Hnefi
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2014
- Messages
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Hey all:
Wanted to share with you all some pictures of my first two-stage build (and only my second kit ever that's not RTF). I've gotten lots of help on good building/finishing technique already from searching this forum, so enjoy the pics knowing a ton of you helped out in a BIG way!
Here's the motor mounts, done with yellow wood glue. I plan to use epoxy from here on out in my building.... Lots of guys on here prefer it, and my next build is a Vagabond which has a ton of power compared to these 13mm kits!
Next step was FnF'ing all of the balsa - I think I might be able to sand it down a bit more next time, but it was smooth and I was pretty happy that paint would stick to it. This forum was a huge help for all the pre-finishing steps like this one.
While my FnF was drying, I glued both motor mount tubes into their respective stages and put some glue on for the double glue joints. In hindsight, I should make these initial lines smoother... Afterwards, the body tubes after fin attachment...
Heres the entire rocket pre-primer. I skipped uploading separate pictures for FnF'ing the body tube spirals and cementing the nose cone hook on.
Three coats of primer and undercoat white, each one wet sanded with 220,400, and 600 grit respectively produced this intermediate step. My paint was Krylon's gloss white enamel (IIRC it's called Colormaster). I did my first build with Tamiya lacquer and I really, really, REALLY would go back if it wasn't for the cost. Canadian Tire (yes, we do fly rockets in the great white north) has a large can for $4.99 compared to $11.99 for 1/3 the volume of tamiya at my LHS, and $12.99 for duplicolor at NAPA auto parts. Ouch!
Here she is after Rusto Gloss Black, decals, and Rusto Clearcoat finish. I wanted to try masking the little squares at the top for a little bit more of a finishing challenge, and pretty happy with the result other than some bleed on the square edges. Could be a bit more glossy, but I didn't exactly follow the drying time between the black and the clear coat.... Got super antsy to get out and fly!
Next stop, the maiden flight!!!
I built my own launch pad as a side project, using a lot of the cool ideas and recommendations from other launch pad threads on this forum. Specifically I loved the drill chuck ideas, as well as the camera tripod for stability and angling in any wind. Here's a shot from my phone right before the first flight.
And an absolutely fantastic action shot of liftoff. Photo cred to my dad and his DSLR.
I used the A10-0T for the booster stage (only option), and the 1/2A3-2T for the sustainer. Unfortunately no video of the entire flight, but she flew straight and true. Separated and ignited the sustainer almost perfect, with only a small deviation from intended trajectory. However........... On ejection, the streamer came out tangled in the shock cord (I used the standard length Estes elastic), and it descended on an angle with almost no air resistance being provided by the streamer. Landed on an angle, down on a hard concrete running track, severing one of the fins off the body. Here's a picture of the break.
Looks to me like the cardboard tube actually ripped, rather than my glue joints failing. Here's where I was hoping you guys could help me once again - I need some guidance in repairing the fin break so I can get her back on the pad. I was thinking that I'd use coarse grain sandpaper to once again make a smooth surface on the fin itself, and try to level out the body tube as much as I can. However, since I've already applied a double glue joint to the root edge of the fin, am I going to be in trouble since the pores of the balsa are going to be "locked up" already? Maybe if I used CA or epoxy I could get a good bond?
This kind of stuff is where experience pays big dividends and I would be grateful for some guidance on both re-building and re-finishing (this step is less important).
I also have a more general question about the recovery system in general... I attached the streamer onto the shock cord using clear tape as the directions state, probably about 6" from the nose cone. Would I be able to avoid the problem of the streamer becoming tangled by moving it closer to the nose cone, or rolling it up looser?
I'm also thinking about replacing the entire shock cord with a longer section of nylon or Kevlar braid as a lot of the threads on here recommend - what would you recommend for length, as well as the best way to remove the existing cord mount for replacement??
Thanks a Ton for any advice you guys can give me. Hopefully you enjoyed the pictures. Can't wait to fix this baby up and get started on my next build - rocketry gets very fun, very fast.
Wanted to share with you all some pictures of my first two-stage build (and only my second kit ever that's not RTF). I've gotten lots of help on good building/finishing technique already from searching this forum, so enjoy the pics knowing a ton of you helped out in a BIG way!
Here's the motor mounts, done with yellow wood glue. I plan to use epoxy from here on out in my building.... Lots of guys on here prefer it, and my next build is a Vagabond which has a ton of power compared to these 13mm kits!
Next step was FnF'ing all of the balsa - I think I might be able to sand it down a bit more next time, but it was smooth and I was pretty happy that paint would stick to it. This forum was a huge help for all the pre-finishing steps like this one.
While my FnF was drying, I glued both motor mount tubes into their respective stages and put some glue on for the double glue joints. In hindsight, I should make these initial lines smoother... Afterwards, the body tubes after fin attachment...
Heres the entire rocket pre-primer. I skipped uploading separate pictures for FnF'ing the body tube spirals and cementing the nose cone hook on.
Three coats of primer and undercoat white, each one wet sanded with 220,400, and 600 grit respectively produced this intermediate step. My paint was Krylon's gloss white enamel (IIRC it's called Colormaster). I did my first build with Tamiya lacquer and I really, really, REALLY would go back if it wasn't for the cost. Canadian Tire (yes, we do fly rockets in the great white north) has a large can for $4.99 compared to $11.99 for 1/3 the volume of tamiya at my LHS, and $12.99 for duplicolor at NAPA auto parts. Ouch!
Here she is after Rusto Gloss Black, decals, and Rusto Clearcoat finish. I wanted to try masking the little squares at the top for a little bit more of a finishing challenge, and pretty happy with the result other than some bleed on the square edges. Could be a bit more glossy, but I didn't exactly follow the drying time between the black and the clear coat.... Got super antsy to get out and fly!
Next stop, the maiden flight!!!
I built my own launch pad as a side project, using a lot of the cool ideas and recommendations from other launch pad threads on this forum. Specifically I loved the drill chuck ideas, as well as the camera tripod for stability and angling in any wind. Here's a shot from my phone right before the first flight.
And an absolutely fantastic action shot of liftoff. Photo cred to my dad and his DSLR.
I used the A10-0T for the booster stage (only option), and the 1/2A3-2T for the sustainer. Unfortunately no video of the entire flight, but she flew straight and true. Separated and ignited the sustainer almost perfect, with only a small deviation from intended trajectory. However........... On ejection, the streamer came out tangled in the shock cord (I used the standard length Estes elastic), and it descended on an angle with almost no air resistance being provided by the streamer. Landed on an angle, down on a hard concrete running track, severing one of the fins off the body. Here's a picture of the break.
Looks to me like the cardboard tube actually ripped, rather than my glue joints failing. Here's where I was hoping you guys could help me once again - I need some guidance in repairing the fin break so I can get her back on the pad. I was thinking that I'd use coarse grain sandpaper to once again make a smooth surface on the fin itself, and try to level out the body tube as much as I can. However, since I've already applied a double glue joint to the root edge of the fin, am I going to be in trouble since the pores of the balsa are going to be "locked up" already? Maybe if I used CA or epoxy I could get a good bond?
This kind of stuff is where experience pays big dividends and I would be grateful for some guidance on both re-building and re-finishing (this step is less important).
I also have a more general question about the recovery system in general... I attached the streamer onto the shock cord using clear tape as the directions state, probably about 6" from the nose cone. Would I be able to avoid the problem of the streamer becoming tangled by moving it closer to the nose cone, or rolling it up looser?
I'm also thinking about replacing the entire shock cord with a longer section of nylon or Kevlar braid as a lot of the threads on here recommend - what would you recommend for length, as well as the best way to remove the existing cord mount for replacement??
Thanks a Ton for any advice you guys can give me. Hopefully you enjoyed the pictures. Can't wait to fix this baby up and get started on my next build - rocketry gets very fun, very fast.
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