"One small step for some, one giant leap for me".

Scratchbuilders,

At work today I discovered quite a number of cardboard tubes. They are moderately heavy walled and approximately 2.5"x 36"(this is a guess right now till I can measure accurately) and very straight. We had banners shipped to us inside these tubes.

My hands got sweaty at the thought of using one to scratchbuild my first rocket. I've got a few questions, as usual about where to get a nosecone that will fit the I.D? What if it is an odd size? What is the best way to cut the fin slots? How will I cut centering rings? Do hobby shops carry bulk motor tubes? I think I'll be using a 29mm motor tube.

Scratchbuilders, HELP!!!

Swimmer

I think the best bet is to send me a few of these tubes. I'll be better able to help you out once I've had a good chance to err...hmm..."experiment"...yeah!..."EXPERIMENT" with them!

1. You could try a Fat Boy cone (its about that diameter) or other commercial 2.6 inch cones (LOC, Aerotech). You can find their exact dimensions on-line, and-or test fit. Of course, you can always build/turn your own. There are other threads on TRF which discuss nose cone making, IIRC.

2. You can cut fin slots many ways, but a sharp hobby knife always works. This was also discussed here (time to start playing with 'search' )

3. Rings...also discussed here (I'm sounding like a broken record). Make them from foamboard (with some reinforcement), balsa, plywood.... Measure the ID of the tube and set a compass accordingly. Use the same hole to mark the hole for the 29mm tube.

4. Buy a 29mm motor tube from Magnum (along with anything else you might need.

Scratchbuilding 'tis fun

Work continues on the design aspect of my yet to be named first scratch build. The 3 inch mailing tube was shortened to 34.5 inches and the spirals are not very deep. The outside of the body tube sanded off to a smooth surface and finishing will be no problem. Doing some fin design work and a friend will be over this Saturday to show me how to put my design through RockSim. Fins will be TTW to a 29mm motor tube.

Swimmer

Been looking at fin material. G10 is great stuff but I would have to have them custom built. I'm leaning toward making them myself using 3/32"ply, scratch building you know. The root cord is 5.5" with a span of 4.3" so making them out of ply looks like no big deal. RockSim says either G10 or ply is acceptable. Any comments about using plywood?

Swimmer

I almost always use plywood. It's just easier to work with and it's cheaper too. I really like G10 fins but, for me, plywood is just a more economical choice.

BTW, I usually use 3/16^ths aircraft ply that you can get at the hobby store. 1/4" for those bigger projects.

I used 3/16 ply (thanks Mark) for the fins and cut them out on my table saw. I installed the 38mm motor tube this afternoon and and am now ready to start attaching the fins. It is ocmong along pretty good for my first scratch rocket. Weighs in around 32oz naked. RockSim says 1378 feet on a G64-7.

Swimmer

Excuse the mess.....

Swimmer

It's looking very nice.

Oh, yeah. By the way, that's not a mess.

***FREE PAPER TUBES can be found, with a little effort, that vary in sizes from 1 inch to 7 inches in diameter and up to 10 feet in length. The best places to find these tubes are to talk to carpet and floor covering installers, insulators, and vapor barrier installers. Look them up in the phone book and give them a call. You may find them most helpful once you tell them that the tubes are for your model rockets. Also stop and talk to construction superintendents on construction sites during the final stages of construction. They can be very willing to get ride of any unwanted materials such as tubes.

I have a full garage attic of these tubes that vary from 3" around that are 6 feet tall. My largest diameter tube is 7 3/8 inches and 8 fooot tall. All free. Most are from vynel flooring and or vapor barrier installers. If you are willing to pay shipping I will ship you some as my attic is full. Thanks JP

P.S. Just a reminder that these paper tubes are not for HP rocketry because the paper layers are a lower grade of paper and are only wound in one direction were HP tubes are woung on both directions.

James Pierson Manager
Rocketry Preservation Society
https://groups.msn.com/ROCKETRYPRESERVATIONSOCIETY/_whatsnew.msnw?pgmarket=en-us

Being a rookie scratch buildier I had to make two sets of fins before I was satisfied with them. After individually cutting the 3/16 ply into fins the first time I laid them on each other and was not happy with the symmetry. So, back to the hobby shop to get more plywood. This time I used carpet tape between the ply to secure it altogether. I cut the assembly on my table saw and the fins came out very nice. I sanded the edges as an assembly also. I have started rounding the leading and trailing edges. Going to make a nice set of fins.

Swimmer

Swimmer,
I think your fins look great. They look just like they came from a LOC Precision kit.

Thanks, Mark.

Swimmer

Started priming my scratch build tonight and found out I have to deal with a lot of cardboard tube fuzzies. My first coat of grey primer looked like it needed a shave. I put on a couple coats of grey then one coat of white, then sanded. The fuzzies sanded off pretty good but now I'm going to have to do some more filling. I sure got used to the ease of finishing Quantum tubing.

This pic looks worse than it is. This area is smooth and another coat or two of primer will cover with no problem. Lots of work but getting some good experience along the way.

Swimmer

After posting last night I filled these areas with FnF. Got up this morning and sanded smooth. The surface is smooth as glass. Looks like it will take another couple primer coats. Probably should have coated the entire bodytube with a light coat of FnF before priming. Would have kept the fuzzies down.

Swimmer

................but, the fins are very nice.

Swimmer

After a very thin coat of FnF over the areas shown in the last picture and a couple more coats of Krylon white primer the surface of the body tube is much improved. The bodytube is very smooth. Be ready soon for the base color.

Swimmer

Here is a picture of me holding my first scratchbuild. I hope to have it ready by early April for KloudBurst in Argonia, KS. Using a cardboard tube has been a lot of work but the results are gratifying. I still have to install the baffle, motor retention, parachute and paint. Here is the pic.... That good looking guy is me.

Swimmer

What a beauty! Er, ah... I mean the rocket of course. Ahem.
Really, it looks great. What are your plans for motors? Aside from clones, my first scratch built is a 4" Crayon and I truly enjoyed fitting nonstandard and handmade parts to the tube and figuring out which shock cord mount, retention system, etc. I was going to use. Hopefully it will all come together as well as yours.

Looks great Swimmer !!!!!

Jason

rebeckey,

First motor will be a Pro38 G79SS (Smoky Sam). Looks like around 1400' according to RocSim. I've also got a 38mm to 29mm adapter for a couple G64's I've got.

Some combination of red/white/black will be the paint scheme. I'll post pics when I get it painted.

Thanks for the good comments, you guys.

Swimmer

P.S. rbeckey- got any pics of your projects?

Look in this forum (scratch built) under Bomarc clone, Honest John and Crayon. There are some pics in there. I am waiting for some warm weather to start painting. I have about nine rockets that need finished! 4" V2, Orbital Transport, Bomarc, Honest John, Crayon, Nike Ajax (see my review in EMRR on the Nike Ajax), Argosy mod, and two projects currently under way, Super Vega Clone and a scratch built BT80 based ring fin as yet unnamed. I'll have to buy a case of primer and lots of sandpaper.

Originally posted by Swimmer
Here is the pic.... That good looking guy is me.

Swimmer

Click to expand...

Got milk?


Seriously, nice looking bird, particularly for your first scratch build...big thumbs up!

Kermie,

Got milk?? Very funny. (It does look like one of those advertisements) What you see there is a case of maturity, however, I prefer to call it class!

Anyway, thanks for the good comment.

Swimmer

Originally posted by KermieD
Got milk?

Click to expand...

ROFLMAO

OMG, Kermie. I nearly soiled myself!

Been thinking about a name for my scratch build:

You know, it's not a clone, it's not an upcale or downscale, it's not a cluster, it's really "nothing special". I like it!


Swimmer

Got the first color on the "Nuthin Special" tonight. (Between coats of paint I've been applying decals to my Transglobal Interceptor and I'll have pics of the finished kit soon Sandman) The paint is Ace Hardware and the spray tip is very good. After the gloss red dries I'll tape off for gloss white on the balance of the bodytube.

Swimmer

Nosecone pic.....


Swimmer

Swimmer. That is some real nice work. lets see it fly now?