Night Launch Odd Roc Build Thread

[dixontj93060]

Well I have been attending Midwest Power since MWP3. If you have attended this launch before you know that one of the highlights is the night launch which is held on Saturday night which is usually on or around Halloween night. As such, you have some strange things flying overhead: Jack-O-Lantern's, Witches Brooms, Flying Saucers, etc. I have had, let's see, three previous rockets that were modified with appendages to fly at night just to participate, but no rocket dedicated for night flight specifically for this event so I figure it's about time...

I thought of purchasing some of the superb night flight rockets that are available now (e.g., Leading Edge Alien), but then I wanted it to be a bit more distinct. So off to eBay to find components and finally I found the "perfect" body. But to add some suspense, I'm not going to reveal what it is exactly. As this build thread progresses I'm sure you will see more of the actual rocket, but to make it a little more interesting, the first one to guess what it is will get a small prize.

To start, here is the Rocksim file (name changed to "protect the innocent"):

[SMR]

the first one to guess what it is will get a small prize.

Casper the Friendly Ghost?

or, an alien?

[dixontj93060]

Casper the Friendly Ghost?

Good guess, but no.

[SMR]

How many guesses can I have?

although, technically, I am already ...

the first one to guess what it is

unless you meant "the first one to correctly guess what it us"



also, it might be an alien.

[dixontj93060]

No limit on guesses.

How many guesses can I have?

although, technically, I am already ...

[dlb]

MWP will have DRA-GLO from Wildman this year from what I hear.

[dixontj93060]

Yes, another excellent night flight rocket!

MWP will have DRA-GLO from Wildman this year from what I hear.

[Scotty Dog]

I cannt open the file,so I have no idea the size.However Ill guess "The Jolly Green Giant"? Or The Green Hornet?

[dixontj93060]

I cannt open the file,so I have no idea the size.However Ill guess "The Jolly Green Giant"? Or The Green Hornet?

No, but green is headed the right direction.

[redsox15]

green goblin?

[dixontj93060]

green goblin?

Again, good guess, but sorry no.

(Actually didn't expect to get so many guesses until I started posting some build pics--but hey, kinda like Family Feud and the fast buzzer advantage).

[dixontj93060]

Ebay buy numbers 2, 3 and 4... First, super bright LEDs--4 arrays of 9 each for the aft section and 4 arrays of 3 each for the fore section. Second, good, strong 3 cell Lipo's to power the LEDs and blinker controls (probably overkill, but wanted a bit of forward weight anyway). And third, a Lipo regulation/control circuit as a safety precaution to shut down at a low-voltage limit. You can see a video of the LED's working in this past post (BTW, the theme item mentioned in the linked post is still around, but it didn't provide the size/distinction that I wanted in this project, thus the recent eBay purchase referenced in post #1 of this thread).

[Scotty Dog]

Green With Envy or this.........

[dixontj93060]

Green With Envy or this.........

Oh, Kermit would be a good one! But no.

[dlb]

Green Lantern

[dixontj93060]

So just a bit of philosophy on this rocket build. My approach will be to build a rocket in three pieces, the booster or aft end and the payload/chute bay in the fore end and finally a cap, on the chute bay which is the nosecone in the Rocksim file. The idea is that the above components could be a stand alone rocket and flown separately. What makes it "odd" is simply the plastic skin. The plan is to have this skin completely separable from the rocket proper and will be assembled by sliding the components in place and using appropriately sized and placed screws and T-nuts to hold the assembly together. Although there will be some support from the skin, I don't want to rely on it for any structural support.

To that end, I started cutting and fiberglassing the central rocket components. A picture of the progress is below (Kinda messy as I had to do it fast between conference calls). I will need a 2.6" tube of ~25" in length and a 4" tube of approximately 13" in length. The problem is, as I've stated before, I'm not a craftsman and don't draw the build components to the nth dimensional detail. Couple this with the complex curves of the skin, and I feel it is best to rely on some "fit and adjust" methods during the build. Thus the tubes you see in the attachment are oversized in length and will be cut as I find out exactly how the fore and aft sections will mate together.

Some that pay attention to detail may see the coupler piece laying on the floor. This is the shoulder for the nosecone cap. It is also being glassed but the laminate is inside the tube. Some that really pay attention to detail may see a "step" at the end of the 2.6" tube. Yes it is really there. The 2.6" tube is actually a coupler tube and I added a section of 2.6" airframe in the area where the fins will attach as I want to get double wall strength in this area where I will have TTW mount as the span of the fins is fairly large compared to the 2.6" tube diameter. Finally, those with even more attention to detail may see black lettering on the 4" airframe section which identify these tubes as leftovers from this flock.

[dixontj93060]

The reason the rocket has to be built in three pieces is that the "skin" has a skinny neck approximately one third of the way down from the fore end. So I will assemble the booster and fin assembly and then insert that piece from the aft end. There is already an ~4" access hole in the bottom of the skin (see attached). This will be used to insert the main tube and fin slots will be cut to slide the whole assembly in. The larger chute bay will be inserted from the fore end where an 8" hole will be cut in the top of the skin (again this piece will be bolted on a bulkhead on the top of a 4" coupler and will act as the nosecone). The holes on the bottom and top are oversized as the electronics will be mounted in slots on the side of the appropriate tubes, 36 LEDs in the lower 2/3rds and 9 LEDs in the top section. There is a convenient plastic cap on the back of the skin where, as a yard ornament, this "creature" was lit up with an incandescent bulb (pic attached). I thought about mounting the batteries and switches here, but opted not to as I need to move weight forward in this design.

[dixontj93060]

Green Lantern

Again a good one. I like the Green Lantern. But no.

Hint: It isn't an actual character by name. In other words, it's not really a "who", like the Jolly Green Giant or Casper the Ghost, it is more like a "what."

[UPscaler]

A missile off the Joker's helicopter?

The green goblin's missile?

Green goblin's grenade?


Frankenstein's Monster?



Braden

[dixontj93060]

A missile off the Joker's helicopter?

The green goblin's missile?

Green goblin's grenade?


Frankenstein's Monster?



Braden

Braden,

Sorry. Although he could be considered a menace like the Green Goblin, no, no, no and no to your guesses.

-Tim

BTW, second layer of FG applied.

[Scotty Dog]

gangrene

[SMR]

gangrene

Really? Okay. "Puss"

(that would have been my follow-on in the Word Association thread.)

followed shortly by... "Hey, you guys are going too far"

followed immediately by... "Ogre"

or, an alien?

[dixontj93060]

Really? Okay. "Puss"

(that would have been my follow-on in the Word Association thread.)

followed shortly by... "Hey, you guys are going too far"

followed immediately by... "Ogre"

Sather,

Shrek is a good guess (not even commenting on gangrene). And although this thing is non-human like Shrek, your guess is incorrect.

-Tim

[SMR]

Oscar the Grouch? Tinkerbell? Robin Hood?



Or, an alien?

[dlb]

Hulk

[SMR]

Hmmmm, let's see. You're from Indianna, right. So it must be...

Green Bay Packers



or, an alien?

[dixontj93060]

OK guys, now you are getting cold. Like I said, not a proper name or individual like Tinkerbell; not human like the Green Bay Packers. Of course the Hulk is part-human and the right color, but no.

BTW, some rough cut centering rings and bulkheads done over lunch.

[daveyfire]

An alien?

(on the brain probably because I watched "Paul" a few weeks ago while we were finishing up our motor for LDRS. Which reminds me I also need to get up a better description of that motor in the research area. Back on the to-do list!)

[gdiscenza]

I'm thinking it's a troll.

G.D.

[jeffgeraci]

If it winds up being a frog, it's lame. If it's a turtle, it's beyond lame. If it's an alligator, it's super super lame. So my guess is: