What did you do rocket wise today?

hobie1dog said:

When I went to the Club launch 3 years ago after a 15 break, I looked around to see lots of people into LPR and wondering why they were shooting off 15.00 rockets with 5.00 motors in them. Now that I became unable to work and quickly ended up on disability and poor, I wonder if I will ever have the funds to get back into the hobby. Even having a motor for my Level 2 rocket, I still have to buy another motor to re-certify L1, join Tripoli, join the local club, so there is 150.00 .
I know the Ole saying, "if you wanna play, you gotta pay"

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I can see the recert issue. For what it's worth I'm working on my L3 , but still fly more 13 mm motors than I do HP motors. There are many paths to rocketry zen. A 13mm Art Applewhite saucer that you print on card stock for free, and a pack of A10Ts is a pretty affordably good time.

I didn't drop out of this discussion. I am interested in hearing suggestions on how it can be improved.

Steve Shannon said:

I didn't drop out of this discussion. I am interested in hearing suggestions on how it can be improved.

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The system is in place, fees have been established long ago, and product pricing cannot be changed. I certainly don't have a clue as to how to improve it. I may just be one of the people who only fly cheap low power rockets in the future, which only requires a club membership.
Just like any other hobby, some race fuel dragsters, others show up with Ford Pinto's. Still racing. I use to race karts at Daytona, there were guys who showed up in a 350K rig with a 50 K dollar kart in the back, new everything , every race, they would win 95% of the races. Look at LDRS and the money that is spent there.
It is what it is.

Made some rocketry related purchases today. Wildman, Missile Works, Apogee, Additive Aerospace and Banggood (Mobius mini!). Also did the second set of external fillets on the LOC Expediter.

Talked rocketry with my son-in-law. Telling him about a Mosquito launch that lasted 1/4 of a second, never to be found again.

rharshberger said:

I think why most people are concerned is because the L3 process is lengthy and P.I.T.A., while I understand the reasons for the first one requiring a lot of paper work and oversight, a re-cert flight really needs to be nothing more than a successful flight since you have already proven that you could do the paperwork process already. Also most people don't just "lose" the knowledge to be L3 certified simply because they didn't pay their membership or decided to take a couple of years off.

I am with Hobie1dog on the finances issue as well, many fliers on TRF have larger budgets of fun money, most of us don't. For me L3 type motor flights are a once a year (most years) splurge, and L2 flights are limited as well, but I still enjoy the opportunity to make them.

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It sounds as though your and my launch budgets are not too different.

What I've seen is that Prefects, TAPs, and L3CCs work with folks who are recertifying to shorten the process. The L2 test is still required as are the three levels of witnessed flights, but the paperwork for L3 can frequently be recycled from the first time.

You're right; as long as people are following the hobby they're unlikely to forget much of what they knew and of course membership, even though it might protect certification from lapsing, doesn't guarantee knowledge retention. I've seen flyers who kept their memberships up, but didn't attend a single launch for years have problems when they returned. I've seen others who dropped their memberships but continued their interest, attended launches, and read everything they could, who are able to pick up where they left off.

This really deserves its own thread.


Steve Shannon

Rocket wise today I received my new Missileworks RTx. I'll study it for a while and see if I can make it work.


Steve Shannon

Steve Shannon said:

This really deserves its own thread.


Steve Shannon

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Exactly, I agree

I finally had a beautiful weather weekend off! We had a few issues, but otherwise had a real good day!

[video=youtube;sClT4Hxr6Ms]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sClT4Hxr6Ms[/video]

I wish the camera wouldn't have been under the pad.

Got all the fins on my Wildman 5" Jart. Next step is to inject the internals and apply the externals. And then if I get crazy, paint... :eyeroll:
You like pics, right? :wink:

Got the final coats of TB on the Wizard from hell fins, Spirit of America fins and the Scrambler fins.
Finish coat on 1 side of 2 fins on the V2.
Gave the Solar Warrior some bench time and added to some fillets.
Engine Mount ready to go in the coated and sanded body tube for the Spirit of America after I attach some kevlar to the EM.
Have the Balsa reducer to start coating with TB for the scrambler. Double check the balsa nose cone I have for it, make sure it's the right one.
Cut to length the body tube, sand it and start coating it with TB, and build the EM.
Working the design for the 1/4 rocket challenge.
Xarconian Cruiser needs some bench time too to finish up fillets and get the EM in.

Tried to figure out how to keep from hitting those darned pesky aggravating beer making and wine commercials below the page numbers. I hate corporations and their incessant advertising.

More 29MD work. Finalized the avionics sled, 3d printed the sled, designed a nosecone harness retainer & printed it, sanded the fin fillets, and started stringing the recovery harness. Accidentally cut my fingers twice on an X-Acto knife (don't do that).

hobie1dog said:

Tried to figure out how to keep from hitting those darned pesky aggravating beer making and wine commercials below the page numbers. I hate corporations and their incessant advertising.

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AdBlock Plus is your friend

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hobie1dog said:

Tried to figure out how to keep from hitting those darned pesky aggravating beer making and wine commercials below the page numbers. I hate corporations and their incessant advertising.

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I paid $15 to Tapatalk for a lifetime of ad-free forums.


Steve Shannon

Made reference sheets (fin template, airframe size/length, mmt, suitable nose cone options) for Bertha models in scale from BT-5 to BT-80 and cut and shaped the finsets for the BT-5 (1/32 finnish ply), BT-20 (1/16 basswood), and BT-50 (1/16 basswood).



Had already made the BT-80 fins inspired by the MDRM fins using 1/8 birch plywood core and 1/32 finnish ply skins.





Today I plan to make the BT-55 (3/32 basswood) and BT-70 (1/8 basswood core, hollowed, with 1/64 finnish ply skins).

This all started after I built a stock Bertha kit, hence no BT-60 in my next round!

Need to order up cones from erockets.biz (semroc) and/or BMS and then get to building.

My plan is to do one of this year's club launches as all Bertha with motors from 1/4A to G with everything in between.

Filed a CATO report for the Estes E9-6 motor that damaged my just finished Big Daddy yesterday. It also destroyed my brand new, never before used JL Altimeter Two! Anybody know if I could get Estes to reimburse the cost of my Altimeter Two and/or my Big Daddy?

Completed my Mercury Redstone and well into my Quest Tomahawk build.

TangoJuliet said:

Filed a CATO report for the Estes E9-6 motor that damaged my just finished Big Daddy yesterday. It also destroyed my brand new, never before used JL Altimeter Two! Anybody know if I could get Estes to reimburse the cost of my Altimeter Two and/or my Big Daddy?

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If you explained it to them nicely, they might replace it with an Estes altimeter... Maybe? Worth a try. Other option would be to contact/send the remains to John (Beans of Jolly Logic). He might be able to repair/replace it. Also worth a try... Sorry for your losses.

TangoJuliet said:

Filed a CATO report for the Estes E9-6 motor that damaged my just finished Big Daddy yesterday. It also destroyed my brand new, never before used JL Altimeter Two! Anybody know if I could get Estes to reimburse the cost of my Altimeter Two and/or my Big Daddy?

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I know Estes will send you a new Big Daddy and pack of Engines.
As for the Altimeter, I don't know. They may offer you one of theirs.
Just call Estes Monday Morning.

jd2cylman said:

If you explained it to them nicely, they might replace it with an Estes altimeter... Maybe? Worth a try. Other option would be to contact/send the remains to John (Beans of Jolly Logic). He might be able to repair/replace it. Also worth a try... Sorry for your losses.

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Yeah, I might be better off getting the Alt2 replaced/repaired by JL. I don't think it's really destroyed, just the LCD screen was shattered by the BP fireball that went racing through the rocket!

Woody's Workshop said:

I know Estes will send you a new Big Daddy and pack of Engines.
As for the Altimeter, I don't know. They may offer you one of theirs.
Just call Estes Monday Morning.

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I'll see what they can/will do for me. My Big Daddy isn't a complete write-off, but 2 fins were cracked through at the root. Monday being a holiday, I may have to wait until Tuesday to get in touch with them.

If they offer you a altimeter, take it.
It will work good in your kids rocket, or your own LPR.
Serves well for something to put in a clear payload bay!
John at JL I'm sure can fix your alt2.

Glued up the fins on my Cherokee C. I was going to paper the balsa which has some crush marks but decided to just use them as a template for new Bass wood replacements.

RoadRunner said:

Glued up the fins on my Cherokee C. I was going to paper the balsa which has some crush marks but decided to just use them as a template for new Bass wood replacements.View attachment 309433

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Bass wood is heavier than balsa, make sure you check stability.
Colors on the nose cone? Never seen one like that before.

Yeah, I may need to add some weight to the nose later.

The nose looks like it was made from a block of two different materials. The darker part is much more porous.

You can add a little weight real easy.
On all balsa parts that I thread a screw eye into, I drill at least 3/8" diameter and 1' deep and plug it with a oak dowel so the screw eye gets a good grip on things.
You can drill much deeper and the weight of a 1/2" or 5/8" dowel a few inches long might be all you need to offset the fins.

RoadRunner said:

Glued up the fins on my Cherokee C. I was going to paper the balsa which has some crush marks but decided to just use them as a template for new Bass wood replacements.View attachment 309433

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I think you made a good choice on basswood fins for the Cherokee, its on of my favorite rockets.

went out and flew some rockets, temps were in the mid 20F range w/ light winds, for January it was a nice day to be out and about.
Rex