monster L3 10" tube fin build

If you didn't get it from the title it's 10" sono tube .
I'm not posting the SIM yet . It's not one hundred percent yet .
The basics 26" foam nose . Will be fiber glassed two layers of 6oz
The cone will be attached to a 10" section of air frame .
Break points 30" and 60" tube fins will be 12" and there is six of them .
Motor will be AT M1350 DMS. .
As of right now (and Like everything else things can change ) weight on the pad 54lbs
The launch will be mwp13 or thunderstuck .
Sims at 50fps off a 15'1515 May want to go off a rail a little taller . about 4k
This is just a teaser and will be a long thread . Thanks Chris

And yes this time I will have a lot more pictures and document everything a lot better than I have

A lot of bp for the charges . A calculator I have said 12g . I don't think it would be that much . I can see a lot of test charges being done

Definitely try with a lower charge first to avoid an explosion, but I could see 12g as a possible. I love BDR 4.0 and can't wait to see this! What's the airframe material?

Chris, 15" rail, huh? Hmmm...

dixontj93060 said:

Chris, 15" rail, huh? Hmmm...

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What a 15" rail would not work . It's only 9'.25"of rocket above it . Haha yes it seems that I hit the wrong button . It is 15' a lot of time I post with my phone and the two buttons ('&") are next to each other . Sorry Tim

codysmith said:

Definitely try with a lower charge first to avoid an explosion, but I could see 12g as a possible. I love BDR 4.0 and can't wait to see this! What's the airframe material?

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Yes I will start off small and get a little bigger charge each time . It will be 10" sono tube after all the tube fins are on I will lay one wrap of glass over the fins . Make it solid .

One change that will happen is using a full length motor tube and for 1/2 cr that will give me 26 " and 21" below the av bay . Thinking (from ari ) just a main under the av bay . And pin the nose cone to the airframe . And bolt in the av bay . That way the calculator is saying 6g at 7psi to blow the main . When I go for a higher flight the droge will go in and the main will be above the av bay . Nose cone still pinned for tracking .
Will put up the SIM soon . And asked my first tap .

Well one tap down one to go . Well I was going to post my SIM for the 10" tube fin , but my laptop. Updated last night . And when I turned it on I got the black screen of doom . Laptop is only 7months old . Down grade to 7 .

well I got it to come onView attachment bdr 10.0.orkView attachment bdr 10.0.ork so here is the file , its still not complete yet but close . my file was too big so had to delete the flight sims . looking at the AT 1350 dms . so loaded something of the same avg impulse. thanks chris

The nose cone construction will be out of 2" blue foam using the vatsaas site . It will be cut to sit on top of a section of air frame . The air frame will have some of the outside layer taken off to compensate for the two layers of glass . Now there there will be a step from the top of the air frame and foam . A layer of bondo will cross this gap and make everything straight . When I start I will post of all the steps that I take to get it built . There will be a bulk plate at the end of the nose cone . There will be two holes one off to the side for tracking when I fly bigger motors and a center hole for nose weight if it's needed .

www.vatsaas.org/.../styrofoamfixture.asp this the like to the fixture I am talking about . The stack Will be 14 12"x12" blue foam .

www.vatsaas.org/rtv/.../hotwirecutter. hot wire cutter link
For some reason the links do not work . Just go to vatsaas . org and then to construction , it will be all there . I'm trying to have this build as complete . So others could learn from it . Most likely the build will start in October . Thanks Chris

TAP in da house! I believe Chris meant 15 foot rail. Chris just FYI 15"=15 inches. 15'=15 foot/feet! Good luck, I got my eyes on you!!

Yes the " and the ' is next to each other . Thought I fixed that

Chris, the links aren't working because you don't have the full link text. See the dot dot dot (...) in the middle of your link? That is in place of some of the address, and without that part, the link won't work.

Here is the link to the hot wire cutter: https://www.vatsaas.org/rtv/construction/hotwirecutter.aspx

Here is the one for the fixture: https://www.vatsaas.org/rtv/construction/styrofoamfixture.aspx

These are some really cool tools and techniques for making HUGE cones and shaped airframes. Awesome!

I have both taps on board . The tubes will be picked up late September . So then the building will begin . Have not come up with a name yet for the rocket . But will have vinyl from sticker shock . I know on the bottom above the fins there will be " go big or go the F$%&K home " it being 10" and 10' tall . Still simming on 98mm to see if there is a uses for it . Also may still do three outboard 54's so there would be a lot of options

Ok so this is my idea to cut the tubes . Hope I explain it so everyone gets the idea.
Ok have a sheet of 1/2 ply wood cut to fit the top of the table saw. Bolt 2x4 to both long ends from the bottom . So the big can move . Have the blade all the way down . Put the jig on and raise the blade all the way up .take the jig off and Mark my cut line though the center . Then attach my 2x10 to both long ends to hold the tube square to the big and to the cut line that I marked off . Now transfer my cut line to the top of the boards . (2x 10 are on end ).2" wide and 10" tall . So when I put the tube I line up my cut line with the reference marks I have on the jig. I will have I very small amount of play when the tube is in . Now put the jig on the saw blade down ( also have block on the two other corners so this goes in and will stay square. Blade down put the tube that will be cut in the jig with my cut lineand the jigs reference line . Raise the blade till it cuts and maybe 1/4" and rotate the tube with the blade . Hope this makes sense . I have a lot of tube to cut and keep square.

Also my taps are Jim Scarpine and Jim Hendricksen

Seeing that the the sono tube will come as 12' sections and will use 16' I will have a 8' section extra thinking a fat man or goblin (short like 3-4' tall) or if someone local will need it let me know

chris m said:

Seeing that the the sono tube will come as 12' sections and will use 16' I will have a 8' section extra thinking a fat man or goblin (short like 3-4' tall) or if someone local will need it let me know

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I vote Fat Man! I love the look of that rocket!

Nothing new yet but will have time to start in a few weeks . Both taps read this thread so do I glass the air frame then put the tube in on or glass after the fins on . So there will be a wrap above the fins , the fin and the bottom section . Also got word that the motor will be out soon . I may have this done sooner than expected and just may do this at the next thunder struck . Think 5months it can happen

Have you bought the sono tube yet? They are all not created equal, the Newform brand has been the toughest that I have found, the stuff from Lows is flimsy a separates way to easy.


TA

No I have gotten it yet . It will be sono brand . Getting it from a industrial parts store . It is a little more money there but less tubes I need to get . Also there in racks so they have not been thrown around . But for 10" x12' it is $30.00 so I will need 16' or two of them and 8' left over . Not bad . I wanted to build a smaller one for another project the blu 97 ?.but the 8" was all banged up or creased . I looked at home depot , menards.

chris m said:

Nothing new yet but will have time to start in a few weeks . Both taps read this thread so do I glass the air frame then put the tube in on or glass after the fins on . So there will be a wrap above the fins , the fin and the bottom section . Also got word that the motor will be out soon . I may have this done sooner than expected and just may do this at the next thunder struck . Think 5months it can happen

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Chris, you are not required to glass anything, your call.

Chris, I would seriously rethink the tube fins. Sorry for just catching that. I would keep it really simple for an L3 cert flight. Once again, your call, just friendly advice.

jimzcatz said:

Chris, I would seriously rethink the tube fins. Sorry for just catching that. I would keep it really simple for an L3 cert flight. Once again, your call, just friendly advice.

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Especially with sono tube its not the toughest stuff really. Without a lot of help or fiberglass most sono tubes cant take much of a hit. The quality of the tubes have really decreased over the years, the stuff they sell at Lows isn't much better than a toilet paper roll.

I'm not trying to talk you out of it, I have a sono tube rocket it's just a bit of work to make it strong. Dont gforget to peel out the inside layer as it is impregnated with a wax and will not accept glue.



TA

jimzcatz said:

Chris, I would seriously rethink the tube fins. Sorry for just catching that. I would keep it really simple for an L3 cert flight. Once again, your call, just friendly advice.

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Jim, you seem like an accomplished flier. It's also possible that you've had some offline conversations with Chris about his idea. But on the face of it, if I just look at your post, it seems unhelpful.

If you have a specific concern about the design, I encourage you to voice it explicitly, so we can ll learn from your experience.

Ari.