L3 Trigger Pulled! Target FINALLY hit! :)

[UPscaler]

Coiled sounds awesome!



Braden

[Pantherjon]

Coiled sounds awesome!

Thanks Braden!

Yeah, coiled sounds like it will be pretty cool to me as well! So, great minds think alike then..It will be coiled!

So, it will either turn out as I think it will: pretty cool..Or turn out looking like crap..I think either way with the paint, the awesome decal I got from StickerShock will more then make up for it!

[Pantherjon]

Build update time:

I have come to the conclusion that power tools do NOT like me! Got home fairly early tonight, so grabbed the circular saw to cut the sled..Fire it up, as soon as blade touches wood, blade stops..Dangit! Ok, get a wrench tighten up the retaining nut...Does it again..WTH??? Snug down on the nut again..Then the motor make a funky growl and won't turn...So, with that, I will be using the OLD sled, the one that looks like it was hit by a machine gun..LOL...At least it has the properly spaced holes or ONE of the altimeters I am going to use..Will have to see about the other..May end up having to drill a couple MORE holes..Really make it look like a 'swiss cheese' sled!

[Pantherjon]

A bit more progress..And a couple of pictures!LOL

Got the sled populated with electronics and wired up..Did tests with some lights from an old christmas light string. Bulbs were tested prior to testing and worked so I could verify the connections for continuity checks..

So, here is a picture of my avbay..The bottom altimeter is a PerfectFlite HiAlt45k and the top one is a Missile Works RRC2 Mini. The PerfectFlite was originally slated to be the primary, but unless I can find a jumper to change the main deployment altitude to something other then 400' it is going to be the backup..Have to do some programming on the Mini because I believe it is set for main deployment at 400' as well..Though, I suppose I could just flip the switch to profile 2 and use the default 1000' for main deployment..

So, here is my 'over engineered' avbay, outside of the coupler...

[JDcluster]

The stock Mini setting are 1000ft and 500ft.
Those jumpers can be had at most Radio Shacks.

Why are you using a circular saw, when you could have used a jig saw instead?

JD

A bit more progress..And a couple of pictures!LOL

Got the sled populated with electronics and wired up..Did tests with some lights from an old christmas light string. Bulbs were tested prior to testing and worked so I could verify the connections for continuity checks..

So, here is a picture of my avbay..The bottom altimeter is a PerfectFlite HiAlt45k and the top one is a Missile Works RRC2 Mini. The PerfectFlite was originally slated to be the primary, but unless I can find a jumper to change the main deployment altitude to something other then 400' it is going to be the backup..Have to do some programming on the Mini because I believe it is set for main deployment at 400' as well..Though, I suppose I could just flip the switch to profile 2 and use the default 1000' for main deployment..

So, here is my 'over engineered' avbay, outside of the coupler...

[stickershock23]

Howdid I miss this thread?

LOOKING COOL JON.. I think you have your LIII in the bag!

[Pantherjon]

The stock Mini setting are 1000ft and 500ft.

Yeah, but I changed the Profile 1 to 400'...Will do some more reading in the 'manual' and maybe change it to like 700 or 800' for primary main deploy and use the mini as backup at 400'

Those jumpers can be had at most Radio Shacks.

MOST..Our local Shack didn't even have any 9v battery holders last time I was in there..LOL

Why are you using a circular saw, when you could have used a jig saw instead?

JD

Cause I don't have a jig saw?

[Pantherjon]

Howdid I miss this thread?

LOOKING COOL JON.. I think you have your LIII in the bag!

Sure hope so Mark! I know once painted your stickers will MAKE the rocket!

It will be the rockets 3rd flight(a test L flight and one previous cert flight)..So, maybe 3rd time's the charm!

[UPscaler]

MOST..Our local Shack didn't even have any 9v battery holders last time I was in there..LOL
p

Neither do any of the Radio Shacks I've been to in Texas and Idaho.I don't think they carry them, which is why I order them from Missileworks!

I get a mint every time!



Braden

[cwbullet]

Jon,

I would velcro or zip tie you batteries down. They can scramble you electronics.

[troj]

Sure hope so Mark! I know once painted your stickers will MAKE the rocket!

Maybe you should have Mark include some quick link stickers, as a reminder?

It will be the rockets 3rd flight(a test L flight and one previous cert flight)..So, maybe 3rd time's the charm!

Hopefully so!

-Kevin

[Pantherjon]

Jon,

I would velcro or zip tie you batteries down. They can scramble you electronics.

Yep I plan on using a zip tie to hold the batteries in place..2 more holes I have to drill in the sled! Ought to take a picture of the back side and show how it has turned into swiss cheese with all the holes!

Maybe you should have Mark include some quick link stickers, as a reminder?

[Pantherjon]

Grrrrr...

How to put this? CRIKEY!!

And things were going along so nice and smooth..Well, today I had PLANNED on getting the primer on the rocket..Well, my old nemesis Mr Nosecone came back to kick me in the butt! Something I worked so hard on for my cert flight that caused me to neglect closing something to get to fit into the tube smoothly was doing the same thing today! It was one of those things that , sorry, was like WTH!?!?!?

Go to slide the nosecone in the tube, it sticks after about an inch and a half..Have to 'wiggle' the bloody thing OUT..Okay, wipe it down, don't feel anything out of sorts with it..Wipe out the inside of the tube, don't feel anything wrong there either..Try again..Same result..This time was an even HARDER struggle to get the bloody cone out..Okay, so break out the sand paper..Sand away..Use the palm sander, as I turn the cone sanding on the shoulder, dust is flying everywhere..
Take the cone into the bath tub and rinse it off..Dry it and go to slide it into the tube..CRIKEY! Sticks AGAIN!..So, about now I want to throw this thing across the house..After saying some choice words, I lay it down and walk away frustrated...Time to run an errand and have lunch..

After a couple of hours cool down, I fight and get the cone out-wasn't as big a task as the last 2 times..Hit it with the palm sander again..Dust flying everywhere(now I need to vacuum the living room)...Go to slide the cone in the tube..Well, it goes in, with a lot of persuasion..I can lift the payload tube with the coupler attached by lifting up on the nose cone and it doesn't shift a bit...And so that is how it sits right now..Major frustration...

[cwbullet]

That sucks Jon. I remember the nose cone after the hard landing. I am amazed you got ti fixed.

[Pantherjon]

That sucks Jon. I remember the nose cone after the hard landing. I am amazed you got ti fixed.

Actually wasn't all that much damage..Was done in the first flight when the main wouldn't come out the tube..

All quick links were attached then Kevin!

Anyway, if the cone keeps giving me fits, I DO have a backup plan..I have another 6" cone..Only thing is, I don'[t have a bulk plate for it..So, IF I use it I will more then likely epoxy the cord to the tip of the cone and then fill/mostly fill the cone with 2 part foam...

[Pantherjon]

Oh, and did I mention I have some paint?

The Krylon paints on the end of the rows will be used as 'top coat' over the cheap WalMart paint..I have put the Krylon on top of ColorPlace paint before with no problems, and don't expect any this time...

[Pantherjon]

Okay..So, I have come to a decision..Thought about this all day at work delivering fuel..I am going with the other nose cone..I just need to sand down the mold lines..

This will eliminate 1 quick link that I could forget to close, Kevin!

[troj]

Okay..So, I have come to a decision..Thought about this all day at work delivering fuel..I am going with the other nose cone..I just need to sand down the mold lines..

This will eliminate 1 quick link that I could forget to close, Kevin!

If it's a PR nosecone, it probably has mold lines from hell (mine all of). If so, the answer is a file -- it'll let you get tight up against the shoulder, and will take down the mold lines most of the way very quickly. Then touchup as necessary with sandpaper, and you're good to go.

Oh, and don't epoxy the shock cord in there -- it just creates weak points. Get a wooden bulkhead of any size that you can get into the forward portion of the nosecone. If it's too thin (unless you're putting noseweight in, that nose isn't that heavy), reinforce it with a layer of fiberglass. Stick a forged eyebolt or U-bolt through, put a fender washer and lock nut on the back, then epoxy that bugger into the tip.

That way, you can replace the shock cord, and you haven't created a weak spot in the cord by soaking it with epoxy.

-Kevin

[Pantherjon]

If it's a PR nosecone, it probably has mold lines from hell (mine all of). If so, the answer is a file -- it'll let you get tight up against the shoulder, and will take down the mold lines most of the way very quickly. Then touchup as necessary with sandpaper, and you're good to go.

It is a PR cone..Though the mold lines are not that terribly bad..Cone slides in as it is now into the booster tube..But is a tad tight going into the payload tube..If I had a file I would use on..Have in the past(Gizmo) and they do work great in knocking down the mold lines...

Oh, and don't epoxy the shock cord in there -- it just creates weak points. Get a wooden bulkhead of any size that you can get into the forward portion of the nosecone. If it's too thin (unless you're putting noseweight in, that nose isn't that heavy), reinforce it with a layer of fiberglass. Stick a forged eyebolt or U-bolt through, put a fender washer and lock nut on the back, then epoxy that bugger into the tip.

That way, you can replace the shock cord, and you haven't created a weak spot in the cord by soaking it with epoxy.

-Kevin

Hadn't really taken the epoxy weakening the cord into consideration..I have 2 3.9" LOC plywood bulk heads I could use..If I go that route I will have to take into account all that extra space in the cone for ejection charge sizing..After work I will dry fit one of the 3.9"BH's and see how far up into the cone they go...

[flight4]

With the other NC I would guess something got out-of-round, probably the shoulder. I had the very same kind of problem you describe with a 6" cone after I epoxied in the bulkplate. I must have pressed it in somewhat and distorted the cone just a little because the NC did not fit after where it fit fine before. I had to grind it down just like you did.

[cwbullet]

Okay..So, I have come to a decision..Thought about this all day at work delivering fuel..I am going with the other nose cone..I just need to sand down the mold lines..

This will eliminate 1 quick link that I could forget to close, Kevin!

That is probably a good choice.

[Pantherjon]

With the other NC I would guess something got out-of-round, probably the shoulder. I had the very same kind of problem you describe with a 6" cone after I epoxied in the bulkplate. I must have pressed it in somewhat and distorted the cone just a little because the NC did not fit after where it fit fine before. I had to grind it down just like you did.

Possible, though doubtful..When I did the first L3 try the BP was already inserted..The cone fit fine when I packed it up at the house..Fit fine on the field when I did the ground test for the ejection charge..Struggles began when I was prepping it that night for the L3 try the next morning..Either the tube contracted more then the cone..Or..

And by fine fitting when I loaded the rocket for transport as being: it slid in with NO effort on my part..So, some bad mojo or something got spilt on it I think..

[Pantherjon]

Okay, a dry fit of one of the 3.9" BP's into the nosecone..WOW..Goes a whole lot further then I thought it would!Overall length of the cone is 36" from tip to base of shoulder..The BP would be 24" from the base of the shoulder! So, in essence I am looking at 2 more feet of tubing I need to pressurize with my ejection charge in addition to the 41" of the payload tube..[head spin emoticon here]...Here is a picture of the BP up in the tip of the cone, with tape measure..Kinda blurry, but yep, it reads 2FT...

I don't know now..I have one more trick up my sleeve to get the old cone to work.. It will either work or the cone will end up in pieces!

[JDcluster]

I highly recommend 1000ft for primary main deployment.

A backup at 400; will put it on the ground before everything stretches out.
My backup of 700 ft was at the top of the trees before the parachute fully opened.


JD

Yeah, but I changed the Profile 1 to 400'...Will do some more reading in the 'manual' and maybe change it to like 700 or 800' for primary main deploy and use the mini as backup at 400'

MOST..Our local Shack didn't even have any 9v battery holders last time I was in there..LOL


Cause I don't have a jig saw?

[JDcluster]

Why not put a motor tube in the NC and turn it into another electronics bay?
It's a great place to put a tracker!


JD

Okay, a dry fit of one of the 3.9" BP's into the nosecone..WOW..Goes a whole lot further then I thought it would!Overall length of the cone is 36" from tip to base of shoulder..The BP would be 24" from the base of the shoulder! So, in essence I am looking at 2 more feet of tubing I need to pressurize with my ejection charge in addition to the 41" of the payload tube..[head spin emoticon here]...Here is a picture of the BP up in the tip of the cone, with tape measure..Kinda blurry, but yep, it reads 2FT...

I don't know now..I have one more trick up my sleeve to get the old cone to work.. It will either work or the cone will end up in pieces!

[cwbullet]

That is a good point. I have done that on several rockets. I sis not do it on my Nike smoke. Mostly because of it shape.

[troj]

Okay, a dry fit of one of the 3.9" BP's into the nosecone..WOW..Goes a whole lot further then I thought it would!Overall length of the cone is 36" from tip to base of shoulder..The BP would be 24" from the base of the shoulder! So, in essence I am looking at 2 more feet of tubing I need to pressurize with my ejection charge in addition to the 41" of the payload tube..[head spin emoticon here]...Here is a picture of the BP up in the tip of the cone, with tape measure..Kinda blurry, but yep, it reads 2FT...

I don't know now..I have one more trick up my sleeve to get the old cone to work.. It will either work or the cone will end up in pieces!

Do you have a router? If so, cut a circle out of plywood and slip it in there.

As others have said, it's also a great place to stick a tracker -- a piece of 38mm motor mount on the side, and you're golden.

When are you planning on flying this? If you've got a couple weeks, I can probably make you a bulkhead.

-Kevin

[troj]

Possible, though doubtful..When I did the first L3 try the BP was already inserted..The cone fit fine when I packed it up at the house..Fit fine on the field when I did the ground test for the ejection charge..Struggles began when I was prepping it that night for the L3 try the next morning..Either the tube contracted more then the cone..Or..

And by fine fitting when I loaded the rocket for transport as being: it slid in with NO effort on my part..So, some bad mojo or something got spilt on it I think..

If I'm not mistaken, the tube is epoxy resin, the nosecone is polyester. Their thermal expansion coefficients and rates are likely different.

....or you got nervous and couldn't line it up.

-Kevin

[Pantherjon]

I highly recommend 1000ft for primary main deployment.

A backup at 400; will put it on the ground before everything stretches out.
My backup of 700 ft was at the top of the trees before the parachute fully opened.


JD

Well, on the original L3 attempt, when the nose cone came down by itself under the chute, main was at 700' ..It opened rather quickly for it having such little amount of weight pulling on it(or it opened that quickly because of the light weight pulling on it?)..but, yeah, a main at 1000' and back up at 700' does sound a bit better then 700' and 400'.Especially for a rocket as large as this one is..BTW, the chute is a Skyangle C-3 large..

[Pantherjon]

Do you have a router? If so, cut a circle out of plywood and slip it in there.

As others have said, it's also a great place to stick a tracker -- a piece of 38mm motor mount on the side, and you're golden.

When are you planning on flying this? If you've got a couple weeks, I can probably make you a bulkhead.

-Kevin

No, no router..

I PLAN on trying to fly it next Saturday(9/1)..Kind of(a lot) ambitious, still a bunch of small twiddly things that need to get done..And the paint(that's a biggee)...

I think my little 'trick' worked this morning! One false start to it, but got it done..LOL..Wont do into specifics other then to say it involved a drill, sandpaper and gelcoat dust flying in the air! Cone slid in nice and smooth!