"Big" Bertha

As some are aware, i'm currently in the information gathering phase for my level 3 build, a BIG Bertha, codenamed "Average Bertha", though the name Bertha is still up for debate.

So I saw a build thread by Jeff G and it sparked me to get the ball rolling. I decided to pick up a regular Big Bertha at my LHS and mod it a little. I'm keeping the motor mount the same, but i'm making a few modifications:

• Fiberglassing the fins so they can take the impact of the playa without worry.
• Making 1/2" and 1/8" LLs...well hey, if the front row (upto 33 1/8" rods" are full during a big launch, i can still launch it on the back row
• I'm leaving the back CR enough forward that i can, if needed, make this bird a 2 stager with another fin set
• Possibly more, haven't done anything else yet though.

Here we go:
1) I laid out the parts, and the little ring that goes around motor hook was missing, i'll make do.

2) Fiberglassing begins: I cut out 4 pieces of 5oz glass that were just big enough to cover the fins and a little more for wiggle room.

3) Right before i put on the gloves and got down to business, i put parchment paper down so that i would be able to press the fins. I also had to use staples to hold the parchment paper down, unfortunately they didn't penetrate far so i had to hammer them down.

4) first fin set being pressed, they should come out very nice and smooth.

So once i got the first fin set seated and pressed, i moved it aside and began preparing the motor mount.

1) Once i got the motor hook in place, i found out i didn't have that little ring that keeps the motor hook from just flopping up. I decided to take a bit of 13mm tubing and cut it down the line so that i could wrap it around the 18mm most of the way.

2) After gluing it looked pretty good.

3) Lower CR glued on and butted up to the 13mm tubing, i left enough room to make a coupler and give myself a second stage

4) Motor mount finished and ready to go in the rocket after complete drying (a day or 2, i want the fillets to actually harden before i push them into the body.

5) Also had a great thought about my launch lug. I looked at the one long LL used on the BB, and it looked boring. I decided to cut it into 4 1" or so sections, and then glue them onto 13mm tubes that had the glassine layer peeled off. Now i can have both 1/8" and 1/2" LLs. Who wouldn't want to hear, "Now moving to the back row, we have a big bertha flying on an estes C6-5 motor...wait what? is that card right?"

Thats all for today, i may post a picture of the pressed fins, but tune back in for the wierdest big bertha build of your life

1) i always manage to snap/crack balsa.
2) i didn't think of papering when i got home from my LHS:kill:
3) yeah XD

so i'm using a 18"X1/2" launch lug