What did you do rocket wise today?

Last night, helped my younger son finish construction on his thing-a-ma-jig. Kinda gave up on my older son working on his last night. He was more interested in watching t.v. (did get him to sand the glassine off his BT and glue the dowel and screw eye into the NC)

After they went to bed, I did a bit of work on mine:
Treated the NC with thin CA. (and glued my nitrile glove to the shoulder in the process.)
Reinforced the forward body tube with thin CA
Lightly sanded and glued up the fin-jig fins
Glued in the MMT
Coated the fins with CWF
Trimmed and glued on the launch lug
Assembled the parachute

Still to do:
Sand down the CWF on the fins
Final sanding / shaping on the NC
Glue on the fins
Decorate the rocket

Added a Raven 3 and battery to the altimeter bay on my L2 rocket:


Also, can someone tell me if it's safe to do this:

Or should I find a different way to turn on the raven?

T34zac said:

Added a Raven 3 and battery to the altimeter bay on my L2 rocket:
View attachment 185387

Also, can someone tell me if it's safe to do this:
View attachment 185388
Or should I find a different way to turn on the raven?

Click to expand...

You could do that for the switch but it would defeat the point of redundancy.

conman13 said:

You could do that for the switch but it would defeat the point of redundancy.

Click to expand...

Correct. If the switch fails (which those sliding switches are prone to do), you have two failed deployment events.

patelldp said:

Correct. If the switch fails (which those sliding switches are prone to do), you have two failed deployment events.

Click to expand...

I have the switch oriented so high thrust events push the switch to the down position (on).

But my question wasn't weather the switch will fail (it's flown a couple times before), but weather or not it's safe to run a battery through the RRC3 switch circuit.


Another way I could do it is to put the batteries in parallel, and put a jumper on the switch terminal for the RRC3 like so:

Is this better?

Mailed a HPR Rocketry Book to TRF Member JP Morgan, Bondoed up my 29mm Crossfire, and added another Clear Coat to my Martel to make it glossy.

T34zac said:

But my question wasn't weather the switch will fail (it's flown a couple times before), but weather or not it's safe to run a battery through the RRC3 switch circuit.

Click to expand...

I can't see a scheumatic of the RRC3, or a close up of the board, but it looks like the switch part of the circuit switches in and out the first battery. This means that if you're running a battery through the switch, plus the original battery, then you have two batteries in circuit, which is most likely bad (assuming they don't have overvoltage protection). Also, this would send the first batteries voltage to the second circuit, thus making both of them exposed.

I don't know altimeters, but do have some electronics knowledge. You're really best off replacing the original switch with a DPST switch so that the two circuits are electrically isolated from each other. Otherwise you're risking the chance of one electrical failure taking out both devices. Or just power them both from the same battery!

djs said:

I can't see a scheumatic of the RRC3, or a close up of the board, but it looks like the switch part of the circuit switches in and out the first battery. This means that if you're running a battery through the switch, plus the original battery, then you have two batteries in circuit, which is most likely bad (assuming they don't have overvoltage protection). Also, this would send the first batteries voltage to the second circuit, thus making both of them exposed.

I don't know altimeters, but do have some electronics knowledge. You're really best off replacing the original switch with a DPST switch so that the two circuits are electrically isolated from each other. Otherwise you're risking the chance of one electrical failure taking out both devices. Or just power them both from the same battery!

Click to expand...

Ok thanks for the info. I actually just got some more switches in the mail about 20 mins ago. So now I'm busy making it two switches.

Minor correction- when I said "over voltage" and "voltage to the second circuit", these batteries are in parallel, not series, so it would be extra amperage/wattage- not voltage, which could also be destructive to the circuits!

Opened my Loc Aura, only to find that the fins are wrong... Am I missing something here?

Got ready for tomorrow's CMASS launch in Amesbury, MA. I have lunch and LCO duty, so not bringing too much to fly.

o1d_dude said:

Having lived in a decidedly non-Intl Dark Sky Assn certified neighborhood for almost 30 years, on my first trip with my telescope up to the Sierras (5000+ feet) I spent most of the evening just staring at the Milky Way...enough starlight for my dark-adapted eyes to spot things on the asphalt parking lot.

About five years ago the County replaced all the "sombrero" style street lights (see attached picture) with extremely well shielded models and I can now see the Milky Way when I sit out on my backyard patio.

View attachment 185342

Rocketry-wise I'm working on my Polecat Aero Goblin 5.5, epoxying the motor mount assembly into the body tube. I also reviewed my plans for the nose cone alt bay and am thinking of going a different route for constructing same. Some experimentation/trial constructrion will be needed.

Click to expand...

So we have yet another hobby in common? Are you also a member of SVAS? I haven't been up to Blue Canyon in over a year, but from where I'm at, we can see the Sombrero through the lights from my backyard. 10" SCT.

CzTeacherMan said:

Opened my Loc Aura, only to find that the fins are wrong... Am I missing something here?

Click to expand...

Those look like Weasel wings.

CzTeacherMan said:

Opened my Loc Aura, only to find that the fins are wrong... Am I missing something here?

Click to expand...

those are wrong. Email barry at LOC. I asked to buy replacements for fins that broke on landing, and he sent me free ones. I'm sure he will make this right.

Almost done with my static test stand.



Alex

Picking out what I'm bringing to CMASS launch thats a day from today.
Also bringing a couple Fliskit favorites ,"Purple Haze" (Rockstar) and "Deuces Wild Cherry" (Deuces Wild).

Me "UnderDog" (Big Daddy) is coming out to play.
And maybe a few others. Might not get them all up, thats OK , be good for show and tell.
I do like to take a stroll here and there to check out all the cool rockets and great peoples.

And, I got a box today and the wifey picked up some nylon material for chutes.
The box has
1-80
3- 70
2-60
BMS NCs.
Ebay deal.
Oh,and an invoice with a nice note from the seller.

Cl(VII) said:

Placed a US Composites order.

Also got two nice cots from gander Mountain for a camping trip. How is this rocketry related? Our three year old looked at the sky, saw three stars and said "there are so many stars"...my wife and I have rarely been so ashamed as parents, I'm raising city kids...this must change. So not rockets, but space anyway...headed to an International Dark-Sky Association certified park (Enchanted Rock) for a camping trip in two weeks. Unfortunately a full moon, but surely more stars than suburbia.

Click to expand...

Good for you! I remember in 2003, when we were stationed in Italy when I worked with NATO, we went to Tuscany and spent the weekend in a chianti vineyard. Anyway, the last night there, my teenage kids were amazed at the sight of the Milky Way, as I was. Enjoy your weekend and treasure that!

Oh, I did fillets on my Mega Skeeter.

Launching rockets (or missiles in my case) is so easy a chimp could do it. Read a step, do a step, eat a banana.

Sent from my iPad Air using Rocketry Forum.

Realized that I won't be able to do anything Rocket Wise tomorrow, because I have to go get and then replace the Blower Motor Resistor in my 2004 GMC Sierra. It gave out this morning.
It should'nt take all day, but it will ruin my Mood and Ambition for wanting to "Work on Stuff".
They fail frequently apparently, so hopefully I don't have to go to more than one of my usual Parts places to get one.:eyeroll:

Removed latest edition of Sport Rocketry from mailbox. Removed business card-sized tag taped on back cover. Read NSL story several times.

djs said:

Minor correction- when I said "over voltage" and "voltage to the second circuit", these batteries are in parallel, not series, so it would be extra amperage/wattage- not voltage, which could also be destructive to the circuits!

Click to expand...

Well the two altimeters are on separate circuits now so it shouldn't be an issue.

Made a little progress on my daughter's Pigasus.

At the last LUNAR launch she spent the entire day picking up trash. She didn't even attempt to launch her rocket. The club president was so impressed that he gave her one of the raffle prize kits. On the way home she said I could have it so today I started working on an Estes Pathfinder (#1997). It's been OOP since 1990.

Scotty Dog said:

Picking out what I'm bringing to CMASS launch thats a day from today.
Also bringing a couple Fliskit favorites ,"Purple Haze" (Rockstar) and "Deuces Wild Cherry" (Deuces Wild).

Me "UnderDog" (Big Daddy) is coming out to play.
And maybe a few others. Might not get them all up, thats OK , be good for show and tell.
I do like to take a stroll here and there to check out all the cool rockets and great peoples.

And, I got a box today and the wifey picked up some nylon material for chutes.
The box has
1-80
3- 70
2-60
BMS NCs.
Ebay deal.
Oh,and an invoice with a nice note from the seller.

Click to expand...

Those are some very unique looking rockets, should be able to spot you a mile away.

I'm only bringing three rockets tomorrow. Going to fly my L2 rocket on an I800. I'm also going to fly the sustainer for my Darkstar Jr on an G185.

Lastly I'm bringing my low power two stage, 'Take Three' (because it's my third, and only successful, two stage rocket) to fly on a C6-0 to a C6-5. Yes I'm trying to lose it. I used the same configuration at the last Acton launch and gave up on looking for the sustainer as soon as it lit. Someone brought it back to the LCO table 20 mins later.

Cl(VII) said:

those are wrong. Email barry at LOC. I asked to buy replacements for fins that broke on landing, and he sent me free ones. I'm sure he will make this right.

Click to expand...

Email sent... I just kept trying them different ways thinking I was momentarily dumb... LoL... Figured TRF would set me straight.

Prepped rockets for tomorrow's launch. Needed to add 1.5 oz to the nose of my Estes Nike Smoke, it was only marginally stable with the H97J it has loaded. It will be a spectacular flight for a light rocket, or a tremendous confetti generator.

Scotty Dog said:

Picking out what I'm bringing to CMASS launch thats a day from today.
Also bringing a couple Fliskit favorites ,"Purple Haze" (Rockstar) and "Deuces Wild Cherry" (Deuces Wild).

Me "UnderDog" (Big Daddy) is coming out to play.
And maybe a few others. Might not get them all up, thats OK , be good for show and tell.
I do like to take a stroll here and there to check out all the cool rockets and great peoples.

And, I got a box today and the wifey picked up some nylon material for chutes.
The box has
1-80
3- 70
2-60
BMS NCs.
Ebay deal.
Oh,and an invoice with a nice note from the seller.

Click to expand...

I remember watching the build threads on some of those. Especially the two on either end.

ChrisAttebery said:

Made a little progress on my daughter's Pigasus.

At the last LUNAR launch she spent the entire day picking up trash. She didn't even attempt to launch her rocket. The club president was so impressed that he gave her one of the raffle prize kits. On the way home she said I could have it so today I started working on an Estes Pathfinder (#1997). It's been OOP since 1990.

Click to expand...

As I recall, she was also helped pack up the launch equipment at the end of the day. I'm glad she got one of the "thanks for staying to help clean up" raffle prizes.

RocketT.Coyote said:

Removed latest edition of Sport Rocketry from mailbox. Removed business card-sized tag taped on back cover. Read NSL story several times.

Click to expand...

I heard that this month's edition has gone to the dogs.

Tried to buy another bulk pack of motors at Hobby Lobby for the cub scouts. Either they were still out from when I bought the last one 2 weeks ago, or "out again" - not sure which. So I got a raincheck, although they won't be in until after the launch next saturday. Maybe I'll luck out and there will be some on the truck this week, too. (If so I'll use the Raincheck pack when I take the pack to a LUNAR launch later in the year.)

I realized I need to figure out which motors I'm flying for myself at the scout launch next weekend so I can place an order with Bay Area Rocketry. (I'll see if he has estes bulk packs while I'm at it.) Oh, and I need to get a light kit to add to my crayon bank for the night launch. (How does "Harold: the NEON Purple Crayon" strike you as a name?)

I also did the second thing-a-ma-jig build session for my scout pack tonight. Got most everyone finished, or at least within spittin' distance. Only one boy took it upon himself to finish off (and decorate!) his rocket since the last meeting. (Besides my own.) I think a couple families did make some progress since last week and had questions / got stuck. A couple of the boys needed new tubes. Again, spent most of my time showing building tips, answering questions, and troubleshooting problems.

I have to remember to do a last safety inspection on these models before we fly them. I caught a couple of interesting things tonight. Note to self - make sure to pack full field repair kit next weekend.

I wish I'd remembered to take pictures. When I get in demonstrator rocketeer mode, I forget that these group builds make for good photo ops.

Here is my youngest's "Thing-a-ma-stickers" I think he wants to color the nose cone still.

swatkat said:

So we have yet another hobby in common? Are you also a member of SVAS? I haven't been up to Blue Canyon in over a year, but from where I'm at, we can see the Sombrero through the lights from my backyard. 10" SCT.

Click to expand...

I originally joined back in 1977 and then rejoined over the years several times. When I do go out under the stars with a club, it's been with the Sierra Stargazers at the Magnolia Trailhead Park and Ice House overlook. I have a couple of Stellarvue refractors and a homemade 6" RFT reflector assembled from parts back in the very early 1980's. Am semi-retired from the Cloudy Nights forum under the same userID as here.

Astronomy as a hobby is fairly common among rocketeers.

In rocketry news, I made quite a bit of progress on clearing my two workbenches off to make room for my current rocketry projects (Polecat Aero Goblin and some miscellaneous smaller rockets). Everything has a place and everything is in its place. Yay!

I glued the motor mount in the Pathfinder. The fins are basically square so I decided to change the shape slightly by tapering the front and rear edges by about 1/4". I got them trimmed, sanded and papered with Avery labels.


Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum