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jerryb

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Ok, I've been delaying this long enough.. I got around to editing some of the build photos today and thought I'd better post them.

I haven't been as dilligent as I should have with the photos, more interested in getting things done than documenting... oh well..

first up, all the parts laid out. I really like how well everything was identified in the kit and how well it was documented.

later
Jerryb
 
Next comes the Motor Retianer JB welded to the Motor Mount.

Lower centering ring is in place as well.
 
Fincan epoxied in place. This took a bit more epoxy than I originally anticipated, but I got another batch mixed before I got into trouble.
 
Next came the Av Bay itself. These were taken after the Av Bay was completed.

Aft Bulkhead showing the Eyebolt in place.
 
Fore Bulkhead showing the washers for the wingnuts epoxied in place. I figgured they wouldnt get lost in the field putting everything together.
 
Back side of AV Bay board showing brass tubing and battery holder.
 
Nose cone eyebolt was next. used as small a window as possible to secure the eyebolt. A skinny pair of needle nose pliers tightened the nut and epoxy held it in place.
 
Next was a bit of Cadd work. I figgured that 6 vents, and 6 rivets would be enough for both. I drew this in General Cadd to exact scale and evenly space the holes around the body tube diameter.

a 1:1 plot gave me a body wrap that I could drill through to ensure that the holes were perfectly aligned.
 
resulting drilled holes for rivets. I will probably enlarge the vent holes later in the project. I can wait right up until the final paint goes on to decide this though.
 
test fit of rivets in BT and AV Bay. also shows the vent holes in the top of the AV Bay.
 
Fin Can epoxied in and filleted. LOTS more sanding to do. This took several applications of epoxy and microbeads to get it looking right. Would definately do it differently if i was building it again. I failed to mix the beads and epoxy to a thick enough consistancy the first time, and most of it just seeped down into the body tube. Not a bad thing as this helped secure the fincan and body tube better, but having to go back and refillet the fins was a pain.
 
Looking good Jerry. You should consider going up to Southern Thunder and flying that bad boy. I know Dave is going and if I can get off work I'm going too.

Andrew
 
I missed this one somehow...slipped in under the radar...

Hands down, this is one of the sweetest kits out there:

-Very rugged-
-very 3FNC-
-no fancy split fin design-
-easy to build-
-looks like it would be a joy to build-

Come on Christmas... :D

Nice build so far jerryb...motor of choice?

Johnnie

p.s. There is nothing wrong with a split fin design, it is just not the same performance as this fincan design. I have Raptor on my mind...
 
somehow I missed a pic during the posting of the original thread.

this shows the attachment of the lower shock cord and fireball to the motor mount and fin can. It took several tries to get the adjustment just right so that when fully extended the fireball fell at just the right spot on the Lower body tube.

After it was adjusted properly, a thick coat of epoxy that saturated the shock cord secured everything in place permanently. I had to cut about 12" of the lower shock cord off before applying the epoxy. The pic posted here shows the cord after it has been trimmed.

later
Jerryb
 
This kit has been very easy to put together so far. It's my first HP kit, and its my first Dual Deployment, or for that matter, first build with any electronics. I do feel that is the only weak point in the build instructions. they assumed that you knew what you were doing in order to build this kit, so there was no mention or suggestions for altimeter mounting, or wiring of screwblocks for ejection charges, altimeter switch, or any suggestions relating to deployment charges. That would be the one thing that I would see them change if I was making a suggestion to Ed and crew. Include a basic, step by step complete setup suggestion for the AV bay wiring and ejection charge holders in the instructions. Advanced builders are going to ignore it anyway and do this the way they feel comfortable with. but for us newbies, it sure would have taken a huge load off of the builders mind to know that there was a "stock" way to go.

this being my first kit, I had NO clue which way to go, and would have taken the manufacturers suggestion this first build just to ease the construction along. As a result, I had a huge stoppage of progress, while I went out and had to research the multitude of options out there.

At the end of the day, I have chosen to go with the christmas bulb way of igniting my ejection charges, and plan to do some deployment tests this coming weekend.

still havent decided on paint yet... but there are several builders in my club that think "primer grey" is the way to go...lol

thanks for the compliement.
Jerryb


Originally posted by Johnnie
I missed this one somehow...slipped in under the radar...

Hands down, this is one of the sweetest kits out there:

-Very rugged-
-very 3FNC-
-no fancy split fin design-
-easy to build-
-looks like it would be a joy to build-

Come on Christmas... :D

Nice build so far jerryb...motor of choice?

Johnnie

p.s. There is nothing wrong with a split fin design, it is just not the same performance as this fincan design. I have Raptor on my mind...
 
OK, its been several months since I was able to do anything, but I've decided on going standard with Hot Wire Ejection charge holders on this kit to eliminate the E-match problem. I'm betting one of the club members that has BP at the launch will let me borrow some for my launches. I did a bench test on the drogue section today and it worked perfectly. (although masking taping the tube to the workbench outside didnt hold it too well..haha live and learn) this charge got everything out of the tube no problem.

anyway, couple more build photos to add to the thread. All I have left is to rig a power switch on the AV board so I can turn the Altimeter off on the pad.

Plan on using a "pull to arm" flag, but havent determined how that will work yet.
 
Ok, here are two pics of the wiring block on the drogue side of the bulkhead on the AV bay and a tube to hold the Hot Wire cannister.

The wiring block was pretty straight forward, just drill and epoxy in place after soldering the leads on it.

I chose an empty paper case from an old motor to hold the Hot Wire. I thought that If I ever had one rupture and it wiped the holder, this was cheap and easy to replace. Sand off the epoxy and slap another one on there.

later
Jerryb

HotWire Holder1.jpg

Finished Bulkhead1.jpg
 
Ok, I tested my electronics hookup and ejection charges a few days ago. I got the software for the MWAD installed on my laptop, 6' usb extension cable, 6' regular cable.. taped (did I say tape?) the upper section of the rocket to a workbench I have outside.. prepped the HotWire cannister with 1 1/2 oz of fff BP. Secured the body tube to the table with more tape.. (did i say tape??) Had my son ready the camera... packed the AV bay into the upper section of the body tube, secured it with the nylon rivets and packed the drogue, yea I know, the main should go in the upper section, but the drogue was handy... then packed everything else, chute protector, shock cord, drogue, then put the cone on

The test went great! Nice Charge size, not loud enough to wake the neighbors, but cleanly put the drogue out of the tube. Cone continued onward to end of shockcord... Remember the tape? snap! body tube jerked off table onto the ground about 3 feet from the table. Remember the USB cables going to the altimeter? good thing I had used the same tape on those connectors so they pulled easily apart without damaging anything.

https://www.gbtech.us/ejectiontestedit.mp4

later
Jerryb
 
The video looks pretty good. Are you sure you don't mean 1 1/2 grams, not ounces?

P.S. you got mail.
 
you are right.. grams.. not oz... well, i didnt actually weight it out. the vial on the holder has a 1 1/2 mark on it.. thats what i used. I had weighed some previous charges, and its VERY close to the same amount I had weighted out before.

I am going to re-test it with the 48" main in the tube just to make sure. Not sure what I"m going to secure the tube with thought... kinda surprised me when it ripped it right off the table... it felt pretty secure.

later
Jerryb


The video looks pretty good. Are you sure you don't mean 1 1/2 grams, not ounces?

P.S. you got mail.
 
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