My first High Powred Rocket

I got a Tiny Pterodactyl yesterday at the launch.
I'm gonna start building on it today, Its gonna look cool when it gets done. since this is my first HPR kit any tips guys? Do I need to glass it? I do know to use epoxy and to sand the plastic that comes in contact with the epoxy with sandpaper.
What would make a good L1 cert. motor in the Pterodactyl?



The launch was really cool, especially this flying hot dog on a K570, that was one cool flight. Then this guy had a flying spool, went up quite a ways, that was on a Smokey Sam.

I doubt that you'll need to glass anything. Unless you're going to be adding a really absurd motor (like Phil may do ), you'll be fine building it stock.

I am sure that you are going to love you Tiny Ptery, I love mine anyways. Glassing wont be neccessary, but like you said, be sure to sand EVERYTHING! the quantum tube and fins especially. I would recommend using at least 100 grit, but 80 grit would be preferable. I built mine way back when i didn't know jack about rocket construction and did not sand the parts. well after its second flight on an H128 (which sceamed off the pad i might add) to ~4000 feet. i went to recover it and found that the upper section (without tang, just surface mounted) of one of the fins busted cleanly off the tube with the smooth surface of the unsanded QT exposed. So it was then in for a major repair. I went ahead and busted off the other two fins and then painstakingly ground off the fillets (not fun). I then sanded it all with 60 grit to make sure nothing was going anywhere and redid the fillets. the other part that sucked about the whole process was that i had to massacre the absolutely beautiful paint job that it had. the moral is SAND EVERYTHING!. Anyways, I think any of the reloads for the 29/180 case would be great for a L1 cert. except the G75J of course. just add a few ounces of noseweight.

Have fun!

thanx guys for the pointers, for motor retention is it friction fit?

I used friction fit on mine, but like I said, i built it back when i didn't know much about rocket construction, so i didn't leave any provision to add any motor retention system. I would recommend that you add some form of motor retention whether it be using t-nuts, threaded inserts, or a commercial unit form Aeropack, or slimline. the choice is up to you.

I used threaded inserts in the rear centering ring for motor retention. The centering ring is too small (in my opinion) to fit T-nuts into without having to grind off one side of the metal. So, Two threaded inserts, and I use a screw with a washer to hold the motor in.

Congratulations on your Tiny 'Dactyl, by the way. It's a great looking bird!

Loopy

Well I started building on the Tiny Ptery, but i work in the garage and its so hot out i couldn't work on it very long. I did mange to get the notched CR epoxied, I'm working on other rockets too. I think I have too many projects going on at once.

This seems to be a common problem that most rocketeers have, we just can't seem to limit the madness. We just gotta build more rockets! But then, whoever said this was a bad thing...

Gerbs,

Congrats on the Tery-d...I really like that little kit, it's just too cool looking! I have even come up with a drop-in dual deploy for it for those BIG motors. Now all I need is the kit!

Carl

well its coming along good, I'm sorry I don't have a digital camera to take pics and post. should a sand the fins to get rounded corners, or should I just sand them enough to get the burrs out?
is there anything inside the motor tube to keep the motor from coming out through the tube. That won't be good if that happens. Should i do something about, like epoxy something in the tube to prevent that from happening?

Gerbs, that will not be necessary...the lower closure on Reload casings has a lip that prevents it from shooting through. On Single-Use motors, get some 1/2" masking tape and build up a lip to about 1/16-3/32" so the motor will not push through.

Whatever you do, do NOT put a stop inside the tube. Also, I would very lightly round the corners of the fins, if for no other reason, that paint will stick better and chip less.
Carl

thanx
I looked on my 24/40 casing and it also has that lip on it, but I won't put that casing in the Ptero. I dying to fly this bird. I can't wait till the next TRA launch.

Good luck with your project. I haven't seen the small pterodactyl, but we have a guy in our club that has the big one. He flies it on J-350s, and it screams for more power. Its an impressive rocket though. On my Quasar I used an engine hook. The Aerotech one, and just bent the part that is suppose to go through a slot in the motor tube straight. Then epoxied it to the MM and wrapped it with thin wire and covered that with Jb weld. Works great..........Larry

its almost done all I need to do is put the launch lugs on, put the reatainer in, and paint it while I was in the chat sandman told me to ue screen clips, since I found some around the house I think I'll use them, I haven't epoxied the rear CR yet, now all I need is T nuts.

I found an AT engine hook, I'll try to epoxy it to the motor tube. I also got the launch lugs epoxied on.

I'm gonna paint it Sapphire blue flake, I like that color
but I could only find it in the small cans for model cars, I bought 3 cans hope thats enough.

WHERE ARE THE PICS GERBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!