Here is the final design. I like it and will be sticking by it. Still needs some un-accounted weights, but thats how it will look like.
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I got started on the avionics bay. Pretty much your usual avionics bay. Will make the sled later.
The eyelet is from rocketry warehouse. Their stainless steel and it is secured with two stop nuts and a 1/4-20 thread. If I can do this carefully. I can glue the stop nuts and have the eyelet spin freely without it separating on me.
Got to gluing the av-bay sled. I got curious and sure enough it works like a beauty. I pigmented 15 minute epoxy to black.
Glued the brass rods on and made some fillets.
Avionics bay complete. Next up is getting the 4-40 nuts and screws to mount the electronics.
Glued the brass rods on and made some fillets.
Avionics bay complete. Next up is getting the 4-40 nuts and screws to mount the electronics.
The project is looking good, looking forward to the end game!
I have a question. Technically the nose cone is going to be fiberglass. Since there is a 1.5" section of the coupler that will be going into the base shoulder of the nose cone. Will RF signal go through it if the antenna is in that area?
What is the rest of the nose cone made of?
The nose cone is fiberglass
RF signals will go through fiberglass just fine. It's carbon fiber and metal that you have to worry about.
Thing is the body tube is carbon. Majority of the blue tube coupler goes into the carbon tube, but there is that 1.5" section that goes into the fiberglass nose cone. If I were to place the pointing end of the antenna in that area, will the signal still be able to go through?
It should. I've read about some rockets that were all aluminum except for a small patch on the nose cone for the tracking antenna.
But you should test it on the ground first to make sure
blackjack2564
Crazy Jim's Gone Banana's
If this helps any......
When flying my BlackHawks.....-29-24.... they are carbon, nose cones graphite.
I use the tracker upside down from normal flight. I tape the unit to shock cord just below NC and run antenna up into cone tip.
Has worked flawlessly for years.
Aslo put unit in av-bay, run antenna through BP into NC on 54 min. worked fine.
I would say you have great chance of success. Of course simply setting up in flight mode, sticking rocket on something 5-6 ft high, then driving 1-2-3 mile or more will tell you how well it will work for sure. Once inside rocket, once by itself.....what I did.
Comm-Spec-Marshell-LLC are ones I have used.
When flying my BlackHawks.....-29-24.... they are carbon, nose cones graphite.
I use the tracker upside down from normal flight. I tape the unit to shock cord just below NC and run antenna up into cone tip.
Has worked flawlessly for years.
Aslo put unit in av-bay, run antenna through BP into NC on 54 min. worked fine.
I would say you have great chance of success. Of course simply setting up in flight mode, sticking rocket on something 5-6 ft high, then driving 1-2-3 mile or more will tell you how well it will work for sure. Once inside rocket, once by itself.....what I did.
Comm-Spec-Marshell-LLC are ones I have used.
Okay cool, this will open the window for me to get either the teleGPS or the AIM XTRA 2.0. I definitely dont want to lose this rocket.
Two down one to go. I'll do the last one next week. It really is a pain in the neck to do. Hopefully I can get the dura-grit sanding file by then.
RAHagen
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Just did a quick catch-up scan of your thread and it looks awesome so far! Excited to see it finished.
Those fins look great! I'm curious, how'd you go about getting such a symmetrical airfoil on those?
I wish they were that symmetrical. I am using a sanding file that I made. Basically its just a strip of sandpaper glued onto a plywood sled. It has worked so far, but it isnt that good, because the wood bends too easily. I'm going to see if I can find a metal piece that wont bend and glue sandpaper to it. That should provide a better airfoil.
Forgot the picture
blackjack2564
Crazy Jim's Gone Banana's
Why don't you try fastening the sandpaper to a non-flexing solid surface, and slide the fin across it for shaping. You will get consistent-repeatable profile.
Like the photos show here, just use a wood/g-10/metal shim to slide fin across, that will yield the bevel angle required . Distance between the 2 guides can determine bevel angle tweaking.
Stock in back just hold paper in place and serves as guide to slide against. Anything straight can be used/clamped to level surface.
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bill2654
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Thanks for sharing Jim, great technique.
If only I had a table to pull this off I would do it. However, this gives me an idea that just might work.
Thank you for sharing.
Zeroignite
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That's a really great trick and I am definitely gonna start using it.
Airfoiled the last fin. It didnt come out good, but hell I'm fine with it.
I guess a picture is in order
Okay so let me put up an update. I will get super glue today and JB weld the fins on. After that I will do the fillets.
In the next few weeks I will be waiting to get some laminating epoxy. I thought some simple cheap epoxy would be no problem.
Has anyone ever used CJ Composite's epoxy before?
In the next few weeks I will be waiting to get some laminating epoxy. I thought some simple cheap epoxy would be no problem.
Has anyone ever used CJ Composite's epoxy before?
All three fins JB welded on. Once this cures, I will do some mini JB weld fillets.
Mini fillets of JB weld. Will make the larger ones out of fifteen minute epoxy.
Fillets are coming along nicely. I did one set with 15 minute epoxy, but I had a race against time and just barely managed to get the fillets right.
In this picture thats JB Weld pigmented black. They look really nice. Advice to all, patience is a virtue. You get awesome fillets. One set after this one cures.
The fins and fillets will be painted black aftwards once I'm done with the tip to tip, or a different color.
In this picture thats JB Weld pigmented black. They look really nice. Advice to all, patience is a virtue. You get awesome fillets. One set after this one cures.
The fins and fillets will be painted black aftwards once I'm done with the tip to tip, or a different color.
Last set of fillets went on today. The plan for this week is to get some laminating epoxy and a fiberglass type that is great for tip to tip.
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