Good Evening TRF. I haven't done a lot of build threads but I wanted to document my L3 build and share it with you.
This build is the Rocketry Warehouse Black Brant II. This is a 6" fiberglass kit that I purchased from RW in June 2015 when they first offered it. I initially planned to scratch build a BBII for my L3 but the initial offering price for this kit from RW was too good to pass up. I was going to start my L3 build in 2015 but I ended up changing jobs and moved all the way across the country from Massachusetts to Oregon that summer and needed some time to get settled in. I took 2016 to get familiar with the club out here (OROC), set a new personal altitude record (20k feet), a personal speed record (Mach 1.9-ish) and started using 75mm motors for the first time.
Now it's time for my Level 3. Clearly, I had no choice but to build a Black Brant for my L3. It just seemed appropriate to build my namesake for this and, unlike some other misguided individuals on this forum, I know how to spell BRANT :neener: (at least when it comes to the rocket and my name)
I started by constructing a proper OpenRocket file.
View attachment Black Brant II-6 inch-RW-BH.ork
Here are the parts laid out. On the right are some additional 6" to 3" centering rings that I purchased so I can build a tracking bay in the nosecone.
I'm starting with the boat-tail, motor tube and motor retainer.
The kit came with 3 centering rings: Two 6" rings and one 5" that fits into the tail. I added one extra 5" ring to beef up the aft end and attached an Aeropack 98mm flanged retainer.
Rings and retainer
I epoxied the two 5" rings together then drilled and tapped holes for the 8-32 screws that hold on the retainer.
For this build I'll be using mostly Rocketpoxy and West Systems Epoxy. Of course all parts are appropriately cleaned and roughed up prior to bonding. I typically use 60-100 grit sandpaper and I also score the surfaces as needed to improve adhesion.
-brant
edit - added BBII pic
edit II - added OR screenshot
This build is the Rocketry Warehouse Black Brant II. This is a 6" fiberglass kit that I purchased from RW in June 2015 when they first offered it. I initially planned to scratch build a BBII for my L3 but the initial offering price for this kit from RW was too good to pass up. I was going to start my L3 build in 2015 but I ended up changing jobs and moved all the way across the country from Massachusetts to Oregon that summer and needed some time to get settled in. I took 2016 to get familiar with the club out here (OROC), set a new personal altitude record (20k feet), a personal speed record (Mach 1.9-ish) and started using 75mm motors for the first time.
Now it's time for my Level 3. Clearly, I had no choice but to build a Black Brant for my L3. It just seemed appropriate to build my namesake for this and, unlike some other misguided individuals on this forum, I know how to spell BRANT :neener: (at least when it comes to the rocket and my name)
I started by constructing a proper OpenRocket file.
View attachment Black Brant II-6 inch-RW-BH.ork
Here are the parts laid out. On the right are some additional 6" to 3" centering rings that I purchased so I can build a tracking bay in the nosecone.
I'm starting with the boat-tail, motor tube and motor retainer.
The kit came with 3 centering rings: Two 6" rings and one 5" that fits into the tail. I added one extra 5" ring to beef up the aft end and attached an Aeropack 98mm flanged retainer.
Rings and retainer
I epoxied the two 5" rings together then drilled and tapped holes for the 8-32 screws that hold on the retainer.
For this build I'll be using mostly Rocketpoxy and West Systems Epoxy. Of course all parts are appropriately cleaned and roughed up prior to bonding. I typically use 60-100 grit sandpaper and I also score the surfaces as needed to improve adhesion.
-brant
edit - added BBII pic
edit II - added OR screenshot
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