Level 3 Project-Black Brant II Scratch

[kenstarr]

Fun times with the cell phone camera...

So last Saturday I took the Boy to the rocket launch and sent up some little rockets. As a result, we had a fantastic time and not much work was done on the Black Brant! Over the last few days I've been working on the AV bay and glassed the nose cone. Probably post some pictures on Sunday of the progress. I still need slot the lower airframe. I think my TAP's want to see the fin can before it gets installed. Most of the of the big construction will be done soon leaving me ample time to get the AV bay set up nicely and get a recovery system built and test ejection charges.
-Ken

 

[Onebadhawk]

Not sure, but probably with the all black fins. I will have to ponder that ONCE I have it finished
It's a pretty easy paint job either way. I may use a sparkly black, and/or I may use some iridescent flake on the white just to jazz things up a bit. But then I may just paint it stock. Tempted to name it Black Brandt also. Stickers will be by Stickershock of course
-Ken

Stickers will be by Stickershock of course


Yes I know,,,,,
Of course,,, of course............
But what about harnesses Ken ................
What about the harnesses......................

Teddy

Ken,,,,
Why are you speaking like you have some sort of deadline to finish this build ??????

 

[kenstarr]

Stickers will be by Stickershock of course


Yes I know,,,,,
Of course,,, of course............
But what about harnesses Ken ................
What about the harnesses......................

Teddy

Ken,,,,
Why are you speaking like you have some sort of deadline to finish this build ??????

Regarding harnesses, I searched and found this cool website that sells very nice Kevlar harnesses https://www.onebadhawk.com/ I will most certianly buy one there once I have some cash in my posession. As for deadlines, they're not deadlines per se, but goals. I tend to be very goal oriented and it helps me move along. I WANT to fly at the end of July but we'll see.
-Ken

 

[Onebadhawk]

Regarding harnesses, I searched and found this cool website that sells very nice Kevlar harnesses https://www.onebadhawk.com/ I will most certianly buy one there once I have some cash in my posession. As for deadlines, they're not deadlines per se, but goals. I tend to be very goal oriented and it helps me move along. I WANT to fly at the end of July but we'll see.
-Ken

I understand Ken....

I try to be super patient with myself when I'm building...
Everything must be done under "ideal" conditions....
I find I come out with a better build that way....

Teddy

 

[kenstarr]

Here is the beginnings of the AV Bay. Note there is only one u-bolt because the bay will be permanently affixed to the lower half of the rocket. 5/16 allthread may be overkill but I'm using it anyway!

-Ken

 

[kenstarr]

Made a nice eye for the nose cone. I have also spent plenty of time "frosting the cake" with thickened laminating epoxy on the nose cone and the fins. Later today I will get the airframe slotted to accept the fin can.
-Ken

Well I thought I had a picture of the nicely welded contrivance and another angle of it. Oops. It is made of 2 nice washers and a slotted coupling nut. After the welding on Friday night, I got all the sharp edges cleaned up with the bench grinder and Dremel tool.

 

[Onebadhawk]

Here is the beginnings of the AV Bay. Note there is only one u-bolt because the bay will be permanently affixed to the lower half of the rocket. 5/16 allthread may be overkill but I'm using it anyway!
View attachment 172316
-Ken

Permanently affixed to the lower half of the rocket ??????

I dun get it.........

Teddy

 

[kenstarr]

Permanently affixed to the lower half of the rocket ??????

I dun get it.........

Teddy

The AV bay will be bolted in place on one end ("permanently affixed") or both ends...
So the rocket will be single deploy only. Part I can't decide is:
Do I keep the rocket together as a whole unit, blow the nose cone and laundry at apogee?
Do I keep the AV bay bolted into the aft half of the rocket, keep the nose cone bolted on and separate both halves at apogee?
Do I keep the AV bay bolted into the fore half of the rocket, keep the nose cone bolted on...

I like the idea of a mid point separation as a reduction of potential zippering so I'm leaning toward that end. Advice? Also, I think I will use a deployment bag to keep the laundry neatly sorted, contained, and released.
-Ken

 

[Onebadhawk]

The AV bay will be bolted in place on one end ("permanently affixed") or both ends...
So the rocket will be single deploy only. Part I can't decide is:
Do I keep the rocket together as a whole unit, blow the nose cone and laundry at apogee?
Do I keep the AV bay bolted into the aft half of the rocket, keep the nose cone bolted on and separate both halves at apogee?
Do I keep the AV bay bolted into the fore half of the rocket, keep the nose cone bolted on...

I like the idea of a mid point separation as a reduction of potential zippering so I'm leaning toward that end. Advice? Also, I think I will use a deployment bag to keep the laundry neatly sorted, contained, and released.
-Ken

Ken,
I think all of those options were for single deploy, from different separation points....
I didn't realize you had no intention of dual deployment... (I think)....

I do like the thought of a deployment bag,,, though I've never used one and know very little about them
other then they lessen the risk of entanglement....

I'd say with a deployment bag and a cable cutter or tender descender type of devise you
could dual deploy from the one separation point......

Teddy

 

[kenstarr]

Got some more work done! AV bay is coming along nicely. Got the sleds done. Yay!


Also got the fin can inserted into the lower airframe. In 2 areas I added an extra piece of 1/2" plywood to give the rail guide barrel nut some more area to bite into. It's starting to look like a rocket now! Today I added some thickened epoxy fillets, not for structural purposes, to give something for the tip-to-tip glass to lay on.


Here is another view of my beefy eye nut, pre weld of course! I slotted the coupling nut and put 2 washers into the slot.

-Ken

 

[Aksrockets]

Looking GREAT ken! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous of your scratch building skills. I sure wish I could be around for the flight. I hope you give BlackRock a bit more thought as a possible launch site.

Alex

 

[Onebadhawk]

Absolutely astounding work Ken.............
I build from scratch..........
I buy kits because the total of all of the parts is less then if you bought them individually.........

This build has nothing to do with that..........
Now,,, because of you,,, we need a new build category.............


I vote for .............. "Hand Made"...............


Teddy

 

[kenstarr]

Hand made eh? If there was a category for that, there would be a handful of folks there. johncoker, feckless council, aksrockets... are the first 3 to come to mind. I'm a mere amature in the world of "hand built". Anyway...
looking at a harness for the rocket. Not sure what one to get. This question is for you Ted/onebadhawk! Rocket will be 60lbs. Do I want the 1/2" model or 3/4" model in Kevlar of course???
-Ken

 

[Onebadhawk]

Ken,,,
What diameter is it again ??
So I don't have to go back over this whole thread,,,
What's the configuration,, how is deployment set up ?? How many separation points,, or how many harnesses- that's really the same question ??
Just my own feeling,, 60 lbs is at the end of where I'd recommend the 7/16 Tubular Kevlar,,,
It would do it fine for sure,,, you're just getting into a huge rocket that I would begin to recommend the 3/4" Tubular Kevlar.....
For this project it depends on the amount of room you have for each harnesses...
If just about the whole bay is taken up with a huge chute and your tight on storage space then go with the 7/16" Tubular Kevlar...
If you have the space to pack it,, I'd sooner see you go with the 3/4" Tubular Kevlar...

60 lbs,,,,,
That's a big rocket Ken,,
I sure do wish I could see that flight,, it really is going to be spectacular.....
Are you near Stickershock Mark ???

Teddy

 

[Onebadhawk]

Ken,
I just looked at the pic's ,, in your garage,, next to your bike,,
Looks like you could be a bit tight in the top section,, that, I assume is your main....
How big of a main are you going to fly ??

Teddy

 

[Onebadhawk]

Ken,,
I'm having computer trouble..
I am going to reinstall windows..
If you don't hear from me for a day or 2 don't sweat it...
If it goes any longer then that,,,
send help.....

Teddy

 

[kenstarr]

For a main chute, I will be using a Sky Angle XXL which says for rockets from 60 to 130 lbs. Upon weighing the parts, looks like the rocket will be in the 40 to 50 lb range. That's OK, as long as the chute fits. Fins are really big and the salt is really hard. Says it fits in a 6" airframe! Got a deployment bag as well so we shall see...

Update on current progress. Work is being done on the AV bay and I finally have the final layer of glass on the fins!!!


The AV bay is starting to look like an AV bay also! One one side is the Adept DDC22 as "backup" and on the other side is the Missileworks RRC3. In reality they both have each other's backs. "At Rex Kwan Do, we use the buddy system. No more flyin' solo" Next I'll be learning to discipline my image! Anyway, if my TAP's will allow, I want to fly an eggtimer, which is in the center, as a stand-alone flight computer. No deploy or nuthin on that bad boy. Each deployment altimeter has a sever service push button switch, will have a separate 9V battery compartment and be really cool... I'm out of stuff to write. Here are some pics.

-Ken

 

[Onebadhawk]

For a main chute, I will be using a Sky Angle XXL which says for rockets from 60 to 130 lbs. Upon weighing the parts, looks like the rocket will be in the 40 to 50 lb range. That's OK, as long as the chute fits. Fins are really big and the salt is really hard. Says it fits in a 6" airframe! Got a deployment bag as well so we shall see...

Update on current progress. Work is being done on the AV bay and I finally have the final layer of glass on the fins!!!
View attachment 173936

The AV bay is starting to look like an AV bay also! One one side is the Adept DDC22 as "backup" and on the other side is the Missileworks RRC3. In reality they both have each other's backs. "At Rex Kwan Do, we use the buddy system. No more flyin' solo" Next I'll be learning to discipline my image! Anyway, if my TAP's will allow, I want to fly an eggtimer, which is in the center, as a stand-alone flight computer. No deploy or nuthin on that bad boy. Each deployment altimeter has a sever service push button switch, will have a separate 9V battery compartment and be really cool... I'm out of stuff to write. Here are some pics.
View attachment 173937 View attachment 173938 View attachment 173939
-Ken

Ken,,
You do some beautiful work,,
I am really jealous,,,
I am a fan of the Eggtimer as well.....
Ken,, I have lived with deployment problems on a particular rocket
partially because I love the presence of a big chute in the air,,, a really tightly packed payload compartment.....
60 lbs is a big rocket by any standards....
I would recommend you use the 3/4" Tubular Kevlar where you should be able to,,
in the booster with the drogue,, I'd think you'll have the room there...
If your going to be tight in your payload compartment on top
then go with the 7/16" Tubular Kevlar there,, that should give you a bit more room......

You tell me how long you think is necessary,,,,

[email protected]

Teddy

 

[kenstarr]

So I'm waiting on the parachute and deployment bag to see how well it fits. Then I will look at recovery harness needs. Wildman says my order is ready for UPS so hopefully this will be soon! This morning I drilled out the airframe and lower ring on the AV bay for 8, 8-32 pan head screws to fasten the AV bay to the lower airframe. I am using brass nut inserts to run the screws into for a nice bite. Obviously there is no tension force on the screws but there will be a considerable shear force applied. I may do another 8 screws just because... Once I check chute fit, I will drill for shear pins in either the nose cone or the upper ring of the AV bay.
-Ken

 

[gerbs4me]

Looking great!

Can't wait to see launch pics!

 

[qquake2k]

Awesome build! Oh, and I love the Liquid Nails rocket!

 

[Onebadhawk]

Awesome build! Oh, and I love the Liquid Nails rocket!

Quake,,
I don't doubt for a second that you would love this build...
This is right up your ally...
Everything hand made,, from scratch.........

Teddy

 

[marcusSRG]

She's a beaut! Will look killer in the air!! Great job thus far!!!

 

[qquake2k]

Quake,,
I don't doubt for a second that you would love this build...
This is right up your ally...
Everything hand made,, from scratch.........

Teddy

I appreciate the compliment, but this is WAY beyond my skill set.

 

[Onebadhawk]

I appreciate the compliment, but this is WAY beyond my skill set.

I've seen some of your build threads Quake...
Ken may do things a bit differently then you do...
We all do things differently then each other...
That's kind of funny,,,
that's what I love about building,,,
instructions are unnecessary after just a few builds....
And we all do things a bit differently,,, but we all come to a functioning conclusion.... ( most of the time ... lol )
But I've seen you use techniques in the shop I certainly would never have thought of.......

Teddy

 

[qquake2k]

I've seen some of your build threads Quake...
Ken may do things a bit differently then you do...
We all do things differently then each other...
That's kind of funny,,,
that's what I love about building,,,
instructions are unnecessary after just a few builds....
And we all do things a bit differently,,, but we all come to a functioning conclusion.... ( most of the time ... lol )
But I've seen you use techniques in the shop I certainly would never have thought of.......

Teddy

Well thank you, Teddy, that's kind of you to say.

 

[kenstarr]

I'm at a bit of a standstill until I get my battery connectors. I was hoping that coming from the next state over the shipping would have been much faster. Oh well!
-Ken

 

[kenstarr]

Yay! Parachute and deployment bag came today! Got a SkyAngle XXL. Now the big question is, Sky Angle recommends blowing the NC and landing it on a separate 'chute. I could do that, or I could separate at the top half of the AV bay and just use this 'chute. After reading their instructions, I'm kind of leaning toward the NC on a separate chute. It's not like I don't have any chutes around for a 10 lb nose cone!
Input? Suggestions?
-Ken

 

[Onebadhawk]

Yay! Parachute and deployment bag came today! Got a SkyAngle XXL. Now the big question is, Sky Angle recommends blowing the NC and landing it on a separate 'chute. I could do that, or I could separate at the top half of the AV bay and just use this 'chute. After reading their instructions, I'm kind of leaning toward the NC on a separate chute. It's not like I don't have any chutes around for a 10 lb nose cone!
Input? Suggestions?
-Ken

Ken,,
What's the potential apogee's for this beast....
I'd prefer the pieces stay together if it's going very high.....
Just so you aren't chasing two separates.......
Plus,, what about tracking,,,


Plus I hope it's going to be held together by one of my harnesses..... lol... lol....

Teddy

 

[kenstarr]

It will be under 12,000' and with miles upon miles of white salt, tracking will be unnecessary in my experience. Yeah, major mind debate on the parts. I keep telling myself to keep it simple smarty
But... Not sure if I will even be able to fly it this August. I'm plodding along slowly but surely but my heart just doesn't feel in it. As soon as I have some time to play around and when my other parts come (ordered July 3rd may I add!!!) maybe I will be more into it.
-Ken