VEXplorer-2

Madison Alum said:

Following along on another masterful build!

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sodmeister said:

Nice drawings ,gives a sense of what`s going on and how things need to fit ,I make templates often myself.

I was going to ask you about TTW fins tabs ,but my question was answered.

Looking good T


Paul t

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Ah! It's always good to have some TRF members post their thoughts when they see something they like.

After moving the 90 degree left corner on the bottom of the fin over to the left a tad I realized it wasn't moved over enough and I saw that I totally forgot to draw in the 3/32 in. sheet balsa that's going to cover the air intakes. Now the fin will need to be pushed out that much further.

OK.

I added the intake cover and moved the left corner of the following edge again. Then I gave the drawing a good looking over.

All righty then.

Here's the out of wack "Before" fin template.

And here's the brand spank'n new "After" fin template.

That's quite a bit more fin area....how does that affect the CP?

Boy howdy......that`s a fine looking template !

You know for sure when somebody takes the time and effort to make templates as detailed as that ,the finished rocket is going to be a thing of beauty !!

The devil`s in the detail !


Paul T

sodmeister said:

.....the finished rocket is going to be a thing of beauty !!

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No doubt...can't wait to see it done....and hopefully download a PDF of the plans (hint,hint) to build one of my own....

Fred Garvin said:

That's quite a bit more fin area....how does that affect the CP?

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The CP moves aft with the increase in fin area.

Don't overlook the same force that will be acting on the sides of the fins will also be acting on the sides of the air intakes. :wink:

bradycros said:

The CP moves aft with the increase in fin area.

Don't overlook the same force that will be acting on the sides of the fins will also be acting on the sides of the air intakes. :wink:

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Frick that`s going to look cool !! (already does actually)

Love it buddy

I have to agree. It does look frick'n cool, doesn't it.

I just found this thread after a week or so of vacation preceded by a week of preparing for vacation. This is looking awesome. The big question is: what color scheme will unfold? I will patiently await that revelation while soaking in the techniques being presented here!

Marc

Marc_G said:

I just found this thread after a week or so of vacation preceded by a week of preparing for vacation. This is looking awesome. The big question is: what color scheme will unfold? I will patiently await that revelation while soaking in the techniques being presented here!

Marc

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Patients is a personality trait that will serve you well on this project. Welcome back!

The air intakes in the top and bottom of the photo are from the QCC Explorer, kit #3221. The root edges of the air intakes are straight and they sit flatly on the BT-60 used for the air frame.

The VEX-2 uses a BT-80 for the air frame. I decided the air intakes would look better on the BT-80 air frame if the width was upscaled and the the root edges of the intakes were made to follow the curve of the boat tail. The length of the intakes was not upscaled.

The templates were manipulated to produce the curved side panel of the air intake that mates with the boat tail.

After the template was cut out, all the edges were soaked with water thin CA. Since the side panel will be traced onto sheet balsa wood eight times, the CA prevents the edges of the template from becoming soft or the corners rounding off.

After all the parts involved with the width (which would be all but two of the parts) of the air intakes were measured for an upscale, drawn up and cut out they were laid next to or over the QCC Explorer lazer cut parts for a comparision.

Since Me, Myself, and I have to cut all these air intake parts out by hand with a knife, the method of construction will have to change. The original mortis and tendon joints will have to be replaced with good 'ol butt joints.

(Place the curser on the photo and left click the mouse. This expands the photo, then the comparision will be very easy to see. This enlargment can be done several times 'til the picture fills the screen.)

Tedious would be an understatement.....better have a sharp knife.....

bradycros said:

After the template was cut out, all the edges were soaked with water thin CA. Since the side panel will be traced onto sheet balsa wood eight times, the CA prevents the edges of the template from becoming soft or the corners rounding off.

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Now that's a great idea!

Anyone that's built a QCC Explorer may think all the lazer cut parts for the air intakes were a lot'a fun to mess with.

I had buckets and buckets of extra fun while I was cutting all them upscaled parts out by hand!

Keep in mind that parts for four air intakes are needed.

<------that would be me after cutting the parts for 1 intake !

....the next picture would be me taking the last few slugs of a near empty bottle of Jack Daniels LOL

I love it !!!!


Paul t

Bonus picture #1:

All the parts that give the air intake its width glued together and in alignment with side panels; top veiw.

Hey T ,I like the little piles of shavings and sawdust......very nice touch !!

Oh yah, the intake ain`t bad either LOL

You always do take a nice picture, would make a good book !


Paul t

sodmeister said:

You always do take a nice picture, would make a good book !

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This design would make a really cool kit.....

sodmeister said:

Hey T ,I like the little piles of shavings and sawdust......very nice touch !!

Oh yah, the intake ain`t bad either LOL

You always do take a nice picture, would make a good book !



Paul t

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Well then...

Here's bonus picture #2: the underside of the air intake!

Lots of effort will make this one totally kewl.

Daddyisabar said:

Lots of effort will make this one totally kewl.

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I'm full of it.

Ah... Er... Hmm... Effort that is. I'm full of effort. :blush:

Back to the nose cone.

I want to get the point of the ram jet nose cone as close to dead center as I can with the tools that are available to me.

To get the nose cone into that position I stated with a sheet of printer paper and connected the corners diagonally. Where they intersect will, of course, be the center of the sheet of printer paper.

Calipers were used to measure the diameter of the large nose (really a upside down boat tail) cones shoulder. It came in just a hair over 65mm.

This thing is just cool -- nice job showing your process for how you go about it all, as well.

I love the ram jet style nosecone.

-Kevin

troj said:

This thing is just cool -- nice job showing your process for how you go about it all, as well.

I love the ram jet style nosecone.

-Kevin

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It's good to know you like following the processes of getting from point A to point B. Thank you for commenting.

Dug out my very old compass and drew a circle with a diameter of 65mm + a hair where the X marks the spot.