Summer Buildoff: Roc n Roll Flying V guitar

Flyfalcons said:

I found some beautiful red wood grain vinyl to use for the fret board. Unfortunately the grain runs along the shorter dimension, so I matched up the grain from a couple different areas and joined them on end. A fret will hide the seam.

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Wow that is a really beautiful vinyl. Where do you find this stuff? I suppose a hobby shop that specializes in RC planes would be a good place?

That was found on Amazon, it is marketed for automotive. It is pretty cool and has actual simulated grain cut into it.

This is freaking cool, great build! Can't wait to see it fly, but wouldn't blame you to have become a wall queen

Templates are a real pain, but they sure make final color application go pretty well. The frets were cut from chrome Monokote. A little more two-dimensional than I originally wanted to go, but eventually you come to the understanding that perfection is the enemy of good enough. Especially when running against a deadline. The Monokote was applied over the template, then the extra was trimmed off.

So I couldn't wait and had to apply not only the fret board, but the little Stickershock gem on the head as well. Seeing the rocket in its current state is definitely motivating me to keep going!

Looking great!

Reminds me of some wood grain and chrome application I did a few years back: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?29099-Big-Battle-Axe&p=316639#post316639.

Dang that thing turned out nice! I was actually thinking last night how it would be fun to do a medieval rocket using these materials, but that battle axe is pretty tough to beat!

Flyfalcons said:

Dang that thing turned out nice! I was actually thinking last night how it would be fun to do a medieval rocket using these materials, but that battle axe is pretty tough to beat!

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There's an epic understatement!

Flyfalcons said:

Dang that thing turned out nice! I was actually thinking last night how it would be fun to do a medieval rocket using these materials, but that battle axe is pretty tough to beat!

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Thx. Didn't mean to derail anything. Pls. continue... :]

dixontj93060 said:

Looking great!

Reminds me of some wood grain and chrome application I did a few years back: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?29099-Big-Battle-Axe&p=316639#post316639.

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Wow Tim, Epic describes it well!

Fret board looks great!

Well done!

No progress to report. My daughter's birthday is on the 13th, same day I'm scheduled to fly Roc 'n Roll, and I promised her I'd get this other project done in time for her birthday. Been going pretty much nonstop on this for the past four or five days.

Flyfalcons said:

No progress to report. My daughter's birthday is on the 13th, same day I'm scheduled to fly Roc 'n Roll, and I promised her I'd get this other project done in time for her birthday. Been going pretty much nonstop on this for the past four or five days.

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That is also a job well done sir!

Looks beautiful Ryan!

Thanks Ken, glad to see you finding success with yours.

I was at the hardware store and picked up some 1/8" dowels to make the strings. However, I think they're going to be a bit overpowering at that diameter. So I might make some 1/16" balsa strips and sand them round. It's crunch week and finding time to get this thing done is the big challenge. Whatever condition the Flying V is in on launch day will be my final submission for the contest.

I've been completely wiped out at the end of every day from working on the playset, so a new strategy is needed. Time to get up early and do rocket work before driving rebar all day.

What about weed whacker line for the strings or some styrene round stock....

I was really wanting to do fishing line, but it's tough to pull off when the rocket's break point is in the middle of the fret board.

burkefj said:

What about weed whacker line for the strings or some styrene round stock....

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Or even some of that teeny tiny music wire we model builders love so much.

Flyfalcons said:

I was really wanting to do fishing line, but it's tough to pull off when the rocket's break point is in the middle of the fret board.

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What about adding a couple 'bones' at the break point (immediate other side) and fastening the 'strings' to them (with a break)? You could even try making the bones from clear plexiglass. Alternately, as you aren't making a playable guitar (right?) any of the other suggested materials can be attached/glued directly to the fret board rather than raised above it and will still look great from the flight line.

By the way, I love this build and have been following from Day 1. Amazing Job!

At church this weekend I noticed the guy playing guitar was not playing guitar at all but playing your rocket!

Had to show him your work , here is a picture of your rocket on stage, did you check to make sure it's still in your workshop?

MCriscione said:

What about adding a couple 'bones' at the break point (immediate other side) and fastening the 'strings' to them (with a break)? You could even try making the bones from clear plexiglass. Alternately, as you aren't making a playable guitar (right?) any of the other suggested materials can be attached/glued directly to the fret board rather than raised above it and will still look great from the flight line.

By the way, I love this build and have been following from Day 1. Amazing Job!

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Thanks! I had considered different methods to make the break, but it's probably easiest to do as you said; use a stiff material to simulate the strings and just glue it down.

Yay, some progress to report! Getting some detail work done while I think on the string situation. I used a brass tube as a guide for the chrome screws lining the white pick guard area. Turned out better than I anticipated.

This is turning out to be epic! :clap:

We might be getting somewhere with the 1/16" balsa strips.

Looking Good!

I am being absolutely serious when I say: I can't believe how good that thing looks. It's ridiculous. Have you exceeded your own expectations here, or did you have that kind of result in your head from the beginning?

I have been lurking this one and I am amazed to see this go from concept to the finished (or nearly so) rocket. The basic design is gorgeous and the finished rocket is definitely going to turn heads at the field!

Time to get some last-minute details figured out. The string tensioners are made by cutting the end of a craft stick off and slotting it to accept a 1/8" dowel. This dowel will be sunk into the head, where there will be plenty of gluing surface against the foam.

Just about ready for tomorrow.

Very very nice, great job, good luck tomorrow, hope it works as well as it did the first time!