geometric rocket challenge - quarterly challenge - first quarter

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Holy s#%t that's cool. I need lots of work on mine to compete. Good job. Back to the drawing board for me what size of motor was in that thing and what were th construction materials? Unless that's trade secrets.
 
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Holy s#%t that's cool. I need lots of work on mine to compete. Good job. Back to the drawing board for me what size of motor was in that thing and what were th construction materials? Unless that's trade secrets.

That was a D21, great motor:)
No secrets, glad to share and help my fellow rocket enthusiast. Most of the construction details are in the build thread. The interior tube is just a normal 18mm rocket tube, the laser cut bulk heads are 3mm mdf I believe (my local rocket supplier obtained these), fins are 3mm bursa. Exterior cardboard is from cut down cereal boxes acuatally.
 
The Reuleaux Spike is under way!

Just in case you were wondering, here are the bulkheads for the main airframe structure.
Centering Rings.jpg
I drilled the 1/4" holes as an afterthought and it is clear that my TLAR drill press alignment gear is out of calibration, but all should be OK.

This will be a celebration of the shape, with tube fins, of sorts, that appeared to me as I was laying out the the bulkheads. I am curious how it is going to fly due to the fin shape but the tube should help a little.
 
The Reuleaux Spike is under way!

Just in case you were wondering, here are the bulkheads for the main airframe structure.
View attachment 309897
I drilled the 1/4" holes as an afterthought and it is clear that my TLAR drill press alignment gear is out of calibration, but all should be OK.

This will be a celebration of the shape, with tube fins, of sorts, that appeared to me as I was laying out the the bulkheads. I am curious how it is going to fly due to the fin shape but the tube should help a little.

Nice shape, sounds like it's going to an interesting rocket.
 
I must have misunderstood the rules of the contest. I was under the impression that everything had to have angles, as in no rounded/curved parts. :confused:
 
I'll, have to figure how what to do. That is a rule but I also don't want to be a jerk over something's so small. I'm new to this running a contest thing so please bare with me.
 
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The rules are meant to be followed by the spirit, e.g. Thinking outside the typical round tube. The design by Screaminhelo does that.

I can't tell for sure from the pictures, but it looks like a solid of constant width. Is it?
 
I wasn't trying to be disparaging, just expressing that I understood it differently.
 
I wasn't trying to be disparaging, just expressing that I understood it differently.

I thought of it that way too, but, ya know, worst that could happen: My chances if winning increase.

I think that using a different shape than a circle is the goal rather than strictly angles only.

That at being said, mine is angular.
 
As I understand it, if I remember correctly,
it's the outer skin that needs to be anything but round, and doesn't apply to the internal structure or workings.
My design started with the engine mount, which is round, and so will everyone else's be for the obvious reasons.
From there it's an open canvas, except round.
 
Thinking of joining in - starting to get ideas....

But the problem with living in the North East

There are 4 clubs nearish me, ranging from a little over 1.5 hours to a bit under 2.5 hours away.
NONE have a launch scheduled within the time frame of the contest. :cry:

Hmm... If I go small then maybe I can try flying at the school yard... Hmm....
 
OK, so I've thought about the issue with the X-wing and how it has a roundish nose at the end. Since there is no prizes to be won here and its a challenge to get creative, think outside the box and just have fun I think we can all be adults and let little things slide. For instance if you built an oval rocket and said "well its not round and so and so did this", it would be childish and no one would appreciate it. Try to stay with in the rules of the contests and have fun with it. There is no money on the line and nothing to lose so lets just have fun build something polygon shaped and blow every ones mind with your creativity. thanks, and I hope this clears things up. if not message me and we can figure it out.
 
I must have misunderstood the rules of the contest. I was under the impression that everything had to have angles, as in no rounded/curved parts. :confused:

I'll, have to figure how what to do. That is a rule but I also don't want to be a jerk over something's so small. I'm new to this running a contest thing so please bare with me.

The rules are meant to be followed by the spirit, e.g. Thinking outside the typical round tube. The design by Screaminhelo does that.

I can't tell for sure from the pictures, but it looks like a solid of constant width. Is it?

I agree with you all. It technically qualifies since the body is angled but it is technically disqualified for having visible curved surfaces. This shape has been in my head recently and it spoke to me when I read the rules for the contest since it does blur the lines. I could build a triangular airframe, it would be a little easier, but that wouldn't have been nearly as much fun. Even though it is still simply a variation of a 3FNC build, I couldn't resist it when I saw what the rear view was going to look like.
AFT view.jpg

Incongruent is correct, it is a form of constant width, just like a circle. Unlike a circle, it does not rotate about a central axis; Reuleaux polygons axis of rotation describes an elliptical form which is why you don't see them used as wheels.

Does it qualify? The worst that can happen is the answer no. I'll still build it and have fun doing it. In the end, my skills will be improved and my mind will be engaged. It may be a moot point anyway, we are trying to get Pinewood Derby cars finished right now (currently getting started laying down some color) and the Army has dibbs on the last half of March, so getting this thing finished on time is not guaranteed.

mbecks- I promise not to file a Hurt Feelings Report if it is decided that my design doesn't meet the criteria for the contest. Either way, the contest has encouraged me to expand my horizons and attempt a rocket build that is beyond what I have done in the past and I think that is the point of this in the first place. No matter what, it is going to be a fun challenge for me.
 
I agree with you all. It technically qualifies since the body is angled but it is technically disqualified for having visible curved surfaces. This shape has been in my head recently and it spoke to me when I read the rules for the contest since it does blur the lines. I could build a triangular airframe, it would be a little easier, but that wouldn't have been nearly as much fun. Even though it is still simply a variation of a 3FNC build, I couldn't resist it when I saw what the rear view was going to look like.
View attachment 310000

Incongruent is correct, it is a form of constant width, just like a circle. Unlike a circle, it does not rotate about a central axis; Reuleaux polygons axis of rotation describes an elliptical form which is why you don't see them used as wheels.

Does it qualify? The worst that can happen is the answer no. I'll still build it and have fun doing it. In the end, my skills will be improved and my mind will be engaged. It may be a moot point anyway, we are trying to get Pinewood Derby cars finished right now (currently getting started laying down some color) and the Army has dibbs on the last half of March, so getting this thing finished on time is not guaranteed.

mbecks- I promise not to file a Hurt Feelings Report if it is decided that my design doesn't meet the criteria for the contest. Either way, the contest has encouraged me to expand my horizons and attempt a rocket build that is beyond what I have done in the past and I think that is the point of this in the first place. No matter what, it is going to be a fun challenge for me.

So I think the biggest problem now isn't the actually rocket its self but the fact that you started it a while ago giving you an advantage of time over everyone else. As cool as it is and I want to see the whole build to completion I don't think it should be entered in the contest because of the unfair time advantage.
 
I think we should vote. Not to belittle your voice, but if the competitors agree that it's ok, I feel like it is unnecessary to bar them from competing. After all, while there is no provided prize, all the people involved get awarded in experience.

If there is a prize that someone will offer, then we'll have to see whether or not to keep them from participating.

We could do a Google form where voters rank the rockets. (that way you can remove those who started early and still get a good representation of the rankings each one would receive)


Also, I admit that I've been thinking of a square rocket for a while now, though the idea didn't get developed until this- just another of those "that would be cool" things.
OK, scratch that. I considered a rocket modeled after a sign post, such that the body of the rocket is the perforated metal tube and the signs are the fins, but that's not what I'm going to do... Unless my current plan fails completely in which case I'll be at a time disadvantage, so...
 
So I think the biggest problem now isn't the actually rocket its self but the fact that you started it a while ago giving you an advantage of time over everyone else. As cool as it is and I want to see the whole build to completion I don't think it should be entered in the contest because of the unfair time advantage.

I didn't even put pen to paper on this prior to 9 JAN and the bulkheads were cut last week. Prior to that it was nothing more than a hazy idea bouncing around in the empty space behind my eyeballs. Either way, it's your show and life is too short to lose any sleep over one way or another. The only difference it makes to me is whether or not I connect with the contest as I share the build.

I just think that it is hilarious that we can end up having an honest discussion over the difference between round and angled shapes. I'm not sure that there are many other places where such a thing would happen. TRF is the best!
 
Or we could just have fun building and let the chips fall where they may at the end. Let mbecks and blackbrandt decide who disqualifies, if any, and leave it at that.

I'm thinking I might try something very polygonal... Odd but not oddroc per se.
 
Or we could just have fun building and let the chips fall where they may at the end. Let mbecks and blackbrandt decide who disqualifies, if any, and leave it at that.

I'm thinking I might try something very polygonal... Odd but not oddroc per se.

That is, essentially, what my thoughts were and why I posted pics when I did. I am skirting the rules with this and figured that I should submit it for approval before I connected it with the contest. Either way, it's getting built and mbecks gets credit as being the catalyst for this making the transition from concept to reality.
 
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That is, essentially, what my thoughts were and why I posted pics when I did. I am skirting the rules with this and figured that I should submit it for approval before I connected it with the contest. Either way, it's getting built and mbecks gets credit as being the catalyst for this making the transition from concept to reality.

Great. From the sounds of it I didn't understand when you started it. Sounds like it's good to go. Let's all stop worrying about it and keep building away.
 
Here is how I'm going to run this. I'm not going to disqualify anyone. Everyone gets a vote in the end and people will vote for there favourite. I'm sure if someone enters a rocket that is just a tube it won't get votes. It's all about good he spirit of the build and I don't want everyone to have to worry bout the smallest details. Have fun.
 
I'll, have to figure how what to do. That is a rule but I also don't want to be a jerk over something's so small. I'm new to this running a contest thing so please bare with me.
Its just begun...good luck with those gray areas of the rules.
 
Here is how I'm going to run this. I'm not going to disqualify anyone. Everyone gets a vote in the end and people will vote for there favourite. I'm sure if someone enters a rocket that is just a tube it won't get votes. It's all about good he spirit of the build and I don't want everyone to have to worry bout the smallest details. Have fun.

A fourm pole for voting? Perhaps leave it up for a week or so.
 
A fourm pole for voting? Perhaps leave it up for a week or so.
no need to vote on each rocket if it follows the rules %100. Basically if your u don't think the rocket follows the spirit of the competition you won't vote for it at the end of the quarter.
 
I'm glad everyone convinced me to make this quarterly, I haven't even started this yet. dang life getting busy on me.
 
Sadly I've been adding lots of round bits to my X Wing:no:

Oh well, now preparing it for painting.

2530E9C5-23C7-46B9-9D48-D25A9EE579BA.jpg
 
That is one of the best looking rockets I've seen. I hope it paints well.
 
So your looking for a rocket design something like this?


John Boren

Asteroid Hunter2.jpg
 
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