PML MR-1

[JAL3]

The MR-1 is something that looks like it comes out of an ordnance inventory. Opening the bag, that impression is confirmed as one lookes at the parts. The Quantum tubing and glass fins make this a heavy and substantial rocket. The NC makes it even more so.

I am hoping to get a chance to do some HPR flying in May at the West Texas Thunder event so I started looking through some of the bigger kits sitting around and this one came up first. Mine came with a 29mm mount but it is availible with a 38mm mount as well.

[JAL3]

My first step on reading through the instructions was to take a closer look at the Quantum tubing. I had never worked with this stuff before. It came with a high gloss and an insert dealing with this material said that all surfaces to be epoxied or painted should be scuffed with sandpaper to promote greater adhesion. That being the case, I gave it a good scrubbing which removed the high gloss.

[JAL3]

THe kit came with 2 plywood centering rings. One of them has a slot to accomodate the nylon harness. I test fitted them in the BT and the motor tube and found both to be extremely tight on both the inner and outer circumferences. I started to sand them down. According to the instructions, a bit of tighness is desirable in the forward ring, the one with the slot, but the rear one should be loose enough to slip off without too much trouble. Eventually, these criteria were met.

A mark was made of the forward end of the motor tube and a band of epoxy was run around the circumference with a 1" gap for the strap hole. The ring was then seated. When the first bit of epoxy had set, the forward ring was filleted, again leaving a gap for the strap.

[JAL3]

The rear ring was then slipped on but not epoxied. To facilitate removal later, the instructions directed that I attarch 3 strips of cellophane tape to ring. This was done.

[JAL3]

The kit uses a piece of flat nylon strap for the recovery harness. It is supposed to slip through the notch of the forward ring. Mine would not and my attempts to get it to do so resulted in a frayed mess. I used a razor knife to cut off the fraying and form an angle at the end of the strap. I also used it to whittle away a bit more material and make the slot bigger. After doing that, I was able to use a pair of pliers to pull the strap through so that 4" were along the motor tube. A bed of epoxy was laid down and then the strap was embedded in the epoxy and held down with masking tape.

[JAL3]

The next step was to install the motor mount into the airframe. The instructions called for placing a ring of epoxy 7 inches in from the aft end. My swabs were only 6 inches long so I used some CA to glue a swab to a mixing stick. The engthened swab was then marked at 7" and a ring of epoxy was applied. The motor mount was shoved in, making sure that the strap was offset from all fin slots. It was pushed in until the end of the motor tube was flush with the airframe.

[JAL3]

Fin attachment began by applying a bead of epoxy along the root edge of the fin and then inserting the fin into a slot until it comes to rest on the motor mount. Once in place, alignment was checked and the fin was taped to hold it in position until the expoxy set. Then the next fin was done in the same manner.

[H_Rocket]

I've built 2 - here is a hint.

Lay a small piece of fiberglass over the launch lug on that standoff. it is very fragile - Or scrap the brass and use a peeled piece if cardboard tube. Then drill some holes (1/16" two 0r three) and let the epoxy flow through.

[JAL3]

I've built 2 - here is a hint.

Lay a small piece of fiberglass over the launch lug on that standoff. it is very fragile - Or scrap the brass and use a peeled piece if cardboard tube. Then drill some holes (1/16" two 0r three) and let the epoxy flow through.

I appreciate the tip.

I was planning on asking a question related to this but forgot.

I'd like to use a linear rail button, or failing that, standard rail buttons but have not come up with a way to make it work. If I can't, I'll certainly keep fiberglass in mind. THat will be my first fiberglass work.

[H_Rocket]

On one I ended up using a small PML linear rail guide after the lug repeatedly broke off.. I just ground the top edge of the web flat and used glass filled epoxy to fillet it into place. Looked a bit ugly, though it worked.

Actually this rocket would be way better if you ground the whole support off and used a tower launcher.

[JAL3]

On one I ended up using a small PML linear rail guide after the lug repeatedly broke off.. I just ground the top edge of the web flat and used glass filled epoxy to fillet it into place. Looked a bit ugly, though it worked.

Actually this rocket would be way better if you ground the whole support off and used a tower launcher.

Thanks again.

As I said, I have no experience with fiberglass. Do you have any pics of what you're describing? I'd like to avoid paying for a tower launcher in the near future.

[H_Rocket]

In the next day or so I'll go snap a photo of the FG one. The rail guide one ended up in a swamp.

[JAL3]

In the next day or so I'll go snap a photo of the FG one. The rail guide one ended up in a swamp.

I do appreciate it.

[n5wd]

... Opening the bag, that impression is confirmed as one lookes at the parts. The Quantum tubing and glass fins make this a heavy and substantial rocket. The NC makes it even more so.

Yes, but it's no match for an airport taxiway! :mad:

I flew my MR-1 with Houston's Tripoli-002 in December down at their Hearne (TX) airport launch site. I had read enough build threads and reviews to know that I wanted to ditch the brass launch lug, so I substituted a 1/4 paper lug. Launch day was a bit windy, and the first time the MR-1 was on the pad, a little gust of wind levered the rocket at the lug, and it promptly popped off. Ah, well.. a bit of sandpaper and a new lug epoxied on with 5-min epoxy, and we were set to go.

Maiden flight with a Roadrunner G-80 went well. It landed fairly close to the pad.. about 75 yards away after a nice flight to about 700 feet.

Next flight up on a Cessaroni H-153 and everyone lost sight of it as it took off like the proverbial scalded bandit. A couple of folks said they heard the ejection event, but no one.. and that was about 8-9 people all looking.. no one saw it deploy or land. No one heard a "screeeeeee-thunk", so hopefully it came in under chute.

One of the folks who left after my wife and I had already started back to Fort Worth, saw some pieces of white plastic on the taxiway as they were headed out, and then saw the rocket in the grass by the taxiway - minus the white plastic transition (the debris on the taxiway).

This was my first experience with the PVC ... errr.. Quantum tubing. I'm not impressed with its ability to absorb an impact on a hard surface, so if that's even remotely possible where you fly yours, think twice.

This is a small rocket, and it needs a tracker in it if you're going to fly it on anything larger than a G, because it can scoot out of sight in a flash. If it had survived, I had already decided to mount a Big Red Bee in the nose cone for the next time. But, alas... it didn't. The quantum tubing crimped just forward of one of the fins, and as mentioned before, the transition shattered.

But, it did look oh, so good going up!

BTW - I found it much easier to slip the nylon strap under the centering ring (and yes, I also had to enlarge the hole a bit to take the strap) and then epoxy the centering ring and the strap onto the motor tube.

[JAL3]

Yes, but it's no match for an airport taxiway! :mad:

I flew my MR-1 with Houston's Tripoli-002 in December down at their Hearne (TX) airport launch site. I had read enough build threads and reviews to know that I wanted to ditch the brass launch lug, so I substituted a 1/4 paper lug. Launch day was a bit windy, and the first time the MR-1 was on the pad, a little gust of wind levered the rocket at the lug, and it promptly popped off. Ah, well.. a bit of sandpaper and a new lug epoxied on with 5-min epoxy, and we were set to go.

Maiden flight with a Roadrunner G-80 went well. It landed fairly close to the pad.. about 75 yards away after a nice flight to about 700 feet.

Next flight up on a Cessaroni H-153 and everyone lost sight of it as it took off like the proverbial scalded bandit. A couple of folks said they heard the ejection event, but no one.. and that was about 8-9 people all looking.. no one saw it deploy or land. No one heard a "screeeeeee-thunk", so hopefully it came in under chute.

One of the folks who left after my wife and I had already started back to Fort Worth, saw some pieces of white plastic on the taxiway as they were headed out, and then saw the rocket in the grass by the taxiway - minus the white plastic transition (the debris on the taxiway).

This was my first experience with the PVC ... errr.. Quantum tubing. I'm not impressed with its ability to absorb an impact on a hard surface, so if that's even remotely possible where you fly yours, think twice.

This is a small rocket, and it needs a tracker in it if you're going to fly it on anything larger than a G, because it can scoot out of sight in a flash. If it had survived, I had already decided to mount a Big Red Bee in the nose cone for the next time. But, alas... it didn't. The quantum tubing crimped just forward of one of the fins, and as mentioned before, the transition shattered.

But, it did look oh, so good going up!

BTW - I found it much easier to slip the nylon strap under the centering ring (and yes, I also had to enlarge the hole a bit to take the strap) and then epoxy the centering ring and the strap onto the motor tube.

Thanks for the revelation.

When I get to fly it, I'll either be up in the hill country or in the desert around Ft. Stockton so runways are not an issue. It looks like finding the rocket may be though. I've never used tracking devices and may need to give some thought to that.

[lessgravity]

Mine has about 25+ flights on it. I love to fly it in the F-G range. Anything else and I may not recover it at our club field.
This is one of my favorite rockets.

[JAL3]

Mine has about 25+ flights on it. I love to fly it in the F-G range. Anything else and I may not recover it at our club field.
This is one of my favorite rockets.

I've heard that people tend to like it.

This is my first PML kit. So far I'm pleased and glad I didn't get the 38mm version since it seems to be a performer.

[lessgravity]

So far I'm pleased and glad I didn't get the 38mm version since it seems to be a performer.

I did get the 38mm version but haven't launched it without the 29mm adapter.
Can you imagine ...it sims to nearly 10000 feet on a J350.
Here is mine laying amongst some other mid to HPR rockets (you can see the 29mm adapter in it).
http://rocketry.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/mymidpower.jpg?w=400&h=351

[n3tjm]

I appreciate the tip.

I was planning on asking a question related to this but forgot.

I'd like to use a linear rail button, or failing that, standard rail buttons but have not come up with a way to make it work. If I can't, I'll certainly keep fiberglass in mind. THat will be my first fiberglass work.

Here is what I did with mine. I used a standard rail button set up for the top part of the rocket, drilling and screwing the bolt right into the forward shoulder of the transition. For the rail button between the fins, I simply used a longer bolt, and made a spacer out of a bic pen. Works very well. So far I have flown my MR-1 on several motors, F40, F52, G185 :D

[lessgravity]

Here is what I did with mine. I used a standard rail button set up for the top part of the rocket, drilling and screwing the bolt right into the forward shoulder of the transition. For the rail button between the fins, I simply used a longer bolt, and made a spacer out of a bic pen. Works very well. So far I have flown my MR-1 on several motors, F40, F52, G185 :D

I just recently converted my to rail buttons after having issues with the brass lug. I prefer rail buttons and agree that this is a positive hack.

[JAL3]

Here is what I did with mine. I used a standard rail button set up for the top part of the rocket, drilling and screwing the bolt right into the forward shoulder of the transition. For the rail button between the fins, I simply used a longer bolt, and made a spacer out of a bic pen. Works very well. So far I have flown my MR-1 on several motors, F40, F52, G185 :D

That looks workable and I may go with something similar if my current hare-brained scheme does not work out.

When I had posted my earlier question I had read the instructions but had not taken the transition out of the bag. Now that I have, I have a solution (I hope) that I will be posting in a little bit. It uses the linear lug I have grown fond of using.

[JAL3]

I got the third fin epoxied into place today and it looks to have gone on straight.

[AndyC]

Not that I'm recommending it, but a fellow at our club certified with an MR1 on an I161 motor. If I remember correctly it was predicted to go 3000-4000'. It was the only motor our vendor had in stock in any case, and he was itching to go. Man, talk about a don't blink flight - at least for the first 0.5 seconds - after that it was gone. Lucky for him our prefect somehow kept his eye on it. He got incredibly lucky and got it back along with his cert in the end.

Looks like a great kit - have fun flying it. Maybe something nice and smokey like an H97J would make keeping an eye on it easier?

[JAL3]

With the fins in place, I used the tape tabs put on the aft centering ring earlier to pull the ring out. This gave access to the joints between the fins and motor tube and the fins and inner BT. Small batches of epoxy were mixed and a long swap was used to fillet the inner and outer joints. At the same time, the outside of the BT was filleted to the fins. THe epoxy fillets were smoothed by a glove clad finger dipped in alcohol.

At this point I need to 'fess up to a blunder. My thought was that the inner fillets did not need to be pretty and I was kind of messy applying them. This led to later problems in getting the aft centering ring back in place. I ground the blobs down as best I could but the ring still wouldn't go in. I used a sander to remove more from the outside and my finger with some sandpaper to work on the inside. It helped but not enough. Then I got the bonehead idea of forcing it. I used a rubber headed mallet to get it started and it did start. It was also aparent that it was never coming out again. I was commited. Then I got dumber. I placed the handle pieces of a pair of piers on the fing and rapped the other end with the mallet. This drove the ring down but also split the wood. It wasn't split enought to be removed but it was pretty awful looking. I finally finished seating the ring with the mallet and pliers method and then covered it up with epoxy. Its ugly but should work. Besides, it is my hope that the rocket will be moving too fast for anyone to notice when that end is on display.

The embarassment factor is too high for photos of this stage of construction.:o

[JAL3]

Not that I'm recommending it, but a fellow at our club certified with an MR1 on an I161 motor. If I remember correctly it was predicted to go 3000-4000'. It was the only motor our vendor had in stock in any case, and he was itching to go. Man, talk about a don't blink flight - at least for the first 0.5 seconds - after that it was gone. Lucky for him our prefect somehow kept his eye on it. He got incredibly lucky and got it back along with his cert in the end.

Looks like a great kit - have fun flying it. Maybe something nice and smokey like an H97J would make keeping an eye on it easier?

I need to find some 29mm Hs, preferably smokey ones.

I don't have a LEUP and I need to find a launch I can get to that will have an on site vendor. Then I need to find out what line that vendor carries. THen I need to buy the hardware.

Wifey is going to be mad...:rolleyes:

[JAL3]

Piston construction began with sanding down the piston bulkhead so that it would slip into the piston tube WITHOUT using a mallet. This did not take too long with a belt sander. The nylon strap attached to the motor mount was then fished through the provided slot, passed through a D ring and then passed back through the slot and snugged up. Epoxy was then used to bond the strap in place.

[JAL3]

When the epoxy around the strap had dried, the piston bulhead was inserted into the piston tube and epoxied into place with fillets on both sides.

[JAL3]

The transition section still needed to be put together. It had to be epoxied to a 1" length of Qunatum tubing that would recieve the nose cone. I scruffed up the plastic with sandpaper and the epoxied it into place.

[JAL3]

The transition was slid onto the BT down to the fins. The strap from the nose cone was then pushed down into the BT on top of the inserted piston and the nose cone settled around the top of the BT as far down as it would go. The transition was then moved up until it housed the lower end of the cone and a line was marked on the BT and the transition slid back down. A fing of epoxy was then applied at the line and the transition slid back into place. You must be careful at this point to make sure that the nose cone does not get bonded.


NOTE: he asymmetry in the photo is due to the rocket not being perfectly plub to begin with and the lug standoff. It really is straight.

[JAL3]

All that was left, except for the lug, was to attach the strap from the nose cone to the top of the piston.

[JAL3]

Now on to the lug.

The linear rail lug is wider at its base than the standoff molded into the transition.

I took the lug over to the bench sander and sanded away the flanges on the base until it took on the narrower profile of the standoff.

The lug was still longer than the standoff so I ground down the back end until it was the same length.

My plan is to get some screws, much smaller diameter than normally used for rail buttons, and drill some pilot holes in the standoff. I woud then epoxy the base of the lug to the standoff, insert the screws and fill the screw holes with epoxy.

Does that sound reasonable?

[n5wd]

I need to find some 29mm Hs, preferably smokey ones.

I don't have a LEUP and I need to find a launch I can get to that will have an on site vendor. Then I need to find out what line that vendor carries. THen I need to buy the hardware.

PM Stu Barrett here on the forum - he runs APCP Services out of Austin, and is usually at Tripoli-Houston launches at Hearne (near Bryan) and the Austin AARG launches, possibly some others, and can help you out.

[JAL3]

PM Stu Barrett here on the forum - he runs APCP Services out of Austin, and is usually at Tripoli-Houston launches at Hearne (near Bryan) and the Austin AARG launches, possibly some others, and can help you out.

Thanks.

I've actually exchanged emails with him a time or too. I didn't realize he is a dealer.

[cjl]

Very nice :)

Should fly really nice on something like the H97J :)

[nburns]

I too have this kit. I really like it but haven't flown it on anything larger than a G. Last time I flew it the piston cracked so need to either repair it or just remove it. Hope you like if once you've flown it.

Nate

[JAL3]

Very nice :)

Should fly really nice on something like the H97J :)

Isn't that a 38mm?

[JAL3]

I too have this kit. I really like it but haven't flown it on anything larger than a G. Last time I flew it the piston cracked so need to either repair it or just remove it. Hope you like if once you've flown it.

Nate

This is my first piston system. I like the idea and hope it works out.

[AndyC]

Isn't that a 38mm?

Nope. 29/240. Its a great motor. A bit less total thrust than other motors that fit in that case. PML lists ~3500' with the H97J which seems a bit high. Using winroc I only get ~2400' using 3" as the diameter - maybe this is wrong since after the transition the tube is 2.1"?. The truth is probably somewhere inbetween.

Anyway, if you are worried about altitude, the H165 or H128 (both for the 29/180 case) would give you about 15% less than the H97.

[JAL3]

Nope. 29/240. Its a great motor. A bit less total thrust than other motors that fit in that case. PML lists ~3500' with the H97J which seems a bit high. Using winroc I only get ~2400' using 3" as the diameter - maybe this is wrong since after the transition the tube is 2.1"?. The truth is probably somewhere inbetween.

Anyway, if you are worried about altitude, the H165 or H128 (both for the 29/180 case) would give you about 15% less than the H97.

You've sold me. Now I have to buy the hardware and find a place to fly, find a way to get the reloads, etc.

I wish there was an easier way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AndyC]

Keep watching e-bay and the for sale areas here and at rocketry planet, and maybe other places, and you might find someone selling hardware for less. I've picked some hardware up that way and saved a few bucks.

[JAL3]

Keep watching e-bay and the for sale areas here and at rocketry planet, and maybe other places, and you might find someone selling hardware for less. I've picked some hardware up that way and saved a few bucks.

Can't do Epay anymore but I will be looking out at the rocketry auctions.

I need to save the bucks for the reloads.

Thanks,

[JAL3]

Finishing began with the scruffing of all exterior surfaces with Sandpaper. I started with #220 and then went to #400 because I didn't like some of the gouge.

Then it was into the booth for the first of 2 coats of Kilz.

[JAL3]

Doesn't anyone have any comments/advice about my lug idea?

[cjl]

The lug idea sounds like it should work. I'd add some filler to the epoxy if you're going to use it to fill the screw holes - I've had good luck with colloidal silica for that kind of application, but even if you don't do that, I'd bet that it would work fine.

[JAL3]

The lug idea sounds like it should work. I'd add some filler to the epoxy if you're going to use it to fill the screw holes - I've had good luck with collodial silica for that kind of application, but even if you don't do that, I'd bet that it would work fine.

Thanks....er....colloildal silica?

What is it and where is it obtained.:o

[H_Rocket]

Doesn't anyone have any comments/advice about my lug idea?


Stop shouting...

I did exactly what you did (without trimming the sides). and just used JB-Weld (because I had some mixed for something else and did not want to waste it. Worked fine until I lost it.

Colloidal Silica is a filler used to thicken epoxies so you can sculpt them. You can also use Phenolic Micro balloons, Fairing Compound, or even talcum powder to essentially the same effect. You can get any of them where you buy commercial epoxies.

[JAL3]

Stop shouting...

I did exactly what you did (without trimming the sides). and just used JB-Weld (because I had some mixed for something else and did not want to waste it. Worked fine until I lost it.

Colloidal Silica is a filler used to thicken epoxies so you can sculpt them. You can also use Phenolic Micro balloons, Fairing Compound, or even talcum powder to essentially the same effect. You can get any of them where you buy commercial epoxies.


Sorry about raising my voice. I was just trying to capture a bit of attention.

Thanks also for the info on the fillers. My experience with them is rather limited and fairly messy. Its one of the many reasons I am no longer allowed to build at home.

[cjl]

Stop shouting...

I did exactly what you did (without trimming the sides). and just used JB-Weld (because I had some mixed for something else and did not want to waste it. Worked fine until I lost it.

Colloidal Silica is a filler used to thicken epoxies so you can sculpt them. You can also use Phenolic Micro balloons, Fairing Compound, or even talcum powder to essentially the same effect. You can get any of them where you buy commercial epoxies.
Microballoons weaken the epoxy though, while colloidal silica actually strengthens it somewhat. West system sells it - it's their number 406 filler.

[H_Rocket]

Microballoons weaken the epoxy though, while colloidal silica actually strengthens it somewhat. West system sells it - it's their number 406 filler.

Really? Interesting. I tend to use milled glass for strengthening. Is there an advantage of the silica over glass?

[FROB]

The silica turns the epoxy int a smooth jell like tooth paste that wont run & is easy to apply.
Milled glass is much stronger but messier & hard to get smooth.

[cjl]

Really? Interesting. I tend to use milled glass for strengthening. Is there an advantage of the silica over glass?
Milled glass is stronger than the silica (though slightly heavier). I find the silica to be easier to work with, but either is excellent. I tend to use whichever I happen to have at hand actually. Never had a problem with either milled glass or colloidal silica.

[JAL3]

I am not overly fond of flat paints so I decided to go this something similar too, but not like the "publicity photo". I proceeded to give the forward section a coating of flaky metallic silver. I had gotten a case of the stuff for another project and it has worked well for me.

[GaryT]

John:
Here's a Scratch built upscale of a PML MR1 I did, Well it's not really scale as I just eye balled it, The BT is a 75mm MM I had, The Transition is made up of an old middle section of a 4" NC, 4" BT & 6oz Fiberglass, NC I got out of a junk pile at RG5 form Jeff Taylor, The (2) ¼" CR's and 1/8" Birch Fins I made myself. Here are its specs:

Height- 36"
Weight- 33oz
BT- 3"NC- 4"
Motor Mount- 54mm With an Aeropack Retainer.
CP- 29" From Tip.
1691

I'm Now thinking about doing a Bigger one that will naturaly be DD. That one would be.

NC- 7.5"
BT- 5.5"
MM- 75mm
Height- Approx 90"

[JAL3]

John:
Here's a Scratch built upscale of a PML MR1 I did, Well it's not really scale as I just eye balled it, The BT is a 75mm MM I had, The Transition is made up of an old middle section of a 4" NC, 4" BT & 6oz Fiberglass, NC I got out of a junk pile at RG5 form Jeff Taylor, The (2) ¼" CR's and 1/8" Birch Fins I made myself. Here are its specs:

Height- 36"
Weight- 33oz
BT- 3"
NC- 4"
Motor Mount- 54mm With an Aeropack Retainer.
CP- 29" From Tip.
16911692

I'm Now thinking about doing a Bigger one that will naturaly be DD. That one would be.

NC- 7.5"
BT- 5.5"
MM- 75mm
Height- Approx 90"


Thanks for sharing. It really looks nice and I like the non-khaki/drab paint job too.

I'm hoping to finish mine except for the lug mount this afternoon. Then I have to wait for an opportunity to fly it.

[JAL3]

The silver had a couple of days to dry and then I peeled off the masking and reversed it. The bottom of the rocket was then sprayed with a glossy, dark green. I don't know where I got the can from. I didn't even know that Valspar made rattle cans.

[JAL3]

When the green had dried, the masking was peeled off and the results inspected. I was satisfied and needed only to get to work on the lug.

[n3tjm]

Wow. Your MR-1 looks very familiar. You need some yellow "detonator" on the tip of the nose though :p

http://www.gardei.com/Oct42008/G185_MR-1_Launch_Pad.jpg

[JAL3]

Wow. Your MR-1 looks very familiar. You need some yellow "detonator" on the tip of the nose though :p

http://www.gardei.com/Oct42008/G185_MR-1_Launch_Pad.jpg

Its uncanny.

I do like the "Detonator". I might have to do something about that.

[Pem Tech]

Wow. Your MR-1 looks very familiar. You need some yellow "detonator" on the tip of the nose though :p

http://www.gardei.com/Oct42008/G185_MR-1_Launch_Pad.jpg

WOW!!!
That is a killer photo!!
I am much envious of your skills...

[n3tjm]

WOW!!!
That is a killer photo!!
I am much envious of your skills...

Thanks :). I think my launch shot is sweet too. My MR-1 on a CTI G185 V-Max :D

http://www.gardei.com/Oct42008/G185_MR-1.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9RWlNptULQ

[JAL3]

I finally got around to the hardware store an picked up some #4x3/4" screws. I drilled the lug standoff after maring the holes through a linear lug and then screwed each of the 2 screws in. The screws were then backed out and a batch of 5 minute epoxy was prepared. Epoxy was spread on the standoff, the lug was put in place and the screws were tightened. A fillted of epoxy was then run along the joint between the base of the lug and the standoff.

[JAL3]

I still have not had a chance to fly this one but I have done some more work.

I really liked the photo of n3tjm's and decided to do something similar. I taped off the end of the NC and spread some foil to keep the paint from affecting anything else.

[JAL3]

The MR-1 then made a quick trip to the booth where I shot it with some glossy red.

[JAL3]

I think the result was well worth it.:cheers:

[JAL3]

The first flight of the MR-1 was a comic tradgedy of errors. I checked and saw that I had put the chute in place and loaded an Econojet F20-4. It came with a Copperhead igniter, of course, but I had never had too much trouble with those...until today. It didn't even tickle the motor.

[JAL3]

I replaced the igniter with a First Fire and got ignition, after a fashion. the motor chuffed for a while but then decided to go with the flow and the rocket took off describing a parabola. At this point, we all knew that trouble was brewing but I kept hoping that, somehow, the chute would eject. I ran around a truck that was ubstructing my view and had just enough time to see the following:

1. The ejection charge fired about 10 feet off the ground.
2. The chute was in the tube but had not been tied into the harness (It flutters nicely, by the way)
3. The rocket takes a core sample.

Some of the excitment can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23694991@N03/3625553191/

[JAL3]

Things got stranger after that. The first really strange thing is that the rocket had NO Damage. That made me think it was indestructible and ready it for another flight.

[JAL3]

This time I loaded a G38-4J. I tried another copperhead with the same result as before and replaced it with a Quick Fire which did indeed fire quickly. The rocket flew well, went up, sounded good, the piston deployed the chute just the way it was supposed to and the rocket came drifting down. That's when the winds decided to act up and take it towards the Alamo Fireworks warehouse. Ignoring my pleas, it landed on the wrong side of the fence.

Several of us saw it land gently. I decided to go on Monday to reclaim the rocket. Alamo has always been very good about that. At the end of the day, though, another club member was driving off and noticed their gate was open. He retrieved his own and my MR-1.

To summarize thus far: the rocket augered in on its first flight and sustained no damage. Now it had landed gently the way it is supposed to and it popped a fin.

A video of the second flight can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23694991@N03/3625645031/

[JAL3]

I like this strange little rocket. It will be fixed and fly again.

Persons interested in the fate of this rocket can look for photos and vids here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23694991@N03/collections/72157613215055733/

[sumo310b]

Shame about the fin.

Here's a pic of my MR-1 on a H128 yesterday. This was its first flight since I installed rail buttons, and funnily enough, the first flight it flew straight :) This is the first time a rocket of mine has been photographed with mach diamonds too :marshmallow:

I had a long walk to recover it, and found the nosecone, chute and piston had landed in a dam. I wonder how it'll go on a bigger motor.

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/5792/test004.jpg

[JAL3]

Shame about the fin.

Here's a pic of my MR-1 on a H128 yesterday. This was its first flight since I installed rail buttons, and funnily enough, the first flight it flew straight :) This is the first time a rocket of mine has been photographed with mach diamonds too :marshmallow:

I had a long walk to recover it, and found the nosecone, chute and piston had landed in a dam. I wonder how it'll go on a bigger motor.

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/5792/test004.jpg

That looks good.

I want to try an H but need a bigger field than I have right now.

[JAL3]

The main damage after my MR-1's initial outing was a popped fin. The bond on the motor mount and on the airframes seems to have failed and the fin pulled out just a bit.

Besides that, the problems were purely cosmetic. THe silver paint I had used didn't like its rough treatment.

[JAL3]

The fin took some effort to remove. It was loos but really didn't want to come out and it had to be persuaded with a pair of pliers. Once out, the reason for its recalcitrance was obvious. Some globs of epoxy were hanging on and didn't want to come off.

[JAL3]

A little bit of time with a file and some sandpaper convinced me that getting off my lazy backside and walking over to the belt sander would be a good idea. Once there, the root was smoothed down quickly and I was glad to learn just how durable the fiberglass fins are.

[JAL3]

Next up, I wanted to clean off the paint and the fillets from the airframe. Most of the material was removed with an X-acto and a little filing finished the job.

[JAL3]

Some 5 minute epoxy was then applied to the root and along the slot and the fin pushed into place. Fillets were formed with more epoxy, albeit they were not very pretty ones.

[cls]

I built my MR-1 stock. It pops a fin pretty much every time it flies. actually I think it's flown 2 or 3 times without popping a fin. It's heavy so an F40 is weak for it, but F52s are good and G104s rock - all the way to like 700'.

after 3 years I finally painted it, camouflage green/brown/black. on the first flight, the nose paint cracked, I think it must have hit a fin.

what the heck. it's cool it looks great and I think would work well as like a BT60/BT50 downscale.

[jj94]

Shame about the fin.

Here's a pic of my MR-1 on a H128 yesterday. This was its first flight since I installed rail buttons, and funnily enough, the first flight it flew straight :) This is the first time a rocket of mine has been photographed with mach diamonds too :marshmallow:

I had a long walk to recover it, and found the nosecone, chute and piston had landed in a dam. I wonder how it'll go on a bigger motor.

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/5792/test004.jpg

Wow! That's a really nice launch picture. Nice diamonds too.:eyepop:

I just saw this; what is that little thing jutting out to the left of the nose cone transition? It looks like a lug on a standoff...

[sumo310b]

Wow! That's a really nice launch picture. Nice diamonds too.:eyepop:

I just saw this; what is that little thing jutting out to the left of the nose cone transition? It looks like a lug on a standoff...

Yep, its the standard lug installed as per PMLs design. I originally installed the lug and glassed it in place, but found I'd get too much rod whip so moved to rail buttons.

[JAL3]

I let the epoxy fillets set up for 2 days and then masked off the upper regions of the rocket. After some dilligent searching, I managed to find the same green I had originally used and began to paint it. This not only covered the repair, it also fixed up a few of the dings in other places.

[JAL3]

I took the masking off that had protected the silver from the green and it looked OK but I still needed to tackle the silver. It seemed to have been exceptionally weak in bonding to the plastic.

[JAL3]

Some sandpaper was then used to scuff up the nose cone a bit and the body and tip of the NC were protected with tape and foil. The rocket was then set up in the booth and shot with silver.

[JAL3]

The masking came off and the MR-1 is ready to fly again.

[JAL3]

My MR-1 has sat for a long time since its repair job. I meant to give it an outing last Saturday but ran out of time. Instead, I launched it yesterday after a Cub Scout launch. The piston was sanded down a bit to make is slide better and then it was fitted with a Roadrunner G80-7 and taken to the rail.

[JAL3]

When the button was pushed there was the briefest hint of smoke and then the motor roared to life.

[JAL3]

This time it flew straight and climbed pretty high.

[JAL3]

The ejection was good and it drifted down with the emphasis on "drift." It landed on the shoulder on the other side of US 87 with no damaged.

[JAL3]

A video of the flight can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23694991@N03/4415999168/

[JAL3]

A while back, my MR-1 was going to fly at a club launch but I never got around to it. It then bounced around in the back seat, fighting with the other junk I had tossed back there, and wound up with another popped fin. This was the only fin that had not been worked on before so I guess it was time.

[JAL3]

The fin pulled out with little problem.

[JAL3]

I did some sanding to reduce the previous, vestigial fillets from the BT.

[JAL3]

I also did some sanding and scraping on the root of the fin.

[JAL3]

When I tried to test fin the fin back in place, it was getting hung up on insertion so I used an X-acto to clean out the opening a bit more and did a little more sanding.

[JAL3]

Some epoxy was mixed and then a quantity was poured into the fin slot so that to root edge would grip some. I also painted some along the slot and then inserted the fin. I aligned it as best I could and poured a bead along one side of the seam with the BT.

[JAL3]

I let the epoxy set up for a day and then did the other side of the fin.

[JAL3]

The result turned out to be reasonably straight.

[JAL3]

I surprized myself and located the original can of paint used to paint the body of my MR-1. I gave it a couple of light coats which covered the epoxy and a few other dings and called it done.

I swear it looks better in person than it does in these pics.

[bradycros]

I surprized myself and located the original can of paint used to paint the body of my MR-1. I gave it a couple of light coats which covered the epoxy and a few other dings and called it done.

I swear it looks better in person than it does in these pics.


There's a Big Foot loose in your garage, look at the floor in front of the chair. Third picture. :shock:

[JAL3]

There's a Big Foot loose in your garage, look at the floor in front of the chair. Third picture. :shock:

You better believe that SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED let me hear about it when it got tracked into the house too. Apparently, she had just mopped yesterday and was not pleased.

[JAL3]

The first flight after the repair job came at the AARG's Hutton launch this past Saturday. I sanded the piston and prepped the rocket with an F42-4. The rocket was checked in and assigned to a pad. It looked itty bitty sitting way out there by itself.

[JAL3]

It launched quite well and flew very straight. In fact, I would call this the best its ever flown.

[JAL3]

It likewise continued straight as the thrust ended and it coasted to apogee.

[JAL3]

In the past when it reached its summit, this rocket has arced over. This time, that did not happen. It just got slower and slower. When it got to its max altitude, the ejection charge went off and it ejected the chute.

[JAL3]

The chute deployed properly and it drifted down to land on the flight line, right close to my shelter.

I think this was the best flight this rocket has had and it made me start eying the 29mm CTI hardware a vendor had present. Maybe this rocket will finally get an HPR flight.

[JAL3]

The rocket sustained no damage on landing and actually drew applause for its performance. That had never happened to me before.

[Gary Byrum]

At this point I need to 'fess up to a blunder. My thought was that the inner fillets did not need to be pretty and I was kind of messy applying them. This led to later problems in getting the aft centering ring back in place. I ground the blobs down as best I could but the ring still wouldn't go in. I used a sander to remove more from the outside and my finger with some sandpaper to work on the inside. It helped but not enough. Then I got the bonehead idea of forcing it. I used a rubber headed mallet to get it started and it did start. It was also aparent that it was never coming out again. I was commited. Then I got dumber. I placed the handle pieces of a pair of piers on the fing and rapped the other end with the mallet. This drove the ring down but also split the wood. It wasn't split enought to be removed but it was pretty awful looking.

Don't feel like an idiot on this one. I did the same stupid thing. I call it stupid because I had planned to get that epoxy out of the way before mounting the aft centering ring and get a good pre-fit but forgot to do any of it. http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/guns/headshot-suicide.gif (http://www.sherv.net/headshot-emoticon-494.html) I was literally up against the dry epoxy and the 5 minute setting epoxy already in place. After hammering away at it, I got a pretty good fit. I was worried that I'd break the tube but it didn't. Not w/o some splittage on the CR of course. And I did the same "make up" application you did after it was set.

[JAL3]

Don't feel like an idiot on this one. I did the same stupid thing. I call it stupid because I had planned to get that epoxy out of the way before mounting the aft centering ring and get a good pre-fit but forgot to do any of it. http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/guns/headshot-suicide.gif (http://www.sherv.net/headshot-emoticon-494.html) I was literally up against the dry epoxy and the 5 minute setting epoxy already in place. After hammering away at it, I got a pretty good fit. I was worried that I'd break the tube but it didn't. Not w/o some splittage on the CR of course. And I did the same "make up" application you did after it was set.

This one is on my "get back into active service list".

Then again, they all are. Even the ones posing as splinters in old shoeboxes.

I feel that God created me to get a certain amount of rocketry done each day. Right now, I am so far behind I'll never die!

[hobie1dog]

Thanks for all the pictures and videos. I just got my kit on Friday and will start on it on Monday. My first kit since 26 years ago.

[Gary Byrum]

Doesn't anyone have any comments/advice about my lug idea?

No advice, but here's what I did. When I mounted the lug, I noticed the gap between the aft end of the lug and the tube. I figured with the weight of that rocket, that the length of the lug was necessary for the kind of motors it would be using. But I didn't like the fact that so much of it was just suspended there. I opted to epoxy a shim in that gap and with an epoxy fillet, it's not even noticeable that I did that. The whole lug was then securely glued in place. The first launch was unsuccessful because of chute failure but the lug held on.

[hobie1dog]

I launched my MR-1 on a G80-10T for my Pre-Cert flight last month, and it flew great. Followed it up with a H87 CTI motor and got my Level 1 . Landed in a tree and 4 hours later it survived the fall of the tree we cut down. Really great little rocket.

[blackbrandt]

4 hours later it survived the fall of the tree we cut down
:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool: