3" Upscale Starship Vega build

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T-Rex

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I started this sometime back. Been being built a little at a time, as I have been busy with work. My work takes me away from home so builds take place in between, and there hasn't been a whole lot of in between this year.

In my nuclear powered mind, the Starship Vega is the coolest model Estes put out. OK, maybe the just coolest from the '70s. Anyway, I build and crashed 1 in 1975. Build another and gave it away in the late 80s. Built the Q Modeling version 2 years ago as a BAR, and wrecked last year at Battle Park in VA.

This has been in my head since, well since I first learned about up-scaling here on TRF. This build thread would have been one to make bradycros proud, but I decided that I would allow it to end sometime this year... :tongue:

Without further delay......

First I located a RockSim file on the web. The one I found was actually for the Super Vega, a similar rocket with different dimensions, nosecone and landing pods. I then located thei dimensions of the original Citation version and corrected the file using Open Rocket.

I loaded the fin templates onto a flash drive and went down the road a piece (about 30 miles) to the nearest Kinkos. I asked that they be printed on 11X17 paper with no scaling. The look on the clerks face when she opened the pdf was worth the trip. I just looked at her and said "They're templates" "Oh"

Rough cut the templates and using a glue stick, attached them to a piece of poster board. The poster board was trimmed to match the printout.

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The patterns were transferred to 1/4" plywood. Rough cuts were made on the table saw using a 200 tooth 'old school' blade. (next one will be carbide)

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Once the fins were roughed, the tabs were close cut using the dremel moto-shop (an Old time scroll saw)

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Then stacked and pinned together using the QQuake method... (Of course my skill level being what it is, they didn't line up well)

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Then close trimmed and match sanded.
 
After making a bunch of sawdust, the tubes needed to be cut. Body tubes are 14.5 and 27.5 inches. The 38mm MMT is 17.5".
Tube cutting was pretty straight forward.
I wrapped a piece of card stock around the tube at the cut mark to act as a guide.
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Then carefully cut along the edge of the card stock with the modelling knife. The cutting was done slowly, in many passed turning the tube. Each cut was eventually just scoreing over and over, until the tube split.
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Can't have through the wall fins without cutting through the wall of the tube.
Measurements were taken and marked on the tube.
A fin wrap from Payload Bay was printed off and used to mark the locations for the cuts.
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I then taped my handy aluminum angle to the tube to ensure my cuts were true.
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The squarest straightest of my fin slots to date.
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Knew something had to be wrong.... The radiator fins don't fit right...
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Well, I'll work on the MMT while I ponder the fin issue....
First, for good adhesion, I remove the glassine from the tube. It pulls right off once you get it started.
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I ordered LOC centering rings from Texas Rocketry Supply so they fit no problem. I measured and glued them in place using Titebond II. I probably will regret this later, but early on I decided that I would use Titebond for the build instead of epoxy. Seems to me that it shouldn't matter as either produces a bond that is stronger than the materials.
I now notice that I do not have pictures of the centering ring placement, but it's not all the complex. Slide'm on and let the glue dry.
 
Back to the fin issue while the glue dries.... As I recall, though it is not documented, I sanded the radiator fins to a slightly different angle and that solved the problem.

Now this vehicle has landing pods on the main fins. I measured to the center of the pod and marked the fins. Back to the table saw we went and cut some (very sloppy) openings. The fins are 1/4" and the dowels for the legs are 1/2". I laid a piece of waxed paper on top of the chest freezer (work bench is too cluttered) and supported the fin 1/8" above the surface. Each fin was then adorned with a 12" long dowel.
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Being the wood butcher that I am, the slots were too wide, so the dowel was held against one side of the slot with a piece of cardboard while the glue dried.

The cardboard was later replaced with a putty made with saw dust and wood glue. (I have since bought some wood flour for future builds) Not pretty but it ought to be strong...
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This has been in my head since, well since I first learned about up-scaling here on TRF. This build thread would have been one to make bradycros proud, but I decided that I would allow it to end sometime this year... :tongue:

There's still enough months left in 2013 to make me proud! Go for it!! Lets see what ya got!!!
 

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This is one of the coolest rockets to come out of Estes. A 3" upscale should be 3 times cooler! I'll be keeping an eye on this one.
 
I managed to somehow glue the MMT into the lower tube without getting pictures... So we will fast forward to the installation of the lower fins.
First I installed the "radiator" fins. These are the small ones, just for looks...
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Again using a tool from Payload Bay, a Fin Guide was made using foam board. This kept the fins straight while the glue dried.

The process was repeated to hold the main fins in place. It was starting to look like a rocket...
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My original thought was to use a plastic nosecone as the landing pod cone.
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I ordered 2 packages of the Estes BT60 nose cones. (I now have 4 of the round nose Gooney/Bertha type cones to experiment with, but those will be other builds) I took 3 of the pointed cones and cut them long ways using the Moto Shop. At that point it occurred to me that the plastic cones are difficult to glue to anything. Hmm, what to do.... On hold for work and while I considered my plan.
 
Early on I had made the decision to use an Aeropack retainer. the surfaces were prpared and JB weld mixed
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The motor tube & lower centeribg ring were spaced for the retainer during planning, The retained and tube were washed with Acetone.
JB weld slathered on the parts & the retainer installed with a gentle twist

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To solve my pod cone dilemma, I ordered 4 balsa cones from Semroc. After receiving them, they seemed like not quite the proper shape, but close enough. (besides I was out of $$ again). Yes the Vega only has 3 landing pods, the way my world works it was better to order a spare. (No problem, I think it will be used to make a Bandit clone)
Anyway, a Payload Bay fin wrap was used to mark each cone on its split line
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I then used a razor saw to do the splitting.
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I should have drilled the center out of each one before it was split, but I do things the hard way....
Using knife and a spare piece of dowel wrapped with sand paper, I opened a trough to fit around the pod legs.
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Ugly, but functional..
 
The split cones were glued into position using wood glue
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The centering rings were slid onto the legs and the tubes used to hold the cones in position to dry

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After the cones had dried, the tubes were removed. The centering rings were glued into position and the tubes installed final.
 
Being the unskilled guy that I am, there were gaps between the cones an the fins.
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At first I tried to just run a wood glue fillet, but of course it shrank when it dried and was of no use. So I took some wood flour and mixed it with wood glue to the consistency of peanut butter (seems like we mix everything to be like PB...) tried to push it into the gap with a Popsicle stick, but that didnt seem to work. Thinned the mix with a little more glue and put it in a syringe. Perfect. Injected the mix down into the gaps doing my best to fill them.

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We'll see how long it takes to dry and how well in worked when it does...
 
The wood flour / Titebond mix seems to have filled the gap pretty well. It shrunk back a little, looks like an inverted fillet.

When I started this build, I said I was not going to use epoxy. However for securing the recovery harness I figured it would be what was needed.
There is a 54mm tube will sit above the 38mm MMT tube to allow for TTW attachment of the upper fins. Granted it would have been better if the harness was attached, but I didn't think of it then.

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I have some fiberglass tape that I am using on my sailboad. Seemed like a good place to use a little of it. I only have hobby shop expoy available at the moment so that is what was used. If you look close near the top of the epoxy smear, there is a dotted pencil line. That is where the centering ring will sit.
 
Installed a baffle into the lower section of the 54mm insert tube. Installed the tube into the upper BT section and locked in place with 2 of the upper fins. (only 2 because the other one wont stay in by itself). Tonight before I go to bed, I'll glue the upper fins in place.
No pictures, 'cause it's all internal.

Here it the OR file to see what I am talking about. I think some of the masses are still off, but it's close. Unfortunately the 2 scales I have bought have magically disappeared so I have not weighed anything
View attachment 3inch VegaA.ork
 
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Very cool! Great idea for an upscale. It is going to be fantastic.
 
Thanks.... I mumbled yesterday that I am not sure I have the marbles to fly it. Too much money and too much work have gone into building it,,,.
 
Thanks.... I mumbled yesterday that I am not sure I have the marbles to fly it. Too much money and too much work have gone into building it,,,.

I don't understand. Whst language is this?
 
Embedded a piece of all thread in the nose cone.
Wrapped a piece of tape on the mating ends of both upper and lower tubes. Transferred the match marks to the tape.
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Slathered some epoxy on the tube coupler (Again, I dared not use wood glue. Would be bad if it locked up.) and slammed the 2 pieces together.

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I have to install the landing pads, and then primer to find the mistakes...

Looks like it will fly this Saturday at NASA Houston :marshmallow:
 
Look'n really good! But your going to fast, there's still five months left in this year.
 
Look'n really good! But your going to fast, there's still five months left in this year.

<hangs head> I have let you down oh Wise One. Finished and flew (nekkid) on Saturday. I am ashamed that I could not make you proud, Master bradycros. I know my training is not complete, but I will return on another build.

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