Certification 1 Build Thread

[Newt0n]

Hey guys!

I just recently started down the path of getting my cert 1 and decided to create a build thread to document the process of the rocket. This will not be my first rocket build but the first I have created a thread for and hopefully one of many to come, seeing as I'm only 17 . Anyway I hope to launch it close to my birthday in September when I'll be able to actually hold the certification until then I'll have another awesome rocket to stare at in my room . Below is my initial mock up of the rocket as well as a few simulations with a bunch of different motor configurations , still trying to decided on which motor to pick.

Thanks Guys!

[Newt0n]

Started unboxing most of the stuff today as well as fiddling with some of the motor mount hardware

[Newt0n]

I ran down to my local hardware store and picked up some 1/8" in aircraft grade plywood, really nice stuff. It was extremely hard and rather interesting to cut, but nevertheless it got done. I traced out the design of the fins on some graph paper by graphing the points on the paper and then taped four blank blocks of rectangular wood together with the outline on top, a method I found to be very useful as the fins can be cut simultaneously. The end product turned out nice but will be needed to be put on my sanding jig in order to get the beveled edge I desire.

[chadrog]

What type of terrain will you be flying over? Reason being is possible damage to the swept-back fins - not too fond of hard (and sometimes not so hard) landings. I see it as a preventable problem for your certification attempt.

[Newt0n]

Alrighty so the next step in the design was to cut the grooves for the TTW fins, as I write this however I realized that I posted a picture above of the rocket design that does not have TTW fins which is due to that being an earlier mock up. The process began by measuring out the distance between each fin and then marking where each fin would go accordingly. Once thaw was done I used my Dremel to cut the slots for the fins. I plan to attach the fins to the motor mount tube first and then slide the body tube over it and apply the fin fillets.

[Newt0n]

As of right now I'm planning on launching at one of the DARS (Dallas Area Rocketry Society) fields, provided that there would be a NAR member to supervise my flight.

http://www.dars.org/fields.html

[Jiffycoil]

Hey Chadrog,
Funny you posted this because I certified level 1 last weekend with my Badd Azz Zztarfire which has similar swept back fins. During landing the rocket came down on the edge of one of the fins on hard packed clay flexing it hard causing the paint to crack. If the fins weren't fiberglass and the filets weren't silicon bead reinforced I would have broken a fin. That would have ruined an otherwise perfect flight. Dustin you may want to keep that in mind.

[Newt0n]

The next thing on my agenda was to create an e-bay for my Jolly Logic AltimeterTwo that I recently purchased. I was brainstorming ideas and came across an interesting one while in the PVC isle at my local hardware store. I plan to mount a female section of PVC pipe inside the nosecone of the rocket and then using the male section of the PVC screw in the altimeter, which will be attached to the male section for easy install and withdrawal. Utilizing an old USB port i had laying around I expoxyed the USB port inside the male section so that altimeter will sit securely inside the section. I've had my far share of pesky e-bays and I'm beginning to quite like this one due to its simplicity.

[Jiffycoil]

Dustin,
You are doing a great job on your build. Nice work.

[Newt0n]

Just some more e-bay pics

[Newt0n]

Hey Chadrog,
Funny you posted this because I certified level 1 last weekend with my Badd Azz Zztarfire which has similar swept back fins. During landing the rocket came down on the edge of one of the fins on hard packed clay flexing it hard causing the paint to crack. If the fins weren't fiberglass and the filets weren't silicon bead reinforced I would have broken a fin. That would have ruined an otherwise perfect flight. Dustin you may want to keep that in mind.

Thank you for your compliment! . I'll keep your advice in mind. I've used G10 before but didn't want to shell out the money for it for this build, though I LOVE the stuff. I'm confident in the aircraft plywood however I'm afriad your probably right when it comes to the landing. Guess I'll just have to wait and see!

[CarVac]

Is that Giant Leap Magnaframe?

[John Beans]

Dustin,
Nice looking build.
Don't forget to vent your altimeter bay (if you haven't already). The AltimeterTwo's accelerometer will gauge speed, burn time, peak and average acceleration just fine with no vent--but apogee, ejection altitude, and flight duration depend to some extent on ambient pressure. So... vent your PVC *and* vent the bay it vents to.
--John Beans, Jolly Logic

[Machet_Man]

Very nice looking rocket amigo That pvc e-bay idea of yours was executed amazingly. I look forward to seeing this build progress!

[Newt0n]

Is that Giant Leap Magnaframe?

Sure is.

[Newt0n]

Dustin,
Nice looking build.
Don't forget to vent your altimeter bay (if you haven't already). The AltimeterTwo's accelerometer will gauge speed, burn time, peak and average acceleration just fine with no vent--but apogee, ejection altitude, and flight duration depend to some extent on ambient pressure. So... vent your PVC *and* vent the bay it vents to.
--John Beans, Jolly Logic

I just realized I took the picture with the vent hole on the other side. But yes there are two 1/16" holes in the nosecone for pressure equalization and for the altimeter. Love you product so far!

[Newt0n]

Very nice looking rocket amigo That pvc e-bay idea of yours was executed amazingly. I look forward to seeing this build progress!

Thanks bud cant wait for this to fly with Cletus!

[Salvage-1]

Real nice looking build. I really like the Jolly Logic Alt 2 and have used it a few times. Now I have to get another one since my last one got forced way inside the nose cone after a deployment failure. Got it back over the weekend and its a mess... I like the way you built the little bay for it.

[iter]

Thank you for sharing your build Dustin. I wonder what the blue putty-like stuff is around your PVC fittings.

Ari.

[rocketgeek101]

Thank you for sharing your build Dustin. I wonder what the blue putty-like stuff is around your PVC fittings.

Ari.

my guess is the "putty-like stuff" is epoxy clay from apogee components.

[Newt0n]

Right you are about the expoxy clay, just not from apogee. Its another brand that I found at my hardware store.

[Newt0n]

Real nice looking build. I really like the Jolly Logic Alt 2 and have used it a few times. Now I have to get another one since my last one got forced way inside the nose cone after a deployment failure. Got it back over the weekend and its a mess... I like the way you built the little bay for it.

Thanks I look forward to using it, it seems like an awesome product.

[Glasspack]

Dustin,

looks nice so far....... Is this a kit (It looks like a kit) If so what is it?


Glasspack

[Newt0n]

Dustin,

looks nice so far....... Is this a kit (It looks like a kit) If so what is it?


Glasspack

Well I'm glad it has the illusion of a kit , but no just picked up the components from Giant Leap.

[Newt0n]

Wanted to finalize the e-bay today so I attached the eye bolt to the PVC centering ring and epoxy clayed the back end of it. Next I sunk the entire e-bay about 1/4" inside the nosecone and filled the area with an epoxy that would secure it in place.

[Newt0n]

After completing the e-bay I made a simple fin jig out of cardboard in order to mount the fins to the motor mount and slide the body tube over the motor mount entirely, I haven't attached the fins yet but will very soon.

[Pantherjon]

Nice looking build so far..Only concern I have are the fin slots. I am not a fan of the slots going all the way to the end of the tube as it allows the tube to 'flower' or spread at the slots..I presume you will use clamps of some sort to make sure the tube stays 'true' when you install the fin/motor mount assembly?

[Newt0n]

Nice looking build so far..Only concern I have are the fin slots. I am not a fan of the slots going all the way to the end of the tube as it allows the tube to 'flower' or spread at the slots..I presume you will use clamps of some sort to make sure the tube stays 'true' when you install the fin/motor mount assembly?

Exactly, I plan on clamping the back end after inserting the motor mount fin assembly in order to keep everything aligned.

[Newt0n]

Started off yesterday by filling in the grooves in the body tube --both forward and aft section-- and afterward sanded it off for a nice smooth finish. I also cut the main bulkhead that will attach the bottom half of the rocket to the forward. I went with a half moon shape to allow the ejection gases to reach the nosecone and deploy the parachute. I bulkhead sits inside the coupler which will be riveted to not allow it to split once the ejection charge is blown.

[Newt0n]

Next step was sanding the fins in order to get a nice beveled edge. UNfortunatley the sanding jig I had created earlier in the year was left at school for the summer so a quick jig was created and the fin sanding began. A big thank you to Tripp aka Machet_Man for the help as it went much faster than usual . Once the fins were finished I started attaching them to the motor mount tube. I used a basic super glue gel to hold them in place as it dries in about 15 seconds and is surprisingly strong. Once all the fins were attach I went black with much stronger expoy and put some messy fillets on each fins, lucky they'll be hidden . Sure enough a quick test showed that the motor mount and fin set up fit in the main tube slots .