My First Big Daddy! - My First Lawn Dart!

[ttbit]

After a less than optimal ejection, I replaced the stock chute with a thin mill nylon one, and added a 9" nomex pad. I also fly it almost exclusively on AT 24/40 reloads. I have flown it a couple more times on D12s, and have had a couple more sub optimal ejections.

I have another short 3" rocket that doesn't always get the laundry out when using BP motors.

Good to know. I plan to order the 24/40 and play around. Not sure if I can let those rip in a standard public park though...???

 

[ttbit]

Christine from Estes already replied to my email and asked for pics of the rocket and engine. I like how fast they respond! I didn't even ask for anything, I merely wanted them to know of my issues.

Glad to hear it. My experience was very good.

 

[Rex R]

an E18-4 will put a stock BD up to about 1000'
Rex

 

[ttbit]

an E18-4 will put a stock BD up to about 1000'
Rex

OK...I need to see that. I may have a place to launch with a couple of patches around 1000'x1000'. There are some horses, so if we do it, I will start slow. A lawn dart with a horse would not be good....at all.

 

[USAFmissileer]

After a less than optimal ejection, I replaced the stock chute with a thin mill nylon one, and added a 9" nomex pad. I also fly it almost exclusively on AT 24/40 reloads. I have flown it a couple more times on D12s, and have had a couple more sub optimal ejections.

I have another short 3" rocket that doesn't always get the laundry out when using BP motors.

I have already started looking at Nomex, Kevlar cord, new chute and composite power. I plan on having this new BD (Christine asked for my address today) fly frequently. I have to say I am impressed with Estes. My BD is way more than a year old and I did tell them that


Launching rockets (or missiles in my case) is so easy a chimp could do it. Read a step, do a step, eat a banana.

Sent from my iPad Air using Rocketry Forum.

 

[Kartman]

I have had three lawn darts with two different Big Daddy's. It just seems like there is not enough room in a stock Big Daddy, especially if you use a 9x9 chute protector. That idea about the angled nose cone end blowing off pressure is an interesting one as well. Anyway I cut the bottom off as per ThirstyBarbarian and used my lathe to turn a 1/4" thick "bulkhead" which I glued with thin CA. I additionally used three #2 flathead screws as a backup. This has worked very well with a 12" Topflite chute and half a nomex chute protector. I had many successful flights with motors up to an E30 at LDRS 33. Unfortunately I got carried away by a low-wind day at the sod farm and it is now hanging from a tree with the fluorescent pink parachute highly visible to all That's bad enough but my Jolly Logic 2 is up there with it My new Big Daddy is almost ready to fly and the nose cone is shown in the photo.
That's my two cents from my first post on TRF.

Tom

 

[ttbit]

Unfortunately I got carried away by a low-wind day at the sod farm and it is now hanging from a tree with the fluorescent pink parachute highly visible to all That's bad enough but my Jolly Logic 2 is up there with it

Ouch...

Well, I plan to do this on my "damaged in shipping" model. It will be the test mule. I don't plan on spending a lot of time on paint on this one. I'll reinforce where the tube got damaged and paper the fins. If I like how it works, I will then have two sets of decals to have a fully decorated Big Daddy for the 3rd one.

 

[USAFmissileer]

Great ideas! When I am in Chicago this weekend I am visiting the Schaumburg Hobbytown to pick up a 24mm Aerotech RMS and some reloads for the new BD and my yet to be built Mega Mosquito. Thanks for all the great ideas guys!

Mike


Launching rockets (or missiles in my case) is so easy a chimp could do it. Read a step, do a step, eat a banana.

Sent from my iPad Air using Rocketry Forum.

 

[Zeroignite]

I'd suggest extending the MMT a couple inches longer that stock -- I did it the cheap way and just glued in the yellow engine block spacer tube. The idea is to give a bit of shotgun action towards the NC. Also, you can stick dog barf in the narrow tube, which is a lot more reasonable than filling 3" of airframe with wadding or paying for a nomex blanket.

 

[USAFmissileer]

Just got confirmation that a new BD and D12-5s are in the mail! What customer service!


Launching rockets (or missiles in my case) is so easy a chimp could do it. Read a step, do a step, eat a banana.

Sent from my iPad Air using Rocketry Forum.

 

[rharshberger]

Another option on the BD would be to mod the NC similar to HPRs. The shoulder looks long enough to cut the bevel off and still have plenty of shoulder for inserting in BT. After cutting bevel off add a bulkhead to the NC (like John Cokers video) with a eyebolt for recovery attachment. The pros of the is are you also gain more space for your recovery system.

 

[Tarasdad]

My Big Daddy still hasn't flown - yet. Given what I've been reading in this thread I think I'll do some surgery on the nose cone and cut off the tapered shoulder. Should have enough ply left over from my RC builds to make a nice bulkhead. Just need to get an eye bolt to attach the shock cord to. I have some AT E15-7W SU motors I'd like to use in it. OpenRocket shows about 1200' on those.

 

[USAFmissileer]

Alas, I still have not started my new one yet. But it will be modded! A winter time project.


Launching rockets (or missiles in my case) is so easy a chimp could do it. Read a step, do a step, eat a banana.

Sent from my iPad Air using Rocketry Forum.

 

[ttbit]

Yeah...I haven't gotten mine started yet either. I have yet to finish a scratch build 24mm (just paint) and launch that.

 

[ttbit]

New thread and some info:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?128580-2nd-Big-Daddy-NO-Lawn-Dart