Competitor 3 Minimum Diameter build

[andrewlathrop87]

Hey guys well I have started to build my Wildman/Performance Rocketry Competitor 3 kit. I have decided to make it minimum diameter, you guessed it a 75mm M in a 3 inch rocket!!! My build photos are to large to put directly on here. I do not know how to put such large photos directly into this posts.
Check back ever so often I will be adding photos every few days. Go to my www.Photobucket.com/AndrewLathroprockets and here you will see my photos

[bill2654]

Andrew, I use Windows Paint to resize pictures. It's easy! Is the Competitor going up at High Frontier this year?

[andrewlathrop87]

Yes Bill maybe on a Aerotech M1297. The same motor I did for my Level 3. But this time almost 20,000 ft high.

[andrewlathrop87]

[andrewlathrop87]

[andrewlathrop87]

[andrewlathrop87]

Sorry the pics are out of order, but from now on I will know how to re-size them, thanks Bill. I am using Aeropoxy 4500 to do the fillets.

[Aksrockets]

Will you do any T2T so strengthen up the fins? Sounds like a cool project, good luck!

Alex

[andrewlathrop87]

Yes I plan to do Carbon Fiber tip to tip and about 3 inches pas the fins

[jpummil]

Andrew,

You oughta plan on AIRFest as well if you can afford another motor! Bob has some pretty wild stuff coming in for the event...a "must not miss"
I should have a transmitter we can stuff in it by then.

[andrewlathrop87]

Hey Jeff remind me when is Airfest in Argonia?

[jpummil]

http://www.rocketryforum.com/showthr...hlight=AIRFest

[patelldp]

You need to sand the fins and booster tube between the fins much more than that. 60 grit and then score it with a sawzall blade. There should be no sheen on any of the parts. Once again to bring up the resources I provided in the last thread: http://groveraerospace.com/?page_id=826

After you sand and score, clean with acetone.

[llickteig1]

Yes Bill maybe on a Aerotech M1297. The same motor I did for my Level 3. But this time almost 20,000 ft high.

It might be a little heavy to hit 20K' but it will be a really nice flight. My 3" Wildman will go 19K' and change on a baby M. If you don't use a draggy motor retainer, that will help.

--Lance.

[jpummil]

Know you're going AT, but I wonder if CTI makes a tapered closure for 75mm like they do for 29mm? That alone was worth +800' on the sim for my Blackhawk29

[andrewlathrop87]

Thanks Jeff!!

[jpummil]

Hey Andrew...

http://www.rocketryonline.com/module...rticle&sid=543

How timely!

[COrocket]

Know you're going AT, but I wonder if CTI makes a tapered closure for 75mm like they do for 29mm? That alone was worth +800' on the sim for my Blackhawk29

They don't, at least not at this time. It would be cool to see one though.

[crossfire]

You will have to check out the new Rouse Tech tapered closure. It looks very nice.
gp

[andrewlathrop87]

You need to sand the fins and booster tube between the fins much more than that. 60 grit and then score it with a sawzall blade. There should be no sheen on any of the parts. Once again to bring up the resources I provided in the last thread: http://groveraerospace.com/?page_id=826

After you sand and score, clean with acetone.

Duh!!! I know that. I have not even sanded any of the parts yet. As you can tell I have just tacked on the fins.

[Yoehahn]

Alright. I for one have to say I dont like or appreciate the way you are responding to Dan P. here in either of your threads about this project. All he has been doing is giving advice and making polite comments about your project here and you have been talking down to him and making him seem inferior, when if you look at Dans builds I would say he is well qualified at least to build some amazing projects, and has before. At this point I believe he is just making comments to make sure the fins dont rip off this thing as soon as the motor lights and to try to help you through the build. And FYI, I dont think I have seen anybody tack on the fins without even scuffing up the parts. I know I wouldnt, but thats just me.
Anyways, Bravo Dan. I like the way you are handling this and look forward to meeting you at METRA sometime.

[andrewlathrop87]

I did scuff of the parts I tacked on with 60 grit.

[Yoehahn]

Duh!!! I know that. I have not even sanded any of the parts yet. As you can tell I have just tacked on the fins.

ummm...

[bill2654]

Hey Tom, why dont you and Dan take you comments some where else. I know Andrew and he is a very compitent builder. This is a perfect example why I dont post build threads any more. Troll some where else. FO!!

[andrewlathrop87]

Fins are fully dry. Next is the Proline 4500. I am using a 1 1/2'' fender washer for perfect fillets.

[Yoehahn]

Hey Tom, why dont you and Dan take you comments some where else. I know Andrew and he is a very compitent builder. This is a perfect example why I dont post build threads any more. Troll some where else. FO!!

Im not trying to troll, Nor am I doubting his abilities. I just think that Dan means no harm here and is just trying to help

[bill2654]

Maybe so...

[andrewlathrop87]

Here is an update on my build. As you can see I am using Pro-line 4500 high temperature epoxy. It is somewhat of a pain to work with, but as you can tell the finished product is sweet. And yes there is a glue on Aeropack 75mm motor retainer. Before you tell me that it creates more drag then other motor retention devices on other minimum diameter rockets I know. My view on it is that the rocket is light enough to fly on small 38mm J's and strong enough to fly on the biggest 75mm case I can stick in there. I wanted to make the rocket more of a utilitarian rocket so that I can use a ton of different size motors and not just 75mm motors. Since I already have Aeropack 38/54 adapter and 54/75 adapter it would allow my to use those adapters with the 75mm motor retainer. Since other retainers out there do not have a diverse set up as Aeropack that is the reasoning behind my logic. Since this is my first minimum diameter rocket I wanted to do more than just friction fit the motor in and I did not want to glue a bulkhead into the booster section and use that for motor retention. Maybe sometime I will build another minimum diameter rocket and use other forms of motor retention to get maximum aerodynamic performance, but this will do for me now.

[north boy]

Im liking the build and pics keep it coming. Hopefully finish it off with a wee launch video at the end. Have you a link to where to buy one??

Thanks

[andrewlathrop87]

I finished the Fin Fillets, but have not sanded them yet. I am going to sand them down and then scar up the surface to prepare for Carbon fiber tip to tip.