Camcorder Rocket. Need Advice

[sucka]

I can tell you without even trying it that it would fall off. I guess i didnt realize that it needs to be that tight. I will add a ring of tape to make it tighter. Thanks for the advice. I am learning alot from this forum. Well... actually I am learning almost everything from this forum

 

[ronhill]

This thread inspired me to modify a Canadian Arrow with a pencam. It is yet to fly, but it sims out as stable.

It uses an Aiptek PenCam 1.3 SD with a 128 meg SD card installed. I'm not sure of the record time, but it's something more than 20 minutes.

This rocket could easy win the design with the most drag, but simplicity counts for something. I plan to fly it with a E18-7 reload unless I can get my hands on an E18 with a shorter delay in the meantime.

I took a lot of meat out of the body tube so I reinforced the body tube with four 1/4 x 1/4 inch basswood supports which effectively support the mass of the camera and nosecone.

The camera is secured with Velcro above and below. The upper Velcro is attached to a removable disk that I lower from above before installing the nose cone.

Hope to fly it this weekend.

 

[RandyM]

ronhill - I like it! I have a Pencam SD also and have been trying to figure out how to mount it. Looks like you figured out a way.

The only question I have is since the camera is below the nosecone, how is your chute deploying? Did you add a coupler and a bulkhead?

 

[ronhill]

Originally posted by randym
ronhill - I like it! I have a Pencam SD also and have been trying to figure out how to mount it. Looks like you figured out a way.

The only question I have is since the camera is below the nosecone, how is your chute deploying? Did you add a coupler and a bulkhead?

randym

Yes, that's exactly it. The camera is in a separate payload section so it does not get exposed to the ejection gases. There is a bulkhead and stage coupler. You may not be able to see the joint very well in the picture. In addition, there is another coupler (farther forward) for the camera to mount on. If you'd like more detailed photos, I'd be happy to post them.

The Pencam SD has its limitations (no sound, low frame rate), but it has a long recording time. And I already had one.

Ron

 

[RandyM]

Originally posted by ronhill
randym

You may not be able to see the joint very well in the picture. In addition, there is another coupler (farther forward) for the camera to mount on. If you'd like more detailed photos, I'd be happy to post them.

The Pencam SD has its limitations (no sound, low frame rate), but it has a long recording time. And I already had one.

Ron

Your right, I couldn't see any joint at all. A few more detailed pics would be great.

I bought a couple of Aiptek cams from https://www.2fidelity.com/. They had the Pencam SD for $9! It's a refurb, but it works fine.

I'm also working with a CVS cam to get it going. If I could only find a way to get a few more hours in a day.

 

[ronhill]

The price you got on the Pencam is excellent. Bought mine over two years ago for $65 and thought I got a steal.

Here is a side shot (1st of 2) of the camera mount. I made a mistake in my note previously. It’s actually mounted on a balsa bulkhead. Velcro is CAed to this bulkhead, and stick-on Velcro is used on the top and bottom of the camera.

The vertical body tube slot seems large, but you have to lift up on the camera to detach it from the Velcro. I may cover the open space with white tape for the flight.

The upper hole in the BT is for securely attaching the nosecone with nylon screws (2). The lower hole is for accessing the shutter button.

The payload BT is 10 inches long.

 

[ronhill]

This shot is from the top without the nosecone. You can see the four reinforcement posts to compensate for loss of the structural integrity of the body tube. For the most part, the nosecone mass is carried by these posts. They extend the full length of the payload section BT.

A balsa bulkhead, with CAed Velcro and slots for the four posts, is lowered onto the camera upper surface. As you know, a Velcro attachment on one surface is wobbly. With two surfaces, the camera top and bottom, it’s quite steady.

You can see the LCD before flight—a real advantage. You can turn the camera on while it’s on the pad and easily turn it off after flight. The view of the LCD is one reason I didn’t install fairings. I also needed the vertical space to install and remove the camera. Finally, poor fairings may not be a whole lot better than no fairings.

I'd enjoy hearing whether you decide to pursue a similar design.

 

[RandyM]

Originally posted by ronhill

I'd enjoy hearing whether you decide to pursue a similar design.

Have you had a chance to launch this yet? I'm curious to see what the video looks like. I think I might build on into a payload that can be attached to a beefed up Big Daddy.

 

[ddmobley]

Originally posted by sucka
The mirror, unfortunately, is not adjustable. I was getting anxious so I just epoxied it in place. I wish It was angled out a little more as well.

What did you use as the mirror?

 

[Jeremy 12D]

Originally posted by danc
Hi, neat project. You might want to check out my page as well which explains how to build a video rocket using only the parts from two stormcaster kits and the aiptek minicam.

https://home.earthlink.net/~tacquire/pencam

Another great project for me to build, thanks a lot for a great and easy to understand write up! Really well done.

Edit: Aiptek's website has both the Mega Pencam 1.3 as well as the smaller Trio VGA pretty cheap.
Mega is 9.99 - Refurbished
Trio is 7.99 - Refurbished
Both come with free keychains and camera cases.

https://www.aiptek.com/

Thanks again,
Jeremy