3D printing Challenge

I have a challenge for someone with a 3D printer . How about the transition for the Nike Hercules. Make it around 2" or even better 3" Nike Booster tubes. I have a print but don't have the time or 3D design software.

Now that would be really cool!

Does anyone have a scale drawing of it?

robnee said:

Does anyone have a scale drawing of it?

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I would love to see this challenge taken up... the Nike Hercules is my all-time favorite missile.

PhlAsh said:

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nice, what is the top diameter (the Herc end)? I have dwgs of the Nike M5 motor. I don't have a 3D printer but would like to attempt to model in Solidworks, and will put stl files out for those interested...I have photos from the Ft Sill Museum.

Brent said:

I have a challenge for someone with a 3D printer . How about the transition for the Nike Hercules. Make it around 2" or even better 3" Nike Booster tubes. I have a print but don't have the time or 3D design software.

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Maybe contact this guy?

https://www.etsy.com/shop/RocketryCNC?ref=shopinfo_shophome_leftnav

PhlAsh said:

View attachment 255101

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If you could get a better resolution image, I could whip up a model pretty easily.

25.376" at the top
Give this a few minutes to sync - Herc.zip
There's a Peter Alway dwg in there that has mismatched dimensions but, since he cites the other sketches, that's what I'd go with...

PhlAsh said:

25.376" at the top
Give this a few minutes to sync - Herc.zip
There's a Peter Alway dwg in there that has mismatched dimensions but, since he cites the other sketches, that's what I'd go with...

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Here is some great data on the Nike motor and a nice shot of the N-H transition... https://meatballrocketry.com/nike-motor-data/

Here is what I got so far, I don't think I have the weld lines on the Nike motors oriented correctly as the holes in the top of the motor don't line up ... I will look at it some more tonight when I get home. Also, I "shelled" the transition out to be hollow like the real thing, but for modeling purposes, you might want it solid.

PhlAsh said:

25.376" at the top
Give this a few minutes to sync - Herc.zip

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Looks like that's all I need. It will be tonight's project, Project Momaday (my project names are selected from a random list; I have no idea what "Momaday" means).

I assume the dimensions are inches?

rocketguy101 said:

Here is what I got so far, I don't think I have the weld lines on the Nike motors oriented correctly as the holes in the top of the motor don't line up ... I will look at it some more tonight when I get home. Also, I "shelled" the transition out to be hollow like the real thing, but for modeling purposes, you might want it solid.

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That looks nice, I might be interested in one scaled for the TLP Nike Hercules Plan Pak, where I plan on using ST-20s for my booster tubes.

I thought I would be able to provide a solid model scaled to the OP's desired tube dimensions, but a family crisis just occurred and I have to get away from a few hours.

Anyway, here is my go:



The transition is green, the boosters and upper stage are pink. Once this was scaled to match tube sizes, shoulders would be added at top and bottom to accommodate the tubes. The transition is hollow, as the actual one seemed to be, but I'm not sure what's going on inside. It would be easy enough to add that detail.

Fantastic, looks like it is what I am looking for. I agree scaled for the St-20s or 54mm tubes would be a good match.

Edit: This scaled model is incorrect. I misunderstood the dimension requirements. See my post below.

Okay, this is scaled so that the boosters are 5.18cm tubes and the second stage is a 7.21cm tube. Shoulders modeled as appropriate.

Having a source for that part would make building a NH a must for me!

I know I could get the TLP Kit or something like that, but if I had that part in plastic it would be so much funner to do a scratch build.

Ready to buy when available

Brent said:

Ready to buy when available

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I'll upload the file to my website.

What format do you need?

And did my dimensional choices make sense? I used what I thought were standard sizes I found in the OpenRocket database.

Edit: after reviewing more photos of the Nike Hercules, I don't think we are done yet. The top of the transition is directly into a boat tail shaped main fuselage (I had assumed it was a straight cylinder). How do you intend to do the boat tail? Or should that be incorporated into the part?

Looking good so far... The boat tail in the upper section will have to be built into the sustainer, seeing the Nike Hercules sustainer resembles a cigar contour of sorts:

What I propose to do is model the boat tail as a separate part that can be mated to the transition piece. While I am at it, I could model slots for the fins into the boat tail.

The model I showed above is not correct. I misunderstood brent's request and found a tube that was close to 54mm. In fact, it's too small to accept a 54mm motor.

So what I need are diameter dimensions for the booster tubes, based on standard sizes. Also, desired fin stock thickness, if I'm going to model slots in the boat tail. You guys tell me what you need, and I can scale the parts as needed. But I'm a rocketry n00b, so you have to give me the tube specs for the four boosters. I can work out the rest. I'll put all this in a spreadsheet so there is no confusion.

The 2.0" tubing would be fine as long as it can be found. Personally I am thinking a cluster of 4 29 or 38 in the booster. The main sustainer tube I am thinking 4". at least that is what I have drawn in RocKSim. Here are the common tube ID and OD: 54 mm Loc 2.14 ID 2.26 OD, PML 2.15 ID 2.28 OD. The 2" tubing is 2.0 ID and 2.040 OD. ( I have got it in the past from Semroc ) The Sustainer tubing Loc 3.9 ID and 4.0 OD. PML 3.9 ID and 4.020 OD.

simonov said:

Edit: This scaled model is incorrect. I misunderstood the dimension requirements. See my post below.

Okay, this is scaled so that the boosters are 5.18cm tubes and the second stage is a 7.21cm tube. Shoulders modeled as appropriate.

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WOW that is really nice! I wasn't modeling the tops of the M5 motors as part of the transition, but I like what you did. I had problems last night trying to get the holes for the bolts that attach the transition to the M5 motors right. either my dimensions for the mating holes in the top of the motor are incorrect, or the dimensions in the gifs are off. what I came up with didn't look right.

What software are you using to model this?

Edit: added pics. Compare the side view to the photo on the meatball rocketry website. The other shot is the top of the M5 motor...there are three sets of 1/2" bolt holes, 120 deg apart.

Don't forget about the diamond airfoil booster fins... We'll need some nice prints of these as well... or am I getting ahead of the program(?)

Nice work with the solid modeling, the transition is looking great!

DRAGON64 said:

Don't forget about the diamond airfoil booster fins... We'll need some nice prints of these as well... or am I getting ahead of the program(?)

Nice work with the solid modeling, the transition is looking great!

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I think it would be easier to make built-up fins rather than print them...you can use "ribs and skin" for the diamond (pictured below for my "F" powered Terrier-Sandhawk) or a "core and skin" for the double diamond like the Nike Smoke. I used balsa and 110# cardstock soaked with CA.

It looks like Jim Ball's website got et when RocketryOnline folded. Here's a link to tide you over...
../jimball/jimball/scale-data/scale.htm

I wasn't aware in the beginning this was going to be a two-stage rocket. I'm not sure the SLA materials will hold up to the thrust from the sustainer. We might want to think about separating the rocket below the transition. Anyway, food for thought.

As promised, I started a spreadsheeet with key dimensions. Once you have decided on a standard tube size, you can use the spreadsheet top scale the entire model:


So using the LOC tubes specified by Brent for the boosters, you arrive at a scaling factor of 13.64%, or 1:7.33. The next step is to select a sustainer tube with an OD close to 4.30 inches. Once I have that I can tweak the scaled down model and we'll have something that can be made with off the shelf parts (though I still don't know what you want to do about the boat tail; that could be modeled and 3D printed, if desired, with the usual caveats about heat and SLA material).



(look at the actual size if you want to read the numbers).

Rocketguy, I use SolidWorks to model this stuff. The four pairs of bolts at the base of the transition are in a little boss that is slightly proud of the diameter of the transition, I think that's where yours and mine differ. I'm not sure whether details that small can be printed, and I'm pretty sure nothing smaller can be.

Anything can be modeled and printed, but I'd agree the fins are best done with wood or paper or some combination. 3D printing them would be expensive and heavy.

I wasn't actually planning 2 stage although that would be cool. I am not sure the abs plastic would hold up to staging. 4 38mm motors will give some respectable altitude. I am thinking dual deploy.

Brent said:

I wasn't actually planning 2 stage although that would be cool. I am not sure the abs plastic would hold up to staging. 4 38mm motors will give some respectable altitude. I am thinking dual deploy.

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That makes it easy. What's a tube spec that is close to an OD of 4.3 inches?

Not sure of any. Standard 4" PML or LOC may have to be close enough.