Mile High build thread

qquake2k said:

This Kevlar is probably the same as you have. What have you used it on? I checked LOC, but they don't list any Kevlar on their website.

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Most of my Midpowered rockets,I don't think Barry list the kevlar.He had a large spool of it and I thought he was not going to order it again as he had it for a while.I'm going there tomorrow and will check on it.How much did you want?

qquake2k said:

I cut some blocks to be epoxied to the centering rings for the rail buttons.

I need some suggestions for the recovery anchor. There's not enough room left on the forward centering ring for either an eyebolt or even a tiny u-bolt. What do you guys suggest?

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I've done a bridle epoxied to the motor mount then a swivel I can attach the shock cord to. Works well and makes it easy to replace or switch recovery gear. Just make sure when installing the motor mount it doesn't interferer with seating the fins.

The tape might look cool but not add much to visibility. I would add a reflective mylar streamer along with your drouge. They "glint" in the sun on the descent. Just keep it well away from your ejection charge!
Enjoying the build, captain!

Alex

qquake2k said:

I ordered some 1/4" tubular Kevlar, and an Aeropack retainer for the Milestone. And much to Kit's delight, I'm sure, I think I've decided on a black and fluorescent pink paint scheme. What do you guys think about adding some prism tape? Would it add to the visibility?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Prism-Tape...Domain_0&var=650020099550&hash=item588ec9a3df

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SUH-WEET!!!

I think I agree with Alex on the using a reflective mylar streamer rather than the prism tape or Sky Sheen on the body tube. I've used Sky Sheen on my balsa Free Flight gliders and it works very well but on AllBlack tuber not so much.

op:
+1 on the streamer

qquake2k said:

Okay, you guys have talked me into a streamer. Something like this?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12-ft-ROLL-X3-FISHING-LURE-Reflective-Prism-mylar-Patterns-glue-on-JIGS-skirts-/251068185715?_trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D11%26meid%3D3616508746801263796%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D261014865113%26

And is there a way to calculate descent rate with a streamer?

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That size streamer is suitable for a rocket with a burnout weight of 12 ounces.

Check out the RocketReviews.com streamer calculator.

Bob

qquake2k said:

Okay, you guys have talked me into a streamer. Something like this?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12-ft-ROLL...796&pid=100011&prg=1005&rk=1&sd=261014865113&

And is there a way to calculate descent rate with a streamer?

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Or like these

https://www.shadowaero.com/page2/page2.html

bobkrech said:

That size streamer is suitable for a rocket with a burnout weight of 12 ounces.

Check out the RocketReviews.com streamer calculator.

Bob

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I don't think that calculator will work for me. The streamer will be acting as a drogue, not the primary recovery device. It told me I'd need a 50ft long streamer.

I put a J350W in my 2.25" diameter <4lb white rocket at LDRS28 and got 6810ft. I used a pair of binoculars about 7.5X and easily watched the whole flight against the blue sky.
I have not had good luck with mylar steamers as drogues. They tend to tear off for me and you end up watching the drifting mylar instead of the falling rocket.
I used the aluminum tape for heating ducts and put narrow strips, 1/2" wide on the leading edges of the fins on my 4" L2 bird. It was a sunny day and the reflections of just those small strips were easily visible at +9,000 ft. I would suggest metalic tape on the fins. The spinning fincan can make a great strobe on a sunny day and it won't tear off like mylar can.

qquake2k said:

I don't think that calculator will work for me. The streamer will be acting as a drogue, not the primary recovery device. It told me I'd need a 50ft long streamer.

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The drag equation is Force, drag = 0.5 * Cd * rho * A * V^2.

This can be used to determine the relative change in velocity obtained by changing the streamer length.

If you reduce the area of the streamer by 4, you increase the descent velocity by 2, so a 3" x 144" streamer would drop your rocket about twice as fast as a 50' long streamer. Redcue the length by 9 and you get 66" and an increase in descent velocity of about 3.

A fair bit of data suggest that the optimum Cd is obtained with a 10:1 length to width ratio, but the Cd of streamer varies greatly depending on the attachment method, so this rule of thumb is not always accurate.

Hope this helps.

Bob

qquake2k said:

...
I got the Blue Tube body tubes, coupler, and plastic nose cone from Always Ready Rocketry. This is my first time using Blue Tube, and I'm sure I'll enjoy the challenges of this more advanced airframe tubing.

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What kind of nose cone ? Is it PML ? Looks too long and pointy for a LOC one.

Kenny

KenRico said:

What kind of nose cone ? Is it PML ? Looks too long and pointy for a LOC one.

Kenny

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I got it from ARR with the Blue Tube. I don't know who makes it.

I cut the altimeter sled out of a piece of 1/8" plywood, and epoxied it to 3/16" launch lugs.

I used 10-24 lock nuts to keep the sled in place on the threaded rods. Turned out pretty good.

Nice looking build,I need to learn how to make a ebay for my Madcow Stiker,so I can do duel deploy.Keep the pictures coming.Happy Turkey Day.

cjp said:

Nice looking build,I need to learn how to make a ebay for my Madcow Stiker,so I can do duel deploy.Keep the pictures coming.Happy Turkey Day.

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Happy Thanksgiving to you too! Keep in mind, that this is my first scratch built av-bay, and my first time setting up any av-bay. I am by no means an expert.

You know what? 2-56 hardware is tiny! And I have big clumsy fingers! I decided to use nylon washers, flat washers, and lock nuts to attach the altimeter and battery holder to the sled. But how to keep the screws in place, since I had to put the nylon washers on them all before I put them through the holes in the sled? Masking tape! It's magic!

Believe it or not, the only pieces of the tiny hardware I lost during all this was two nylon washers. Unbelievable. I finally figured out how to hold my mouth, and got all the screws tightened.

Not to toot my own horn, but I think my first av-bay is turning out really well. It's pretty heavy, though, at 13.35 oz. I still have to add the wiring and mounts for the charge canisters.

I bought this set on clearance somewhere, probably 15 years ago. I remember my ex at the time giving me a hard time about it, telling me I didn't need more tools. All I have to say to her now is, "Ha!"

I tested some charge canisters yesterday, just for fun. I used 2ml centrifuge tubes and Estes igniters. For the actual dual deploy ground testing and flights, I'll be using Q2G2 igniters.

1.0 grams of black powder:

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0.6 grams of black powder (the clicking is the camera trying to focus):

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And for comparison, 1.5 grams of Pyrodex:

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Looks great Captain! I can't quite tell from your pic's, is your battery holder tight to the sled? If so, you might want to space it up a bit so you can secure your battery in the holder with a zip-tie (or something similar). Cheap insurance. If you have some other plan, disregard last transmission...

chadrog said:

Looks great Captain! I can't quite tell from your pic's, is your battery holder tight to the sled? If so, you might want to space it up a bit so you can secure your battery in the holder with a zip-tie (or something similar). Cheap insurance. If you have some other plan, disregard last transmission...

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10-4, Rampart. Yes, the battery holder is off the sled enough to put a zip tie under it. I learned that trick from the forum. Roger wilco.

cjp said:

Nice looking build,I need to learn how to make a ebay for my Madcow Stiker,so I can do duel deploy.Keep the pictures coming.Happy Turkey Day.

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You know, it looks like the coupler in the Striker kit is pretty short. You might need to get a longer one for the av-bay. The Blue Tube coupler I got from ARR is 8" long, which I thought would be excessive. But as it turns out, I'll end up needing the length. There's not much room inside a 2.6" coupler.

Got the fins cut out. I hope they didn't ruin my bandsaw blade. That fiberglass is pretty tough stuff. Even got sparks a few times.

The fiberglass sands pretty easily. I cut out a fourth fin just in case.

Looking good Jim! I remember your saying, while starting your Shadow, that you're likely to fly few L2 motors after that one. Yeah, right :=)

Ari.

iter said:

Looking good Jim! I remember your saying, while starting your Shadow, that you're likely to fly few L2 motors after that one. Yeah, right :=)

Ari.

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Hey, just because I'm building another rocket that will take J's, doesn't mean I'll launch a lot of them. This will take H's and I's too, you know. But okay, you called my bluff! :tongue: