Big Photon Disruptor build

[sodmeister]

Third and last of the big fins.It`s now starting to look like a rocket....and it`s getting pretty big !

A nice little glass of Cognac during the build eases things along nicely.


Paul T

[JStitz]

Sodmeister Paul,This build thread is great!
I thought about doing the Disruptor in 4" years ago but got feet of clay when I realized how wide the fin span would be in scale.
Do you think this roc would be stable with both scaled down fin span and size?...(I know not to scale..)

Oh..I see the pictures of your workshop...How the Hell do you get to your Job with a Man Cave like that?


John

[sodmeister]

Sodmeister Paul,This build thread is great!
I thought about doing the Disruptor in 4" years ago but got feet of clay when I realized how wide the fin span would be in scale.
Do you think this roc would be stable with both scaled down fin span and size?

Oh..I saw the picture of your workshop...How the Hell do you get to your Job with a Man Cave like that?


John

Because it only has 3 fins ,the span at it`s widest point is about 15 ' or so ,it`s just got a lot of "bulk".

This thing is a 3 X upscale ,so a 2X upscale would be a nice doable size.The thing is ,because of the original BT sizes ,the 3 X upscale just works out exactly to a 3" BT for the aft end and a 4" BT for the main rocket.

Sometimes it`s hard to leave the "cave" ...well actually I have two "caves" and head out to the construction site

Just build it !

Take care John

Paul T

[JStitz]

I just Re-read the part about the LOC cone...I have that LOC IV blunted cone and would be perfect.
I always wanted one of those Scottglass Blunted cones,but I think they only made them in 3" they had an extended shoulder.

[sodmeister]

I just Re-read the part about the LOC cone...I have that LOC IV blunted cone and would be perfect.
I always wanted one of those Scottglass Blunted cones,but I think they only made them in 3" they had an extended shoulder.

The blunt Loc cone is a pretty good match ,as I also used it on my upscale Photon Probe.Besides ,it`s not too expensive ,very durable and easy to work with.....good cones a around ! I`ve never used Scottglass, they still in business ,they have nice stuff ?

Paul t

[JStitz]

Sorry I mentioned them Paul,they are defunct and it's a shame. They were a Rocket guy from Texas getting together with a master Fiberglass and mold making guy. they were around for 10 years but you know how this Hobby goes..
Their cones were or appeared to be one piece..not two clam shells Gel-coated together.
Their 3" blunted cones also had a molded blunted shoulder and not just a coupler stuffed into a FG cone with a bulk plate. Kinda like it was blow molded..but it was solid glass.
Their bigger stuff looked like this Aerobee Cone (sorry for the crappy pic but you can still see the quality)

[sodmeister]

Sorry I mentioned them Paul,they are defunct and it's a shame. They were a Rocket guy from Texas getting together with a master Fiberglass and mold making guy. they were around for 10 years but you know how this Hobby goes..
Their cones were or appeared to be one piece..not two clam shells Gel-coated together.
Their 3" blunted cones also had a molded blunted shoulder and not just a coupler stuffed into a FG cone with a bulk plate. Kinda like it was blow molded..but it was solid glass.
Their bigger stuff looked like this Aerobee Cone (sorry for the crappy pic but you can still see the quality)

WOW ,that is a shame ,as I remember them having some different cones in different shapes and sizes ,that really is too bad !!

I do indeed remember Scottglass being of very good quality through websites and magazines.Yup ,plenty of great companies have gone away.....hate to see that in this hobby ,which is why the ones we have now need our support ,and believe me ,I do my part

Cheers

Paul t

[JStitz]

Yea..I remember Conical Nike Smoke and Extended Black Brant II cones in glass in several different sizes..
Mosquito blunted and extended pointy (32") 3.9 cones.(Aerobee) They also had real 4" not 3.9 cones.

Maybe I should start a current favorite FG nose cone thread eh?

OH! BTW...How are the Northern Lights this year..(I lived in Minnesota for a couple years..I'm an astronomer....I know!)

[sodmeister]

Yea..I remember Conical Nike Smoke and Extended Black Brant II cones in glass in several different sizes..
Mosquito blunted and extended pointy (32") 3.9 cones.(Aerobee) They also had real 4" not 3.9 cones.

Maybe I should start a current favorite FG nose cone thread eh?

OH! BTW...How are the Northern Lights this year..(I lived in Minnesota for a couple years..I'm an astronomer....I know!)

No Borealis as of late ,but we had some real noisy ones in November ,green ,pink and purple......beauties !!

Hard to see in the city ,but on my camping fishing trips in the north woods ,plenty to be had when the sun spots are good.

I remember Scott having the BB II NC/tail cone and I think a Sidewinder if I remember correctly.

Thankfully there are others offering cones ,and of course Sandman "Gordy" with his custom nosecones and tail cones etc.

Paul T

[sodmeister]

I managed to get a little time to get some fins on.These are the 3 second smallest set of aft fins now being epoxied in place.

Cheers

Paul T

[sodmeister]

The second smaller fin is in place and one more to go ,then I`ll tackle the 3 small upper fins.

Paul T

[sodmeister]

All the aft fins are in place and internal fillets have been applied ,although not the easiest task ,as room was at a premium and getting epoxy all the way down along the BT & fin tangs was a challenge.

I`d say the motor tube is pretty much solid

Paul T

[SteelyEyed]

All the aft fins are in place and internal fillets have been applied ,although not the easiest task ,as room was at a premium and getting epoxy all the way down along the BT & fin tangs was a challenge.

I`d say the motor tube is pretty much solid

Paul T

I'd say that's a "wee bit of an understatement"...

[gldknght]

Th
A nice little glass of Cognac during the build eases things along nicely.


Paul T

Or completely gaurantees your fins will be on upside down

[kelltym88]

Lookin' good Paul.....

[JStitz]

That's a busy motor mount area there. Are you foaming it? It might be easier to replace fins if you didn't.

NOT jinxing you here....

[sodmeister]

Or completely gaurantees your fins will be on upside down

That`s the great part of this build and the fins.Because the fins can be turned 120° they are still the same ,so there is no wrong way....so therefore the Cognac can flow like water

But yah....in other words ,it`s pretty much idiot proof.....there, I said it


Paul T

[sodmeister]

Lookin' good Paul.....

Thanks chum !

I sure wish I was able to paint it soon ,but that won`t happen until spring unfortunately ,but I can order the vinyl from Mark and look at them every night until then !

I have to say ,this is a very enjoyable build ,plenty of woodworking involved !

Regards

Paul T

[sodmeister]

That's a busy motor mount area there. Are you foaming it? It might be easier to replace fins if you didn't.

NOT jinxing you here....

Oh no ,no need for foam on a build like this.If these fins break off ,I fear there would have to have been a catastrophic event ,as these fins are pretty solid !

Take care J


Paul T

[sodmeister]

I`m getting the last set of 3 small fins epoxied in ,using the old aluminum angle and clamp technique to insure all the fins align.

This process should go pretty quick.


Paul T

[sodmeister]

Time for the Aeropack retainer.To insure a good bond ,I sanded the exposed phenolic MMT with 80 grit ,then used an xacto plade to make cross hatches for the JB weld to "key" into the grooves.I then use alcohol (not Cognac) to clean the retainer threads and MMT tube before gluing.

I`ll then use 5 min. epoxy to fillet the joint between the CR and BT ,then pour in an even coat of 30 min. epoxy to coat the entire CR ,encapsulating everything together ,as well as any exposed inside BT from motor exhaust,as well as stiffen the cardboard from landings etc.

Paul T

[sodmeister]

Here`s a 360° view of of the upscale with all the fins on.

Hope you all don`t find this too boring ?


Paul T

[sodmeister]

Aft end pics.

As you can perhaps see in the background, the rocket shop is a busy place

Cheers and thanks for having a look.


Paul T

[kelltym88]

Here`s a 360° view of of the upscale with all the fins on.

Hope you all don`t find this too boring ?


Paul T

Hardly!!

[sodmeister]

Hardly!!

You know ,if this thing ever catches fire on the pad ,it`s going to be quite the blaze...911 !

I was thinking ,less pictures ,more building.I was never too good at multitasking !


Paul T

[sodmeister]

Here`s a shot of the "lumber" rocket.Green Peace is gonna freak when they find out how much of the rain forest was used in this thing

It`s bigger than I thought ,and it`s not even put together full stack yet !

Paul T

[sodmeister]

To make transport easier ,and to make painting less of a chore ,I`m making the main coupler as a break away joint.But because there really is not a whole lot of meat for screws to grab into (1/8") I`m adding two inside couplers to add another 1/8".The picture shows only one in place.

I just used two pieces of 4" BT and sliced them to fit inside one another and epoxied into place.I then drilled and tapped holes for stainless steel 10-24 button head screws ,5 in total.

I cut the screws to length so as not to interfere with deployment.

If I find the connection is not strong enough ,I can always epoxy the coupler together and use the screws as a "coolness" factor. It works and it`s all good, afterall ,it the Disruptor

Paul T

[o1d_dude]

Starting to look like a real rocket now.

After viewing all the lumber in the fins, I pronounce your PD an honorary tube fin and predict a very straight boost. Probably going to be pretty tolerant of heavy reloads, too.

[sodmeister]

Starting to look like a real rocket now.

After viewing all the lumber in the fins, I pronounce your PD an honorary tube fin and predict a very straight boost. Probably going to be pretty tolerant of heavy reloads, too.

I `ll get the biggest 38mm CTI 6 grain into her ,but kinda wish I went to 54 mm.Oh well ,guess I`ll have to build something else then

I`ll start off with a big H ,then an I then a nice big J and see how things go.Then again ,it may end up as kindling....

Paul T

[sodmeister]

Screws are in ,seems solid enough

If nothing else ,it`ll make painting easier come spring


Paul T