What did you do rocket wise today?

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Had some standby time at work so I was able to get a compilation video together from another great launch at Tri-Cities Rocketeers. Next time I'll be a bit less judicious on the zoom button.

[video=youtube;20Q1HoG6pxI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Q1HoG6pxI[/video]
 
Ordered batteries & switches for 4 of my rocket builds.

Started to assemble components for next years Airfest project. I was so impressed with Kyle C's flight I decided to build my own carbon fiber 54mm MD to accommodate the Loki M1378 rocket killer...
Jeff, where did you get that nose cone? AMW has aluminum-tipped ones, but they are natural colored. EDIT: Looks like Mac Performance Rocketry?
 
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Probably take me the rest of the year given I have some bathroom remodeling and a couple races to time in there too.
You should definitely build the Ox Metal first. Think of the cool custom tile work you could do for your bathroom! ;)
 
You should definitely build the Ox Metal first. Think of the cool custom tile work you could do for your bathroom! ;)

Kids' bathroom, and I despise tile...putting it in and living with it. I know that puts me at odds with almost everyone else in the world, but I just hate the stuff...hard, cold, grout to keep clean and/or seal. Going to be good ole linoleum sheet flooring.
 
...think of the cool custom linoleum work you could do! ;)

That would be after I fit it with an interchangeable laser head. Which is the second part of the project...probably next summer sometime.

I'm going to name the CNC unit "Shark". That way I can have a "Shark with a frickin' laser beam attached to its head."
 
I'm going to name the CNC unit "Shark". That way I can have a "Shark with a frickin' laser beam attached to its head."
Perfect. DO IT!

What's the overall cost looking like for your Ox Metal? I found one Ox kit for about $1100, but I didn't look very hard. I'd love to have something to cut rocket parts with.
 
Perfect. DO IT!

What's the overall cost looking like for your Ox Metal? I found one Ox kit for about $1100, but I didn't look very hard. I'd love to have something to cut rocket parts with.

The CNC will cost about $1200-1300 depending on the shipping charges for bigger parts plus the DeWalt Router I already have. The laser head and controller will run $350-550 depending on power and a few extra options...more research needs done on the laser before can nail that down. I have an excel sheet that lays out all the parts needed for the router with their cost and a link, and a list of the 3D printed parts as a checklist if you would like to make one too.

I decided on the Ox Metal versus the Ox kit because the Ox Metal uses lead screws instead of belts. Belts work great for low resistance things like 3D printers, but I worry about the maintenance especially if milling Aluminum and spitting chips around. I just think the screws will be more versatile. The Ox Metal works out to a little larger than the cutting bed area of the 750x1000 kit which runs $1295. I'd make it bigger as the frame isn't really where the cost is, but I have to fit it in the garage, so that is the limiting factor. That makes the price almost identical. I will need to print some of the parts, but that isn't a problem...the first step was to order 2 kg of Yellow PETG. Going to use black anodized extrusion and gantry plates. Since I am using a DeWalt router my OCD dictated the colors.
 
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I strongly recommend the Shapeoko XXL.


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The CNC will cost about $1200-1300...I decided on the Ox Metal versus the Ox kit because the Ox Metal uses lead screws instead of belts.
Cool, thanks. Lead screws are definitely better than belts.

I strongly recommend the Shapeoko XXL.
Looks good. Pricey though.

Well, crap. Now I have to build a CNC router. That looks awesome. I was planning to join the local makerspace and use their tools, but I think this would solve 95% of my problems and it would live in my garage.
Man, I wish the Vegas maker space would get one. They have a 40W laser, but that's not going to work for carbon fins.

Rob702Martinez has a C-Beam and it looks nice too. It's quite a bit smaller, but cheaper too. I guess I need to figure out how big my rocket parts will ever be, then size for that. Hmmm.
 
I strongly recommend the Shapeoko XXL.


Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum

I looked REEEAAAALLLL Hard at that one.

Well, crap. Now I have to build a CNC router. That looks awesome. I was planning to join the local makerspace and use their tools, but I think this would solve 95% of my problems and it would live in my garage.

I didn't "need" these cool tools until I visited the local Makerspace. Unfortunately, it is on the wrong side of town and with two kids time is THE premium in my life, so I've been trying to build a mini-Makerspace in my garage.
 
Rob702Martinez has a C-Beam and it looks nice too. It's quite a bit smaller, but cheaper too. I guess I need to figure out how big my rocket parts will ever be, then size for that. Hmmm.

The C-Beam XL looks big enough for pretty much any L3 project, with the exception of some scale projects like a Phoenix missile that has monster fins.

Here's a quick comparison of the two. https://www.openbuilds.com/threads/cnc-ox-v-c-beam-plate-maker.2552/


I like the OX metal with the screws. But even the baby C-Beam is probably adequate for most of what I would want to do on rockets for a while. Time to do some studying, and budgeting...
 
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Took 5 kids to the park to fly little scratch built rockets.

We inducted another of the kid's friends into the fun of rocketry - he built a small 18mm MD 3fnc.

I need to update my sims for a few of the kid's rockets - we probably could have picked some bigger motors for a few of them - one of them is heavier then I originally simmed and only made it to 60m on a b6-4

We have a running challenge with the Rockets built and flown on the same weekend - last time the engine block wood glue seemed to melt and grab the motor making it a "one flight only" rocket.

This time, the fresh build snagged the launch rod on its way up and took a 45° slant shortly after launch - it disappeared onto the roof of the local school on its way down. The Estes mini rail we have had a slight mislignment in it that no amount of sanding can fix and his happens sometimes - I need to find a cheap source of smooth straight launch rod - any suggestions welcome.

I've established that kids deal better with failure of their precious rocket then they do losing it.

Still - all rockets at my house come with a guarantee - if it breaks or you lose it, you can make a new one next time you stay over...

When the kids were all polled at the end of their first week of vacation about what was the best bit of the week - launching rockets won, so I guess that's a good sign...

The best part for me was wonder why my 12yo son was wandering around the landing site of his 33mm 4fnc - turns out he was trying to find the wadding sheets he'd seen fly down because he's seen me grab them to re-use them - he wanted to help save money for more rockets!! God bless his cotton socks!!
 
Cool, thanks. Lead screws are definitely better than belts.

Looks good. Pricey though.

Man, I wish the Vegas maker space would get one. They have a 40W laser, but that's not going to work for carbon fins.

Rob702Martinez has a C-Beam and it looks nice too. It's quite a bit smaller, but cheaper too. I guess I need to figure out how big my rocket parts will ever be, then size for that. Hmmm.
Almost no lasers will work on most carbon post-cure, sadly.
 
I strongly recommend the Shapeoko XXL.

That's what I've got. Well, the XL. I like it a lot.

About 10 days ago we cloned an X-10 Express. I found a short conical nose cone with what looked like the right profile in my parts box, but it was sized for 33mm tube. I got the fin profile from the RockSim file, converted it from a PDF to an SVG in Illustrator, took that into Fusion 360 where I scaled it for BT55. From the time that we learned name of the kit to getting the fins off the CNC; probably an hour of work split between doing the CAD/CAM on the computer and tending to the robot.

x10f360scshot.pngx10expressxl.png

Not quite instant gratification, but the robot took over the most time-consuming and tedious parts of the build. There is also a considerable amount of mental effort involved in modeling and setting up the milling operations.

I thought about getting a laser cutter for the Shapeopko, but I don't really think I need it. Instead, I ordered a Maslow full sheet CNC.
 
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This time, the fresh build snagged the launch rod on its way up and took a 45° slant shortly after launch - it disappeared onto the roof of the local school on its way down. The Estes mini rail we have had a slight mislignment in it that no amount of sanding can fix and his happens sometimes - I need to find a cheap source of smooth straight launch rod - any suggestions welcome.

TIG welding rods, range of sizes and usually in 2, 3 and 4mm diameters by 600-900mm long. To save buying a whole pack I'd suggest take a few beers to your nearest boiler maker/custom exhaust shop/engineering shop.
 
TIG welding rods, range of sizes and usually in 2, 3 and 4mm diameters by 600-900mm long. To save buying a whole pack I'd suggest take a few beers to your nearest boiler maker/custom exhaust shop/engineering shop.

Thanks for that - I'll investigate!!
 
How does [the Maslow] work? That thing looks awesome in its simplicity.

I'll post something when I get it. I am still waiting for the kit to arrive (I get frequent updates from the folks who make it -- still about a month out)

I went to the local Maker Faire last week, there were a couple of booths with "hanging plotter" based CNC devices, like the Maslow. One clever device seemed to be a tattoo machine hanging rom a pair of stepper motors which tapped out drawings that looked sort of like pen-and-ink sketches. Another outfit was using something that looked very much like a Maslow with a longer z-axiz to cut "rapid prototypes" from blocks of rigid foam insulation.
 
Tonight I did final sanding on the external fin fillets on my PML Endeavor. Got a real sense of accomplishment after examining the rock-solid yet beautiful joints on the 1/8" FG fins.

Can't wait to paint this thing and put it in the air. And considering the amount of work I've put into it, promptly lose it in a tree. :D
 
I got an email this morning saying my 98mm Mega Magg will ship today. LOC has been a favourite of mine for a long time and the new owners are taking it to a new level. Tweaking a kit was easy peasy. So, I will stop adjusting my simulations until I actually get the components and weight them. I've been playing with this for a while. I have to finish my Scarab 54 soon so I can get this one built. I have coffee can K's to fly.
 
I'm home sick today blowing giant globs of snot out of my noggin...so I laid in bed and designed a quick hack at a nosecone sled for my Madcow 38mm thin-walled fiberglass Von Karman noseconed rockets (Formula 38 and maybe others). For now, this just holds a nano-tech 2S 300mAh 35C battery, Eggfinder Mini and a Featherweight magnetic switch. There should also be room for a small altimeter/flight computer if I decide to go that route.

It's definitely not final, but it'll work as a start for test fits.

Screen Shot 2017-09-26 at 3.30.07 PM.png
 
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I'm home sick today blowing giant globs of snot out of my noggin...so I laid in bed and designed a quick hack at a nosecone sled for my Madcow 38mm thin-walled fiberglass Von Karman noseconed rockets (Formula 38 and maybe others). For now, this just holds a nano-tech 2S 300mAh 35C battery, Eggfinder Mini and a Featherweight magnetic switch. There should also be room for a small altimeter/flight computer if I decide to go that route.

It's definitely not final, but it'll work as a start for test fits.

View attachment 328916

That is truly 10 lbs of -stuff- in a 2 lb sack. Well done.
 
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