Free 13 mm Pinwheel rocket

[artapplewhite]

I've added a new rocket to my Free Stuff page. It's the 13 mm Pinwheel. It's quick and easy to build. It flies well in small fields and spins like crazy. :y:

I'd appreciate feedback from folks who build and fly them. I will offer low cost 18 mm, 24 mm and possibly 29 mm kits soon so please don't abuse my generosity (and the copyright) by up-scaling or cloning without my permission. :gavel:

Art Applewhite
Art Applewhite Rockets

 

[Yoehahn]

Can I downscale to MMX without issue?

 

[artapplewhite]

Can I downscale to MMX without issue?

Yes. I'd like to the the results when you're done. My fingers are too big and clumsy to work at MMX size. I'm thinking you could start with a 50% reduction and use 67 lb index or maybe 24 lb bond.
Good Luck,

Art Applewhite
www.artapplewhite.com

 

[artapplewhite]

Can I downscale to MMX without issue?

To eliminate any legal ambiguity, I've posted a Micro Maxx Pinwheel on my Free Stuff page.
Enjoy,
Art Applewhite
www.artapplewhite.com

 

[SacEsq]

Upscale to a J motor :y:

 

[artapplewhite]

Upscale to a J motor :y:

Possible but problematic. It uses aerobrake (tumble) recovery. To produce enough drag to make a safe descent with such a heavy motor, it would need to be big, i.e. 16 to 18 inches square.

1. This would mean heavier materials would have to be used,
2. which would increase the descent rate,
3. which would mean it would need to be bigger,
4. Go to step 1 above. :bang:

Unlike other high drag designs such as flying saucers, this rocket spins like crazy. Any design must take the centrifugal forces on the "airframe" into account. It's not to bad for small rockets but they become considerable for larger, wider rockets. That would take it out of the range of cardstock construction and better discussed in another forum.:gavel:

Art Applewhite
www.artapplewhite.com

 

[guywad]

Does it matter which side is "up" when launching? Also, what about launch rod length - should we use something like what is recommended for the popsicle or is a normal length OK?
Really love to fly your saucers and monocopters on small fields, and they are fun to build.

 

[T-Rex]

Another one to fly in the backyard, Thank you Mr Applwhite!!

 

[artapplewhite]

Does it matter which side is "up" when launching? Also, what about launch rod length - should we use something like what is recommended for the popsicle or is a normal length OK?
Really love to fly your saucers and monocopters on small fields, and they are fun to build.

You fly it with the flat side down otherwise it won't spin.

Use a normal length rod, although depending on the motor and the wind a 18 inch rod is likely enough.
Art Applewhite

 

[guywad]

You fly it with the flat side down otherwise it won't spin.

Use a normal length rod, although depending on the motor and the wind a 18 inch rod is likely enough.
Art Applewhite

Thanks! Hope to fly it at this Sunday's CMASS launch!

 

[rstaff3]

Mine flew well on an A10....but I would recommend an A3 if ya' got them.

 

[ClayD]

WOW... after all this time, i just stumbled across all this...

time to get some cardstock... the 6 yearold is going to LOVE this...

 

[Johnly]

Where does one go to have these printed on 110 lb. card stock? Kinkos?

John

 

[ClayD]

Where does one go to have these printed on 110 lb. card stock? Kinkos?

John

Or just print them on normal paper and overlay them onto cardstock.

 

[artapplewhite]

Where does one go to have these printed on 110 lb. card stock? Kinkos?

John

Many printers will print on cardstock if you feed them manually. Most big copiers, like the ones at work :wink:, can print on cardstock, so print the pattern out on regular bond paper and then make copies on cardstock. This is most likely what Kinkos will do.

Do not to use any "scaling" regardless of what method you use. Print full size or the motors won't fit.

I use 3M Super 77^TM Multipurpose (spray-on) adhesive to attach bond paper to cardstock or foamboard. It dries quickly and doesn't "wilt" the paper.:2:

Art Applewhite

 

[artapplewhite]

Where does one go to have these printed on 110 lb. card stock? Kinkos?

John

If you do get it done at Kinkos or Office Max or another 3rd party printers, be sure to check the thickness of the cardstock. I use Georgia Pacific Image Plus+ ^TM that I get a Walmart. Some cardstocks that claim to be 110 lb are not heavy enough. The more common 67 lb index stock may not be heavy enough for the high average thrust of A10T motors. This design is fairly forgiving as long as you cut and fold it accurately and the glue joints are strong.
Here it is in mathematic form:

accurate cuts + crisp folds + stiff cardstock + rocket motor = high performance :wave:

conversely,

sloppy work + limp cardstock + rocket motor = trouble! :cry:

Art Applewhite
www.artapplewhite.com
NAR 80632, L2

 

[DAllen]

Upscale to a J motor :y:

Possible if you like blowing a few hundred on CF and resin for a flight on $60 worth of propellant that only goes 300' LOL. That would be cool though.

 

[guywad]

I flew the 13 mm Pinwheel rocket 3 times today at the CMASS launch. Twice on a 1/2A3-2T and once on an A10-0T. All three flights were good - straight up and
spinning all the way. Easy to prep- easy to fly.

Guy.

 

[KennB]

I flew the 13 mm Pinwheel rocket 3 times today at the CMASS launch. Twice on a 1/2A3-2T and once on an A10-0T. All three flights were good - straight up and
spinning all the way. Easy to prep- easy to fly.

Guy.

Guy, don't forget about your added foil.

BillSpad flew the MMX version at the same launch with good success, too.

Another very nice design, Art. Thanks for providing so many freebies. From the number of your purchased kits that go up at our launches, I know the good will is appreciated and recognized. Thanks again. :handshake:

 

[rbelknap]

I bought some cardstock while I was out running errands today. I printed out and built a few Applewhite rockets this evening, including a pinwheel.


Qubit, Pinwheel, and Scimitar 2.0

 

[guywad]

Guy, don't forget about your added foil.

Thanks for the reminder Kenn. I do usually make one minor modification to the plans - I have a roll of foil tape that I use to line the inside of the motor mounts when I build Applewhite models. It adds just a little more to the motor mount strength and might add a little to burn through resistance that is sometimes seen in monocopters and x-fires. Also for those, if I need to make repairs due to motor burn through, I ususally just daub on some JB Weld.

Guy.

 

[rbelknap]

Took the boys to a local school playground/field sunday afternoon. I brought the three cardstock rockets I built and a bunch of motors on the off chance that the field wasn't in use for some soccer games. There was a grandfather and grandson about the same age as mine practicing hitting/fielding. My boys joined them for a bit, and then when they got bored, I set up the launch-pad.

We drew a bit of a crowd, (another other kid came over to see what we were doing.) and I fielded a bunch of questions from the grandfather about rocketry as we set up and launched. We burned through my entire cache of 13mm motors, with each of the 4 boys flying 2-3 times.

Of the 3, I think my favorite is the scimitar, but the pinwheel was the biggest hit with the boys. (It was the one they all wanted to fly.) Nice low flights (perfect for this size field) with lots of spinning.

 

[MarkII]

My old HP DeskJet and current Photosmart Plus printers handle 110 lb. cardstock (Georgia Pacific, from Wal-Mart) just fine. I just load it into the regular tray and it flies through the printer just like regular inkjet paper. I have been printing out and assembling Art's free designs (along with kits purchased from him) ever since I became a BAR eight years ago. Art's MicroMaxx Qubits and 13mm Qubits were the first rockets I built after I brought my hobby out of mothballs back in 2004. In fact, I still have those very same 2004 rockets, along with a vast number of their brethren that I subsequently built, and I still regularly launch them. Launching any of Art Applewhite's rockets is always a treat.

I cannot thank Art enough for producing such wonderful designs and offering free versions of many of them. In my own case, they were exactly the right thing at exactly the right time and I wouldn't be where I am now in the hobby without the experience I gained through them.

 

[MarkII]

Building tip: When Art's instructions say to use Elmer's Glue-All, use Elmer's Glue-All. When they say to use DevCon 2 Ton epoxy, use DevCon 2 Ton epoxy! The man knows how to assemble his kits, and his methods work! My 38mm Cinco is the only high-powered rocket that I have ever built or even seen that was completely assembled using nothing but Elmer's Glue-All.

 

[JMGrant]

All of Art's rockets are great. I volunteer at the school, running a STEM program, and the kids love his cardstock designs - more than retail kits. They're easy on the budget and very forgiving when considering the skill level of the student (I like Art's quality vs. results formulas).

We use Gorilla Wood glue for most of our builds, but MarkII is absolutely correct about following instructions about when to use epoxy over glue. It takes less glue, is stronger, and dries much quicker so it doesn't warp the paper as badly.

And rbelknap's story about drawing crowds, is spot on. I always build a few extra rockets for "guests" and give them away like candy. It's great fun for everyone!