Stupid Rocketeer Tricks

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Winston

Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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Ever done something really stupid like carefully squeezing the (stinky) clear epoxy hardener bottle into the disposable mixing cup on your digital scale, get sidetracked by something else, come back and add the "epoxy resin" part to that same cup from the hardener squeeze bottle, then use that mix? I have.

If you have, please swallow your pride and add your story to this thread.
 
I once accidentally loaded a D-12 0 Booster into my Estes Black Brant. Chute' deployed at speed, Fins continued going up, and it was not pretty.
 
Not turning on my altimeter was one bad. Another was not adding the BP for a motor eject when building - forgot to add it since that is not my normal procedure.

So 2 lawn darts that could have easily been prevented.
 
I once accidentally loaded a D-12 0 Booster into my Estes Black Brant. Chute' deployed at speed, Fins continued going up, and it was not pretty.
D12-0 in an ACME Spitfire. Stripped shrouds. zippered tube. NC came down on the remains of the 'chute. Rocket pranged on one of two small bare spots on the field. It has flown again, after repairs, but not very straight. Of course, on a Spitfire, that's actually OK.

Mike
 
While trying to do a quick field repair at a NAR competition, I needed to start a new bottle of CA. I made the mistake of biting off the little tab thing to open the new bottle. I ended up squirting CA into my mouth - cementing my lower lip, teeth and tongue together.
 
While trying to do a quick field repair at a NAR competition, I needed to start a new bottle of CA. I made the mistake of biting off the little tab thing to open the new bottle. I ended up squirting CA into my mouth - cementing my lower lip, teeth and tongue together.

I don't think I could have confessed on that note........:rofl:
 
While trying to do a quick field repair at a NAR competition, I needed to start a new bottle of CA. I made the mistake of biting off the little tab thing to open the new bottle. I ended up squirting CA into my mouth - cementing my lower lip, teeth and tongue together.

Okay .. you win. :)

-- Roger
 
While trying to do a quick field repair at a NAR competition, I needed to start a new bottle of CA. I made the mistake of biting off the little tab thing to open the new bottle. I ended up squirting CA into my mouth - cementing my lower lip, teeth and tongue together.

Ha ha! I'm sure are not the only one...
 
Grabbed a 3" tube outta the inventory and proceeded to fill and sand-primered and repeated-ad nauseum. Perfect-shined like I chromed it. It was a full length $%$&R*(() coupler tube!
 
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While trying to do a quick field repair at a NAR competition, I needed to start a new bottle of CA. I made the mistake of biting off the little tab thing to open the new bottle. I ended up squirting CA into my mouth - cementing my lower lip, teeth and tongue together.

I thought 100% for sure I win this one...........
Till I read this............
But I am definitely still in the running,,,,,,I got the rest of you guys beat,,,,,, I think..........

I've been flying rockets for a lota years,,,,, and alota rockets,,,,,,
all motor ejection.........
On my first dual deploy rocket,,,,,,,,with deployment controlled by an altimeter,,,,,,
it was within the first few flights,,,,,, I was assembling the rocket and yakking at the same time,,,,,,,,
I loaded the drogue chute in the booster section with the nomex blanket under the chute,,,,,,,
where you'd put it if you were using motor ejection........
When the charge went off on the bottom of the av bay it seared the chute to the motor case and airframe tube.......
The holes burnt in the chute were bigger than what was left of the chute...........

That's a pretty dopey one............

Teddy
 
I never make misteaks ether, there all planed.

there planed! there planed!
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Always make sure your parachute is in your rocket, and the storage bag for the parachute is not in the rocket.
 
While trying to do a quick field repair at a NAR competition, I needed to start a new bottle of CA. I made the mistake of biting off the little tab thing to open the new bottle. I ended up squirting CA into my mouth - cementing my lower lip, teeth and tongue together.

You and Crazy Jim need to NEVER meet. God only knows what would be glued to where with CA
 
Don't hate me just because I'm truthful and brave enough to admit a stupid mistake...hate me because I'm much taller than you.:neener:

Hate's a hard word. I don't envy anyone that taller than me. I'm less likely to bang my head getting out of a car.....
 
While trying to do a quick field repair at a NAR competition, I needed to start a new bottle of CA. I made the mistake of biting off the little tab thing to open the new bottle. I ended up squirting CA into my mouth - cementing my lower lip, teeth and tongue together.
What...You run a CA intravenous drip. You got it bad dude.
 
While trying to do a quick field repair at a NAR competition, I needed to start a new bottle of CA. I made the mistake of biting off the little tab thing to open the new bottle. I ended up squirting CA into my mouth - cementing my lower lip, teeth and tongue together.

The men in the family laughed out loud. My wife was horrified. Aghast. Didn't think it was funny at all.

Joe
 
Grabbed a 3" tube outta the inventory and proceeded to fill and sand-primered and repeated-ad nauseum. Perfect-shined like I chromed it. It was a full length $%$&R*(() coupler tube!

My YouBee has a 75mm motor mount because, after I finished building it, I discovered that the 98mm motor tube I used was really a 98mm coupler.

-- Roger
 
Grabbed a 3" tube outta the inventory and proceeded to fill and sand-primered and repeated-ad nauseum. Perfect-shined like I chromed it. It was a full length $%$&R*(() coupler tube!

Well since you fessed up, I shall as well.

WAY back before I understood the dimensional variance of components (phenolic to kraft, LOC to PML, etc...) I decided to build a "flying only model of our Bucky Jones so the original could be used for display only. 3" tubes were ordered from Totally Tubular under to false assumption that everyone's 3" tubes were the same as everyone else's 3" tubes. Worked for days on the flying Bucky, building it to be bullet proof. Then it came time to install the completed and painted motor mount with all those glorious exhaust tubes. The CR's would not fit inside the body tube.
WHaaaaaa?
Just rolling with it I trimmed the CR's down and made them fit. You know, maybe they were just a freak, cut out of spec. Several more days of gluing, fiberglassing, foaming and nose cone prep followed. Tied the shock cord to the NC and went to insert it in the BT. The BT was undersized and there was no way the NC would fit!!
The Totally Tubular 3" kraft tubes are actually 3", not the 3.1" tubes I had been ordering from LOC.
All that time and money wasted because I didn't bother the mic the %#$&!! body tubes.
 
Two things, had a vendor try to sell me glue and glued his fingers together, he showed me the the glue releaser, walked away with his fingers glued together.

Put the delay spacer in wrong, added BP and it didn't seem right. Went with "Blow it out or blow it up therory" added more BP.............yup it blowed up Reeeaal good.
 
I'll just say this.
Never face palm while working with superglue...
 
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