Ultimate Wildman Level Three Certification Build

You can shorten it with a strategically placed knot..

If the knot is placed where the harness extends past the tube it is anti-zipper location.

Also if one of the loops did shred or unravel from the mmt mount your quicklink or hd swivel would still be attached to the loop vs sliding off the untethered harness .

Kenny

KenRico said:

You can shorten it with a strategically placed knot..

If the knot is placed where the harness extends past the tube it is anti-zipper location.

Also if one of the loops did shred or unravel from the mmt mount your quicklink or hd swivel would still be attached to the loop vs sliding off the untethered harness .

Kenny

Click to expand...

I like the idea of having an adjustable length harness by changing knot location, I'll just have to be careful not to put it too far back where I can't reach it. Having it adjustable allows me to move the location of any swivels or quicklinks past the motor case so that they don't hinder a fit or ding up a case.

I haven't done much rocket-wise this week because of classes starting back, but I did manage to add some all-thread rod to reinforce the mmt and get everything to fit in my dorm



I'm not sure how to rotate these pictures, so I'm just going to leave them be...

Time for a much needed update!

I recieved the thrustplate from binder design (it's awesome and fits perfect) and was able to align the mmt and epoxy it in place. I went back and did a rocketpoxy fillet above the fore centering ring and injected epoxy above the second centering ring to create a fillet there.



I also aligned the fins with two of my 3D printed guides and used rocketpoxy to attach the roots. I let that harden overnight.



My roommate went home for the weekend, so I took that opportunity to spread out and do the internal fillets with US composites 635 with chopped carbon and colloidal silica.



I just finished the last pair of fillets and will begin externals hopefully sometime later this week, but until then I've got two tests to study for...

Fearoflightning said:

My roommate went home for the weekend, so I took that opportunity to spread out and do the internal fillets with US composites 635 with chopped carbon and colloidal silica.

Click to expand...

That's hilarious.

"Wasn't sure of you were coming back dude, so I went ahead and turned your room into an epoxy booth."

Kudos for working on this through the semester.

Wow,, that really is funny man...
Why'd you have to use his half of the room,, lol..

Teddy

I made some good progress this weekend!

External fillets are done, I first did a fillet of rocketpoxy, but was unhappy with them as they tended to sag, so I went back over them with the same size dowel with US composites mixed w/ silica and phenolic microballoons. That worked great to get perfect shaped fillets and has the bonus of being pretty easily sandable.




See the gap after hardening.



I only have to attach the aft bulkhead and I'm finished with the booster section, but I've got to put mounting screws for a thrustplate in first, so that'll happen later.

The next hurdle will be making a removable bulkhead for a nosecone avionics bay. Any body got any suggestions on the best way to do that?

I'll keep updates coming as I make progress!

I'm partial to using a ring with threaded inserts or t-nuts and a bulkhead that bolts to it.

I've read of some people that Epoxy threaded rods or coupler nuts directly to the nosecone coupler so a bulkhead can bolt right on.

And I've also read of using an extended threaded rod from the metal tip.

(and I want to say I saw a pvc tube glued in with one of those screw-on/off lids to avoid metal).


Either way you've got options

Take a look at this nose cone sled..
See if you like it or it gives you some ideas...

https://onebadhawk.com/stainless-steel-u--bolts.html

You have to scroll all the way down...
The nose cone sled pics are last on the page...

Teddy

Nytrunner said:

I'm partial to using a ring with threaded inserts or t-nuts and a bulkhead that bolts to it.

I've read of some people that Epoxy threaded rods or coupler nuts directly to the nosecone coupler so a bulkhead can bolt right on.

And I've also read of using an extended threaded rod from the metal tip.

(and I want to say I saw a pvc tube glued in with one of those screw-on/off lids to avoid metal).


Either way you've got options

Click to expand...

The ring idea certainly appeals to me, as it is nice and simple, but it means I have to cut out a custom centering ring.

I have also eyed the method using coupler nuts as well.... Decisions decisions...

onebadhawk said:

Take a look at this nose cone sled..
See if you like it or it gives you some ideas...

https://onebadhawk.com/stainless-steel-u--bolts.html

You have to scroll all the way down...
The nose cone sled pics are last on the page...

Teddy

Click to expand...

That's nice!


Steve Shannon

Steve Shannon said:

That's nice!


Steve Shannon

Click to expand...

Thank you Steve...
I'm not sure if you can tell from the pic's
but it's an Eggfinder on one side of the sled
and a Big Red Bee beacon on the other side..
Each unit's batteries are greatly oversized so no concerns of a battery running low..
And both transmitting antennas are remoted to the bulkhead so they aren't enclosed in anything in flight,, they're out in open air...

Teddy

Fearoflightning said:

The ring idea certainly appeals to me, as it is nice and simple, but it means I have to cut out a custom centering ring.

I have also eyed the method using coupler nuts as well.... Decisions decisions...

Click to expand...

Here is another option if you don't want to make it yourself. I used this in my UW

https://ape-rc.com/#!/Head-End-Alti...Cones-Fiberglass/p/58765369/category=11909535

PokerJones said:

Here is another option if you don't want to make it yourself. I used this in my UW

https://ape-rc.com/#!/Head-End-Alti...Cones-Fiberglass/p/58765369/category=11909535

View attachment 311301View attachment 311302

Click to expand...

I like the look of that, but I only really need the mounting ring. I may shoot them an email asking if they'll make just the ring... I already have a bulkhead.

onebadhawk said:

Thank you Steve...
I'm not sure if you can tell from the pic's
but it's an Eggfinder on one side of the sled
and a Big Red Bee beacon on the other side..
Each unit's batteries are greatly oversized so no concerns of a battery running low..
And both transmitting antennas are remoted to the bulkhead so they aren't enclosed in anything in flight,, they're out in open air...

Teddy

Click to expand...

You confused me there Teddy on that sled temporarily. Stupidhead here was going to say, "How do you slide the nosecone shroud over those four screws in that coupler?" Well duh, you took the screws out removed the shroud and screwed 'em back in
so you didn't lose them! I'm gonna look to find me some of them right angle brackets you show. Pretty slick. Me? I've just been press fitting the sled over the all thread in the coupler. Kurt

Fearoflightning said:

I like the look of that, but I only really need the mounting ring. I may shoot them an email asking if they'll make just the ring... I already have a bulkhead.

Click to expand...

Can you order a centering ring from who you got the rocket from?

Nytrunner said:

Can you order a centering ring from who you got the rocket from?

Click to expand...

It would be custom because the it has to fit the ID of the nosecone coupler, but I'll look into it.

Fearoflightning said:

It would be custom because the it has to fit the ID of the nosecone coupler, but I'll look into it.

Click to expand...

Unless you have access to a belt sander of some sorts.....

Nytrunner said:

Unless you have access to a belt sander of some sorts.....

Click to expand...

I would do it if I could chuck it up in a drill and sand, but.....

I ordered the nosecone E-bay system.

I also drilled the hole for my camera window. Now I just need to get or make some kind of clear window to fill the hole....



I have tossed around a few ideas for a window. I initially thought of simply getting a piece of acrylic and cnc-ing it to shape, but a friend mentioned that I could fill the hole with some kind of an optical grade epoxy and polish for clarity. Any body have any experience with this?

EDIT: I found this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018N9E3M/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I would simply back with wax paper and tape and then sand and polish the finish to get it clear. Thoughts?

The acrylic I think might be a lot of work to get a low-distortion and high contrast result. If I were doing it I would use a small round flat piece of glass fixed in place. YMMV. Depends on your capabilities or what you want to experiment with.

OverTheTop said:

The acrylic I think might be a lot of work to get a low-distortion and high contrast result. If I were doing it I would use a small round flat piece of glass fixed in place. YMMV. Depends on your capabilities or what you want to experiment with.

Click to expand...

I have university resources, so capabilities are a function of time....


This is my design for a CNCed window, it should be fairly simple to get this or something similar made.

The appeal of pouring an optical resin would be that it would fit the hole perfectly and conform exactly to the outside curve, reducing drag and looking generally better.

I cut a small disk out of a 20 oz soda bottle about a 1/2 inch bigger around and use clear glue to adhear it onto the tube .

I think it would be difficult to properly polish the inside of the poured window.

RocketFeller said:

I think it would be difficult to properly polish the inside of the poured window.

Click to expand...

I would pour from the inside, probably using something like a syringe for better control.

I decided to go with a lexan window. After some further research, I found that pouring a window would introduce problems that are rather incompatible with rockets.





I apologize for the smudges on the window, it has since been cleaned.

Next up is ordering shock cord from onebadhawk and getting switches for the altimeters.

What are y'all's favorite switches? I've looked at magnetic switches:

https://shop.featherweightaltimeters.com/product.sc?productId=33

Apogee's simple press switch:

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Electronics-Payloads/Electronics-Accessories/Simple-Switch

And screw switches:

https://www.csrocketry.com/electronics/missleworks/6-32-screw-switch.html

I'm having trouble deciding, I know all work well, but what are your experiences? I do want to avoid the 120/240 selector switches, as they aren't designed as reliable on/off switches.

Any chance you could post a few more details about how you did the lexan window? I'm thinking about doing that on one of my rockets.

Fearoflightning said:

I decided to go with a lexan window. After some further research, I found that pouring a window would introduce problems that are rather incompatible with rockets.

View attachment 311748

View attachment 311749

I apologize for the smudges on the window, it has since been cleaned.

Next up is ordering shock cord from onebadhawk and getting switches for the altimeters.

What are y'all's favorite switches? I've looked at magnetic switches:

https://shop.featherweightaltimeters.com/product.sc?productId=33

Apogee's simple press switch:

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Electronics-Payloads/Electronics-Accessories/Simple-Switch

And screw switches:

https://www.csrocketry.com/electronics/missleworks/6-32-screw-switch.html

I'm having trouble deciding, I know all work well, but what are your experiences? I do want to avoid the 120/240 selector switches, as they aren't designed as reliable on/off switches.

Click to expand...

Talk to your L3CC/TAP about what kind of switches he/she likes.
Of the ones you listed I prefer the screw switch.


Steve Shannon

I have used a selection of switches of various sorts in rockets. Magnetic, rotary, slide, microswitch. After using those my favourite is the microswitches operated by pull pins. Walk up to the pad. Rack the rocket. Pull pins. Walk away. Makes for a more social day at the launch when it is all prepped before I leave home.

YMMV.

This is a couple of examples of what I do:

blackbrandt said:

Any chance you could post a few more details about how you did the lexan window? I'm thinking about doing that on one of my rockets.

Click to expand...

Sure!

The hole in the AV-bay was drilled initially with a forcner bit (spelling?) and was sanded smooth with a short length of pvc wrapped in sandpaper. Next I traced the circle I wanted on 1/4" lexan (with the anti-scratch film) and cut it to shape with a scroll saw. I then got it perfectly round with a belt sander.

I purposely cut it slightly bigger than the hole so I could have a very tight friction fit. I then sanded the hole out to accept the lexan. I used a small amount of epoxy clay molded around the inside edge as insurance, but I'm not worried about it going anywhere, as it is a VERY tight fit.

I received the nosecone AV-bay from APE in the mail yesterday and mounted it to the inside of my nosecone coupler with rocketpoxy.



I will go back today and do a fillet on the back side and epoxy the coupler in the nosecone.

Does anybody know the size alan wrench that the screws fit? It's between 1/16" and 5/64" and between H2 and 2.5. I don't have anything in my toolbox that remotely works. (Other than pliers)