What did you do rocket wise today?

Got rained out for a third straight day at B6-4 Field.:eyeroll:Got the fins all but finished, but finished enough to start the mounting process. They're epoxied in place and one fillet is in place. I had an issue with a creased body tube, but I think I got it so that it's not that noticeable. I just hope it holds up when I launch it. Finished sanding the Estes Arrow, so I'm hoping for a decent weather window to prime it later today. (In between errands, that is.) My newest Mini Max is also ready for final priming, and I got some sanding in on the repairs to my vintage Estes Odyssey.

I managed a few minutes on the laser last night & cut the fins for my 4" upscale Space Cruiser Excalibur - but apart from that, I've been too busy

Everything is suffering right now due to the workload I've got on. The end of the current project is in sight and I'll have 'me' time again!!

Krusty

So far today I’ve sprayed the first two coats of primer on my Estes “QCC Explorer”.

Now over the weekend I completed the painting on the “Cordwainer Smith” now I have to wait for the paint to completely dry so I can wet-sand it before applying the decals.

Now for a question; I premiered and painted the plastic nosecone for the “QCC Explorer” using Krylon primer and paint. A product I have used considerably with good effect. This time however the Banner Red paint doesn’t seem to want to dry completely. Nearly a week after the final coat the surface feels soft so much so I could leave a dent in it with light pressure from my fingernail.

I’ve had this happen once before on a plastic nosecone using Testors’ enamel primer/paint and I’m wondering if there is something about the plastic that is causing this. Out gassing would be my first guess but what do I know?

Any thoughts, comments, ideas?

awesome day so far , ordered RRC3 altimeter and goodies

got a package of Kevlar cord from Fuddrucker in the mail today

Waaaay too hot to paint, I'm going to try at night...late at night. It was 80* at dawn this morning. That's too close to too hot. I did make a way to improve my production, though. I use a steel tabel I built from 1" x 1" steel, the legposts are open on the top. I hold the rocket with the rolled newspaper trick. The rolled paper fits nicely into the holes, holding the rocket upright while drying. I used my bandsaw and cut 4 6" long segments of 1" x 1" and clamped them to the table so I have space for 8 rockets at a time to dry...do I really need that many holders...Yah, I do. I got like 50 rockets that are in various stages of needing paint. Some might be with only one color coat but I don't like flying nekked rockets in front of others.

Right Wing Wacko said:

Sucessfully completed my NAR L2 certification at the WAC launch today in Mansfield, Wa.

I flew a Madcow Sensor on a CTI J280 2g 54mm Smokey Sam motor.

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Congrats - out of curiosity how high that that go? If you rocksimmed it - was rocksim close? For that motor I sim out to about 1800 feet but that seems pretty low - I know that ring fins can be draggy but that seems excessive. Just wondering ......

I have a hankerin' to put a K740 in it if the sim is close to right.....I just don't want to be way off altitude wise!

Sanded the filets on the Behemoth Bertha and then mounted the switch. Drilling a 1/2" hole through a triple wall thickness of Blue Tube is not much fun. I still have all of my fingers.

Started cutting card stock templates to make some centering rings. Realized that it would be a ton easier if I went to Harbor Freight and picked up a circle cutter and used the drill. So tomorrow a road trip is planned.

Cleaned out my basement work area. Glued the fin can/MMT into a Predator 10k.

Put in my first of the month parts orders to JonRockets, Uncle Mike, and SEMROC for nosecones, body tubes, launch lugs, centering rings, and some nylon parachutes. Might need some other stuff, got leftover money in the budget this month

What did I do rocket wise today? Why, I opened a very quickly shipped package from Dog House Rocketry...

I need help, in so many ways I'm sure my wife keeps a long list. I have a 79"-long booster section that I need to paint. I'm considering not using rattle cans on this 7.5" diameter beast going for the detail gun instead. My problem is how to support the booster so I can do the whole thing at one time. I'm considering building some sort of rocket rotisserie, but am willing to listen to ideas and experiences of others before I commit. So, have at it - please. Specific ideas and designs very welcome.

Spent some more money on stuff I may or may not need.

T-Rex said:

Started cutting card stock templates to make some centering rings. Realized that it would be a ton easier if I went to Harbor Freight and picked up a circle cutter and used the drill. So tomorrow a road trip is planned.

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If you have a router, get a Jasper Jig. https://jasperaudio.com/

Received goodies from Amazon - sanding sponges, and the 3 volume set of Composite Material Fabrication. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1929133766/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Besides launching a couple LPR rockets two weekends ago I have done nothing rocket wise. It makes me sad actually. I did pick up enough motors to last a year from the last club launch and got my first CTI case.

My build pile is insane and I hope to get to it soon. For now I guess I will just concentrate on launching some G&H motors at the next club launch. The 4th really takes up a bunch of time for me that reduces my rocket time.

That next club launch I hope to fly a ton.

Troj, I am gonna contact you about that tracker thing you have. I can drop a couple pennies on electronics since I am sitting on a pile of motors.

paint stand:
take two sawhorses, nail a couple of wood blocks say 2" apart atop each sawhorse, run a piece of pipe through the booster, rest the pipe between the wood blocks and paint .
rex
made two centering rings(32mm>bt80), 1 bulkhead, 3 baffle plates, 1 u-bolt. then cut 3 fins and applied ca to a big balsa nose cone...sidetracked by having to oil a window fan.

JMZawodny said:

I need help, in so many ways I'm sure my wife keeps a long list. I have a 79"-long booster section that I need to paint. I'm considering not using rattle cans on this 7.5" diameter beast going for the detail gun instead. My problem is how to support the booster so I can do the whole thing at one time. I'm considering building some sort of rocket rotisserie, but am willing to listen to ideas and experiences of others before I commit. So, have at it - please. Specific ideas and designs very welcome.

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I suspend the rocket on a 1 3/4" pipe between 2 sawhorses and roll as needed.


Painted in the dark last night, well, I had lights but things went well. I expected to have some problems with skips in the shadows, turned out to be no problem. Now on to even more painting tonight.

Made the external fillets on the Predator 10k. Worked a bit on the av-bay for it.

Found a package on my front door and was hoping that Missile Works had invented trans-warp beaming, but unfortunately it was for my wife.

Applied primer coat to Lexx Jet

Finally got irked after the 5th person asked me if I will be shooting off rockets on the 4th eve >.<

Went to the local (THOR) meeting tonight, dropped of a BRB GPS for loan on an LDRS rocket, wrote a check for an RRC3 setup, started pondering my Darkstar rebuild.

BeerorKid said:

Finally got irked after the 5th person asked me if I will be shooting off rockets on the 4th eve >.<

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So... are you??

Krusty

Nothing yet, but the day is young!

started morning out ordering some parts from Dog House Rocketry

Sadly, I have ran out of scratchbuilding parts, AND kits! Must resist temptation to order more! Wait, what am I saying???
Havent been able to paint for 4 days, Guardian 2x is just sitting there waiting patiently and naked.

krusty said:

So... are you??

Krusty

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I hope to launch on the 4th, but in the morning.

BeerorKid said:

Finally got irked after the 5th person asked me if I will be shooting off rockets on the 4th eve >.<

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That's better than the guy I have at work who keeps asking "Does it explode?" every time I bring a new rocket in. (I keep my fleet displayed at work so as not to annoy the wife.)

BeerorKid said:

Troj, I am gonna contact you about that tracker thing you have. I can drop a couple pennies on electronics since I am sitting on a pile of motors.

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You know where to find me!

BTW, I won't be at the July launch -- I'll be at LDRS.

-Kevin

JMZawodny said:

I need help, in so many ways I'm sure my wife keeps a long list. I have a 79"-long booster section that I need to paint. I'm considering not using rattle cans on this 7.5" diameter beast going for the detail gun instead. My problem is how to support the booster so I can do the whole thing at one time. I'm considering building some sort of rocket rotisserie, but am willing to listen to ideas and experiences of others before I commit. So, have at it - please. Specific ideas and designs very welcome.

Click to expand...

I usually hang mine on a string from the rafters in the garage, but yours seems a bit tall for that. Maybe build an wood a-frame and do it in the yard??


Started prepping THOR for maiden flight this Saturday. Changed oil in SWMBO's truck so she will let me go to the launch on Saturday....