What did you do rocket wise today?

Normzilla said:

Dude I hate that! Why does it happen?

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In this case, it was undoubtedly my fault.

I'd soaked the cone in Minwax wood hardener and then painted the surface with thin CA, before I sprayed it the first time. I originally used some left-over backboard paint. Its tough, and has a nice matte finish that suited me for this rocket -- which is meant to look like an upscale of the Estes K11 kit. I took a few months to decide that little field damage gives the rocket character, and not to fill in the dents and chips -- just to repaint it the way that I would have done it when I was 10.

Given that the surface was already a hodgepodge of off-label applications, and I didn't feel like running out to buy another can of blackboard paint, I grabbed the only other non-glossy black I had. I gave the surface a light sanding, wiped it down with diluted denatured alcohol and -- after letting it dry -- sprayed it with Rustoleum hight-heat black. I got good adhesion everywhere but in the spots where the bare wood had been exposed -- where it got all interesting.

I'll sand it a little more aggressively, and try again.

I opened up my LOC 4" Goblin and checked the fit of all the parts. Happy with the results.

jlabrasca said:

In this case, it was undoubtedly my fault.

I'd soaked the cone in Minwax wood hardener and then painted the surface with thin CA, before I sprayed it the first time. I originally used some left-over backboard paint. Its tough, and has a nice matte finish that suited me for this rocket -- which is meant to look like an upscale of the Estes K11 kit. I took a few months to decide that little field damage gives the rocket character, and not to fill in the dents and chips -- just to repaint it the way that I would have done it when I was 10.

Given that the surface was already a hodgepodge of off-label applications, and I didn't feel like running out to buy another can of blackboard paint, I grabbed the only other non-glossy black I had. I gave the surface a light sanding, wiped it down with diluted denatured alcohol and -- after letting it dry -- sprayed it with Rustoleum hight-heat black. I got good adhesion everywhere but in the spots where the bare wood had been exposed -- where it got all interesting.

I'll sand it a little more aggressively, and try again.

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Question: did you prime the balsa? I have had issues when papering fins where the edge of the paper meets the tip edge of the fin, where the balsa seems to "wick" away what I surmise is the agent in the paint (thinner?) that normally evaporates slowly as it dries, and leaves me with immediate wrinkles like that...

I found that being a little more careful on priming the tip edges with my preferred filling autoprimer (https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Product/SCA-Primer-Filler-400g/288527) was the solution... SInce I have paid more close attention to areas of exposed balsa, I haven't had an issue...

Today I did some repairs and paperwork for my L1 next weekend... 38mm OD scratch build on a CTI H90 Classic to around 3-4k feet. It's a 2.5% H and it'll still go out of sight... Eggfinder/JLCR to give me a bit more chance of getting it back.

We need a "fingers crossed" smiley...

This rocket is eventually destined to break mach on an H255 blue. Because low and slow only goes so far.oint:

snrkl said:

Question: did you prime the balsa? I have had issues when papering fins where the edge of the paper meets the tip edge of the fin, where the balsa seems to "wick" away what I surmise is the agent in the paint (thinner?) that normally evaporates slowly as it dries, and leaves me with immediate wrinkles like that...

I found that being a little more careful on priming the tip edges with my preferred filling autoprimer (https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Product/SCA-Primer-Filler-400g/288527) was the solution... SInce I have paid more close attention to areas of exposed balsa, I haven't had an issue...

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Your hypothesis is robust and plausible.

Of course I didn't prime the balsa. The exposed wood amounted to just a few small spots -- chips and gouges -- on opposite sides of the cone. Most of the existing paint was intact. I did only what I wrote in the previous. I gave it a light sanding with 600 grit and wiped it down with diluted alcohol to dust/degrease it. In the spots where the balsa was exposed I got these wrinkles, covering an area much larger than the area of the exposed wood. So yes, it is entirely possible that some volatile substance that should have outgassed or should have reacted with something to form a solid, instead percolated into the wood. Next time the weather cooperates, I'll try to fix it.

LithosphereRocketry said:

Today I did some repairs and paperwork for my L1 next weekend... 38mm OD scratch build on a CTI H90 Classic to around 3-4k feet. It's a 2.5% H and it'll still go out of sight... Eggfinder/JLCR to give me a bit more chance of getting it back.

We need a "fingers crossed" smiley...

This rocket is eventually destined to break mach on an H255 blue. Because low and slow only goes so far.oint:

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Good luck.

jd2cylman said:

I flew two! rockets today!!! Finally broke the weather curse and got a couple of rockets up. First H148R I've ever flown. Nice motor!

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Well Done, Not Carl!!! A beautiful day with great friends!

jd2cylman said:

I opened up my LOC 4" Goblin and checked the fit of all the parts. Happy with the results.

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I beveled the fins on mine. Might try to throw it together quick in time for a Class 1 launch this weekend. G69 Skid!

Preparing for my first sounding rocket launch. Webstream is here (launch in about 50min):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8ObX8qZLBI&feature=youtu.be

Reinhard said:

Preparing for my first sounding rocket launch. Webstream is here (launch in about 50min):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8ObX8qZLBI&feature=youtu.be

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Well that was good timing. I just saw this in my email ~50 minutes after you posted.

I pull up the Youtube: "Oh that's a really pretty launch site. How long until the launch?" *PHOOSH!* "Well there's that answer....."


So what's this rocket's mission?

Not one to pass up a unique scale subject, I picked up this neat little Estes UP Aerospace Spaceloft kit at a hole-in-the-wall hobby shop at Woodland Hills, CA.

Added to my collection of NASA Pegasus... This is the NASA Gooneysus...

Chris


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More digging into what happened with my Broken Arrow paint. It looks like the Cherry Red didn't bond to the Silver Metallic. When I wet sanded it, there were several areas where small sheets of red came off revealing the silver underneath. FWIW, here's what I did. Everything was Rustoleum Stops Rust rattle cans from Home Depot:

2 gray primer coats
2 days curing
Wet sanded
2 gloss white coats
3 days curing
Wet sanded
Paint mask applied (EnduraMatte black vinyl from Sign Warehouse), about an hour wait, then 2 mist coat of silver metallic followed by 2 cherry red coats, followed by a light fade of Regal Red.
Removed paint mask after ~1 hour - paint peeled in several places
3 days curing
Wet sanded (deeper than I needed to...for science). Several 1" square sheets of red came off very easily, as if they weren't attached at all. The red sheets don't have any silver on the back of them.
2 coats of gloss clear

I had good luck with a rocket painted similarly except for the silver metallic and the time I waited to remove the mask. I guess I won't be doing that again.

Ouch:


Not too bad from this angle (still needs a final polish...which it won't get) :


So, the plan is to fly it as is - provided that the weather cooperates this weekend at Tripoli Vegas' SpringFest. After that, I'll remove all the paint and start over.

More work on the Nike Cajun 2 stage. Guess I actually need to do a build thread on this little guy, its only 36" tall and without motors about 12ozs.

Left: Booster fins made from 1/8" ply pre-skinning with balsa and basswood.
2nd from Left: New payload section to accommodate the JL3, the original payload section was BT20 based, this one is BT50 based (not scale like the BT20, but its similar to a actual payload section on a different Cajun version).
3rd from Left: the assembled Nike Cajun with BT50 payload section.
Center Left: AvBay sled assembly.
Center Right: Eggtimer Quantum setup for airstart and 300mah LiPo, changed Quantum mounting location later (to other side of sled, lots more room see last two pics)
3rd fromRight: 300mah LiPo mounted, changed battery location later (to other side of sled, Mo Betta)
Last two pics: bay is in same orientation in both pics whats different is the Quantum is mounted on opposite sides of the sled, by doing so I gained additional space under the Quantum to ease the battery securement process without removing alt).

The Quantum will do duty as both airstart for the upper stage (upper stage is BP motors only at this time), and main chute deploy at booster apogee. Once its all painted I will resim the darn thing and most likely off an 8' rail will be able to do Estes E12 to C6-7 staging or for first flight F35W to A8-5 giving an altitude of something over 1500-1900'.



Edit: Really fun part about this rocket is I can also build a Tomahawk stage, an Apache Stage or any number of Nike combos. Av-Bay with all parts as shown is about 4ozs total, the sled weighs 26 grams and the battery and altimeter weigh about 52 grams. I still need to make a teeny tiny charge well for the bulkhead and add a well nut for wire pass through. The upper bulkhead where the airstart igniter passes through will be sealed with poster tack putty and a disk of aluminum tape.

Finally about to finish my first rocket build in almost two years; I might still be an L3, but the time away from rocketry due to work conflicts takes a toll. After much ado to get here, ground test today!

Drogue test (note: first test at 1.75g failed...good thing I ground tested!)
[video=youtube;Ioc7fvF8WEM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ioc7fvF8WEM[/video]

Main test (Top Flite 58" main, nylon webbing (lots), nomex burrito CJ style)
[video=youtube;bd2RzW4pfiw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd2RzW4pfiw[/video]
Yes, I repeated HED...

This Jart is stretched a bit to ensure a 54/2560 fits. Redundant altimeters, Missile Works RRC3 and RRC2+. All backup charges will be ~0.5g above the tested values, just in case (charge wells limited to 3g). Red Glare here I come!

Cut some downscale fins... original was BT-50. These are for BT-20, BT-5, BT-3, and BT-2.5


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Final prep for the public launch at my local club (QRS in Australia)


[FONT=&amp]I have two flights planned - both will be flying with my eggfinder mini.. needless to say, if I lose the first one, the second launch will be scrapped as it won't have a GPS! (I really need to get around to assembling my second EFMini...)

1) L1 cert with my SCR Quake "Mk4 Rocket Propelled Companion Pod" - 66.7 mm to 3100ft on an H135
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]

This flight will see me flying two Altimeter 3's - I'm using this flight for relevant scientific testing.. One of my A3's spent a little over two months in the corn field, this will allow me to compare the output from both of them to test the "weathered" one.

2) Another crack at (successfully recovered) supersonic on an 29mm MD "Aspera III" - G80 simmed to Mach 1.2 and 4700ft
* The first attempt (subsonic) on an F39 broke the NC attachment.. NC recovered, airframe turned up 6 week later.
* The second attempt saw a strengthened nose cone attachment method and went supersonic on a G80, but saw the shock cord snap (IMPORTANT LESSON: Kevlar kite string is not the same as kevlar shock cord...) NC and streamer recovered, airframe still out there somewhere...
* With this third attempt, we now have a slightly elongated NC shoulder to make a little more room for the electronics and 3mm Kevlar throughout (it will rip out of the airframe before it snaps).. We're slowly walking the failures down the airframe

- I have high hopes... As they say: "Third Time's a Charm!"
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]


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Did a bit of priming/sanding

snrkl said:

Final prep for the public launch at my local club (QRS in Australia)


[FONT=&amp]I have two flights planned - both will be flying with my eggfinder mini.. needless to say, if I lose the first one, the second launch will be scrapped as it won't have a GPS! (I really need to get around to assembling my second EFMini...)

1) L1 cert with my SCR Quake "Mk4 Rocket Propelled Companion Pod" - 66.7 mm to 3100ft on an H135
[/FONT]View attachment 340837[FONT=&amp]

This flight will see me flying two Altimeter 3's - I'm using this flight for relevant scientific testing.. One of my A3's spent a little over two months in the corn field, this will allow me to compare the output from both of them to test the "weathered" one.

2) Another crack at (successfully recovered) supersonic on an 29mm MD "Aspera III" - G80 simmed to Mach 1.2 and 4700ft
* The first attempt (subsonic) on an F39 broke the NC attachment.. NC recovered, airframe turned up 6 week later.
* The second attempt saw a strengthened nose cone attachment method and went supersonic on a G80, but saw the shock cord snap (IMPORTANT LESSON: Kevlar kite string is not the same as kevlar shock cord...) NC and streamer recovered, airframe still out there somewhere...
* With this third attempt, we now have a slightly elongated NC shoulder to make a little more room for the electronics and 3mm Kevlar throughout (it will rip out of the airframe before it snaps).. We're slowly walking the failures down the airframe

- I have high hopes... As they say: "Third Time's a Charm!"
[/FONT]View attachment 340836[FONT=&amp]


[/FONT]

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The pictograms are awesome.

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I finally have my Estes V2 ready for it's finishing stage: fillets, priming, and painting.

Constructed a couple of PVC rocket cradles as shown on Rocketn00b's awesome blog. I just need to find a store that's selling pool noodles when it's snowing outside!

Began my build if the Quest Mean Green. I assembled and installed the motor mount, marked the body tube, and airfoled the fins. I hope tomorrow is as productive. Maybe I'll make my way to Dayton tomorrow to visit eRockets and grab some parts to add a payload bay to the green mean for my Al, we will see.

foam pipe insulation will work.
Rex

Rex R said:

foam pipe insulation will work.
Rex

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My vote is for pool noodles - mine doubled as a perfect fit inside a 66.7mm air frame - I used the excess to make a PCV pipe painting stand that doesn’t hurt the MMT on larger rockets.

FlyBy01 said:

The pictograms are awesome.

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Thanks! There are better res images on the build thread:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...Companion-Pod-quot-SCR-Quake-L1-Build-Thread&

Rex R said:

foam pipe insulation will work.
Rex

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That's true. I didn't think of that.

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Built the UP Aerospace Spaceloft, and finally started real construction on the Drago.

Came home to a very welcome surprise. I purchased a second Chute release from my local vendor last weekend. And it wasn't working right. John said send it to him. Two days later I had a brand new box wrapped in gold paper. Thank you very much Mr. Beans for the amazing customer service.

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And I built my Eggtimer Quantum. What an amazing little device. Thank you Mr. Erving for your amazing customer service.

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Eric said:

And I built my Eggtimer Quantum. What an amazing little device. Thank you Mr. Erving for your amazing customer service.View attachment 340941View attachment 340942

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Nice!
What is the yellow board holder? I wan...er need one of those


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Nick@JET said:

Nice!
What is the yellow board holder? I wan...er need one of those


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That is Quad hands. Very nice. Heavy base

Nick@JET said:

Nice!
What is the yellow board holder? I wan...er need one of those


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Have you seen this?

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Too...Pickups/Soldering/StewMac_Solder_Monster.html

There are also lots of DIY third-hand soldering station plans/instructions online. You can put one together for less than $10. In fact, when I searched for Loc-line style coolant pipes on Amazon or AlliExpress, the algorithms suggest alligator clips, goose-neck magnifiers, rosin-core solder, etc. among the items I might also want to buy.

My rocket-wise stuff today.



Not satisfied with the COM I got from OpenRocket (which told me I needed to put 40 grams in the nose to be stable on a G80 s/u) -- I decided to balance the 2.5 inch EAC Viper on a piece of angle iron stock and find the COM for myself. In the process of demonstrating that OR was wrong (it is marginally stable with everything from a 29mm F s/u to an I205DMS) I accidentally did an impact stress test on the fins.

It fell about 1.2 meters from my bench to the cement floor of the shop. Back-of-the-envelope, that'd be an impact velocity of 4.9 m/s -- right on the corner of one of those absurdly large fins. Held up pretty well. Most of the damage was to the paper skin.

I also drew up the motor mount and a slotting jig for my five-finned-folly of an L2 rocket. I start cutting tomorrow. Anybody have advice on slotting blue tube with a router?

Worked on the new TCR LPR pads, one base is built one more to build, all the Spad Pad launch rod adjusters are built but needing clamp knobs/handles. 15 adjusters were built, one as an extra, and two with both 3/16" and 1/4" rod holes. Each of the pad bases has one adjuster at each end that can be either 1/8" or 3/16" (separate holes for each). Still need to get shorter screws for the rod clamps too. Then its paint for all pieces. Did manage to break one 10-24 tap off while threading, thought that was going to end my day, but I found 5 more in my tap drawer, turns out they were far better quality and sharper than my brand new Kobalt one (Kobalt brand is passable but a good professional grade tap is way better).