Rocket Improvement

What are things that you do to your rocket (and I'll include things related to launch and recovery) that is typically outside the realm "stock" or "out of the box"?

For me it is igniters and recovery. The "up" part is usually the easy part. It's the "down" part that I find is often a challenge. So I use Kevar harnesses, sometimes pistons, high-visibility parachutes, audio locators, and I'm just now getting into GPS tracking.

I'm sure there are some really good ideas out there.

Greg

This is for LPR. OE shock cords are usually too short. I always use a length of 100# kevlar about twice the length of the rocket as the primary shock cord, often with the OE cord tied to one end. Other end of OE cord tied to the NC with a loop about 1/3 the way down the OE cord for recovery attachment. The other end of the kevlar runs down the inside of the body tube and out the bottom. Centering rings are notched on the outside edge for clearance. The bottom end of the kevlar is tied in a lariat loop.
When preping, the loop goes around the motor and inside the motor hook. Hold the kevlar snug as you load wadding, then pack the rest of the laundry.
On minimum diameter just drop the loop through the tube, loop it around the motor and install. Yes, this will eventually burn the kevlar, Who cares? Very easy to replace. You can inspect it after each flight.
My preflight checklist has a box for "pull on shock cord".
You're right: Up is easy, down is inevitable, down safely is difficult.

Mike

Thin-mill nylon chutes, fishing swivels, and dual engine hooks if I'll be flying the rocket on 24mm reloads. As far as launching procedures, I always substitute dog barf for wadding sheets.

Nothing particularly out of the ordinary.

Swapping out the hardware for U Bolts / Eye bolts instead of plastic hooks.
Replace any shock cord that isn't Nylon or Kevlar.
Add Motor retention.
Swap Lugs for Rail Buttons.
Sometimes slot tubes all the way so the fin can can slide in/out with fins attached.

Nose cone bays, coupler bays, ridiculously overbuilding, acme rail guides.

Extending slots so I can build the fincan outside the airframe
Upgrading shock cord mounts from plastic/glued to eyebolts, and from eyebolts to U-bolts when space and weight allow.
Nylon parachutes in everything.
Bulkheads are never flush with the end of a coupler, but recessed a bit so I can fillet both sides of the joint.
Couplers filleted at the BT joint (on the inside, not where the two BT sections join together)

I'm just generally a fan of glue... I like to use LOTS of it.

Papering fins, TTW Fins, gussets on centering rings, swivels, epoxy instead of white glue for fillets, name and email info glued to balsa nose blocks, baffles, elastic rather than rubber for shock cords, longer shock cords, vented 'chutes.

I like to get my rockets back.

Replace most eye bolts with U-bolts.
notch all fins so that meet up with the aft end of the tube.
Add a thicker wooden CR to back up the G10 thin ones ( mostly on larger >4" kits.
Extend payload section if needed to accommodate the right size chute.
Make new fins if they don't look right.

JD

JDcluster said:

... notch all fins so that meet up with the aft end of the tube ...

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Not quite sure what you mean. Can you explain further?

Greg

blackbrandt said:

.....ridiculously overbuilding.....

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I would like to point out that the title of this thread is rocket improvements

(yeah, I know, we could start a war over this----)

No, y'all ruin the kit by building it as light as possible. Epoxy is cheap when you get it in the bigger sizes. WHY NOT USE IT?

*Attaches picture of internals on his Darkstar jr:

I often don't use the supplied balsa fins in LPR kits... I will often draft them up in CorelDRAW and laser-cut them from LitePly.

Krusty

krusty said:

I often don't use the supplied balsa fins in LPR kits... I will often draft them up in CorelDRAW and laser-cut them from LitePly.

Krusty

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I wish I had a laser cutter!


Jerome

JeromeK99 said:

I wish I had a laser cutter!


Jerome

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It took a year of very hard work -Overtime hours at work, saving and scraping together every single spare cent I had - along with selling a bunch of stuff on Ebay. If you want it enough, you can get it.

Krusty

I'm not sure i can legally have one in my home.

Jerome

Sometimes the kit maker, makes the fins so that they are even with the aft end of the tube.
So, I notch the rear corner of the fins with a Dremel tool so when you glue them on;
The edge of the fin is even with the aft end of the tube.
It pulls the fins back a little >1/2" in most cases.

JD

GregGleason said:

Not quite sure what you mean. Can you explain further?

Greg

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