Air starts successful!

Shane,

Tell me more about the (PML?) Quasar on a J350. I'll bet that was an interesting flight.

Swimmer

Swimmer,

Go to the same site: https://www.bigkidproductions.com

Look at What's new, go to Sunday AM, 5th group and third and fourth pic.

Let me first qualify the flight. It went up to 4615' with DD occuring perfectly at 1100'. You have to understand that this thing was rebuilt from the fin can up. In 2001 I crashed it on an H238 when the top grain curled and disallowed the delay to light, consequently disallowing the deployment charge to fire. On a cold November day a non-glassed PML tube doesn't behave so well

After putting it on the operating table, I glassed it, extended it a bit and made it DD. Bet thing I ever did. The second best thing that ever happened is the top ring of the kwik-switch breaking off Now I can put a HUGE 54mm in it. I came real close to putting K1100 in it, but ran out of time. Maybe a good thing, but it sure would have been fun!! It weighs in at about 4-5 lbs now, I can't remember for sure and I've dubbed it "Rez-Erection"

The altimeter I used was the Perfectflight Mini25K. A very nice unit I might add. I typically run it with a Gwiz, but all my other electronics were in Clusterstruck.:kill:

Shane

Very cool, what matches did you use?

Dick,

I used matches from a stage company called Star Light & Magic. I 've been using them for about 4 years now -

https://www.starmgc.com/cgi-bin/shop/order.cgi (do a search on electric matches)

The are cheaper than Daveyfire and fire with .25 amps. Like I said, if you're using a timer with 3 in parallel I would definitely test fire it first. It took a ton of juice to fire 3 with the resistance being 1.2ohms/match.

I simply pulled out a 29mm nozzle, ran the match through, dipped the head up to 1" or so in Igniterman pyrogen and pulled it back through to give it shape. Just for my own sanity, I also attached a 1/2" piece of t-lite with Ni-chrome wire.

Truthfully, I think they would have been fine without the t-lite, but if you have it, the risk is greatly diminished by using it.

Shane

I think you mentioned that source before...I'll take a look-see. Thanks. But, isn't it cheating to use t-lite

and the piont is?

Shane



Whatever it takes to see them come down as planned!!

No real point. Thermalite will light anything. If prepped right, it doesn't need anything but a wire twisted around it. I've seen others do this, somehow I managed to mess it up (too much or too little of the nichrome left, not wrapped right, old material, or whatever). Mine was pretty old, dating from before it required a permit.

Shane, do you have anything online that shows a design on how you wired up the clusters for airstart. Like where your timers were how you connected everything, etc.

Phil, Oh great and powerful mighty L3, I bow to your awesome position in the brotherhood of rocketry.

Now to the topic of timers and airstarts.

I would suggest not duct taping a windup alarm clock to the outside of the BT for a timer. I would also not suggest using a starters gun to airstart the engines.

The only thing I can think of is delay fuse, like you would use for dynamite. Make a best guess of when you want the airstart to happen and cut the fuse accordingly. I know...:kill:

I'm sure you'll get additional input but I would consider mine first.

Your humble rookie rocketeer.
Randy

Hey Phil,

Yes, I have a whole series on the building of the Clusterstruck and will hopefully get it put up some time in the near future....with Carl's help.

In a nutshell: I have a bay door in the fin can with my electronics mounted to the MMT. I then run conduit wires down through aluminum tubing to the motors. Wire up all your motors in PARALLEL and run the slack wire back up into the conduit. Use golf tees, yes I said golf tees, to hold the wires snuggly in the conduit. Then, circuituously (sp?) run a strip of tape around the outer perimeter of the BT (overlap onto tube about 1/8") and fold the remainder over onto the wires that have been run around to various motors. THEN put pieces of tape around the back side (closest to the central) and fold them over the back end of the outboard to hold the wires in place (crucial step here). Contrary to what is normally told to you on a single engine set up you can tape over the nozzles of the outboards. The central will burn it enough to allow the 29s to breathe. The only thing that will not be covered with tape is the central.

Shew...darn big nutshell isn't it! That's why pictures are worth a 1000 words.

Shane

No problem bro. Just didn't want you to think I was disparaging your most excellent flight. As my disaster in Whitakers showed, getting that many engines to light isn't trivial. And mine were BP

Originally posted by mshaner

Originally posted by rstaff3
No real point.


Sorry Dick, my remark was all about sarcasm with a big grin. Email....doesn't always get the right tone across does it.

Shane

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Phil,
I would still go with the fuse!!!!

OMG, of course I'm kidding. Geez, I didn't think you were going to take me seriously. Now cancel that order for blasting fuse right now!!!

I'm outta here

Shane, great looking nutshell. I will keep that in mind as I proceed with my "alterations". When do you think you can get the pictures up? I'm a graphical kind of guy.

Airforce, crud, I wonder if they have shipped my starter gun yet...

BTW: I'm level 3, I will tell you when you can leave... Hehehehehe

I'm getting pressure on all sides (in good way) to get these things up - Quarkers, myself and RF. Soooo, I'm on it. Hopefully by next week. I also have a nosecone making series using foam and a lathe I'm getting better and better with it.

I'll see if I can remember to at least email you that portion.

Shane

I'm also interested in your nose cone series. I've recently started a 6" tube project and have been looking for a 6" round (not sure what shape they call it) nose cone. Can't seem to locate one so I will probably have to make one... Thanks for the info.

For my method steps 1 & 2 are to get yourself (or make) a lathe and a router. I found a 14", 1/5 HP lathe at Harbour Freight for $80 on sale and a rounter for $25 on sale. As lathes and routers go, they are excellent for the purposes intended. If you're looking to use these things outside of rocketry then you might consider higher lines, but for me they were perfect and much cheaper. The foam I get from Aircraft Spruce in a huge block.

Shane

Well as promised... pictures of Clusterstruck. AND to add to the excitement - I am FINALLY in the 90's. I know, I know, its now 2003, but give me time.

Sooo, here you go:

[https://photos.yahoo.com/bc/mshaner_climb/lst?.dir=/Cluster+Struck&.src=ph&.view=

Shane

PS Thanks to Mr. Tulanko