What did you do rocket wise today?

I needed another simple LPR build for work this weekend so I bought, and started on, a Hi-Flier. :wink:

Don't forget nose cone clay in the hi-flier... it needs it!
Built a Mammoth and a Der Red Max today. Hopefully flying next weekend.

Sanded 2nd coat of epoxy fillets on my V2.
Need to sand the filler in the dings from storage in the balsa nose cone.
2nd paper layer on the fins.
Just taking a break to let the cramps in my hands fade.
Searched the web for more rockets I'd like to buy (if I had money)
Spent too much time on the rocket forum....again.
Oh, nephew that got married last weekend stopped by and brought me a 6 pack of George Killians, drank that.

Bought a Plano tacklebox and cleaned all my rocket junk out of the dining room. It apparently multiplied, so I need to consider how I want to make all of the supplies and tools more portable.

Finished up assembly of an Airborne Surveillance Missile....pretty fun kit really....now just need some paint weather to set in. Got 3 kits waiting on paint now.

swatkat said:

Don't forget nose cone clay in the hi-flier... it needs it!

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Already installed. :wink:

Received my NARTREK Gold packet yesterday, so I can officially start on it. The packet had my Silver Certificate, so it's now hanging above my Bronze Certificate in the Rocket Shop. I did a search for NARTREK Gold, and it looks like nobody has done one since 2004 and 2006....so I think I'll do a Build Thread on Gold from start to finish.

I have to say, working through NARTREK has been very rewarding and enjoyable. If you haven't done it, even if your skills are way beyond it....knock it out! Besides L1-3, there's not much else in the hobby that's a structured achievement program, and it's fun. Might surprise you...that dang glider flight really took some effort, for me anyway. If you're a recent BAR or just new to the hobby....it's a great way to gain experience and knowledge. Dedicate yourself to achieving Gold before venturing to HPR and you'll carry a sense of accomplishment with you....not to mention a pretty decent experience base.

Waiting for paint to dry on the Broncuster II.

Then I saw this on facebook. Another intern and his roomate built this last year when I was interning at the engine test facility. He built the boosters, the roomate printed the stage couplers and nose caps, and I rigged the parachutes.

That was a very eventful flight. Notice the minifig ground crew glued onto the Maxi Launch pad.
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In the paint shop, on my original size Estes Astron Ranger and Big Bertha Clones.

Helped Sharon build two 18mm motors, D13 and a D24. Two L3's trying to figure out some ancient directions on how to build these tiny motors! It was a riot. We tried to find an igniter that would fit through the nozzle, then found three copperheads hidden in a liner. They were the only thing that would fit.
I also worked on the avbay for the sustainer of a rocket I bought from CJ a couple of years ago. It's a two stage 3 inch rocket with 54mm motors.


Might get it done for this months Eagle eye launch. After talking to CJ, I decided that it will fly on a K540 Metalstorm booster to a J145 Skidmark long burn in the sustainer. Just need to figure out how to program the PET-2 timer and RRC-3 airstart.

Wayco said:

Helped Sharon build two 18mm motors, D13 and a D24. Two L3's trying to figure out some ancient directions on how to build these tiny motors! It was a riot. We tried to find an igniter that would fit through the nozzle, then found three copperheads hidden in a liner. They were the only thing that would fit.

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Uh, how many L3's does it take to change a... Oh, nevermind... I sold all my 18mm reload hardware for the same reason--too much work (and always misplacing the cheaters)!!!

Wayco said:

Helped Sharon build two 18mm motors, D13 and a D24. Two L3's trying to figure out some ancient directions on how to build these tiny motors! It was a riot. We tried to find an igniter that would fit through the nozzle, then found three copperheads hidden in a liner. They were the only thing that would fit.
I also worked on the avbay for the sustainer of a rocket I bought from CJ a couple of years ago. It's a two stage 3 inch rocket with 54mm motors.

Might get it done for this months Eagle eye launch. After talking to CJ, I decided that it will fly on a K540 Metalstorm booster to a J145 Skidmark long burn in the sustainer. Just need to figure out how to program the PET-2 timer and RRC-3 airstart.

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Haha.. the D24's were a favorite of mine in the Estes Snitch. I ran into Initiator 001 at a launch and asked him about it and all he could do is scratch his head.

Just remember the 18mm reloads didnt really match the provided instructions .

Kenny

KenRico said:

Haha.. the D24's were a favorite of mine in the Estes Snitch. I ran into Initiator 001 at a launch and asked him about it and all he could do is scratch his head.

Just remember the 18mm reloads didnt really match the provided instructions .

Kenny

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This and I found that some of the 18's had to be built with the igniter in place or you would never get it in from the nozzle end. For this reason we always loaded the 18's at the launch site.

Some of them slots are a bit too tight

KenRico said:

....Just remember the 18mm reloads didnt really match the provided instructions

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dave carver said:

This and I found that some of the 18's had to be built with the igniter in place or you would never get it in from the nozzle end. For this reason we always loaded the 18's at the launch site....

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I've yet to use my 18/20 reloader....anymore "gotchas" on these you can think of?

Thats what FS-12 wires are for.
Or your own using wirewrap wire

Received some goodies in Rocket Mail with Hazardous Goods markings....

Printed some 3D adapters. 29mm to 24mm.

Print up a 13mm to 18mm, and a 18mm to 24mm.....and I'll buy them from you. I bet others may as well.

swatkat said:

Printed some 3D adapters. 29mm to 24mm.View attachment 307401

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Fred Garvin said:

Received some goodies in Rocket Mail with Hazardous Goods markings....

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I assume the hazardous item is the lube?

Scanned in my Sea Killer rocket paperwork into my PC. Now I have to find someone who can upscale the dimensions for a bigger rocket. I don't know what program was used with the drawing I have.

neil_w said:

I assume the hazardous item is the lube?

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Just a declaration sheet with "Model Rocket Propellant" inside...and restricted to ground or cargo aircraft. Not a HAZMAT shipment.

Fred Garvin said:

Received some goodies in Rocket Mail with Hazardous Goods markings....

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For future reference you can get the tubes of superlube at Harbor Freight.

Cl(VII) said:

For future reference you can get the tubes of superlube at Harbor Freight.

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Yeah, I know....it was just convenient....couple bucks more to not get in the car, drive to HF, buy the lube, and drive home. Between time and gas, it was a wash.

Last couple days...
2nd layer paper on V2, several coats of TiteBond. Drying for sanding.
Papered the fins on one of upscale Wizards. Ready for coats of TiteBond.
Sanded, and sanded, and still sanding fillets on the Solar Warrior.
Trying to figure out if the scans on JimZ's site of the Scrambler is actual size when I printed.
They look a little large. But going to start the build anyways.
Changing the fins to TTW to the cluster 3x 18mm Enging Mounts.
Snuggle them between the tubes should make em nice n strong.
Too darn cold out to do and priming or painting.
Looks like more build work piles up ready for spraying before Spring hits.
Must of come in contact with someone sick at the surgical center Monday when I was there for my back injections.
Woke up this morning sick, feel like crap. Slept in until 1pm.
Have to go again tomorrow for my pain med refill appointment.
I hate going out when I feel like crap.

Fred Garvin said:

Yeah, I know....it was just convenient....couple bucks more to not get in the car, drive to HF, buy the lube, and drive home. Between time and gas, it was a wash.

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Fair enough. I was surprised when I saw it there, and I drive past one everyday.

Fred Garvin said:

Print up a 13mm to 18mm, and a 18mm to 24mm.....and I'll buy them from you. I bet others may as well.

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I'm not in this for the $$, I just wanted to have something fast for this weekend's launch. And the Estes ones would not have made it in time. The person that designed them is on this forum and has the plans available for free download.

Commenced attempting to build an upscale Quinstar. May or may not work but should keep me busy for a while.

Also cleaned out the cap to my Titebond No Run No Drip. Now it's back to being merely very hard to dispense, rather than requiring the weight of a thousand elephants to squeeze any out.

Discovered this awesome lecture https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/636007main_RocketsPeopleVolume3-ebook.pdf while researching who really said "For an airplane to fly well, it must be beautiful.", that was Marcel Dassault accordingly some (and some history channel documentary IIRC), or Tupolev accordingly this NASA PDF!!!

It ended really rocket wise

Thanks for that Dan, I grabbed all 4 of them. Should be a great read.