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SteveL

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Just finished a new build that I have been working on for a while at the work bench but for a lot longer in my head. I like the futuristic look and have been working on a design in my head for a year or so. I designed it in RockSim to an extent but as I built it I would adjust the lenght and weight on the program. On seeing how it actually came out you will understand why I couldn't use RockSim for every thing. I took a few pictures as I was building it and I will post them as I can. I will also post the picture from RockSim. The rocket is 34" long, the tubes are BT 70 and the middle frame is made of carbon fiber tubing and rods. Motor mount is 24mm and rear ejection for recovery, I worked a while on rear ejection models to get a handle on that before I even started this one.



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Nice! That is a good looking build. Beautiful fit and finish, and I like the interstellar craft look.
 
SteveL said:
Just finished a new build that I have been working on for a while at the work bench but for a lot longer in my head. I like the futuristic look and have been working on a design in my head for a year or so. I designed it in RockSim to an extent but as I built it I would adjust the lenght and weight on the program. On seeing how it actually came out you will understand why I couldn't use RockSim for every thing. I took a few pictures as I was building it and I will post them as I can. I will also post the picture from RockSim. The rocket is 34" long, the tubes are BT 70 and the middle frame is made of carbon fiber tubing and rods. Motor mount is 24mm and rear ejection for recovery, I worked a while on rear ejection models to get a handle on that before I even started this one.



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Please take video of the flight.
 
I had to figure out how long to make the cross pieces on the frame so that when it was all put together the long rails would hug the BT 70 tubes for gluing. I made two flat pieces using my cutting mat to line every thing up and then top of the other. I cut a hole in a piece of plywood the same size as the outside of the frame to help hold it all square while the glue dried. The biggest problem I had with the build was getting the carbon fiber rods glued together. I tried epoxy first but wasn't getting the best of results. I went to JB Weld and that seemed to work better.

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[Thanks you guys. I have a couple of pictures of the rear section showing the rear ejection section and the, for lack of a better word the rear cone I turned to look like a jet engine. I put a spacer made of a piece of BT 70 coupler in the forward part of the rear section. The forward centering ring of the motor tube butts up against it from the back and the balsa cone butts against it from the forward end. I figured I would reinforce this section to withstand the ejection blast. Then I covered it all with epoxy to take the heat.

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My next problem was getting it all lined up, the rear motor section, the mid frame and the front section. I cut two pieces of plywood long enough to hold all three pieces and screwed them together. I laid everthing in place and then taped the rear and forward sections to the jig. After gluing the two top runners to the BT 70 tubes I was able to rotate it in the jig and glue the rest of the long runners to the tubes.


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This is a super cool design... LOVE the "captured ring fin" in the center of the four outer fins... love the decal work and decoration... radiators on the ring fin and all... REALLY cool...

Have to ask though... NO forward looking window in the crew cabin?? :y: Just don't seem right without a forward facing window! :)

Otherwise extremely cool and innovative... looks like something that they'd send to Mars some day...

Later! OL JR :)
 
I must agree ,that is a superb looking rocket and a great build ,congradulations on a wonderful job.......I really do like that ,it`s just so different !!


Paul T
 
It's beautiful!!! I'd be scared to death to actually launch it.
 
man,that sure looks bigger than a BT 70 in the pictures
Anywhoo- really,really cool bird
 
The nose cone grew from a couple of pictures I saw on the internet. I started by turning the block to fit into the BT70 tube and then it ended up being 6 different pieces of balsa. After it was all sanded I coated it with 3 coats of epoxy before priming and paint.

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Scotty Dog said:
man,that sure looks bigger than a BT 70 in the pictures
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It sure does! Before I actually read through the thread, I thought it was some 3 or four inch diameter high powered monster!
Very good work. That's the sort of craftsmanship I hope to be able to put into my builds some day. :handshake:
 
Had chance to fly her for the second time today. Another good flight nice and straight, the flight was better than the video I shot but here it is.
[video=youtube_share;TY4k0INPnn4]https://youtu.be/TY4k0INPnn4[/video]
 
SteveL said:
Just finished a new build that I have been working on for a while at the work bench but for a lot longer in my head. I like the futuristic look and have been working on a design in my head for a year or so. I designed it in RockSim to an extent but as I built it I would adjust the lenght and weight on the program. On seeing how it actually came out you will understand why I couldn't use RockSim for every thing. I took a few pictures as I was building it and I will post them as I can. I will also post the picture from RockSim. The rocket is 34" long, the tubes are BT 70 and the middle frame is made of carbon fiber tubing and rods. Motor mount is 24mm and rear ejection for recovery, I worked a while on rear ejection models to get a handle on that before I even started this one.

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I love unique rockets. This is awesome!

Verna
www.vernarockets.com
 

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