel actually looked pretty good even if it was not yet "perfect".

[JAL3]

At this point, the plywood cores were sandwhiched between styrene sheets and bonded with CA. The bevels on the leading edges of the fins still had to be dealt with though. This was easily done with the application of a solvent type of plastic cement. I used Plastruct. This welded the leading edges together and healed all gaps.

[JAL3]

I do have a question for Sheri at this point.

I was looking ahead and one of the things coming up soon is to cut the little piece that fits between the fins and the rudders from the styrene. The instructions mention a template but I have not yet found it. Is is a paper job or another piece of styrene?

[Sheri]

...

[troj]

So the bevel on the leading edge of the fins is created by bending the two pieces of styrene together?

Interesting approach!

-Kevin

[Sheri]

...

[troj]

The fins on the Redstone are an important detail I was really wanting to recreate versus just cutting out a plywood fin shape and gluing it on.

Once they are built up they are a nice looking scale fin. :)

Agreed. A slab of plywood would give the basic shape, and that's about it. This approach takes more work, but it gives the right profile to the fin.

When we did our big Redstone, the fins and the escape tower took more time than the rest of the rocket did.

-Kevin

[JAL3]

So the bevel on the leading edge of the fins is created by bending the two pieces of styrene together?

Interesting approach!

-Kevin

I cannot testify (yet) as to how well they perform but they are much easier to put together than I thought they would be. More important, they look good.

[JAL3]

When we did our big Redstone, the fins and the escape tower took more time than the rest of the rocket did.

-Kevin

:y:

You had to remind me about the LES!

I still need counciling for the one I put together on my Zooch Little Joe.

[JAL3]

Here's a few pics for encouragement:

I got these a few weeks ago from a customer that built the Redstone. His turned out better than mine do. :eek:
He added the rivet details to the capsule as well as others!! The Instructions tell how to add the rivet details if desired.

Now is NOT the time to be promoting feelings of inadequacy in the customer...:eyepop:

[Sheri]

...

[judo]

John and Sheri,

That technique may be just what I need for my Doorknob. What happens to the root and tip edges when the styrene gets folded in?

[CTimm]

I've not seen what Sheri is including for tubes, so I'm going to assume it's comparable to what LOC use
-Kevin

Sheri's kits usually come with thick & sturdy ULINE shipping tubes.

[JAL3]

or the manufacturer!! :shock: I get that feeling everytime someone sends me a pic of their model!!!:)

I'll fix that for you when I post some more build pics. You'll feel like queen of the universe.

[JAL3]

John and Sheri,

That technique may be just what I need for my Doorknob. What happens to the root and tip edges when the styrene gets folded in?

Sheri can probably answer this better than I can but here's what I have.

The root edge is a non issue. The tab from the core protrude past the styrene and the styrene will fit flush against the BT.

I can't tell you about the tips yet because I have not gotten there yet and I do not remember what I read. The instructions are at the shop and I am not.:mad:

[Sheri]

...

[JAL3]

I finally unwrapped the resin capsule to take a look at it. I'm not doing anythign with it yet but it sure is purty. I can take care of that!

[JAL3]

The Redstone had another little detail between the fins and the rudders. This kit builds that "thingamabob" out of styrene as well. The template must be cut from the plan that is provided. It is then laid on the styrene to trace the outline four times. I scored the styrene with a razor knife and steel rule. I found this much more difficult that cutting the fins themselves.

[JAL3]

The thingamabobs were test fitted onto the fins and it was found that in each case, my cutting left something to be desired. All kit all right towards the bottom but each had to have the top opened up a bit more. When they all fit, CA was used to cement them to the fin cores. When the CA had dried, solvent cement was used to joint the platic to that of the fins.

[mkadams001]

I think that Sheri has a few of these kits out there and I have never heard of the eye bolt failing. No doubt that a forged or welded eye bolt is stronger, but why would you over build when you are already well within the strength limits for that task?

I think it is fantastic that you are sharing your build experience with everyone. I am sure that you are getting more advice and support than you ever imagined.

[BsSmith]

Really, if the eyebolt fails during recovery, I think you have bigger problems than a failed eyebolt!

Great build BTW! :)

[JAL3]

With the thingamabobs in place, the rudders came next. They were formed from the pieces of styrene that were cut from the fins a few steps before and assembled in a similar manner. I held each piece flush against the bottom and inner edges and used the razor knife to score a line. Half were scored on one side and half on the other. The plastic was then gently bent to form the angle using the plywood core as a straightedge.

[JAL3]

After bending, the styrene rudder tabs were glued to the plywood cores with CA. When the CA had set, solvent cement was used to join the edges along the angled leading edges and the joint with the thingamabobs. The results were much less than perfect and almost all of the problems were with the thingamabobs. I had not gotten them as well as the other pieces.

[JAL3]

Before capping off the rudders, I needed to clean them up a bit. I used a sanding board to take down the excess material and get the edges of the styrene to line up with the edges of the cores. I then used liquid solvent cement to glue on scraps of styrene to the outer edges, leaving plenty of overhang. When I tried to remove the excess material, though, I found that the joint between the plastic pieces was not handling the abuse. This was rectified by putting a small amount of CA on the tips of the rudder cores and then solvent welding the edges of the plastic.

[JAL3]

With the tips re-applied and now holding firm, I trimmed the excess material by first scoring around the perimeter with a razor knife and then using the sanding board to remove smaller humps. There were a few gaps and bulges but I figured that the fairing process would take care of that.

[Boosterdude]

I like the way the fins are built, the finished product really looks very close to scale. I don't mind shaping fins, but I really enjoy building fins that use the structure to form the shape. Very nice fin design Sheri, I have to build one of these.

[JAL3]

From a distance, the fins looked pretty good, certainly better than most things that come out of my shop, but there were some flaws that bothered me. A few places had gaps between the pieces of styrene. I applied Squadron green putty to the offending area and let the fins cure for a few days.

[JAL3]

When the few days were up, I went after the accumulated good with a will using sandpaper, sanding sticks and a little jewelers file to get into those tight corners. A frequent scrubbing of the file with a wire brush was a must as was the brushing away of the dusty by-products. I got it to the point where I thought that painting would make them look "perfect".

[JAL3]

Teusday's are my days off and I normally like to get a lot of work done on important things like rockets but...

...today the poopy dog got sprayed and I have an outraged dog, a traumatized teen girl and a tired wife that are demanding my attention.

Hopefully, I might get some more done latter.

[JAL3]

Another question for Sheri:

I test fitted the motor tube today and found that I did a bad job of placing the forward centering ring. It is too far forward. When I slide in the motor tube it just barely intersects the forward ring by a very small fraction of an inch and that is with it barely contacting the rear ring, let alone having it prodtrude any.

I thought about splicing on an additional length of motor tube and using another piece of tubing and an external coupler but then the tube would not fit through the holes in the CRs. My current consideration is to splice the tubes with an internal coupler, formed from another piece of motor tube but with a vertical slit in it. It would still be hollow so gas could pass through. I think this should work unless there is something I am missing.

What are your thoughts?

[troj]

Why not purchase a longer piece of motor mount? Assuming it's standard rocketry tubing....

-Kevin

[JAL3]

Why not purchase a longer piece of motor mount? Assuming it's standard rocketry tubing....

-Kevin

When you're right, you're right.

I feel like an idiot.

Situation normal.

[JAL3]

The kit comes with a fin marking guide in the form or a wrap around that is cut out of the plan sheet. I cut it out and taped it in place and found that it fit perfectly. The marks for the four fins were transferred to the body tube and the guide was removed. An angle was then used to extend the lines from all the way to the rear to about 8 inches forward. A steel ruler was used to connect opposing lines across the after centering ring.

[JAL3]

The instructions then had me offset the fin line by 1/16" to either side to accomodate the width of the fins. I know its a very minor point but I would have preferred to have the correct offset marked on the wrap around guide. This is purely my preference and is the first real thing I would change and its so minor that I feel silly even mentioning it. As I said, that would be MY prefference.

In any event, the offsets were marked and those lines were extended for the length of the fins. A fresh hobby knife and a steel rule were then used to score along the offset lines so that the vinyl coating could be removed in order to promote better adhesion of the fins.

[JAL3]

The instruction made no mention of this next step but it is something I now do fairly routinely. I used a drill and made a series of perforations along the fin lines to aid in the formation of epoxy rivets. I did the same thing with a smaller bit along the root edge of the fins.

[Sheri]

...

[JAL3]

All four of the fins were mounted using 5 minute epoxy. A small batch was made for one fin and then a toothpick was used to trowel it into place along the BT. It was also used to force epoxy into the rivet holes. After that, it was a simple matter to press the fin into place, check for alignment and hold it in place until the epoxy set up stiff enough to hold on its own. The process was repeated for the other three fins.

[JAL3]

I accidently got the forward centering ring a little too far forward so that the provided motor tube would not extend far enough; when it was inserted, in just bared touched both centering rings without enough overage to provide any support. Fortunately, I had a piece of LOC motor tubing sitting around for a project that has yet to begin and decided to canibalize it. I inserted it so that the front protruded just a bit from the forward ring and then marked the tube where it had a 1/2" clearance on the aft ring. I then made up a mandrell and cut it to length with a razor knife.

[JAL3]

The resulting tube was slid into place and secured with more 5 minute epoxy.

[Delta-IV]

The resulting tube was slid into place and secured with more 5 minute epoxy.

Looking good there, you have provided me with some good insight. I am getting anxious so I might start my MR build in a couple of weeks. I need to get onto something else for awhile, I am still smarting over my Delta IV loss last Saturday....:(

[JAL3]

Looking good there, you have provided me with some good insight. I am getting anxious so I might start my MR build in a couple of weeks. I need to get onto something else for awhile, I am still smarting over my Delta IV loss last Saturday....:(

Thanks.

I saw the posts on the loss and I feel for you. I can only imagine the amount of work that goes into making any of your deltas. I get bent out of shape even when I lose an RTF but to lose one that involved a lot of work is heartbreaking.:(

[JAL3]

If there is one thing that surprized me most about this kit it was the instructions on filleting. I expected to fillet the fins with epoxy but the instructions said to used plain old white glue. I decided to follow the instructions to see how it would work out. I began laying in the fillets, letting them dry, rotating the rocket and doing it again.

[JAL3]

The tower for the launch escape system is built up out of styrene tubing. Construction of the LES begins with taking the plan for one of the verticals and cutting it out to serve as a backdrop and template. The template was taped down securely and then three pieces of 3/16 styrene tubing were cut to length using the template as a guide.

[JAL3]

The vertical struts were fabricate one at a time. A piece of the styrene cut to length was taped down on top of the template. Two further pieces of the 3/16 tubing were cut to the length of the "Y" at the bottom of the structure. These were then shaved on one end to achieve the desired angle. When they fit well enough, they too were taped into place on the template and the three pieces were joint with Plastruct solvent cement.

[JAL3]

While the solvent was drying, a gusset plate to cover the joint was cut from .020 styrene. It too was then solvent welded into place over the joint. After letting it sit for a few minutes, the structure was taken up, more solvent applied to the opposite side and the entire procedure repeated twice more. I should have mentioned that while the piece was taped down, various depth marks were transfered to the tower struts with a felt tip.

[JAL3]

The instructions indicated that the base of the tower was to be fabricated on a plywood ring. I looked in vain for such a piece of plywood. I did find a resin ring but the inner diameter of the ring was different than that shown on the plans. I contacted Sheri and she assured me that it was the correct part and was a result of a design change. Still unsure because of the amount of play left in the 1/8" space between the ring and the capsule, I contacted Sheri again and was reassured that this was correct.

[Bravo52]

When I built the tower for my kit, I went ahead and drilled all of the pieces at the attachment points. This will make the tower stronger and less likely to snap on contact.

The tower is a straight-forward easy build.....both times. The ring at the base is required to get over the detail on the capsule. The problem is how do you keep the tower attached when you fly. I didn't try the tape (as in the instructions), but it should work. I used little sheer pins that kept the tower secure and it broke on landing right where I thought it would.

One day my goal is to figure out how to make a flyable tower at any scale.......:rolleyes: To me, that would be the same as a Nobel Prize in Physics....'cause thats what it's gonna take :y:

[JAL3]

When I built the tower for my kit, I went ahead and drilled all of the pieces at the attachment points. This will make the tower stronger and less likely to snap on contact.

The tower is a straight-forward easy build.....both times. The ring at the base is required to get over the detail on the capsule. The problem is how do you keep the tower attached when you fly. I didn't try the tape (as in the instructions), but it should work. I used little sheer pins that kept the tower secure and it broke on landing right where I thought it would.

One day my goal is to figure out how to make a flyable tower at any scale.......:rolleyes: To me, that would be the same as a Nobel Prize in Physics....'cause thats what it's gonna take :y:

The photo speaks a thousand words.

Isn't it a shame they don't teach geometric constructions in school any more? Around here, they don't even bother with the proofs.

As to the tower, I have not thought this far ahead but I would like the LES to be in place when it flies. Maybe a drop of epoxy on the bottom of the ring would keep it seated.

[JAL3]

The resin disk has a bevel to it so it must be oriented correctly. I made sure the beveled side was up and then cut out the the template. I taped the template onto the upper surface of the disk and scrounged around until I found a 3/32" drill bit. Six holes were then drilled in the places indicated on the template.

[JAL3]

With the six holes drilled, I test fitted the vertical struts of the LES tower but did not glue them at this time, even though such was given as the step in the instruction. I wanted to make sure about the fit at the other end first.

[JAL3]

The upper disk of the LES tower is made of plywood. I cut out its template, taped it into place and drilled the three holes it calls for.

[JAL3]

The disk was then slid into place at the upper end of the assembly. Since things seemed to fit, both ends were secured with CA.

[JAL3]

The horizontal members of the LES trusses are made from 1/16" styrene tubing. Using the plan as a guide for length, I cut the three upper horizontals. I placed them singly at the marks made earlier doing one side at a time and using Plasturct solvent weld. I let on side dry and then brushed the other side with a generous amount and squeezed it into place between the uprights. Since there was a bit of bowing, I used cellophane tape to hold the structure tight as it dried.

[JAL3]

The next day, I peeled off the tape and inspected the results. It was a start.

[JAL3]

Since the first one worked out, I got started on the second seriies of horizontal members. I cut three pieces of tubing from the plan and the solvent welded them into place, using a little tape to hold the joints closed. They too came out fine.

[JAL3]

While the solvent welds on the LES tower were hardening up, I got to work on the Triple Mini Motor. It too was fabricated for styrene tubing. 3 lengths of 3/4" long by 1/16" tubing were cut to length specified on the plans. A 3/16" piece and a 1/4" piece were also cut.

[JAL3]

The 3 pieves of 1/16" tubing were then bundled together and slid inside of the 3/16" piece with 3/16" left protruding. They were fixed into place with solvent weld.

[JAL3]

Once the three pieces were tacked into palce, a razor was used to separate them and bend the three small pieces out at a 30 degree angle. The softening from the Plastruct helped with this.

[JAL3]

THis entire assembly was then slid into the short piece of 1/4" tubing that had been cut and solvent welded. THe butt end as gently sanded to keep everything straight.

[JAL3]

The LES tower being dry by this point, was inverted and set on its cap. The Triple Mini assembly was then glued to the center of the base with CA making sure that the mini nozzles were rotated in such a way as to be centered on the LES truss panels.

[JAL3]

I tried cutting the first set of diagonal struts from the plans but that did not work out too well. Each was just a bit too long. Fortunately, Sheri is extremely generous in the materials she packs. I recut the diagonals purposefully too long and then started trimming them to fit by a short snip at a time. When they seemed to be the right length, I shaved a bit on one side of the end to give a bit of a miter and then put it in place with tweezers and Plastruct.

[JAL3]

The lower diagonal struts were placed in the same manner.

[JAL3]

I was pretty happy with the way the LES had turned out thus far. It was nothing like perfect but it did represent one of my best efforts to date. It could, however, be improved a bit. This was the point when the truss needed to be faired and the instructions gave the option of Bondo or Squadron Green putty. I had some of the latter and was unfamiliar with the former so I started pressing it into place and let it set up for a day.

[JAL3]

The spike at the top of the LES is a built up affair as is most of this kit. The top point was formed by taking a wooden dowel and sanding a point into it.

[JAL3]

The point was then separated from the rest of the dowel by rolling under a razor knife.

[JAL3]

The base of the point was then dressed up a bit with some sanding and the point was glued to the end of a styrene tube with CA and set aside.

[JAL3]

The "can" at the top of the LES is also built up. The kit comes with a short length of tubing and this was glued to scraps of flat styrene plastic and allowed to set.

[JAL3]

When it was set up, excess plastic was trimmed away and then sandpaper was used to round the caps even with the edge of the tubing.

[JAL3]

A 3/32" hole was drilled in the center of both end caps of the can.

[JAL3]

The spike was then slid through the top hole and into the bottom hole so that the tubing was flush with the bottom cap. The styrene was then solvent welded into place.

[rokitflite]

Oooo! I wanna see more pictures of that super rare Bonestell/Redstone I got a glimpse of in the background of one of your photos! I heard NASA only flew that configuration once.:D

[JAL3]

Oooo! I wanna see more pictures of that super rare Bonestell/Redstone I got a glimpse of in the background of one of your photos! I heard NASA only flew that configuration once.:D

Silly me!

You're not supposed to know that.

Now I'll lose my security clearance und Herr Doktor Von Braun vill be annoit.

[JAL3]

Going back to the LES tower, the Squadron Green goop had hardened and I began the process of sanding it off. At various points I used sandpaper and a file triangular file. The X-acto blad was also a friend.

[JAL3]

By the time the tower was sanded, the solvent on the can and spike had plenty of time to dry several hundred times over. The next step was to begin applying the bands around the can. These are cut from thin styrene and put into place with CA. The can was laid alongside the plan and the lines were marked. The proper width of styrene was then cut and one end was tacked into place with CA. I wrapped the strip around the can and cut it just a bit longer than needed for a complete circumference. I then whittled and sanded it to length and finished tacking it with CA. I had gotten the wide band and part of the upper skinny band done when I had to leave off to deal with a work issue.

[JAL3]

The plans show that the can has a single wide band and two skinny ones. ALl of the photos, however, show 3 of the skinny ones in addition to the wide one. After considering for a while, I decided that I liked the looks of the 3 better than the 2. So it is that when I got a chance to work on this one again, I finished the unfinished band and then cut another.

[JAL3]

The next step is what really caused me some confusion. Both the photos in the instruction and the plans show 2 pieces of styrene with a half circular profile running vertically on the can, 180 degrees from each other. The text of the instructions makes no mention of them, however. At first I thought this would be fairly simple to take care of. I laid the stock material agains the plan and cut two pieces to lengths. Then, because of the plan and the photos, I used sandpaper to put a rounded point at the ends of both of them.

[JAL3]

So far so good. My dilemma came when I laid the verticals along the can. My intention all along was to use one of them to hide the seams on the bands. That was fine. The problem was the gaps between the verticals and the can between the bands. The instructions did not say how this was to be achieved.

I fired off a question to Sheri expecting to hear back from her quickly. She had always responded quickly in the past. This time, heard nothing after 3 days so I sent a follow up and heard nothing. I then remembered that my first message had come during the National Sport Launch and I figured that she might be attending. She may also have decided to take some vacation time afterwards. I had to leave town for a week so I decided to wait and see what was waiting for me when I got home. When I did get home, there was nothing.

Although it seemed a forlorn hope, I decided to get to work again on the off chance I could have this rocket ready for my next club launch. I laid a vertical against the can and marked with a pencil where the banding was. I then used a combination of file and razor knife to try and remove material. It was slow and painstaking. I finally got to the point where I realized that it was not going to get any better with MY skills and put the first vertical in place with Plastruct. It looked OK from some directions but there are some big gaps as well. I decided to wiat just a bit more before tackling the other one.

Ther has got to be a better way...I hope.

[JAL3]

Still wanting to work on this one a bit more, I took the cast resin nozzles for the LES out of the bag. Two were connected by way of a sprue and the third was free and slightly lighter shade. That posed no problems at all since they are all meant to be painted. I trimmed off the excess flash with a razor and then sanded them into round.

[JAL3]

Being a naturally impatient person, I decided not to wait any longer and to try and place the second vertical tube in the same way as the first. The results were much the same and looked OK from a distance but did not bear close scrutiny. Naturally, I heard from Sheri after I had completed the step.

As it turns out, she was not on vacation but was moving. Having lived through that chaos, I understand the time it took to get back to me. In any event, the recommended procedure was none other than what I had already done except for the quality of craftsmanship. That part is just going to take me some more time until my skills get up there.

[JAL3]

Since I was unhappy with the gaps between the vertical tubes and the can, I used Squadron Green putty to try and fill them. I forced it into the gaps and let it dry for a day.

[JAL3]

Then the work of sanding it down began. As I feared, this was the difficult part because of my own ineptitude and, probably, because I lacked the proper tools. I'm not even sure what the "proper" tools are. I used a combination approach sanding, carving away with an X-acto and folding the sandpaper into semi-stiff little pieces to get into the tight areas. Eventually, it was as good as it was going to get under my auspices. The green looked hideous to me but I kept reminding myself that it would be hidden by the paint and that it looks better than the gaps.

[JAL3]

With the can completed, the next step was to affix it to the LES tower. I set it into place and noticed immediately that it was not sitting straight. A close examination revealed that one of my vertical tower structs was just a touch too long. Since it had already been glued to the cap with CA, I could not adjust the cap. I tried to remedy it some what by filing and sanding down the high side of the cap a bit. I probably should have done more but eventually I placed the can with a few drops of thick CA.

[JAL3]

At this point I thought I was finished with the LES...but something looked off. Then I noticed the LES nozzles sitting on the desk. Each of these was glued into place with some thick CA. I recommend doing it a few times without the CA and looking at it from several angles to make sure the bevel is straight; then use the CA. And that completed the LES.

[JAL3]

The LES tower was primed with 2 coats of Testor's gray primer. That made an immediate difference in the appearance as it made everythign uniform and not the sick mixture of green, white and wood product.

[JAL3]

The instructions on the can said that I had to paint within 2 hours or wait 2 days. Looking the LES over, I did not see where sanding would be an issue so I gave the entire structure 2 coats of Testor's Competition Orange. It was actually starting to look like something good was going to come of this endeavor.

[mkadams001]

I am really enjoying following your build. The tower looks really tough to build. I do have a suggestion on the use of the green putty. I would try using a glue syringe to apply the putty in the narrow gap. The other option would be to tape off the areas where you don't want putty and peel it away before the putty dries. It can be a big time saver when you don't have sand away a bunch of putty that doesn't need to be there.

Great Job, I am looking forward to the next installment.

[JAL3]

I am really enjoying following your build. The tower looks really tough to build. I do have a suggestion on the use of the green putty. I would try using a glue syringe to apply the putty in the narrow gap. The other option would be to tape off the areas where you don't want putty and peel it away before the putty dries. It can be a big time saver when you don't have sand away a bunch of putty that doesn't need to be there.

Great Job, I am looking forward to the next installment.

Thanks. I appreciate the encouragement.

The LES tower was the single most intimidating factor to me but it was not as bad as I feared. It was much easier than the analogus one on the Dr. Zooch Little Joe.

As far as using a syringe goes, do you thin the putty? Mine comes out soft but begins to set up almost immediately. I can't imagine getting it into a syringe and then still have it be squirtable afterwards. The tape idea sounds like a good one. I might give that a try next time i'm in this situation.

[mkadams001]

You might have to thin the putty a bit. I normally use red body filler (lacquer based) from the auto body shops. I think that the squadron is similar. Using the masking tape is by far the most economical way to go.

[Viperfixr]

Thanks. I appreciate the encouragement.

This is a great build thread--thank you for taking the time!

[JAL3]

You might have to thin the putty a bit. I normally use red body filler (lacquer based) from the auto body shops. I think that the squadron is similar. Using the masking tape is by far the most economical way to go.

Is the stuff you're talking about red bondo? If so, that's one of the recommended fillers.

[JAL3]

This is a great build thread--thank you for taking the time!

Thank you for the encouragment.

[JAL3]

Upon examining the decals and finishing brochure, I decided to go the easy route and make my rocket a "Liberty Bell 7". The finishing guide contains a lot of information on the various Mercury capsules. I am not quite so ambitious as to try to implement it all but it is all appreciated.

I started the decal process on the LES with 2 simple ones, a large and small version of the Gracd Central Rocket Co. data. The larger went on the side of the can and the smaller on one of the nozzles.

[mkadams001]

Is the stuff you're talking about red bondo? If so, that's one of the recommended fillers.

Yes, I use the 3M Red Acryl Red Glazing and Spot Putty. Dries fast and sands easily.

[luke strawwalker]

Sheri's Mercury Redstone is an impressive looking rocket on her website. Its also fairly impressive when the box shows up on the doorstep. After delaying for a while, I decided to get this one started.


EVERYTHING about Sheri is impressive... :D

Later! OL JR :)

[JAL3]

Yes, I use the 3M Red Acryl Red Glazing and Spot Putty. Dries fast and sands easily.

Thanks, as you can probably tell, I'm not much of a car guy.

[JAL3]

Not long after getting the first 2 decals in place, I realized that I had skipped a step. I brought out some Tamiya silver acrylic paint and painted the little tubes in the middle of the bottom of the LES as per directions.

[JAL3]

The acrylic was given a few minutes to dry and then the rest of the nozzle writing decals were put onto the LES as well as the small GCR logos.

[JAL3]

A few days later, I had the chance to apply the large GCR logos to the can. Unlike the text, these were highly visible. One was applied to each side.

[JAL3]

The resin capsule needed my attention since it had been languishing. THe instructions called for it to be rinsed in a 50-50 solution of bleach and water to get rid of mold release agents. I just used straight clorox and then rinsed it.

[JAL3]

After it was dried, I set it up in the booth and applied Testor's gray primer.

[JAL3]

It was about this time I realized that I had forgotten to install the eyescrew so a hole was drilled in the bottom, a bit of epoxy put in place and the screw was tightened into place.

[JAL3]

The body of the rocket itself was given a gentle sanding with #400 paper and then brushed off. It was then placed in the booth and primed with Testor's gray.

[JAL3]

The primer got 2 days to dry and then it was lightly sanded. The body of the rocket was then painted with 2 coats of Testor's gloss white.

[JAL3]

The capsule was likewise sanded and then treated to 2 caots of Testor's gloss black.

[luke strawwalker]

This is an impressive build there JAL... KUTGW!!!

Great photos too.. keep em coming!

Later! OL JR :)

[JAL3]

This is an impressive build there JAL... KUTGW!!!

Great photos too.. keep em coming!

Later! OL JR :)

Thanks.

They'll keep coming until the rocket, me or the camera buys the farm.

[Delta-IV]

JAL3,

Have you had a chance to launch it yet?

I finished my Delta IV display build and finally shipped it. I am now ready to tackle my SHR MR.

Thanks for the wonderful build and the posts, this will help me immensely.

-Carl-

[Jeff278]

Would an "F" engine fly this model, I am new to this hobby and this is the largest motor we can use at our field.

Thanks for the build.

[JAL3]

JAL3,

Have you had a chance to launch it yet?

I finished my Delta IV display build and finally shipped it. I am now ready to tackle my SHR MR.

Thanks for the wonderful build and the posts, this will help me immensely.

-Carl-

I'm still working on the finishing but am close. I hope to launch it next saturday if this week is less crazy than the preveious two.

[JAL3]

Would an "F" engine fly this model, I am new to this hobby and this is the largest motor we can use at our field.

Thanks for the build.

Hi Jeff,

Welcome to rocketry.

I suspect that the proper F could fly this rocket but won't commit to that until I see how it flies on the recommended motor. Then I would have a better feel for what to tell you.

As to the rocket itself, I like it but would not suggest it to you if you are new to the hobby. I would get a few easier builds under your belt first. This one is not as difficult as some but if I had tried it when I was first getting back in, I would have butchered it even worse than I did in this case.

When I got re-started, I bought several of the "cool" kits but was fortunate that this time around I realized that I could not do them justice and built up to them with easier models first. That approach has worked for me.

You may be a natural craftsman. Many around this place are. Sadly, I am not. If you are, then you may well do a better job than me without much previous experience. Just be aware of your own capabilities and careful about choosing a high end and expensive kit to tough out the learning curve.

I'll let you know how things go when I get it launched on a G/

[Jeff278]

Thanks for the reply and lookin foward to your first flight.

As far as the New to this hobby statement, a truer statement would be new again after a long absence.
A few of the rockets I have built and flown include PML AMRAAM 2.1 , Cormodrone Black Brant II, Aerotech ISQY Tomahawk, Strong Arm, and More Estes then I can remember including the Mercury Redstone, Don’t know about being a natural but I do like to build.

Thanks again for showing us your build.

[JAL3]

Thanks for the reply and lookin foward to your first flight.

As far as the New to this hobby statement, a truer statement would be new again after a long absence.
A few of the rockets I have built and flown include PML AMRAAM 2.1 , Cormodrone Black Brant II, Aerotech ISQY Tomahawk, Strong Arm, and More Estes then I can remember including the Mercury Redstone, Don’t know about being a natural but I do like to build.

Thanks again for showing us your build.

Those sound like good preparation.

Take your time and it will be great. I'm happy with mine although I can point out numerous flaws. They just don't show up that well in the photos. From the pad, though, I expect it will look pretty good.:D

[Delta-IV]

Day 2 of my build,

I have the CR's epoxied inside the sustainer and the fins are almost complete, minus the putty application.

So far so good, no issues and its great to have John's notes/photos as I build mine.



Not to drag this thread too far away from John's build, I'll only post a summary or other insights as I build mine.

[Bravo52]

Day 2 of my build,

I have the CR's epoxied inside the sustainer and the fins are almost complete, minus the putty application.

So far so good, no issues and its great to have John's notes/photos as I build mine.



Not to drag this thread too far away from John's build, I'll only post a summary or other insights as I build mine.

Nothing wrong with starting your own thread......... there is never enough build threads.

I posted my review of the Mercury Atlas over on EMRR at

http://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/all/sheris_mercury_atlas.shtml

[JAL3]

I gave the main body of the rocket a close inspection after the white paint had dried and found some issues. Some of the styrene needed to be tacked down better and I did this with the judicious application of some CA.

[JAL3]

I also found some places where the white paint had not completely covered the gray primer. It was back to the booth for more spraying.

[kb9jlo]

Nice looking build, and nice looking rocket.

[JAL3]

Nice looking build, and nice looking rocket.

Thanks. Its on the home stretch now.

[JAL3]

The white had almost a week to dry before I began any masking for the black roll pattern. I used a combination of tape and foil to make what I hoped was a fair approximation of the pattern on the instructions.

[JAL3]

Then it was off to the booth to spray the black.

[JAL3]

When the masking was peeled off, there were a few places where the black had misted lightly over the white but it was nothing I could not easily fix. It came out better than I had hoped.

[JAL3]

I have never been quiet about my preference for decals over stickers. The markings for the capsule on this kit were all waterslides and that was fine by me. The markings for the main body, though, were stickers. They made me rethink my position, at least in terms of vinyl and large projects.

I decided to attempt the large wrap at the top of the body tube first. I used an angle to lightly mark a straight line with a pencil and then peeled the backing. I was also a bit annoyed that the sticker had some paper to peel off of the front as well. I was to learn that this is a GOOD thing. I lined the edge of the sticker up with the line I had marked and with the top of the BT and then gently applied it around the circumference. I was pleased with the way it looked but just a little bit ticked that it did not wrap all the way around. There was a gap of about 1/8" inch that, fortunately, was on the white part of the roll pattern.

[JAL3]

Next up was the large lettering for "United" on both sides of the rocket. To my horror, I realized that these were individual letters and not a single sticker and I just KNEW that I would never get the lettering lined up right. I began to transfer tick marks onto the BT with a pencil, knowing I would have to go back and paint or erase them out. I was pretty bummed at this point as I began to peel the front paper off of the letters and had a revelation. The front paper was there for a reason.

I hoped I was right and smoothed the front paper back down. I then peeled off the back paper, the side with the sticky stuff. The front layer was translucent enough that I could see the lettering. Using the front paper to hold everything in place, I placed the letters and smoothed them down. Then I peeled the front paper off and almost cried for joy that I made this discovery before trying to do things the hard way.

[JAL3]

Working my way down from the "United" lettering, I next needed to apply a black band around the circumference. This went on easy enough. It did not close all the way either but the fit was better than the roll pattern and only had about a 1/32" gap. I was able to stretch the vinyl enough to compensate for that.

[JAL3]

The "States" lettering came next and it went on as easily as the "United"'s did. I was starting to like this vinyl stuff.

[JAL3]

Next was a narrow black band around the top of the fins. I looked and looked and could not find it on the master sheet for the vinyl. I finally remembered seeing it in the box loose. I identified it as automotive pin-striping. This was more than long enough to go around.

[JAL3]

The final vinyl was the mission ID. I went with MR 8 and placed the sitckers above each of the fins. I had 4 left over and do not know whether they are extras or if I just could not find the correct placement.

[JAL3]

With that, the main body of the rocket was done and all that was left was the capsule.

[Jeff278]

This thread is killing me, I just ordered my own Mercury Redstone.

Thanks for the Build thread I'm sure it will help with my own build.

[JAL3]

This thread is killing me, I just ordered my own Mercury Redstone.

Thanks for the Build thread I'm sure it will help with my own build.

Glad to be of service.

Tell Sheri to send me the Sat V as my commission...:rolleyes:

[Delta-IV]

John,

Again thanks for your posts, I have completed the fin builds, still need to sand the green putty and re-apply as required.

I am going to deviate a bit on my build, as I progress I'll post some photos. As a scaler and having access to real Mercury boosters at the Cape, I am going to add a tad bit more in detail additions than the kit has.

Question for you, now that you have the tower built what is your opinion on wether its a strong enough for multiple MPR flights and perhaps a HPR H in it?

I am thinking of getting some small diameter steel rods for the struts.

[JAL3]

John,

Again thanks for your posts, I have completed the fin builds, still need to sand the green putty and re-apply as required.

I am going to deviate a bit on my build, as I progress I'll post some photos. As a scaler and having access to real Mercury boosters at the Cape, I am going to add a tad bit more in detail additions than the kit has.

Question for you, now that you have the tower built what is your opinion on wether its a strong enough for multiple MPR flights and perhaps a HPR H in it?

I am thinking of getting some small diameter steel rods for the struts.

That's a good question but the truth is I don't know and don't have enought experience to judge.

The instructions say that the tower may be removed for flight but I don't like that option. I want it to fly with the bells and whistles. The instruction also recommend making a harness to bring the capsule down horizontally and I am inclined to try that option.

I still have to decal the capsule itself and am waiting on a custom parachute I ordered. I hope to fly it next month since it will not be ready in the morning.

My instincts as a former structural engineer are that trusses are very strong. In that respect I do trust the tower for multiple high loading. My question is with the bond of the styrene. I don't know how strong the joints really are and I suspect that would be the failure mode.

One of these days, hopefully soon, I will have some empirical data on which to base an opinion.

[Bravo52]

I think you will find that the tower has about a 50/50 chance of surviving the flight. I too wanted to have the full scale effect of the flight with the tower. Now my tower is on the Mercury Atlas, but the problems will be the same.

You can see by the pictures the tower will fail adjacent to the joints. That is were the biggest loads will be with the weakest sheer points.......pretty basic. My tower sheered off when the recovery harness ripped across the nose of the capsule. The fact that the capsule is a brick, there will be a considerable amount of vector going on at deployment. In other words, that capsule is hauling a$$ in one direction when it gets snapped to a halt. Kinda makes me think about football days in the locker room after showers and who could snap the towels the best.......:mad:

Good luck and Godspeed......your gonna need it........

[JAL3]

I think you will find that the tower has about a 50/50 chance of surviving the flight. I too wanted to have the full scale effect of the flight with the tower. Now my tower is on the Mercury Atlas, but the problems will be the same.

You can see by the pictures the tower will fail adjacent to the joints. That is were the biggest loads will be with the weakest sheer points.......pretty basic. My tower sheered off when the recovery harness ripped across the nose of the capsule. The fact that the capsule is a brick, there will be a considerable amount of vector going on at deployment. In other words, that capsule is hauling a$$ in one direction when it gets snapped to a halt. Kinda makes me think about football days in the locker room after showers and who could snap the towels the best.......:mad:

Good luck and Godspeed......your gonna need it........

So I need to get the mig welder out and make one up out of steel rods? :eek:

What you say makes sense. I'm going to do all I can to protect it but it is going to fly with the tower in place. I just gotta hope for the best.

[TheAviator]

A gentleman at NARAM-49 showed me an HPR scale model of a Mercury-Redstone that was probably in the neighborhood of 1/12 scale. He used brass tubing soldered together for his escape tower. I don't know if you can get tubing small enough for use here, but I do know you can get CF rod that small. As another thought, the Flis Saturn IB uses nickel wire for the tower. Perhaps steel music wire could be used for something a little stronger?

[dcastle]

I think you will find that the tower has about a 50/50 chance of surviving the flight. I too wanted to have the full scale effect of the flight with the tower. Now my tower is on the Mercury Atlas, but the problems will be the same.

You can see by the pictures the tower will fail adjacent to the joints. That is were the biggest loads will be with the weakest sheer points.......pretty basic. My tower sheered off when the recovery harness ripped across the nose of the capsule. The fact that the capsule is a brick, there will be a considerable amount of vector going on at deployment. In other words, that capsule is hauling a$$ in one direction when it gets snapped to a halt. Kinda makes me think about football days in the locker room after showers and who could snap the towels the best.......:mad:

Good luck and Godspeed......your gonna need it........


If it's failing at chute deployment, what about reefing the 'chute so that it opens gradually?

[JAL3]

If it's failing at chute deployment, what about reefing the 'chute so that it opens gradually?

That's an idea. I may give it a try.

[Bravo52]

The problem wasn't the chute at deployment, it was the nose down attitude of the rocket. I used the "short" delay from Aerotech on an H128 and that was still too long for the waaaaaaay tooooooo HEAVY rocket. Take a look over at EMRR for the review and you'll see what I mean on the video. The Mercury Atlas was pointed down at deployment. When the capsule snapped on opening shock, the harnes raked across the nose....thus the damage. I actually have a picture Foose4string took that shows the tower coming off....

[Spurkey]

My tower sheered off when the recovery harness ripped across the nose of the capsule. ...you launched it on an H (which I assume got a decent amount of altitude), snapped the tower off in flight, and *still* managed to find the broken piece on the ground?? Man, I'm happy if I find my rocket. :mad:;)

[Jeff278]

What kind of Motor Retainer are you going to use? In the past I have used the Slimline from Giant leap with great results.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a188/OldDog2/snapinring.jpg

[JAL3]

What kind of Motor Retainer are you going to use? In the past I have used the Slimline from Giant leap with great results.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a188/OldDog2/snapinring.jpg

I've been thinking about retaining systems for this and for other rockets but have not done anything about it. This is going to be a friction fit just like on the instructions for now.

[Fred22]

I've been thinking about retaining systems for this and for other rockets but have not done anything about it. This is going to be a friction fit just like on the instructions for now.
John this rocket looks great and the build thread is superb. Give some thought to uncrating your LPR sat v man. I think you are there :)
Cheers
fred

[JAL3]

John this rocket looks great and the build thread is superb. Give some thought to uncrating your LPR sat v man. I think you are there :)
Cheers
fred

Thanks.

Maybe. I don't think I want to build it stock and need to decide on the mods I want to go with.

[Fred22]

Thanks.

Maybe. I don't think I want to build it stock and need to decide on the mods I want to go with.

Five engines, nylon chutes and you are there :) Fly it with the tower because it looks better :)
Cheers
Fred

[JAL3]

Five engines, nylon chutes and you are there :) Fly it with the tower because it looks better :)
Cheers
Fred

The cluster is a definite as are the nylon chutes.

Aren't there some Sat V add on sets out there to do the clustering? Maybe other mods too?

[Fred22]

The cluster is a definite as are the nylon chutes.

Aren't there some Sat V add on sets out there to do the clustering? Maybe other mods too?

John there are some great ones but if you want to make your own mods it can be done :) Heck i did it and my skill levels are more characterised by determination then polish :p
Cheers
fred

[Delta-IV]

John,

Any updates on your Tower build results?

Below is the current state of my build, tower is next using metal rods then the motor retainer.

I added some detail on the fin area where I tried to do as much scale as possible by adding the fillet material on the fins and some of the door detail between the fins.

[JAL3]

John,

Any updates on your Tower build results?

Below is the current state of my build, tower is next using metal rods then the motor retainer.

I added some detail on the fin area where I tried to do as much scale as possible by adding the fillet material on the fins and some of the door detail between the fins.

That does look nice.

Mine almost flew last Saturday but didn't because my chute would not fit in the space (remember my motor tube change) and because I could not find the right motor availible around here.

That's probably for the best. I was going to fly it even though I have not yet done the capsule decals. I am SURE that if I keep looking, they'll turn up.

[sandman]

John,

Any updates on your Tower build results?

Below is the current state of my build, tower is next using metal rods then the motor retainer.

I added some detail on the fin area where I tried to do as much scale as possible by adding the fillet material on the fins and some of the door detail between the fins.


I'm not sure where to find them but I think it was plastruct.

They had a rod that was piano wire, very hard to cut, covered in styrene plastic.

I'd love to find some more of that stuff.

That would be perfect tower material.

Anybody else heard of it?

[JAL3]

The project sat around without any work for a long time because I had ordered a custom chute for it and because I lost the capsule decals. When the chute came in, I decided to make a rush effort to get it ready for a club launch. I had not put on the launch lugs earlier because I wanted to use a linear rail lug. The lug was placed and the screw holes were marked and drilled. A thin layer of epoxy was then put on the bottom of the lug and in the holes and the lug replaced and the screws tightened.

[JAL3]

The resin capsule was also a bit tight so I gingerly took it to the belt sander and removed some material around the circumference.

As it turns out, it did not make that launch because I could not find the right motors. That gives me the chance to find the capsule decals and get it done right.

[Delta-IV]

The resin capsule was also a bit tight so I gingerly took it to the belt sander and removed some material around the circumference.

As it turns out, it did not make that launch because I could not find the right motors. That gives me the chance to find the capsule decals and get it done right.

John,

Mine was a bit tight also, I sanded it down with still a bit snug due to the short shoulder, don't want it to come off during ascent :o. I decided to go with two 3/8" conformal lugs from Giant Leap. I built up a Rocksim file for this model, still need to tweak it some. Let me know if you'd like it. I do have a small issue with it right now, it shows my CP/CG stability to be +39 :confused: but the symbols on the 2D view are more like 2. something.

My brass rods are to arrive tomorrow from Tower Hobbies, I plan to solder them for the tower build, what method did you do, the styrene?

[JAL3]

John,

Mine was a bit tight also, I sanded it down with still a bit snug due to the short shoulder, don't want it to come off during ascent :o. I decided to go with two 3/8" conformal lugs from Giant Leap. I built up a Rocksim file for this model, still need to tweak it some. Let me know if you'd like it. I do have a small issue with it right now, it shows my CP/CG stability to be +39 :confused: but the symbols on the 2D view are more like 2. something.

My brass rods are to arrive tomorrow from Tower Hobbies, I plan to solder them for the tower build, what method did you do, the styrene?

I used the styrene as per instructions.

Be sure and post pics on yours.:pop:

As to the Rocsim, believe it or not, I don't run it. I will at some point but have not felt the need to learn it yet. I'm having a ball working with other people's designs and, frankly, since the brain tumor, my original creative abilities are kaput, not that they were all that great to begin with.

[JAL3]

As it happens, Sheri read of my losing the decals here on TRF. She contacted me and offered to send replacements and did so without any charge. Not too long after, a package showed up at my house and in it were the replacement decals for the capsule along with another decal guide. I want to extend a public thanks for the kindness.

[Delta-IV]

As it happens, Sheri read of my losing the decals here on TRF. She contacted me and offered to send replacements and did so without any charge. Not too long after, a package showed up at my house and in it were the replacement decals for the capsule along with another decal guide. I want to extend a public thanks for the kindness.

John,

I guess I didn't think about it, but since I am using MR7 (Freedom 7) as my build, I could have cut off what I didn't need and sent it to you.

Glad though to hear Sheri responded so well.

I should have some pics of my tower build using brass rods shortly, I used a copper epoxy instead of soldering at the AFT split of the main rods.

[TheAviator]

John,

Mine was a bit tight also, I sanded it down with still a bit snug due to the short shoulder, don't want it to come off during ascent :o. I decided to go with two 3/8" conformal lugs from Giant Leap. I built up a Rocksim file for this model, still need to tweak it some. Let me know if you'd like it. I do have a small issue with it right now, it shows my CP/CG stability to be +39 :confused: but the symbols on the 2D view are more like 2. something.

My brass rods are to arrive tomorrow from Tower Hobbies, I plan to solder them for the tower build, what method did you do, the styrene?

RockSim, by default, takes the caliber based on the diameter at the base of the nose. You can change this if you have RS8 or 9 by going to the "Rocket Design Attributes" tab and changing the "Static Margin Reference" to "Maximum Frontal Diameter."

[Delta-IV]

RockSim, by default, takes the caliber based on the diameter at the base of the nose. You can change this if you have RS8 or 9 by going to the "Rocket Design Attributes" tab and changing the "Static Margin Reference" to "Maximum Frontal Diameter."

...ah...yes I have RS9. Since the nose of the mercury is so complex, I used a nose cone for that small pointed end of the spike....I guess that would give a 39+ margin....Thanks, I'll fix that.

[Delta-IV]

John, how is your build doing? Any flight reports?

Mine is a little over a week from first flight. I want to thank you again for this fine thread as it did help me a lot during my build.

Photos below of the almost finished rocket. Still need to install the launch lug and some paint touchup and paint the aft capsule area.

I used a slimline motor retainer, brass rods for my tower and also added fillet material (almost scale) on the fins.

[JAL3]

John, how is your build doing? Any flight reports?

Mine is a little over a week from first flight. I want to thank you again for this fine thread as it did help me a lot during my build.

Photos below of the almost finished rocket. Still need to install the launch lug and some paint touchup and paint the aft capsule area.

I used a slimline motor retainer, brass rods for my tower and also added fillet material (almost scale) on the fins.

Wow. Yours looks great.

How hard was doing the brass?

My next launch opportunity is on the 12th. I hope to have the decals ready but I can't seem to find the right motor. I've almost exhausted the local possibilities.

[rokitflite]

My next launch opportunity is on the 12th. I hope to have the decals ready but I can't seem to find the right motor. I've almost exhausted the local possibilities.

A cluster of A10s perhaps?;)

[Delta-IV]

Wow. Yours looks great.

How hard was doing the brass?

My next launch opportunity is on the 12th. I hope to have the decals ready but I can't seem to find the right motor. I've almost exhausted the local possibilities.

The brass turned out not be that hard. Instead of soldering I found some "copper Epoxy" and used it for the forks on the main rods. After epoxying them into the forward and AFT plywood, I then roughed up the joint areas and used the standard 5 min epoxy for those smaller dia rods. It is quite strong. Before I mounted the rocket motor assembly on top, I performed a load test with one of my son's smaller text books. It probably weighed a pound at least.

I ordered 3 G77's from Giant Leap and have them in hand.

[JAL3]

A cluster of A10s perhaps?;)

Shhhh!

Actually, on a completely differet hare-brained scheme, I am thinking about a project something like you describe only bigger (HPR) and more clusters.:eyepop:

[JAL3]

The brass turned out not be that hard. Instead of soldering I found some "copper Epoxy" and used it for the forks on the main rods. After epoxying them into the forward and AFT plywood, I then roughed up the joint areas and used the standard 5 min epoxy for those smaller dia rods. It is quite strong. Before I mounted the rocket motor assembly on top, I performed a load test with one of my son's smaller text books. It probably weighed a pound at least.

I ordered 3 G77's from Giant Leap and have them in hand.

That does look impressive. I might try something of the sort when I try a similar project again, and I do have some on the back burner.

I'd like to hear more about the "copper epoxy".

[JAL3]

When I got back to work on the Redstone, I noticed the capsule needed some touching up before I applied the decals. It took it back to the booth and sprayed it with black again.

[JAL3]

When the paint had about 2 days to dry, I got started on the final set of decals for the capsule. I began with the "United States" on opposite sides, just to the left of the hatch and window.

[JAL3]

Next came the US flags centered under the national text.

[JAL3]

I chose to go with the Liberty Bell mission because I perceived that it would be easier. I don't know how true that really is but its what I did. The mission ID tags were centered under the hatch and window. On one of them, I managed to tear off the "7" and it proved completely irretrievable.

[JAL3]

The final decal for the capsule was the crack. Mine isn't located exactly where the documentation said; there was not room for it in that position as I understood it. Doubtless, I got something wrong but I'm going more for the "look and feel" than a real scale model.

[JAL3]

Throughout the later part of this build, something had bothered me about the LES tower. Most of it looked fine but, when it was set on the capsule, it was jarring. I finally realized what was bothering me when Delta IV posted some photos of his on TRF. My base ring was painted the same bright orange as the rest of the tower. His was black. His looked much better. I got out some black acrylic and brushed the base black.

[JAL3]

The acrylic dried quickly and, finally, the tower was ready to be mounted on the capsule. A bit of epoxy was put around the to of the capsule and the LES was set in place.

[Delta-IV]

How's the pre-flight preps going? or did you you commit it to the skies?

I was going to launch mine today with a G71R, but my first launch of the the day was scrubbed. My launch system failed me while trying to launch my 24mm Delta IV Heavy.

Let us know when you launch it John.

-Delta-IV-

[JAL3]

How's the pre-flight preps going? or did you you commit it to the skies?

I was going to launch mine today with a G71R, but my first launch of the the day was scrubbed. My launch system failed me while trying to launch my 24mm Delta IV Heavy.

Let us know when you launch it John.

-Delta-IV-

I still have a few final prep photos to post when I get time but its done now. It has not launched yet. I hope to get it launched in October.

I'll post the results when I do.

[luke strawwalker]

John,

Mine was a bit tight also, I sanded it down with still a bit snug due to the short shoulder, don't want it to come off during ascent :o. I decided to go with two 3/8" conformal lugs from Giant Leap. I built up a Rocksim file for this model, still need to tweak it some. Let me know if you'd like it. I do have a small issue with it right now, it shows my CP/CG stability to be +39 :confused: but the symbols on the 2D view are more like 2. something.

My brass rods are to arrive tomorrow from Tower Hobbies, I plan to solder them for the tower build, what method did you do, the styrene?

Sounds like you might need to change the parameter dealing with what diameter to use to calculate the stability margin. Rocksim by default uses the first diameter programmed in greater than 0. (usually the base of the nosecone since the tip is usually considered a "point" and therefore technically "zero".)

When you make a Rocksim file of a rocket with a small diameter escape tower, it will by default use that tower diameter to calculate the stability margins, and on a rocket with 'normal' stability margins, you'll get a result with an 'absurdly high caliber of stability reading'. IE if we're talking about say a 4 inch diameter rocket, with a .25 inch diameter tower, assuming 1 caliber stability margin, the Rocksim value would show the stability margin as 16 calibers (since there are (4) quarter inches in each of the 4 inches of stability margin in a 1 caliber stable rocket of 4 inch diameter.

You can select the diameter to use for this 'reference diameter' for calculating stability margins on the 'calculate stability as:' tab where you select either the Rocksim method, Barrowman method, or cardboard cutout method. IIRC there is a dropdown menu or value box that you can change the reference diameter in for that model.

You have to be careful about this sort of thing. I read on the "Mercury Joe" website where their Mercury Redstone went unstable and crashed on an "M" flight because the Rocksim file was using the default stability margin calculated using the tower diameter instead of the main body tube diameter, and when they "loaded" up the M in the Rocksim file, it still showed 1 caliber stability or something despite the extra weight of the motor, but it wasn't 1 caliber of the 7-8 inch body tube, it was 1 caliber of the 1/2 inch-ish diameter of the tower, which meant the CG was only ahead of the CP by 1/2 inch, and nobody caught it. The rocket lifted off, and as soon as the thing tipped a little into the wind and got some weathercock going, the CP moves forward with angle of attack and she went completely unstable.

Tim even put this in a newsletter I think... always make sure that the reference diameter used to calculate stability is the diameter of the main body tube. Even complex nosecones that are 'stepped' or multiple tapers can cause Rocksim to use an incorrect value for the reference diameter.

Good luck and hope this helps, and KUTGW on these builds!! OL JR :)

[Delta-IV]

Sounds like you might need to change the parameter dealing with what diameter to use to calculate the stability margin. Rocksim by default uses the first diameter programmed in greater than 0. (usually the base of the nosecone since the tip is usually considered a "point" and therefore technically "zero".)

When you make a Rocksim file of a rocket with a small diameter escape tower, it will by default use that tower diameter to calculate the stability margins, and on a rocket with 'normal' stability margins, you'll get a result with an 'absurdly high caliber of stability reading'. IE if we're talking about say a 4 inch diameter rocket, with a .25 inch diameter tower, assuming 1 caliber stability margin, the Rocksim value would show the stability margin as 16 calibers (since there are (4) quarter inches in each of the 4 inches of stability margin in a 1 caliber stable rocket of 4 inch diameter.

You can select the diameter to use for this 'reference diameter' for calculating stability margins on the 'calculate stability as:' tab where you select either the Rocksim method, Barrowman method, or cardboard cutout method. IIRC there is a dropdown menu or value box that you can change the reference diameter in for that model.

You have to be careful about this sort of thing. I read on the "Mercury Joe" website where their Mercury Redstone went unstable and crashed on an "M" flight because the Rocksim file was using the default stability margin calculated using the tower diameter instead of the main body tube diameter, and when they "loaded" up the M in the Rocksim file, it still showed 1 caliber stability or something despite the extra weight of the motor, but it wasn't 1 caliber of the 7-8 inch body tube, it was 1 caliber of the 1/2 inch-ish diameter of the tower, which meant the CG was only ahead of the CP by 1/2 inch, and nobody caught it. The rocket lifted off, and as soon as the thing tipped a little into the wind and got some weathercock going, the CP moves forward with angle of attack and she went completely unstable.

Tim even put this in a newsletter I think... always make sure that the reference diameter used to calculate stability is the diameter of the main body tube. Even complex nosecones that are 'stepped' or multiple tapers can cause Rocksim to use an incorrect value for the reference diameter.

Good luck and hope this helps, and KUTGW on these builds!! OL JR :)

Yeah..I read something similar and have now corrected my rocksim file..the CG is now ~2.0 calipers.

[Delta-IV]

I launched my MR7 this morning, great flight except the Aerotech delay was awfully short. The rocket still had a good head of steam when the chute deployed.

Even with brass rods for the tower support it still broke at the "Y" with the impact with the shock cord.

Used a G71 Redline. I'll post a link to a video file later.

[Delta-IV]

http://www.delta-iv-rockets.com/Rocket%20Photos-Videos/Mercury%20Redstone%20(29mm)/Flight%201/MR7-FLT-1-Oct-4-09.wmv

Approx 16 seconds into the 29 second flight you can see the rocket on the chute if the upper right center of the frame.

[hcmbanjo]

The flight looked great Carl! Nice work!
Sorry to see that tower come loose.
You were the one that inspired me to buy and build the Zooch Saturn V. But, I can't do a big Redstone until more work comes in!

[Delta-IV]

..bump...

John,

Did you get your MR in the air?

[JAL3]

..bump...

John,

Did you get your MR in the air?

Actually no. And therein lies a story.

I do plan to fly it one week from today and have gotten a motor lined up. That was the biggest problem.

I was also planning on finishing off the build thread later today.

[JAL3]

It took longer than I thought but here is the last of the build:

The basis of my shock mount was a length of the extra heavy Kevlar tied to the internal eyebolt. To this was tied a length of heavy braided nylon rope using a double sheet bend.

[JAL3]

Since I wanted to fly with the LES attached and I worried about it shearing under stress, I decided to try an idea I had read about and chain stitched both the Kevlar and the nylon in an attempt to gentle the deployment a bit. A loop was also tied into the nylon about 2/3 of the way to the capsule to attach the chute harness.

[JAL3]

One of the things I wanted to avoid during recovery is the LES hitting the ground first. In an attempt to avoid this, I fashioned a harness of nylon fishing line to run back from the tower to the braided nylon so that the capsule would recover horizontally.

[JAL3]

With that, I thought my Redstone was done and that it would soon take to the air. I was wrong.

[JAL3]

After completing the build, the Redstone sat as a hanger queen for a long time due to two, unrelated reasons. The first reason was the chute. The kit did not come with a chute. I was aware of this right from the start.

I wanted to order a hemispherical, multi-gore orange and white chute a la NASA. I contacted K&S Rockets and ordered one from there. It came in and was a beauty. It looked really nice. There was only one problem: It would not fit in the rocket. Recall that I had messed up with the motor tube earlier on and the result was less space for the chute. The chute I received also had thick nylon shrouds. I like that for the sake of strength but they took up too much room in conjunction with the chute to fit.

[JAL3]

The second reason the rocket sat around for so long is that I had trouble finding a motor for it. Ordering by mail involved extra costs for shipping and all of the local places had no short delays.

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[JAL3]

Finally, I learned that another member of my NAR section had the right motor and no use for it. About the same time, I started building a LOC Cyclotron which did come with a chute of the correct size and with much thinner shrouds. I switched the chutes, got ready to fly and tragedy struck. I dropped the capsule on a concrete floor and sheared the tower.

:eyepop::eyepop::eyepop::eyepop:

:y::y::y::y:

:mad::mad::mad::mad:

:bang::bang::bang::bang:

[JAL3]

The vertical members were cemented back together with Plastruct and then I started to apply the missing horizontals and diagonals again.

I wept.

[JAL3]

One of the things I learned is that resin does not bounce well. Fortunately, the damage to the capsule was minor and a bit of brushed on black paint took care of it.

[JAL3]

This rocket WILL fly this weekend if I have to provide the thrust myself!

[Delta-IV]

:cool:

Looking forward to your report. Good Luck John!!

I hope to launch mine on its 2nd flight this weekend as well.

[Bill P]

I really need to get myself one of the Sheri's Redstones.

It will be a nice fit between my Estes and Polecat Restones.

I have enjoyed following this thread.

[JAL3]

Finally, the day of reckoning was at hand. I installed a nomex shied and a LOC parachute and then inserted an Aerotech G77-4R motor. I was thankful that the motor came with a First Fire Jr. igniter and I would not have to mess around with copperheads. I took it out to the rail, set it up and then had to wait while a lot of the LPR traffic cleared out of the way.

[JAL3]

Finally my turn came and at the end of the countdown the launch button was pushed. For a while, I thought I had misfire but I noticed something was happening in the motor. Then it roared to life with a lovely red flame and started to move.

[JAL3]

It looked good coming off the pad but not too far up it angled into the wind and kept climbing.

[JAL3]

When ejection occurred, I could not tell that the chain stitching made any difference at all but I did have a successful chute deployment. I could also tell right away that the monofilament line used to try to keep the capsule horizontal had not been up to the task. The entire rig spun around on its way down, drifting much more than I expected along the way.

[JAL3]

The rocket had a hard landing even though the field was fairly soft. One fin had popped off and the LES was gone. Looking around, one strut of the LES was found.

[JAL3]

While walking back to the launch area, I had already resolved to rebuild the LES using metal tubing. I was sorry, though that the can portion had been lost. Then a flash of orange caught my eye and I saw the can lying not 20 yards from the pad. The photos show that it was in place during the ascent so my presumption is that the shock of the ejection and chute opening snapped it off and it fell to ground nearby by shear, dumb luck.

[JAL3]

The rocket is repairable but will take some work before it can fly again.

[JAL3]

While this kit is not for the faint of heart or the inexperienced, it is quite workable and enjoyable to build. I learned much that was new and pushed my personal envelope with the build and for that I am thankful. It is a heavy kit and I would be reluctant to try flying it with anything less than the G77 but am looking forward to trying it on an H some time.

My big disappointment was with the LES tower. It is fragile and, in all fairness, the instructions mildly suggest that the rocket be flown without it so I cannot say I was not warned. When I rebuild, though, I will try to do it with more durable material that can handle the shock of the chute opening.

Persons interested in following the exploits of this rocket can do so here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23694991@N03/collections/72157617574666533/

[Delta-IV]

Glad to see yours fly John!

Yesterday I also flew mine. The Aerotech G71R-7 flew very well except for the 7 second delay was more like 3. The rocket was still climbing at deployment and with such the shock cord broke at the screw eye inside the booster. The booster luckily floated down flat and only popped off a fin on impact. The capsule with kevlar (didn't use fish line) floated down flat with no issues except the can just above the tower broke off at landing. I will epoxy it now, I had just superglued it.

[JAL3]

Glad to see yours fly John!

Yesterday I also flew mine. The Aerotech G71R-7 flew very well except for the 7 second delay was more like 3. The rocket was still climbing at deployment and with such the shock cord broke at the screw eye inside the booster. The booster luckily floated down flat and only popped off a fin on impact. The capsule with kevlar (didn't use fish line) floated down flat with no issues except the can just above the tower broke off at landing. I will epoxy it now, I had just superglued it.

PM sent

[Scott_Rip]

Thank you for taking the time on detailing your experience, both JAL3 and Delta-IV. An MR custom build is one of my many current brainstorms and this excellent thread has given me some food for thought. TRF rules.

[JAL3]

I started work today on overhauling my Redstone after it maiden launch attempt. The first order of business was to try and get the broken fin back into place. My strategy on this is to get the fin mounted securely and then worry about the cosmetic issues.

[JAL3]

I re-drilled the rivet holes and then mixed some 5 minute epoxy. The epoxy was placed on the root edge of the fin as well as on the side where the plastic skin had torn away. The fin was then pressed into place.

[Warthog]

Glad to see yours fly John!

Yesterday I also flew mine. The Aerotech G71R-7 flew very well except for the 7 second delay was more like 3. The rocket was still climbing at deployment and with such the shock cord broke at the screw eye inside the booster. The booster luckily floated down flat and only popped off a fin on impact. The capsule with kevlar (didn't use fish line) floated down flat with no issues except the can just above the tower broke off at landing. I will epoxy it now, I had just superglued it.

I have a claim in with Aerotech right now because of the wrong delay on a G71-7R. If you look at the HDK data sheets on Aerotech's website you will see the lengths of the 4, 7 and 10 second delay elements. My reload kits that are supposed to be 7 sec are all 4 second delays. Plus I bought a pack of 10 second delays and all of them are 4 second also!!!!

[Delta-IV]

I have a claim in with Aerotech right now because of the wrong delay on a G71-7R. If you look at the HDK data sheets on Aerotech's website you will see the lengths of the 4, 7 and 10 second delay elements. My reload kits that are supposed to be 7 sec are all 4 second delays. Plus I bought a pack of 10 second delays and all of them are 4 second also!!!!

I wish Aerotech could color code their delays. An outer paper wrap with stripes, etc. Red for Short, Blue for medium and Green for long or something. That could hopefully save a few rockets over a years time. I can't look at one right now and tell the difference.

[RangerStl]

That is on heckuvan idea.

:cool:

[JAL3]

In order to give the repaired fin a little more support, I decided to fillet it with some epoxy clay. I rolled a small snake of it, using the clay very sparingly since my previous effort at doing this resulted in too much.

[JAL3]

The clay snake was then pressed into the fin joint. This was more difficult today than the last time I tried this because of the cold temperature. The clay was not very workable. I whetted my finger with some alcohol to smooth it out and found that I still needed a bit more clay.

[JAL3]

I then repeated the process for the opposite side of the fin using what I thought was just a bit more of the clay. I had too much. I was able to pinch off a small piece and use it to fill in on the first side.

[Breeze1913]

I'd say despite the broken fin & tower, (minor repairs) that it was a successful flight.
Congrats

[JAL3]

I'd say despite the broken fin & tower, (minor repairs) that it was a successful flight.
Congrats

I'm happy with it although I wouldn't call that tower minor. It really pushed the envelop on my skills.

I'm going to try it again with metal rods and am just waiting for another copy of the blueprint. SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED put mine out with the rubbish.

[Daddyisabar]

I'm happy with it although I wouldn't call that tower minor. It really pushed the envelop on my skills.

My Redstone kit has been sitting on the build pile for 2 years now. As a new BAR at 41 years old I had to have it, but after taking a look inside and trying to fill those cavernous tube spirals I decided to wait until I brought my patience level back up to where it was when I was 12. Thanks to your great build thread I am about ready to begin work on the Redstone again. Keep up the good work Rocket Powered Preacher, you are the Pale Rider for all of us BARs trying to eek out a few kits in this new age of the model rocket gold rush. With each new build thread you blow away our fears and Shepard us to the Promised Land where the big corporate ready to fly and overpriced rockets that fall out of the box no longer rule. For a Few Dollars More I can now be a High Plains Drifter, going from launch to launch toting some really big guns like Sheri's Mercury Redstone.:bangbang:

[JAL3]

My Redstone kit has been sitting on the build pile for 2 years now. As a new BAR at 41 years old I had to have it, but after taking a look inside and trying to fill those cavernous tube spirals I decided to wait until I brought my patience level was back up to where it was when I was 12. Thanks to your great build thread I am about ready to begin work on the Redstone again. Keep up the good work Rocket Powered Preacher, you are the Pale Rider for all of us BARs trying to eek out a few kits in this new age of the model rocket gold rush. With each new build thread you blow away our fears and Shepard us to the Promised Land where the big corporate ready to fly and overpriced rockets that fall out of the box no longer rule. For a Few Dollars More I can now be a High Plains Drifter, going from launch to launch toting some really big guns like Sheri's Mercury Redstone.:bangbang:

Thanks for the kind words.

I too accumulated a lot as a new BAR. Fortunately, I have been able to control myself somewhat and try to build the skill set before tackling kits I can't handle. That aspect of my impatience was my biggest failing as a kid.

[Daddyisabar]

Funny how things always seem to come full circle, I am seeing that more and more as I get older and older. I was very patient as a kid but lost in the hustle and bustle of adulthood. Now I am again striving for Skill Level Five. But like James Earl Jones said in that famous movie in the corn field “there is one constant in life Ray, and that constant is…” model rocketry. Ok, so I’m taking some literary freedom, but hey, if you build it, they will come to the launch.

[JAL3]

I was an impatient kid and am even more impatient adult. Fortunatley, I am better able to recognize the consequences of my impatience...at least sometimes.

[JAL3]

My repairs to my MR have long stalled because I cannot seem to get a copy of the LES plans so that I can rebuild mine. Yesterday, though, I went to an HPR launch and I was going to fly it even if it was not in the best shape.

This time I loaded a Roadrunner G80-4. I did some overhauling of the recovery system and took it out to the pad.

[JAL3]

The takeoff on the Roadrunner was a lot hotter than I expected. The rocket really snapped off the pad quickly.

[JAL3]

It then turned slightly into the wind and seemed to go much higher than my memory recalled compared to the AT motor.

[JAL3]

Ejection occurred and, for a moment, it seemed as if the chute would not fully deploy.

[JAL3]

But it did and started down gently, drifting quite a bit as it did.