6" NOSE CONE

Gary Byrum · Apr 23, 2018

I recently built a clone of a rocket designed by Estesbasher which was basically a Big Daddy nose cone, a short piece of airfrme with some slick looking fins. My version was a downscale to a PNC 80 K. I got the chance to fly it over the weekend and the performance was so good, it inspired me to build another one. This time I'd like to find a 6" nose cone around 18 (exposed inches) long. I'm not certain I'll locate one exactly that length, so, close will suffice. A new one is way more than I care to invest in one so I'm hoping someone has and old used one lying around somewhere. I'll even consider one with an acceptable margin of damage. It'll look like this when it's done.

Rocketjunkie · Apr 23, 2018

I have an extra LOC 5.5" nose cone (21" exposed length, PNC 5.38L). You will have to cut off the base to remove the 1 Kg weight. You probably need to cut it off anyway to get enough room for a chute. I do not have any 5.5" body tube.

Gary Byrum · Apr 23, 2018

Rocketjunkie said:
I have an extra LOC 5.5" nose cone (21" exposed length, PNC 5.38L). You will have to cut off the base to remove the 1 Kg weight. You probably need to cut it off anyway to get enough room for a chute. I do not have any 5.5" body tube.

I considered going with one of those if I couldn't find a 6"er. Maybe you can bring it to Camden weekend after next if you are planning to go.

Gary Byrum · Apr 23, 2018

Btw, I saw no listing for anything at LOC at 5.5". They carry a 5.38" nose and airframe. Is that what you meant?

LithosphereRocketry · Apr 23, 2018

Gary Byrum said:
Btw, I saw no listing for anything at LOC at 5.5". They carry a 5.38" nose and airframe. Is that what you meant?

I think 5.38 and 5.5 are the ID/OD - LOC measures by ID and almost everyone else by OD. Thus 2.56 for LOC BT-80, etc.

Gary Byrum · Apr 23, 2018

LithosphereRocketry said:
I think 5.38 and 5.5 are the ID/OD - LOC measures by ID and almost everyone else by OD. Thus 2.56 for LOC BT-80, etc.

I guess that means the airframe is 1/8" thick. That's pretty thick. Thanks man.

crossfire · Apr 23, 2018

Gary Byrum said:
I recently built a clone of a rocket designed by Estesbasher which was basically a Big Daddy nose cone, a short piece of airfrme with some slick looking fins. My version was a downscale to a PNC 80 K. I got the chance to fly it over the weekend and the performance was so good, it inspired me to build another one. This time I'd like to find a 6" nose cone around 18 (exposed inches) long. I'm not certain I'll locate one exactly that length, so, close will suffice. A new one is way more than I care to invest in one so I'm hoping someone has and old used one lying around somewhere. I'll even consider one with an acceptable margin of damage. It'll look like this when it's done.

View attachment 343246

How much nose weight do think a 6" will need? cool project.

Gary Byrum · Apr 23, 2018

crossfire said:
How much nose weight do think a 6" will need? cool project.

I have no clue. I didn't know when I built this one. My CG and CP where they needed to be. This one took a pretty good bit of fishing weights along with adequate epoxy and worked out perfect. I really wish I had a video of it. It was so freeking stable! It flew great on a C11-3 but a D12 would have been perfect. I'd say I used 1/2 oz of weight and close to 1/2 oz of epoxy.

Rocketjunkie · Apr 24, 2018

Gary Byrum said:
I guess that means the airframe is 1/8" thick. That's pretty thick. Thanks man.

ID 5.38", OD 5.54", .080 wall.

patelldp · Apr 24, 2018

Gary Byrum said:
I guess that means the airframe is 1/8" thick. That's pretty thick. Thanks man.

Divide that by 2...

Gary Byrum · Apr 24, 2018

Rocketjunkie said:
ID 5.38", OD 5.54", .080 wall.

patelldp said:
Divide that by 2...

Thanks guys. In Autocad, it helps to know wall thickness so I can get accurate measurements on fin tangs.

ep29030 · Apr 25, 2018

I believe PML has a 6" fiberglass nose cone. Have you checked with Wildman (Tim Lehr) to see if he had a 6" nosecone?

Gary Byrum · Apr 25, 2018

ep29030 said:
I believe PML has a 6" fiberglass nose cone. Have you checked with Wildman (Tim Lehr) to see if he had a 6" nosecone?

You might want to re-read my opening comment.

dlb · Apr 30, 2018

I was going through my old Surplus, and guess what I found. A 6in fiberglass nose cone with a 17 and 1/2 inch exposed area. If you want it I'll let it go a lot cheaper than a new one. It does have about 1 lb of BB's in a nose tip. PM me if you're interested and want more details.

Gary Byrum · Apr 30, 2018

dlb said:
I was going through my old Surplus, and guess what I found. A 6in fiberglass nose cone with a 17 and 1/2 inch exposed area. If you want it I'll let it go a lot cheaper than a new one. It does have about 1 lb of BB's in a nose tip. PM me if you're interested and want more details.

Wow! Sure looks nice. Rocketjunkie is bringing that LOC 5.5 to the launch this weekend and it may very well change my design plans. I had 6" in mind but when I drew a scale off that LOC nose cone, I had a gracious plenty of MPR rocket to play with. I will most definitely keep it in mind too. I don't often build larger heavy rockets, but now that I also have a Jolly Logic, I'm seeing new light on the horizon. PM me with a price if you don't mind, and thanks.

Gary Byrum · May 2, 2018

dlb said:
I was going through my old Surplus, and guess what I found. A 6in fiberglass nose cone with a 17 and 1/2 inch exposed area. If you want it I'll let it go a lot cheaper than a new one. It does have about 1 lb of BB's in a nose tip. PM me if you're interested and want more details.

Just out of curiosity, who distributes that nose cone? Or rather, where did you buy it?

dlb · May 2, 2018

Older Curtis Turner NC(the gelcoat version), most likely Wildman.

Gary Byrum · May 2, 2018

dlb said:
Older Curtis Turner NC(the gelcoat version), most likely Wildman.

Thanks. I was hoping to find an image online, like a PDF or .ork file with the profile of that nose cone in it. I can bring it into Autocad and trace/scale it to size, then do my designing around it. I don't suppose you have any such file, eh? An ork file would still have to be converted to a pdf tho.

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