Who would like to help me design my first scratch E powered rocket?

[paul.nortness]

Why bother with scratch building a retainer for 29 mm when Estes sells their screw on retainer for like 6 bucks?

I looked to scratch building a screw on retainer for 24 mil motors because I was unwilling to pay 15 bucks per retainer....but the Estes ones work great and at 6 bucks a pop it's hard to beat

[GDJ]

Yeah I built the 29mm version, but there is a 24mm version of the Gatoraid motor retainer.

[GDJ]

Why bother with scratch building a retainer for 29 mm when Estes sells their screw on retainer for like 6 bucks?

I looked to scratch building a screw on retainer for 24 mil motors because I was unwilling to pay 15 bucks per retainer....but the Estes ones work great and at 6 bucks a pop it's hard to beat

Depends on availability. When I designed and built the 29mm retainer the Estes retainer was not available in Canada.
However, if one is using 2" tubing and want a little better aerodynamic profile in the rear end, the Gatoraid 29mm retainer is a better fitting retainer. IF the tube is smaller than 2", then the Estes retainer would be a better choice.

Basically weigh out all the pro's and con's, and decide which will work better for the rocket.

[Sparkytfl]

I guess it'll be good to see that paint on something other than a mid nineties Saturn.

[Green Jello]

Why bother with scratch building a retainer for 29 mm when Estes sells their screw on retainer for like 6 bucks?

I looked to scratch building a screw on retainer for 24 mil motors because I was unwilling to pay 15 bucks per retainer....but the Estes ones work great and at 6 bucks a pop it's hard to beat

Oh...I've never seen those. These things?

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/est/est9750.htm

Seems like those are only for 29mm.

[Green Jello]

Primer is done and a black undercoat for the Rustoleum Color Shift.

[GDJ]

Damn Jello! That looks GOOD!

[Slickwilly]

SWEET!!!

[Green Jello]

SWEET!!!

Thanks Slickwilly. Bourbonnais? GO BEARS!

[Green Jello]

Well...the black undercoat is dry and looks good. I guess I need to drill some holes in it for my altimeter before I do the final paint. I really don't want to do that. :/

[AfterBurners]

Well...the black undercoat is dry and looks good. I guess I need to drill some holes in it for my altimeter before I do the final paint. I really don't want to do that. :/

I usually try to drill the holes before, but sometimes I forget. Are you adding any other colors. So far so good.

[Green Jello]

I usually try to drill the holes before, but sometimes I forget. Are you adding any other colors. So far so good.

Yeah, I'm doing the Rustoleum Color Shift stuff. It needs a black undercoat to work. It was a combination of forgetting and the fact that I didn't have the AltimeterTwo when I started the build.

[AfterBurners]

Yeah, I'm doing the Rustoleum Color Shift stuff. It needs a black undercoat to work. It was a combination of forgetting and the fact that I didn't have the AltimeterTwo when I started the build.

I got an Alt2 for VDAY and haven't used it yet

[Green Jello]

Ok...here she is with 3 coats of the Rustoleum Color Switch on her. I still need to deal with the vent holes for my AltimeterTwo and then do the Future polish. Just about done.

[[POW]Eagle159]

NICE!

[Rocketbuilder]

Looks very good! I've been waning to try that paint, but I haven't been able to justify spending ~$15 a can on it.
In your other thread, it sounded like you had already attempted to make the vent holes, but they had fuzzy edges, right? Maybe you could use a fresh X-acto blade to cut a triangle hole where each of the holes are currently, so that you just cut away the tube right around the fuzzy-edged holes. I suggest a triangular hole just because it's an easy shape to cut out, and I think it would look pretty good. Or, you could just try modifying the hole puncher like I suggested in your other thread. Whatever works for you.
Keep up the good work!

[Green Jello]

Looks very good! I've been waning to try that paint, but I haven't been able to justify spending ~$15 a can on it.

The paint is very cool, and it's a look that these pictures don't do justice. What you may or may not know is that the paint is actually a mostly clear coat with the speckles in it. You put it on over a black undercoat.

[qquake2k]

Ok...I started putting this thing together. I'm using 680 lb kevlar cord attached to the ejection baffle (located down at that tube split line). How much length do you think I should have?

Hey, somebody else who builds rockets on his stove! I'm with ya, brother!

[qquake2k]

That sure turned out nice! Certainly better than my first scratcher! One thing I've done for fuzzy holes is to put a drop of thin CA on the edge, and redrill it after the CA is dry.

[Green Jello]

I added the air holes for the altimeter trimmed with metal eyelets.

Before:
Attachment 93398

After:
Attachment 93399

Overall, I'm satisfied with the look, and future rockets will look better when I remember to do the holes before sanding and painting.

[qquake2k]

I added the air holes for the altimeter trimmed with metal eyelets.

Before:
Attachment 93398

After:
Attachment 93399

Overall, I'm satisfied with the look, and future rockets will look better when I remember to do the holes before sanding and painting.

The eyelets are a nice touch!

[JPVegh]

Wow! This is really a sharp looking rocket. Nice job!

[luke strawwalker]

Terrific! Great work! Congrats!

Later! OL JR

[Davidtmp]

Where did you find the paint? I'm wanting to do something like this on my Leviathan....the Mirage kit is $25, and this looks like it would be what I am looking for as well. Looks like I see blue, purple, and red in your pics. Any green come out as well? How many coats did you use??
Oh yeah, nice job on the rocket.

[Green Jello]

Where did you find the paint? I'm wanting to do something like this on my Leviathan....the Mirage kit is $25, and this looks like it would be what I am looking for as well. Looks like I see blue, purple, and red in your pics. Any green come out as well? How many coats did you use??
Oh yeah, nice job on the rocket.

After checking all the Rustoleum dealers in my town, the only place I was able to find it was Lowes. Rustoleum only makes 2 colors and Lowes sells it for $15 a can:

http://rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=463

The color I used was the "Galaxy Blue" which is purple and blue. The other color, "Gamma Green", I have not seen, but it appears to have some red in it.

The process is rather lengthy, but worth it. The paint is actually kinda clear and just the speckles and it needs to go over a black under coat. What I did was 3 layers of primer and sanding, then 3 layers of gloss black and finally 3 layers of the Color Switch. The paint really looks great and it looks far better than any pictures could ever represent.

[Davidtmp]

Went by the Home Depot Hobby Shop today, and they didn't have it......I'll check the Lowe's Hobby Shop sometime this week and see if they have it. Thanks for the info!

[Green Jello]

Finally got to take her out for the first time. Here is the vid of the maiden flight:



The second flight was on an AeroTech E20-4W. As it was my first composite motor ever, I was more interested in watching than filming, so there is no video. Here is the data from the Alt2:

Peak Altitude: 1,311 ft
Top Speed: 225 MPH

[Rocketbuilder]

Nice flight! Looked pretty straight and high! Did you have a long walk to recover it?

[Green Jello]

No, it landed less than 100 yards away on both flights.

[qquake2k]

Looks like you've got a sweet flyer there!