Chris' Punisher 3 L2 build

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SoCalChris

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After my failed L2 certification earlier this month, I picked up a Punisher 3 from Wildman West and have been building it in the evenings to retry my L2 certification next month. I neglected to take any photos during the build, but have taken some now.

I plan on flying it at RocStock next month, on a J275, which the initial simulations say will take it to around 5,800' AGL at around 500mph. Assuming that flight goes well, I have an L640 that I will be flying it on. I need to get the final weights into the simulation, and based on that I will be flying it either at RocStock or XPRS. I have a feeling that it will have to wait for XPRS though due to the waiver at RocStock. The initial flight will be using motor ejection with a Jolly Logic Chute Release. Larger motors will be using dual deploy. Electronics onboard include an Altus Metrum EasyMini, Raspberry Pi Zero W with camera to record flight video, and an Egg Finder.

The airframe is done, I will post some pictures of the internals later if anyone is interested. I am working on the electronics sled now. Normally I would 3D print these, but my printer has been giving me trouble recently, so I'll probably just build one from wood for this rocket. The only thing I have left to do on the rocket body itself it to polish the clear coat to get rid of the orange peel.

The fins are attached with RocketPoxy, with internal fillets against the motor mount and interior of the body tube. Exterior fillets are also done with RocketPoxy.

For the graphics, "Big Red Punisher" was laser printed on water slide decals, and applied directly to the body tube. Over that went a coat of red Duplicolor Metalcast tint (About $9 at O'Reilly Auto Parts), which really looks spectacular on the Wildman translucent red tubes. On top of that went a nice thick coat of USC Spray Max 2k High Gloss Clearcoat (I haven't found this locally, just on Amazon. USE A RESPIRATOR WHEN USING THIS STUFF!). Pictures really don't do this paint job justice. It doesn't look like it came from a couple of rattle cans, that's for sure.

First coat of the Duplicolor Metalcast on.
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Clearcoat on
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Nice. I'm right in the middle of a build of the same rocket. I like what you've done with the paint!

Please send more pictures of the insides!
 
The initial flight will be using motor ejection with a Jolly Logic Chute Release. Larger motors will be using dual deploy. Electronics onboard include an Altus Metrum EasyMini, Raspberry Pi Zero W with camera to record flight video, and an Egg Finder.

Pardon my directness, but why in the world would you rely on motor deploy for a shakedown flight when the rocket was built around altimeter(s) deploy? Why not just fly with the electronics activated and use the motor as a late back-up drogue charge?

That paint looks sick, consider that idea stolen. :)
 
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