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CPUTommy

Thrust cures All
Joined
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This isnt exactly a 100% scratch built. Its more of a modified / bash / improved version of the vagabond. This will be a 29mm Vagabond built My way. Im going to try to keep it somewhat close to spec so that im able to run proper sims on it with open rocket.

The one problem im going to run into is weight and thats due to my "heavy" construction method. This I will have to address to get proper cg / cp as well as nose weight calcs.

This is going to either work, or not.... and hopefully help out another rocketeer. So in the mean time, it gives me something to do in my spare time and allows me to problem solve my own self created problems.

This is where I started. Its the center of a tin foil roll, it happens to be really close to 29mm and with some sanding to the inside, it fits the CTI power plant very nice. I used some CA on the seams to stiffen them up during the construction as well as the sanding process. Im not worried to much about long term strength as that will be addressed in later steps.

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The second step was to deal with the center ring issue. The tube diameter itself is a problem. Its not exactley minimum diamater but pretty close, and im not one for ordering pre cut center rings, so im looking around, and what do I find ? Gromets !!! Now, the inside diameter of the gromet is the exact size of the tin foil roll, add on the hardened CA and there is NO way its sliding through, so outcomes the sand paper.. I sanded the outside of the roll as well as the inside of the gromet and presto, I now have my center rings !

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Scotty got BINGO !!! Used a TON of them when I was doing a cat 5 job, and had fist fulls of them left over. :)
 
So today I worked on the Fin can, I wanted to secure the fins as they were only tacked in place. Well.. after tonight, im pretty sure they are not going anywhere. I mounted the engine retainer system, does it look familiar ? Im partial to it due to its weight. :)

The next step was to give the fins a little glass work. (I test fitted the fin can and used a pencil to mark the fins, then used the blue tape to tape off where I was going to put the epoxy and fiberglass.) I didnt mind how bad it looked because its going to be internal to the rocket. And by the way, the wrapping paper tubes when cut work great as a holder for the fin can and allows you to work around the fin can and also is very easily rotated. I put the other end on a heavy object to keep it from moving.

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Been working on the fin can, I have it held in place with some CA and its ready for some epoxy to fill the inside voids, as well as the outside. There is always that time when im Leary of making that step and filling in the voids with epoxy. I always question myself.. Have I done this, or Have I done that.. And once the epoxy is there.. its forever. I chose not to attach the shock cord to the fin can. I also have been thinking of a paint scheme.... After a few days of looking at it its time to make it real. More pics will be coming soon.
 
Made some progress today, A major problem I had to overcome was how to fill the void between the fins with the epoxy. I figured it out for under a dollars worth of tubing and an improvised plunger that worked out awesome. I did a final epoxy coat on the filets, let dry and then covered with wood dope. Its currently drying and awaiting my sanding... Today was a productive day. Should be in primer by Wensday and ready for a base coat by this weekend, weather permitting.

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Primed.. Sanded...and a base coat of black that im going to sand down and smooth out. after I think its smooth enough, I will shoot another coat of black and then do some color shifting paint on top of that.

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I'm not quite sure how to tell you but you seem to have the fins on the wrong way around.... :)

More seriously - very interesting build - thanks for posting it.
 
I did the same with the super neon XL (a smaller change that yours to be sure) - it just looked better that way.
 
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