Boris Katan flights 2015 -> Clusters are Fun <-

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Using West Systems 206 slow epoxy for all structural bonds, so each step requires an overnight cure.
Started the build last Sunday and want to launch it at CMASS' final launch, which gives 13 days to build and prep.

In these first five days, have:
1) bonded 2 CRs to motor tube - pic 1
2) bonded this assembly to airframe
3-5) tacked fins in place with CA, then completed internal and external fillets - pics 2-3

Fins were sanded with 120, then 220 grit to soften and smooth bevels.
Fin roots and all bonded areas roughened with 80 grit.

At R. DeHate's, of AMW fame and fortune :) suggestion, using 1/2 in braided Kevlar for internal fillets. - pic 4
Saturate Kevlar with epoxy, pour a small amount of thickened epoxy in for good measure and then press Kevlar into place with a thin stick.
Never done this before and it works like a charm.
Then immediately follow with external fillets with thickened epoxy.

Also prepped CRs with small U-bolts for retention. - pic 5
U-bolts are 1/4" dia stock, sold in cable crimp assemblies.
U-bolts are off-center because each CR already had a 1/4" hole in its center.
Also leaves more room for ejection charges on alt bay covers.

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Cool, that's what I figured, it wasn't mentioned so I didn't know if the CF igniters alone were sufficing. Going on your slot/core painting principle I have airstarted G64s, 79s and F20s with CF-dipped Q2G2s and it worked GREAT -- instant on.

Very nice.

If you want I can also try to get in more slow-mo for you. I like getting it for all of my flights, although I don't ever end up posting it anywhere.


Nice! My dad picked one of these up at LDRS to get his L2 with. He'll be doing that sometime next year. He loves how well everything had fit together and how it looks like a big version of his Blackhawk 29.

But is this an indication that you'll be flying more motor of the J-L impulse range?

My GoPro 4 Silver pad cam is capturing video at 720p at 120fps. The 240fps video you took at the night launch was cool.
Any video you want to send me is appreciated. Just try not to get burned holding your iPhone next to the rocket at liftoff :y:

Sounds like your dad likes the Adventurer 3 for the same reasons I do, he clearly has excellent taste :wink:

I'm thinking high I to J at CMASS and K at Berwick.
L as opportunity permits :dark:

I love clusters, but it's nice to have a big fast flier on occasion too.
 
At R. DeHate's, of AMW fame and fortune :) suggestion, using 1/2 in braided Kevlar for internal fillets. - pic 4
Saturate Kevlar with epoxy, pour a small amount of thickened epoxy in for good measure and then press Kevlar into place with a thin stick.
Never done this before and it works like a charm.
Then immediately follow with external fillets with thickened epoxy.

I really like this idea! In fact may have to steal it for my Punisher I'm building! Thanks for passing along.
 
Very nice.



My GoPro 4 Silver pad cam is capturing video at 720p at 120fps. The 240fps video you took at the night launch was cool.
Any video you want to send me is appreciated. Just try not to get burned holding your iPhone next to the rocket at liftoff :y:

Sounds like your dad likes the Adventurer 3 for the same reasons I do, he clearly has excellent taste :wink:

I'm thinking high I to J at CMASS and K at Berwick.
L as opportunity permits :dark:

Ok I'll try and get more video in. I do like the 240fps as well, made a great video for an O motor shred at LDRS (I was with the away cell crew for it too). Now I just have to figure out a way to mount my dads camera and my iPhone so I can do both at once...

Yeah he want to put an L in it for L2 cert. I'm sitting there egging him on.

But the L you have to be careful with, the adventurer sims over 10k on any of them. But I'm sure if you make it heavy enough it can stay in Berwick. Although I've heard they do 12,000' windows if you give them a couple days heads up...
 
Added a 2.0 oz of lead nose weight to the Seis.
Drilled through the bottom of the transition, to access the upper body tube.
Then poured in the lead shot in a slurry with plenty of thin epoxy.
Shook it in such a way as to make sure all was seated against the base of the nose cone.
This should improve the rocket's balance in a cross wind going forward.

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Completed build on the Adventurer 3 today, 11 days after starting.

pic 1: left to right
a) altimeter sled, behind it several centering rings stacked to make the bottom inch of the airframe solid - from the bottom of the fins to the bottom of the main body tube.
b) centering ring and tubing bits that will form base of nose cone
c) main airframe recovery mount point: centering ring with vent holes, plus parts that will help mount it 10-12 inches down from top of main body tube
d) coupler cut down to 6 inches that will be alt bay

pic 2:
items a) and b) completed

pic 3: fillets after much sanding - also sanded off a bit more of my fingernails than I would have liked in the process :eyepop:

pic 4: then Bondo and more sanding

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Decided to go with a simple setup for the alt bay that is closely based on Featherweight Altimeter's recommendations for implementing their super compact alt bay kits.
An upscale of the alt bay in my 38mm Carbon Weasel.

Alt bay drops into coupler which is permanently bonded to upper airframe.
This eliminates one separation point that would need to be secured for flight.

Also the two 10-24 threaded rods serve double duty: they hold the alt bay together and also are the conductors for the apogee ejection charge.
This allows the wiring to be very simple with very short wire runs using a Raven altimeter.

not pictured: Two 2-56 nylon shear pins secure the NC to the upper airframe.
Ground testing confirmed that 1g BP executed a vigorous separation and deployment of a Top Flight Recovery 58 inch chute.

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Decided to paint the rocket gold and name the project:

Golden Arrow

Looking forward to its first flight this Saturday at CMASS.

I will say again that I have been very impressed with the quality of the parts and precise fit of this Rocketry Warehouse Adventurer 3 kit.

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CMASS Launch - Amesbury, MA - 11/21/15

Moderate winds and temperatures for this time of year.
Unfortunately, light winds in the general direction of nearby power lines (400,000V !) required to club to limit flights to LP and under 1000ft for most of the day.
A good call that still allowed many fun flights.

So the Golden Arrow will get its first flight another day.

Was able to launch the low and slow Seis and Bomarc each one more time before the HP window closed.

My son Paul's TARC team also did a number of flights, taking advantage of the light winds.
After doing a couple practice flights that would have scored in the 1 to 5 range, they did a qualification attempt that scored about 50.
We are still not sure why that happened.

They use CTI F59 White Thunder motors and a home-made launch tower.
Rockets have 3D printed fin cans with canted fins.

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Seis went up on
3x D11-P + 3x D12-5

With 2oz of added nose weight the rocket tracked very straight in light winds.
At a future launch on a windier day, will need to see if it gets the desired slight weathercock.

With all that smoke, it looks a lot bigger than the 2 lb rocket it is.

Shameless plug:
The FlisKits Tres is a brilliant rocket kit, everyone should get one..

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Then the Bormac lifted off on
6x D11-P + 4x D12-5
for another good flight, its third, just before the HP window closed for the day.

I experimented with different exposure settings on my DSLR and pictures of the Bomarc against the sky were very overexposed.
Will go back to fully manual exposure settings for all liftoff pictures.

Also pictured, a couple other flier's fun launches.

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Once again intrepid CMASS fliers braved the winter evening chill for a fun night launch.

Another beautiful sunset was delivered for our viewing pleasure as we prepped our night fliers and waited for darkness.

Got good video of day and night launches which I will edit and post shortly.
Did not attempt stills in addition to video and rocket prep at night, as this was more than my cold hands and tired brain was up for...

Thanks to all the good folks at CMASS for another great flying season.

Our good friend Bill Spadafora would have greatly enjoyed the sunset and fun night flights.
I remember him laughing very joyously at previous night launches.

Bill's wisdom, common sense, joy for life and fun, and no-nonsense manner were extraordinary.
The world would be a much better place if there were many more like him.

I will always consider him a role model on how to be a good person.
We miss you very much.


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Video of my day flights plus some of Paul's TARC flights

[video=youtube;nf8k4ersg7A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf8k4ersg7A[/video]
 
A bunch of fun night flights at the last CMASS launch of the 2015...

[video=youtube;i5ZiRQgCF5Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5ZiRQgCF5Y[/video]
 
Boris, as always nice flights. That seis looks really nice when it flies.

Also, since you didn't get to fly the golden arrow, does that mean it (and by extension you) will make it to the Maine launch on the 19th?
 
Boris, as always nice flights. That seis looks really nice when it flies.

Also, since you didn't get to fly the golden arrow, does that mean it (and by extension you) will make it to the Maine launch on the 19th?

Thanks.

Yes, I am hoping very much to make it to Berwick Dec 19th.

Want to get the Golden Arrow up for 1 or 2 flights.

Also drag race some guy who has this insanely light 38mm MD rocket, maybe get a nice video from the Carbon Weasel as it streaks by....:facepalm:

Gloria said she did not expect Jason to be there. Otherwise we could try to get him in on the challenge too.
 
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Thanks.

Yes, I am hoping very much to make it to Berwick Dec 19th.

Want to get the Golden Arrow up for 1 or 2 flights.

Also drag race some guy who has this insanely light 38mm MD rocket, maybe get a nice video from the Carbon Weasel as it streaks by....:facepalm:

Gloria said she did not expect Jason to be there. Otherwise we could try to get him in on the challenge too.

I've already talked to him about it. He's not very interested. But yes Gloria is correct, he's not going to be there unless he can get out of a holiday party.
 
Also, I have an H120 red lightning laying around if you want to use that to race. If not I can always get something else.

Scott is going to try and have the waiver open to 14,000 feet of your feeling ambitious :dark:
 
RIMRA Launch - Kingstown, RI - 12/12/2015

It was a beautiful day to be out launching rockets.
Very light winds, 50's and sunny.

Kids from both Fairhaven, MA TARC teams were flying rockets.
pic 1: HS team was working on dialing in their tower launched TARC rocket
pic 2: the new JHS team was flying their first two build projects and learning about rocketry

pic 3: another flier's successful L1 flight on a LOC kit

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The Golden Arrow went up for its first flight on an I 345 White Thunder.
The field has a 1500ft waiver, and the rocket flew to 1230ft.

Nice clean liftoff and dual deploy recovery.
Main took its time unfurling, due to having been tightly packed for 3 weeks and slightly chilly weather, but fully deployed about 200ft up.

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My other flight for the day was the Seis.

3x D11-P + 3x D12-5
For another good flight.

Coming down gently on its chute, it touched down just about where I was standing.

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My most recent project was to build a 3D printer kit.
SeeMeCNC's Rostock MAX printer.


Chose this kit because it has a very large build area and a reputation for good quality prints.

Build area is a cylinder, 11+ in diameter by 14+ in tall.
This is a delta style printer, as opposed to the more common Cartesian.
Supposed to be quicker and better with circular forms.

Kit took about 30 hours to build, following 280 pages of instructions for hardware assembly, software setup and calibration.
Includes an Arduino, 4x stepper motors, a few sensors and plenty of wire, 50+ pieces of Melamine board, 3x 1010 rails, plus many nuts, bolts and other bits.
500+ pieces in all.

Was very careful to follow all instructions precisely, to minimize problems and maximize printing when done.
Did have an intermittent problem with the kit power supply, and vendor sent me a replacement.

Printer is working well and have made several small calibration and other prints using ABS.

Working on building my familiarity with 3D printing and CAD software.
Also working to add capabilities to the base printer.
These will all be long-term projects.

End goal includes 3D printing a variety of rocket parts.

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A bunch of fun night flights at the last CMASS launch of the 2015...

[video=youtube;i5ZiRQgCF5Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5ZiRQgCF5Y[/video]

The one that didn't go anywhere was mine. It was a hard day for me.
 
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