Madcow Torrent for Jr. High Power Certification

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RAHagen

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As seen by my stats this is obviously my first build thread. I just thought that the easiest way to begin to understand the inner workings of the forum is to just jump in! So here is my build thread for the rocket I hope to fly for my Jr. Level 1 certification.

I got back from a hiking trip yesterday to find and my order from apogee components had come in containing my Madcow Torrent and a few other things I thought I could try out. Today, after a look through the inventory I began watching the build videos on the apogee website to help me get a feel for what I'm supposed to do. I hope to get some work done on it today and plan to get some pictures along the way as well. If anyone has any suggestions on building methods or anything of the sort I would be very happy to hear them!
 
Welcome to the forum, I think you'll enjoy the Torrent, its a great Level 1 rocket. I have watched a couple people cert on it in the last few months.
 
Welcome. Good choice for a level 1 rocket and those Apogee videos are a great resource. Here's my random 2 or 3 cents:

A clean build is a good build and try as I might, I still sometimes get glue where I don't want it. Be prepared with a roll of paper towels and: water for white/yellow glue, alcohol for epoxy, and acetone for ca (superglue).
I always alway, always use nitrile gloves when handing epoxy... always. A moments exposure won't hurt you but many moments over many years could. Cheap insurance.

As for how this forum works... well... we all have our opinions; take what you need and leave the rest. Most just want you to be safe and have fun. :)

Looking forward to your progress on this build.
 
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Thanks samb! I'll make sure to remember those. So far today I've gotten the motor mount assembled with wood glue and I'm about to go back over it with some two part epoxy for some extra insurance. When I opened the kit up I was surprised that it only had two centering rings. I guess if they are strong enough you really only need two... I'm thinking that if I build this rocket strong enough, I will be able to use it for my Lv. 2 cert later on when I turn 18. Because of this I plan to either use two part epoxy on everything or at least a reinforcing layer.

1405544500552.jpg
 
Hope to see you join the Jr. L1 club soon. You can take advantage of the tripoli junior program too if you want to fly L2 motors.

Alex
 
I'll be watching. I just got my JR. L1 a couple of weeks ago on an Madcow super DX3.






Edit: where will you be flying it?
 
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Conman13, yeah once I joined the forum I came across your build thread for the DX3. Your posts and the comments on the thread helped a lot. As for the location, I plan to launch at my local NAR section just past the state line outside of Duncan Oklahoma (I live in north Texas)
 
I got my L1 on a Torrent in April. The one thing I would bring up about the kit is that the payload compartment is really quite small after you take away 7" for the av-bay and nose cone shoulder, and doesn't hold a proper parachute very well.

Some people have been known to replace the 12" tube with something longer. I was able to get by with cutting off the cap of the nose cone shoulder and gluing in a plywood bulk plate just above the shoulder so that it was secured on the lip of the molded nose cone at the base. This gives a much more secure place to attach the shock cord anyway. I also put the switch band a little high on the coupler so that the av bay is about 1" more in the sustainer than it is in the payload bay.

Of course, if you are only doing single deploy, the point is moot.

ImageUploadedByRocketry Forum1405556008.381136.jpg


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I'll be watching this build for sure. Welcome to the forum!

Nate
 
Conman13, yeah once I joined the forum I came across your build thread for the DX3. Your posts and the comments on the thread helped a lot. As for the location, I plan to launch at my local NAR section just past the state line outside of Duncan Oklahoma (I live in north Texas)

Glad it helped:):)
 
I'll be watching this thread. I too just recently got my Jr. Level 1 in April.
 
Just finished gluing in the motor mount. Thought I could take advantage of the space between the rear centering ring and the rear of the body tube to try out the RocketPoxy I bought, and see how it works with fillets. So far I like it! Haven't really tried much in the way of fillet epoxy, but so far this seems to works quite well. I'm going to try to get around to gluing the fins on today, however I might not get the time. (Summers are always busier than you expect! :D)
 
Thanks samb! I'll make sure to remember those. So far today I've gotten the motor mount assembled with wood glue and I'm about to go back over it with some two part epoxy for some extra insurance. When I opened the kit up I was surprised that it only had two centering rings. I guess if they are strong enough you really only need two... I'm thinking that if I build this rocket strong enough, I will be able to use it for my Lv. 2 cert later on when I turn 18. Because of this I plan to either use two part epoxy on everything or at least a reinforcing layer.

I added a third centering ring to lock the fins in place since I also plan on using my Torrent for a L2 attempt this fall.
 
I wasn't able to get anything else done on the rocket today. Hopefully I'll get something done tomorrow. :p I think I'll study up on fiberglassing fins tonight So I can get to it as soon as I got the time.
 
I wasn't able to get anything else done on the rocket today. Hopefully I'll get something done tomorrow. :p I think I'll study up on fiberglassing fins tonight So I can get to it as soon as I got the time.

Look at the beginning of my super DX3 build thread there is a lot of good info on responses from people that I got when I was fiberglass sing my fins.


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Ok..... so it's most likely asked and answered but I can't find it.:facepalm:

I know that the "Torrent" offered by Apogee is basically similar if not exactly the same as the "DX3" and are both made by Madcow.
So what is the advantage/dis-advantage to purchasing one over the other?
 
Ok..... so it's most likely asked and answered but I can't find it.:facepalm:

I know that the "Torrent" offered by Apogee is basically similar if not exactly the same as the "DX3" and are both made by Madcow.
So what is the advantage/dis-advantage to purchasing one over the other?

The torrent is shorter overall, most of which comes from a much shorter payload pay and stubby nose cone. The advantage is that the torrent comes packaged to fly DD, with an e-bay, drouge and main, etc while the DX3 doesn't. I couldn't decide between the two when I was trying to pick so I just bought both.
 
I couldn't decide between the two when I was trying to pick so I just bought both.

Ha! Ha! I do the same thing with food menu.



The torrent is shorter overall, most of which comes from a much shorter payload pay and stubby nose cone. The advantage is that the torrent comes packaged to fly DD, with an e-bay, drouge and main, etc while the DX3 doesn't.

Being that the Torrent is already DD you would think it would be the longer one,, by chance do you know the reasoning behind the decision to go shorter or is it just to not have 2 exactly the same?

Thanks
Ed
 
Being that the Torrent is already DD you would think it would be the longer one,, by chance do you know the reasoning behind the decision to go shorter or is it just to not have 2 exactly the same?

Thanks
Ed

I'm not really sure, I just assumed it was a style choice. Perhaps because the smaller payload bay means you need to use less BP for the main ejection charge? The short payload bay does seem to be the most frequent criticism of the kit that I see, although I've never had any issues with it.
 
How does a Jr HPR certification work? I thought you had to be certified and 18 for HPR motors...

Is this something that lets kids fly them but not buy them?


Later!

--Coop
 
Sorry, I didn't mean to distract from your thread--but if someone could briefly explain via PM or something, I'd appreciate it.


Later!

--Coop
 
I just wanted to get on and say I haven't forgot about the thread! :) this last week has just been surprisingly very busy. It's almost like I get more time to work on rockets in the school year than in the summer!
 
Okay so far I've been trying to research fiberglassing fins and I'm finally getting a little more info. I've fiberglassed fins before however the end result was way below what I would have liked and because of this I'm trying to find ways if fiberglassing. I do have a couple questions though. I keep hearing things like the green stage of fiberglass what exactly does that mean? Also when you use parchment paper do you leave it on the fins once your done? Or is it just to keep the pressure plates from getting resin on them? Finally, if you take the parchment paper off the fins once they are dried, is there really much of a difference between using parchment paper and wax paper? Thanks!
-Robert (RAHagen)
 
Okay so far I've been trying to research fiberglassing fins and I'm finally getting a little more info. I've fiberglassed fins before however the end result was way below what I would have liked and because of this I'm trying to find ways if fiberglassing. I do have a couple questions though. I keep hearing things like the green stage of fiberglass what exactly does that mean? Also when you use parchment paper do you leave it on the fins once your done? Or is it just to keep the pressure plates from getting resin on them? Finally, if you take the parchment paper off the fins once they are dried, is there really much of a difference between using parchment paper and wax paper? Thanks!
-Robert (RAHagen)

The green stage is when the epoxy is cured, but hasn't reached it's full strength. The fiberglass should still be flexible. Its really easy to trim the excess off the fins in this stage.

The Parchment paper peels off the fins once cured. Dont use wax paper! Depending on the brand, it'll either be difficult to peel off, or wont peel off at all. When it does, I fear it will leave wax behind that will be very difficult to bond to. Use Parchment paper.

Alex
 
What are you trying to gain with the glassed fins? They don't need it and you are just adding weight where you don't want it.
 
I agree with grouch, the stock fins are plenty strong


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I have to agree with the previous two posts,,the Torrent is essentially a 'stretched' Cowabunga and we
have a couple of Cowabungas in the family and their fins should be up to most anything you can throw
at them, seriously.(unless you frequently fly(and land) on a playa-like surface)
 
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