Blue Light Special Build Thread

I am starting my Blue Light Special.
Will update as the build progresses.
Not real good at documenting things though so we'll see.
Attached is the RS file (v8).
I have decided to make the motor mount a 54mm.
I know, you can always adapt down, but as this is a special purpose rocket rather than a general flyer, flights will be limited anyway.
I had hoped to come up with a way to put some sort of flashing or rotating blue light on it, but am not having luck.
I have found a bunch of sites that tell how to tear apart a one time use camera and make a repeating strobe out of them, but not being an electronics wiz am reluctant to try it for fear of frying myself.
Plan at this point is to have sandman make a NC and the transition for me.
Have to get some G10 ordered for the fins and a tube for the motor mount.

Greg

Pic of the tubes I am starting with.

FG'd the smaller, upper tube tonight.
Hung the tube and FG sleeve from a rafter in the garage with a cast iron dutch oven suspended from the lower part.
Then wetted it out.

Little closer showing that you can see the spiral line through the FG.
Hope this means I got enough West Systems on it.

The requisite, not very well focused, close up.
Can see through the FG pretty well.
I spent about 10 minutes working the excess to the bottom with the hand squeege method.
Checked on it a bit ago and it is just starting to turn green.
I use the slower formula as it is the first time I've done this and wanted the extra time.
It is very warm and humid here so have to see how things turn out.
If it turns out as well as it looks like it is going to, KEWL!.

Here is the big tube, spirals filled and drying.
They are VERY wide spirals; inside too.
Will have to be sure they are filled at points were there are CR's and bulkheads on the inside.
If the other tube turns out as well as it looks like it will, may do this one on Thursday night.

Front tube glassed and ready to have excess trimmed off of the ends.

Anyone need slightly perforated FG funnels?
Trimmed but still needing attention on the ends.

Did the big tube tonight.
West Systems is not kidding when they say that in a hot climate with a small mixing container, the mixed epoxy will get HOT!
And it will start to cure WAY too fast which may have lead to a problem.
Attached is a picture of the whole tube.

Also took the AutoCad drawing of the fins to an engineering company and had them print it out on a large format printer; just a tad too large to do at home.
While there I was talking to the guy helping me and found out that he and some buddies are into building cannons for bowling balls.
He commented that he was called this morning that his latest cannon blank (barrel) was in.
8.5 inch ID with a 1 inch wall thickness.
Said it was like 122# per foot IIRC; did not say how long it was.

Greg

If you look closely in the above picture you will see a spot that is lighter in color than the rest, and I don't mean the spirals.
I HOPE that with the epoxy curing faster than I wanted, it did not seal over the cloth and prevent any from penetrating to the cardboard.
In my defense, that area never did seem to change color like the rest of the tube.
I did apply epoxy directly to the spot and rubbed hard to try to get something to at least look like it was doing what I wanted it to.
The cloth in that area seems to be secure as far as I can tell.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Attached is a close up of the "Spot".

Looking nice! Carn't wait to see the finished product!