Overbuilding

In mid-power and high-power I see a lot of over-building. Sure, I'm guilty of it too, sometimes, though I try to resist the temptation. What do you think are some of the most frequent over-building sins?

op:

Any or all of the above. I guess it really depends on how long you expect the rocket to last. Technically, you'd only want it strong enough to last one flight. I'd say we all overbuild. I think that unless you're going for an altitude record it really doesn't matter. I try to not overdo it, but I KNOW that I always do.

You forgot TTW on LPR rockets. Of which I'm guilty of. I like how they keep the fins aligned while I'm trying to get the remaining fins set up in the jig.

I've seen a lot of oversize fillets, of which I am terribly guilty. Epoxy in place of wood glue is also common, and I'm trying to avoid it. (wood glue is stronger than epoxy, wood glue is stronger than epoxy, wood glue...). I also said oversize hardware, which I am guilty of. Fiberglassing things also seems to be more and more popular. These may all be overbuilding, but as long as you're building in a way that is fun for you, you're doing it right.

Nate

Meh, I like using epoxy more than wood glue. I dont think of it as over kill, but easier to work with.

You have overlooked my favorite, which is buying a fiberglass or carbon airframe for its strength, and then cutting slots in it for TTW fins.

Jim

Overbuilding is in the eye of the beholder...

Build your rocket the way you want, TTW et al...

Ignore the "sanctimonious jerks"...

I am KidRockET...:horse:

After many years of building stick and tissue airplanes, I tend to relish over building my rockets.

I think overbuilding is okay to an extent. I want my rockets to last for more than one launch but I also don't want to loose much performance in the process. I love glassing fins and tubes because it adds a lot of strength without (much ) weight. I guess that would make me reside in the "build it to last" party.

I believe that most of us hobbyists, or at least me, are not smart enough not to overbuild. At a high level, not to overbuild would involve a lot of different levels of expertise in disciplines in engineering, as well as and tests to validate what the minimums would be.

I have read some threads where people have taken shots at over builders, which I am most definitely one of, but I think most of them are kidding themselves if they think they are at that professional level not to overbuild.

So it comes down to degrees of overbuilding, but who is to say that their idea of over-building is right and someone else’s is wrong.

I agree with Nute, build it the way you like it.

hahahaha, TopRamen already has the popcorn out....

dlb said:

hahahaha, TopRamen already has the popcorn out....

Click to expand...

I'm the "Bane of the Hobby" for overbuilding, have'nt you heard?:lol:

Bane.:eyeroll:

Overbuilding is better than not building.

Rob Campbell said:

Overbuilding is better than not building.

Click to expand...

+1 What he said.

The rocket industry knows little about rocket reuse. We build reusable rockets so yes they are overbuilt when compared to the throw away rockets. Don't know this conversation is really helping people build rockets better.

How about we talk about tecniques for figuring out what is a reasonable build quality.

Hey everybody, this thread is FOR FUN. We all have our own preferences, and we're all in the hobby for the fun of it. This poll is a chance to laugh at ourselves, not criticize others.

geof said:

..., not criticize others.

Click to expand...

So ask question that make sense, fins to fins is a technic not an overbuild,, unless you don’t understand the purpose.

Doesn't the requirement that a rocket be frangible only apply to LPR, <1500g models?

Does any other definition (overbuilt = no longer frangible) matter?

Come on "Epoxy when wood glue suffices"... You're catching up!!!

(Anybody guess where I put my "money"? :wink:

-Ken... Guilty as charged...

I have a split brain about this whole thing. For HPR I build stuff to survive landing in the hard desert so you can get plenty of flights out of the expensive rocket. For LPR comp, throw away mass until there's just enough left to hold together, airframe weighs a few grams, expected lifetime 2-3 flights. When people start debating "overbuilt", since I don't know which side to take I just get oppositional:bangpan::bangbang: