Aerotech G-Force Redux.

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1974_Trident

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This is a sequel to this thread: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=7788

After my foray into mid powered rocketry ended in a spectacular learning experience I bought another G-Force to give it another shot. I learned a lot from my first build and flight/crash and I am investing that knowledge into my second G-Force.

After examining and test fitting kit components I'd swear the folks at Aerotech read my first G-Force build thread; The coupling tube fits properly!!! With the rocket fully assembled and no motor in the motor tube I can pick up the forward half of the rocket and the aft half stays on the floor. If I put a motor casing with the ejection port capped into the motor tube and lift the nosecone, the whole rocket lifts off the floor together. I will from here on in refer to this procedure as "The TerryG Test."

While the coupling tube is of proper fit it is a wee bit on the thin side for my tastes. I fiberglassed the inside of the tube with a single layer of 2 oz. cloth from Home Depot and 45 Minute epoxy from Great Planes. A huge difference in the rigidity of the tube before and after 'glassing. This did, however, add 21.5 grams to the coupler tube.

Before assembly I wicked some thin CA into the body tube and coupler tube ends and sanded a slight chamfer onto the mating tube ends to keep them from peeling apart just from handling.

Of note, all marketing literature and packaging/instructions about the G-Force claim the rocket weighs 907 grams. I put all of the kit components on a gram scale and without any adhesives they weigh in at 1006 grams. Fully assembled but without any paint or body filler the rocket weighs 1180 grams. This is with the Aeropack retainer which weighs about 7.5 grams more than the motor hook, thrust ring etc. which I am not using. I added about 145 grams of adhesive to the kit, the overwhelming majority of which is fillets at all fin-tube joins inside and out. While this is serious overkill This is exactly how I built my last G-Force. The fin section is all that survived the ballistic descent to a hard surface. I realize that I should be building my rockets to fly and not to crash but My last overbuilt G-Force flew to about 600 feet on a G-64W, high enough for my tastes. I can also fly this rocket on 29mmm H loads. I also want to get a feel for handling epoxy and filleting inside and outside joints so that I am well practiced in these techniques when I am building level 3 rockets in the future.

No pictures yet, so far my second G-Force looks just like the first one.

While I am building my G-Force my sons are building their Executioner and Nova Payloader. My daughter is building her Estes Bull-Pup 12D. My wife should begin construction on her Estes Guardian sometime soon.
 
You could have built the whole thing with CA which is the way it says to build it in the instructions and it would hold up just fin.I have a G-Force and its mini cousin the Sumo both built with CA and I haven't had a problem with fins popping on them at all.With the tubes being on the thing side with Aerotech kits using epoxy on them could do more harm then good if a fin were to come off on a hard landing. Just my 2 cents.
 
Good luck on your 'new' "redux" flight!

I've buried a few myself. It's all part of the learning curve.

By the way, I don't think I have ever built a rocket that when finished weighed what it was supposed to, all part of the manufacturers physiological warfare.
 
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manufacturers physiological warfare.

I think it is 'psychological' Jim!:gavel::p:roll: But, then again, may explain why I always sneeze when I launch my AT Mustang!:confused2:

Looking forward to pictures of the 'new' G-Force! :)
 
Ok, G-Force Resurrected is nearly complete. Paint is finished, all that is left is to install the parachutes and shock cords. Same paint scheme as the old one, I even used the same stencils for the layout. Body tubes fit together nicely. can't wait to launch this one.
 
Sounds good Trident, I hope this one goes better for you, what mods did you make? wheres your piccies?

Also I have a G-Force on the build atm,I'm calling it G'4ce. as it is a complete Kit bash, it is now a 4 x 29mm Cluster, with Electronic bay in the booster.
I have just finished put a layer of carbon fibre (Twill) on the BT, (for looks only) instead of paint.
I've done Black CF on the booster section, and Blue hybrid CF on the top section, Just need to do the Nose cone in blue aswell.

Heres a quick look, I'll post up a build thread when I'm done.

G4_mmt_a8.JPG
 
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Sorry, no pics of this build. Looks exactly like the first G-Force I built in the thread linked in the opening post.

I wouldn't go so far as to say I made any "Modifications" to this G-Force. I would characterize some of my build techniques as "Deviations from the manufacturer's instructions."

Such deviations include:

-Body filler to erase tube spirals and other imperfections.
-Aeropack retainer in place of the engine hook - allows more motor choices.
-A single layer of 2 oz. fiberglass cloth inside the thin walled coupler tube.
-Epoxy fillets at all fin/tube joints inside and out.
-Epoxy fillets at centering ring/tube joints.
-Dual Parachutes - because I have a second from my first G-Force.
-Replaced wood screw eye into the bulk head with a machine screw and nut and large washer to better distribute any loads.
-Flames painted on instead of the factory supplied decals.
 
-A single layer of 2 oz. fiberglass cloth inside the thin walled coupler tube.

I was looking the tube joiner that comes with the kit, and yes it is very flimsy.
your not trying the bulk head at the aft end of the joiner this time?

I'll be changing mine out for an AV bay this build. more being that its a cluster and I need electronic deployment.
 
By the way, I don't think I have ever built a rocket that when finished weighed what it was supposed to, all part of the manufacturers physiological warfare.

The exception to that, so far as I can tell, is Fliskits. I've actually had several of their kits come in underweight, with the most extreme example being a Borealis that came in at 2.435 oz (package weight: 3.15oz).
 
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