Old Rocket Restoration

[nute]

Thanks, but i'm not so much new to rocketry as i am new to restoration and vintage kits. In Fact, these new rockets will bring my total fleet to 22! I'm gonna attend my first club launch on Friday with the "Radical Rocketeers"!

 

[nute]

Thanks! I was worried about the structural integrity of the fins at first, but one was cockeyed and when I removed it it took some real muscle and some careful cutting to get it off. The others appear to be attached similarly and are all pretty strong. I've heard a lot of people talk about zippering, but I have to admit I don't know what it is?:confused2:

 

[JPVegh]

A zipper is when the shock cord tears through the body tube due to either too long or way too short of an ejection delay. I flat shock cord is less likely to cause a zipper than a round shock cord but it still can happen. I'm sure there are a few pictures of zippers somewhere on the forum.

 

[nute]

Here are some pictures of the finished fin joints on the Phoenix:
And here are the fins on the Maxi Icarus, and its nosecone:

 

[nute]

ok
That makes sense, wouldn't be a pretty sight!

 

[Getmore]

Good job. Post some pictures of your flights.

 

[nute]

Thanks. I'll try to get some good photos or videos, but i haven't had much luck in the past recording rocket flights

 

[KarlS]

When you go to the store look for "braided" elastic; it much better than regular elastic. Use the same width as the rubber or the next size up. I have used 20 lb. bond paper with great success, using Titebond glue. I do cut my tri-fold a little extra long and wide and use quite a bit of glue. I have yet to lose a shock cord at the mount.

Also, you might want to sand with 300 - 400 grit the area where you are going to glue the new mount as there is going to be some residue from former flights.

 

[nute]

is braided elastic substantially more expensive than competitors? with a rocket that I will have to experiment with the delay charge I am a little worried about a zipper with spherical elastic. (is it spherical?)
Thanks for the recomendation on sanding the bt near the mount. That's a good idea. never would've thought of it myself!

 

[Getmore]

Also make sure you go down the BT enough to clear the nose cone with the trifold. Im sure you new that.

 

[nute]

Yeah, I did know that, but thanks for the reminder anyway. I made that mistake once on a rocket and i had to rip out the mount.

 

[nute]

Gonna be out of town this week, but i got the detached fin on last night!
all the paint is done, now it's just down to the recovery system. need to get another chute, decided to put the one i got on another, higher priority fix.

 

[Zeus-cat]

That Phoenix looks great. Be very careful with it. Even on a D12-3 it might not fly that well. Mine had a nasty habit of going up about 100 feet and then laying on its side and cruise-missiling parallel to the ground under power. That made for some very late chutes and a few hard landings. Eventually the old girl had to be retired as she was just to heavy to fly on D12-3s because of all the repairs I had to make. If you insist on D12-3s only fly it on really calm days. Even a little wind is a problem for these birds.

 

[nute]

That Phoenix looks great. Be very careful with it. Even on a D12-3 it might not fly that well. Mine had a nasty habit of going up about 100 feet and then laying on its side and cruise-missiling parallel to the ground under power.

Yeah, I've heard and seen similar things. But I just ordered a 24 mm aerotech 24/40 reload able casing, so I figure after a few D12s I might have to switch over to composites. Either way she'll look beautiful on display, and hopefully just as good in the air!

 

[JPVegh]

You should do an Open Rocket drawing of the rocket now just in case something happens to it.

 

[AfterBurners]

I love my phoenix rockets.D12-3 is the way to go. It'll only go up about 300 feet, if that. E9's don't have the thrust to lift them. 3 foot of elastic should be good. Don't launch if its real windy, Those big fins will turn the rocket sideways A streamer will crack those rear fins off. I use about an 18" chute.

Is that a MADCOW kit? It looks similar to one they have on their site?

 

[nute]

That wouldn't be a bad idea actually. Maybe you can see in some of the pics I posted but it looks like part of the leading edge of the rear finds have been angled. Is that on purpose or did someone to overboard with the sandpaper?

 

[nute]

I'm not sure if I mentioned this earlier but I ordered a 24/40 rms case the other day. What would people's reccomendations be for use with this rocket?

 

[JPVegh]

That wouldn't be a bad idea actually. Maybe you can see in some of the pics I posted but it looks like part of the leading edge of the rear finds have been angled. Is that on purpose or did someone to overboard with the sandpaper?

Yeah it looks like someone over did the sanding a bit. That leading edge should be straight across with sharp corners, it shouldn't effect anything though.

 

[DizWolf]

Is that a MADCOW kit? It looks similar to one they have on their site?

Estes, circa 1995 or so. The 4" and 2.2" madcow are on my list. I love this rocket.

 

[nute]

Well it could definetaly look better but I don't think there's anything I can so about it.

 

[nute]

Well it could definetaly look better but I don't think there's anything I can so about it.

 

[DizWolf]

Well, it looks fine. But if it bugs you, sand the rest of the rear fin even with the outside edge.

 

[Getmore]

I would just leave it as is.

 

[nute]

I think I'll just leave it. Not worth the work or the risk of making it worse; especially if it doesn't fly well, or if it has a habit similar to that of Zeus-Cat's...

 

[nute]

I'm off to launch the phoenix! Found a shock cord in my mom's sewing supply kit, and got a parachute today!!!
Will post pics tomorrow
Wish me luck!!!!

 

[nute]

Woohoo! the flight went pretty well! Liftoff was slow and beautiful, but there was a bit of the spiral on the way up. Near apogee it started to coast out of the park. The parachute ejected well, but the rocket drifted out of the park, and landed on someone's roof, however, it slid off and just about terrorized the middle aged lady on her porch:surprised:! I recovered it with minimal damage (one broken fin) although she did not seem too happy to be disturbed:lol:

[video=youtube;nRUQ1BFIlsE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRUQ1BFIlsE[/video]

 

[DRAGON64]

Woohoo! the flight went pretty well! Liftoff was slow and beautiful, but there was a bit of the spiral on the way up. Near apogee it started to coast out of the park. The parachute ejected well, but the rocket drifted out of the park, and landed on someone's roof, however, it slid off and just about terrorized the middle aged lady on her porch:surprised:! I recovered it with minimal damage (one broken fin) although she did not seem too happy to be disturbed:lol:View attachment 138061

I can't see the video from work... will view it when I get home. But I have to ask, how big was your flight area? Sounds like you were too close to a neighborhood to fly. Location, location, location... is everything! Glad you got it flown, and the rocket is fixable to fly another day.

 

[nute]

Yeah, the park isn't ideal. It really is only suitable for really low D flights that come down quickly. It's called Simon's Park in Morris Plains NJ. I hope to do most of my launches with the Radical rocketeers, but for Bs and Cs its okay...

 

[Getmore]

Lives to fly another day. nice flight