[DONE!] Making Ventris av bay

I wanted to add an av bay to my Ventris to try some things out before executing them on a larger, more expensive rocket. The payload bay in a Ventris has only about an inch worth of useable space if you don't open up the nosecone and adapter. Estes sells the 2.5" tubing for the payload bay in 15.5" lengths, but I couldn't find an av bay anywhere that would fit. So I'm off to build my own.

I bought 2 lengths of the 2.5" tube and 3 couplers for them. The couplers are 4" long. I took two couplers and taped them together on the outside, inserted them into a length of tube to keep them square with each other, then glued them together, using 2 layers of regular paper to laminate the joint. I then put them under a weight to dry. I'm ordering some bulkheads from Apogee to see if I can make them work. Sorry about the exposure on the last one, just the camera in my phone.

Cool! I'm Watching!

Nice I did the same thing but instead used a 1" vent band and used that as the "alignment" and coated the inside of the joint with wood glue like you did. Nice work!!

Pulled out the calipers, took some measurements and ordered some bulkheads today. Should have them from Apogee sometime next week.

Working on a Ventris right now myself. This should be interesting.

op:

Got the bulkheads, rivets, and some other goodies in the mail today. I ordered 2 each of these couplers from Apogee; Coupler bulkhead for 2.6" BT-80 tube, OD 2.473", P/N 12264 and coupler bulkhead for 2.6" BT-80 BLUE TUBE, OD 2.373", P/N 12274. I used the included eye bolt and centered one of the bigger bulkheads with one of the smaller. I drew a pencil line around the perimeter of the little one on the big one.


I took them back apart and sanded the smaller bulkheads until all the charring was gone and sanded the larger bulkheads TO the pencil line. Not on it, not over, but right to it. This gave me the perfect diameter to fit inside the body tube for the larger and inside the couplers for the smaller.


I glued the bulkheads together with wood glue and once those are dry, I will epoxy in the eye bolts. Here's the bay with the caps in place.


Here's the av bay riveted in place with 3 vent holes. 2 are for the altimeters, the top one is for the 'chute compartment.


And the whole thing.

Finally got my locking headers soldered on, wires crimped, rods cut... Here's the sled:


And assembled:


Without charges but with laundry, the whole rocket weighs 34 ounces.

looks good

Thank you. Looking forward to sending it up.

I put this guy up twice yesterday. F42-4Ts. 348' and 353'. DD worked perfect with a 200 feet deployment altitude.