mh9162013
Well-Known Member
I'm thinking about trying out helicopter rockets and I was watching the assembly videos for the above referenced rockets and have a few questions I hope some of you might be able to answer.
First, the aft disc that's near where the CF/graphite shaft attaches to the shock cord has holes in it. Why? I can see how putting holes might save some weight, but might you get a more reliable ejection if the holes weren't there (or were smaller)?
Second, the shock cord (at least for the Gyro Chaser) has an odd attachment point, ie it goes through the main body tube and is glued to the root area of one of the fins. Why? Why can't you just tie it to the top of the motor mount tube?
Third, if I installed a baffle in one of these rockets, it shouldn't affect the functionality of the rocket, right? I get how it adds weight and might force me to make the rocket longer (assuming I don't shorten the blades), but are there any other considerations I'm not aware of?
Fourth, if I installed a baffle and instead of lengthening the main body tube, I shortened the blades a bit, what's the drawback besides a faster descent and extra work while building?
I know these are competition rockets, so many of the answers to my questions might be, "because of weight," but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything from a structural or functional perspective. Thanks!
First, the aft disc that's near where the CF/graphite shaft attaches to the shock cord has holes in it. Why? I can see how putting holes might save some weight, but might you get a more reliable ejection if the holes weren't there (or were smaller)?
Second, the shock cord (at least for the Gyro Chaser) has an odd attachment point, ie it goes through the main body tube and is glued to the root area of one of the fins. Why? Why can't you just tie it to the top of the motor mount tube?
Third, if I installed a baffle in one of these rockets, it shouldn't affect the functionality of the rocket, right? I get how it adds weight and might force me to make the rocket longer (assuming I don't shorten the blades), but are there any other considerations I'm not aware of?
Fourth, if I installed a baffle and instead of lengthening the main body tube, I shortened the blades a bit, what's the drawback besides a faster descent and extra work while building?
I know these are competition rockets, so many of the answers to my questions might be, "because of weight," but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything from a structural or functional perspective. Thanks!