CJ's "HOW TO BUILD A DARKSTAR 3 OR ANY GLASS KIT BUILD" STARTS

GRIFFIN said:

Cases fit in mine CJ?? All brands, all open ends of the rocket. (booster/payload)

Do you think the case may have been distorted from the fin slots??

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Yeah but do you have a fincan not built? Will a 75 go in that end with slots? I can get it in the other end.

I'm thinking along your line.....so many slots have distorted that end of tube, not the motor case. I think that's what you meant.

blackjack2564 said:

Yeah but do you have a fincan not built? Will a 75 go in that end with slots? I can get it in the other end.

I'm thinking along your line.....so many slots have distorted that end of tube, not the motor case. I think that's what you meant.

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LOL!! That's what I meant.

I am still interested in the 75/54 adapter regardless if you get time to explain your method for that.

I'd test the fit but i don't have a 75mm case I'm afraid.

jsargevt said:

I am still interested in the 75/54 adapter regardless if you get time to explain your method for that.

I'd test the fit but i don't have a 75mm case I'm afraid.

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It's still in the SpaceCowboy 75 , back of truck, from last weekends flight. Just for you, I will pull it out and show ya tomorrow!

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HERE'S THE NEW PLAN. CAN'T GET A 75MM MOTOR IN MY FINCAN SO WE'RE GONNA GO STOCK.....KINDA!

THIS THINGS GOING ON A DIET, GONNA CHOP & DROP IT.

AFTER talking to Tim about this, there are NO issues with the tubing, it's some of the best stuff there is. The spirals are wound tight and cured under heat.When 6 slots are cut into the tube for fins, that area con-caves a bit, acting like a Chinese finger grab when ya stick a motor in it. Normally you stick CR's and a motor tube in there & that solves the issue. So that's what I'll do, build it stock, with a few modifications for performance!

I'll just use straight tubing, no slots for all my minimum diameter builds, it's stronger that way with no weakening of airframe.

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First I layout the biggest motor I want to fly in it. That's an AMW 2550 case. Longer than the AT & CTI 6 grain xl case, so I know they will all fit.

I know I only need 7 in to get 25ft of 9/16 TN shock cord in so that where I will cut it off after laying payload and av-bay along side.


And finally what got cut. It's getting trimmer.

I find the Spongebob doll in the background of the first pic disturbing.

s6

Payloads turn....it's going on a diet too.

Was 22in.....cut off 4....now 18in long.

For a total trimming of almost 14in & .75 lbs. between both cuts.

I simmed it on a J-315 2-grain 54mm & got 660 ft higher by shorting it and cutting down drag.

Did several others sims & it does make a good bit difference.:dark:

stealth6 said:

I find the Spongebob doll in the background of the first pic disturbing.

s6

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I doubt that's the weirdest thing to be found at CJ's house.

stealth6 said:

I find the Spongebob doll in the background of the first pic disturbing.

s6

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Yeah, so did he first time I stuck him in a 6in rocket to 8,000 ft. He'll never be the same.

chadrog said:

I doubt that's the weirdest thing to be found at CJ's house.

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Won't EVEN go there. I did have to clean off the dining room table for this build. Be eating on the bar till it's over.

Anyhow, now for the GLUELESS nose cone.
For those that don't know..... it will come apart. I will be using a threaded rod [1/4 goes right in the metal tip] to hold the shoulder on with an AV-bay style bulkplate. This way I can remove the shoulder any time & use it to hold tracker, GPS. etc. I'll have 2 bays for electronics and NO glue.

Unscrew the tip.

Give the bolt a whack with something solid, it's not glued in and will pop right out.

Now ya can see how much nice, smooth room you can utilize.

blackjack2564 said:

Yeah but do you have a fincan not built? Will a 75 go in that end with slots?

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Tried mine with an AMW case. No fit um.

I see a drill and 3" flapper wheel in my future.

Nope, flap wheel will take FOREVER!
You will honestly need an engine hone..... Now ask me how I know this:eyeroll:.


JD

daveyfire said:

Tried mine with an AMW case. No fit um.

I see a drill and 3" flapper wheel in my future.

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Regarding the aluminum tip.....

Is it generally recommended that you use some thread lock on it so you don't lose it in flight?

Also, I understand how you are going to use the threaded rod to make the shoulder removable, but how are you doing the eye bolt?

I guess I realize that will be obvious soon.

*Takes his pills*

There are eyebolts without the bolt (eyenuts).

daveyfire said:

Tried mine with an AMW case. No fit um.

I see a drill and 3" flapper wheel in my future.

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Yep David...I'm all out of "pixie dust" guess I'll do another 75mm. I didn't feel like fighting this one.

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Gonna need a section of 1/4in threaded rod, an eyenut [also 1/4in] and 2 bulkplates,[ Coupler & airframe] to make another av-bay lid.
NOTE: this extra needed one [larger BP,]does not come with the kit, must purchase separately. You do get the black coupler BP.

Place coupler/NC shoulder into place.

Screw rod into NC tip and back it up with nut.

Slide through the NC & slip glued together BP's into place.

Get out the Dremel and cut it off leaving 3/4in.

Screw on the eye-nut. Done.

Jim,

I noticed that that small G10 disc is really all that is responsible for centering the aluminum tip and assuring it doesn't slide around from side to side. Are you at all concerned about the tip shifting?

I am doing the same thing on my Broken Arrow. A part of me wants to keep the small G10 disc in there to reduce the span from the aft bulkhead to the nosecone tip and help keep it centered.

Green Jello said:

That's odd. Your larger diameter bulkplates are regular green glass. The ones that came with mine are black. Is that because you have a early prototype version?

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He mentions that another bulkhead is necessary for this mod. I assume he made/bought one out of standard G10.

Green Jello said:

Regarding the aluminum tip.....

Is it generally recommended that you use some thread lock on it so you don't lose it in flight?

Also, I understand how you are going to use the threaded rod to make the shoulder removable, but how are you doing the eye bolt?

I guess I realize that will be obvious soon.

*Takes his pills*

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I suppose you can use LOC Tite. This isn't the first time I've done this & with a small nut backing up the tip, it's held just fine.

patelldp said:

Jim,

I noticed that that small G10 disc is really all that is responsible for centering the aluminum tip and assuring it doesn't slide around from side to side. Are you at all concerned about the tip shifting?

I am doing the same thing on my Broken Arrow. A part of me wants to keep the small G10 disc in there to reduce the span from the aft bulkhead to the nosecone tip and help keep it centered.

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It hasn't in the past, I think the BP's keep it centered, but there is no reason ya can't keep it in if ya figure out how.


So there ya have it... a No Glue nose cone assembly, easily adapted to various needs, when the time comes.

patelldp said:

He mentions that another bulkhead is necessary for this mod. I assume he made/bought one out of standard G10.

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Yes I have extras....I did state what you would need to do this....

"Gonna need a section of 1/4in threaded rod, an eyenut [also 1/4in] and 2 bulkplates,[ Coupler & airframe] to make another av-bay lid."

The black smaller [coupler BP] does come with the kit. You just need a larger BP to make the complete lid.

Thanks for that CJ, it's a nice setup.

Green Jello said:

So did you not glue the shoulder in either?

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Doooooooooood. Read his posts.

Green Jello said:

So did you not glue the shoulder in either?

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Ummm.... GLUELESS NC Assembly

No.... I want to be able to remove it later & add another BP to the bottom of shoulder, so I can have a second complete av-bay....sealed with a lid on each end for more stuff.

I probably should have said....will need one extra BP [large] . I'll change that. I can see where you might be confused.

2 large & 2 small are for the av-bay lids. The 3rd small one is for normally gluing into the nose cone shoulder with an eyebolt in the center for recovery attachment.

blackjack2564 said:

I probably should have said....will need an extra set of BP's . I'll change that. I can see where you might be confused.

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No, you did nothing wrong. I'm the total noob here just trying to learn from the master.

That glueless nosecone is exactly on how I planned on doing mine. Thanks for the build thread Jim, I am sure it will help alot of people.

I noticed you use an eyenut. I've been contemplating using these (in place of the usual eyebolts), but I've been concerned with them possibly twisting off during descent. Have you ever had issues like this, and/or do you do anything special to avoid this potential problem?

thanks, s6

stealth6 said:

I noticed you use an eyenut. I've been contemplating using these (in place of the usual eyebolts), but I've been concerned with them possibly twisting off during descent. Have you ever had issues like this, and/or do you do anything special to avoid this potential problem?

thanks, s6

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If you want extra assurance you can always put a locking nut on top of it