Tip to tip techniques

Anybody know any good tip to tip techniques? I see them quite a bit but there are slight diferences everywhere. Also a tutorial including how to do the leading edges would be nice.

Thanks, littlemisterbig

I posted pictures in a recent build thread here: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?69193-LOC-Weasel-38mm-MD&p=757024#post757024 and included a link to Tony Alcocer's video showing how to do a series of layers during the layup to add some dimension (essentially airfoiling for free) in the process.

I asked Tony about any suggestions a few months back. First thing he said was start with a cheap estes kit to get the hang of it. I did that with an Estes Hornet from one of the sales around christmas time last year.

As to leading edge, there are different needs and level of effort depending on flight regime. If you are doing tip-to-tip as a general reinforcement and flights in the Mach 1-1.5 range, you probably won't need to consider ablative or special leading edge treatments. There are many others here in the forum that can share their approaches.

For the Weasel build linked above (definitely not going over Mach 1.2), I beveled (not rounded) the leading edge so that the two sides of the layup would meet and bond as the resin cured on the second side. I just trimmed off excess and smoothed with sandpaper (wearing a dust mask!). I ran CA along all fin edges afterward before priming and painting.

Thats for fiberglass, im planning on using carbon fiber. Is the technique the same?

littlemisterbig said:

Thats for fiberglass, im planning on using carbon fiber. Is the technique the same?

Click to expand...

It is all the same.


Alexander Solis

TRA - Level 1
Mariah 54 - CTI RedLightning- I-100 - 6,345 Feet

Ok, awesome

I agree with timro and what he did was excellent work.


Alexander Solis

TRA - Level 1
Mariah 54 - CTI RedLightning- I-100 - 6,345 Feet

Is it for your arcas build??

Email me at [email protected]. I have done quite a few T2T. I have taught myself. Search the forum and look at my started threads. I did a Dominator 4 R2 in 2012 T2T and most recently my O3400 rocket that I launched at Airfest this year. I have also done other T2T but did not document it on here.

People do different things for different reasons. When doing tip-to-tip you need to consider the materials and the lay out of how you will be doing it based upon your flight profile and goals. I got started reading Jim Jarvis's carbon tutorials (see below) and have since developed a on going modification to his process and I feel it works out quite well. Since learning, I have done about 11 different tip-to-tips. If your fins are beveled then I would not take the cloth to the edges of the fin but rather close to where the bevel starts. To do this requires a little more work and patience (making a template). Also depending on the flight profile and the fin design you may need to protect the leading edges from aerodynamic heating and the "middy energetic breeze," from delaminating and removing your tip-to-tip layers. I now print out a scaled down 2D drawing of my fin and then tape that to the cloth in a couple of areas and cut the desired shape out; I have arrived at this method and like it quite well. I don't have the way I do it now documented but will provide an older method. I also highly recommend vacuum bagging your tip-to-tip layers as it makes the most since and all of mine have been bagged. Anyways best of luck and it is a lot easier than it might appear.


https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?66514-ODIN-Minimum-Diameter-38 (See Post #15)
This is perhaps one of my best documented accounts of tip-to-tip.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?66815-Progress-Minimum-Diameter-54-(CTI-L935) (See Post #12)
Here is my other well documented account of the tip-to-tip process.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ir8nmorcr..._Aerospace_Surface_Preparation_Guide.pdf?dl=0
Surface preparation is key to success.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j1uxjn5y17jq7tc/DOD Composite Materials Handbook.pdf?dl=0
A bunch of valuable information.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pmkvpl88p5lp99w/Vacuum-Bagging-Techniques.pdf?dl=0
Vacuum bagging techniques.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zdm8fddjd77q920/Jim's Carbon Guide.pdf?dl=0
Jim's vacuum bagging techniques and more.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sfsxq0avob1xg03/Jim's Carbon Method Part II.pdf?dl=0
Jim's vacuum bagging techniques and more Part II.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9xx55oz3qhgmtt6/Jim Jarvis Carbon Tutorial.pdf?dl=0
More of Jim.



Sadly I had another amazing PDF that would be ideal for you to read but I cannot seem to find it. Anyways enjoy and if you plan on going to higher performance flights this is a key step in doing so and remember don't cheap out lol.


Cheers.

Connor, it is not for my arcas, although i might do t2t on my arcas later.