Today's updates will be about the electronics bay. I needed to get this part put together so I could start ground testing the ejection charges. Also, I don't have a complete step by step guide from here since how I get from point A to point B should be self explanatory. (if not, just ask.) So, here we go...
This kit comes with a 2 inch switchband. I decided I wanted an access hatch instead of a couple of holes in the switchband. So, I cut one out.
I also slit the switchband so that I can pry it open a little when epoxying it in place. This is an alternative to putting some epoxy on the coupler and pushing the switchband into it. I always had too much glue pile up at one end. This keeps that from happening. A little fill and sanding work will need to be done, but that shouldn't be a problem.
Skipping ahead a few steps... I have epoxied the switchband on with the Proline 4500 epoxy. It is a little thinner and easier to spread than the rocketpoxy. I have also cut the access hole in the coupler and installed all of the PEM nuts for the access hatch and the payload section. I used 4-40 screws for the hatch and 6-32 screws for the payload section.
From the inside, you can see how complete the epoxy coverage is between the switchband and the coupler. I have also put epoxy over each of the PEM nuts so they don't fall out. I retapped all of the PEM nuts in case any epoxy got in there.
And with the hatch secured.
Next, I bolted the two end caps for the electronics bay together so that I could decide where to put the charge wells and the terminal strip. This kit came with aluminum end caps with stepped edges, which is very nice to drill. The charge wells and terminal strips came from Doghouse Rocketry some time ago. They are the 6 gram wells, but I don't think I am going to need near that much powder.
This kit comes with a 2 inch switchband. I decided I wanted an access hatch instead of a couple of holes in the switchband. So, I cut one out.
I also slit the switchband so that I can pry it open a little when epoxying it in place. This is an alternative to putting some epoxy on the coupler and pushing the switchband into it. I always had too much glue pile up at one end. This keeps that from happening. A little fill and sanding work will need to be done, but that shouldn't be a problem.
Skipping ahead a few steps... I have epoxied the switchband on with the Proline 4500 epoxy. It is a little thinner and easier to spread than the rocketpoxy. I have also cut the access hole in the coupler and installed all of the PEM nuts for the access hatch and the payload section. I used 4-40 screws for the hatch and 6-32 screws for the payload section.
From the inside, you can see how complete the epoxy coverage is between the switchband and the coupler. I have also put epoxy over each of the PEM nuts so they don't fall out. I retapped all of the PEM nuts in case any epoxy got in there.
And with the hatch secured.
Next, I bolted the two end caps for the electronics bay together so that I could decide where to put the charge wells and the terminal strip. This kit came with aluminum end caps with stepped edges, which is very nice to drill. The charge wells and terminal strips came from Doghouse Rocketry some time ago. They are the 6 gram wells, but I don't think I am going to need near that much powder.