a few weeks back when I went launching I destroyed my FAT BOY cluster so I decided it was time to build another, but I decided to go with the Big Daddy instead. This rocket is similar to the Big Daddy, except it's airframe is 4" longer. I bought all the parts from Mercury Engineering and decided to leave the airframe the way it came and use the extra room to pack the laundry. I also bought their motor mount kit for 3x24mm. Not bad and the quality is pretty good. It comes with mat board center rings and the engine blocks and spacers are good quality. The only thing I wish is that the motor tubes were thicker. I had some LOC laying around that I was going to use, but opted out of sanding down the mat board and I didn't want to chance ruining it, so I used all the parts in the kit. The airframe tube (3") and the nose cone are also good quality. I used wood glue to assemble the center rings and tubes and 30 minute epoxy with milled fiberglass to mount the mount assembly in the airframe. I used a combination of Kevlar and nylon elastic shock cord to help take any stress during ejection. The fins are 3/16" balsa that I skinned with copy paper.
I also epoxied a piece of tube coupler to reinforce the AFT section of the airframe and then used 30 minute epoxy to coat the inside of the coupler to shield off some of the exhaust from the engines.
It was a rainy day so this is all the work I got done. Tomorrow I'll mount the fins, launch lug and laid down the epoxy fin fillets.
BTW - That is not my Tinkerbell coffee mug. It's my girlfriends and it's the only clean mug I have in the garage for my coffee. I swear!
I also epoxied a piece of tube coupler to reinforce the AFT section of the airframe and then used 30 minute epoxy to coat the inside of the coupler to shield off some of the exhaust from the engines.
It was a rainy day so this is all the work I got done. Tomorrow I'll mount the fins, launch lug and laid down the epoxy fin fillets.
BTW - That is not my Tinkerbell coffee mug. It's my girlfriends and it's the only clean mug I have in the garage for my coffee. I swear!
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