Rocketry Warehouse Sub-Lime Build Thread

[gdjsky01]

sub·lime adjective \sə-ˈblīm\
: very beautiful or good : causing strong feelings of admiration or wonder


Sounds about right. It's been almost a year since this baby showed up after the RW Black Friday sale. With the demise of one of my HPR rockets yesterday, it's time to get crackin'.

Parts... lots of parts.... can't believe what a deal that was last year!

Interesting parts are the sublime 5.5 to 4 transition. The beautiful nose cone. Big a$$ fins.
Oddly enough there is no instructions. Not even an assembly diagram. I searched my email but didn't find anything... I have the assembly instructions for the Formula 98 and Broken Arrow... no matter... I believe I know how I'll do it.

This will be another rocket designed for cable cutters not traditional dual deploy. That means I'll be mounting the Altimeter in the nose. So far this has served me well in the Formula 98 and Formula 75. Both have long shoulders allow the vents to be drilled well back of the nose cone itself. And I'll again use PEM nuts to allow me to transport the rocket in two pieces.

I think this is another Gary Tortora design. That guy makes some fantastic flying rockets. And they just 'look right'.

 

[dixontj93060]

I really like the looks of this rocket.

 

[gdjsky01]

Hey Y'all. Somewhere I recall a thread about knocking out the nose cone bolt in the RW nose cone and substituting 1/4-20 rod... anyone recall the thread?


Here's our start. Epoxying the tubular nylon to the sanded and deburred side of the MMT with System III epoxy. That's 24' (7+ meters) of tubular nylon. And a Nomex protector for the first few feet.

 

[robbdm]

Attached are the parts/assembly "instructions" I saved from the Black Friday webposting (I think) for the SubLime... Pardon I wrote my weights on it.

View attachment SubLime Instructions.pdf

 

[robbdm]

Attached is my RockSim for the Sub-Lime...

Photo of My Sublime at 2013 LDRS Black Rock Launch on a ATK456DM..

 

[REK]

Subscribed, I knew a build thread would come along for this rocket.

 

[blackjack2564]

Hey Y'all. Somewhere I recall a thread about knocking out the nose cone bolt in the RW nose cone and substituting 1/4-20 rod... anyone recall the thread?

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...x-quot-build-starts-now!!&p=443548#post443548

That would be my glueless NC .......

 

[qquake2k]

Whoa! Them thar are some GREEN tubes! I know you'll do this one proud, Jeff!

 

[jsargevt]

Thanks for the build thread on this! Mine has been staring at me from its box. I LOVE this design but just have not had a chance to clear out the queue. Maybe this is the motivation I need to start it! Subscribed!

 

[gdjsky01]

Opened up the centering rings a little with a dremel and removed clearance for the forward ring over the tubular nylon.

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[gdjsky01]

Checking on the fin spacing. I want the rings right up against the fins. And I have to make sure there is enough MMT sticking out the back for the Aeropack retainer. Had to dremel away (reducing its O.D.) some of the aft MMT to get the Aeropack to fit.

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[gdjsky01]

Jim thanks so much for the thread pointer!


While I did not take an image of the small bulkhead in the very front of the nose cone while its out, everything else I think should be clear enough.

Looking down the nose cone you can see the G10 bulkhead... maybe 2 inches (50mm) in diameter with a 1/4-20 nut. There is another 1/4-20 nut on the other side with a lock washer. There is enough 1/4-20 rod sticking out the front to screw on the metal tip.

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Here the shoulder coupler is inserted into the base of the nose cone. I have altimeter sleds that slide onto that central 1/4-20 rod. The sled is secured with a wing nut and fender washer. You can see I'll be using a tube bulkhead and a coupler bulkhead glued together as the shoulder base. they are already drilled for the 1/4-20 rod.

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And then the eye-nut with a 1/4-20 nut securing it. When prepped for flight I also stack a star lock washer in there. Also I only attach the tubular nylon there. The chute is attached to a loop further down. In practice (8 flights so far), this has never come loose.

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The darkened area shows how far the coupler goes down the body tube. With the vent holes for the altimeter way down near the bulkhead, they are plenty clear of the area of turbulence (??) near the base of the nose proper. I've done this on the Formula 98 and Formula 75 without issue. (YMMV - The F98 has flown on a J580IM and a K360WT)

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[Blastcap Rocketry]

Jeff,

Glad you like my designs, with that being said you might want to put some cash aside then

 

[qquake2k]

And then the eye-nut with a 1/4-20 nut securing it. When prepped for flight I also stack a star lock washer in there. Also I only attach the tubular nylon there. The chute is attached to a loop further down. In practice (8 flights so far), this has never come loose.

View attachment 151395​

How on earth do you tighten the lock nut?

 

[gdjsky01]

Pliers?

After you run it down, all it takes is a 1/4 turn or so. It's really just there for insurance. I've never had the eye nut come loose in 7 or 8 flights now between the Formula 75 and 98. Both use the identical system.

Jeff

 

[gdjsky01]

Front ring on. Just occurred to me this probably should have gone forward a bit more to seat against the 5.5 inch coupler that couples the 5.5 inch fin can to the transition. Oh well. It just means more volume to pressurize so I'll need to most likely be more generous with additional BP in the Aerotech and especially CTI loads.




Has some epoxy left over so put together the nose cone bulk plate.



Not gonna worry about wood backing for the rail guides. In my experience the delrin edges of the guides break before the threads will pull out of the fiberglass.

 

[gdjsky01]

I set the secured MMT/Fwd centering ring into the aft body tube and used the aft centering ring to get it in straight.

Rear view

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Front view

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[gdjsky01]

Each fin has protective wrap around it until I get ready to fillet them with the black proline 4500 epoxy. The TTW tab was sanded with 120 grit to remove any release agent and rough it up to promote fillet adhesion later.

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The rear centering ring was inserted. Then the first fin was tacked on with 5 minute epoxy. Its root edge and the forward edge of the TTW tab where is touches the forward centering ring ware the only surfaces with epoxy on them.

OCD people may want to stop right here. Cause I just eyeball for straightness. Its never perfect... but the rocket flies anyways. :surprised: :y: :wink:

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[gdjsky01]

I tacked on the other two fins. Again with 5 minute epoxy.

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[gdjsky01]

I briefly considered a K360 to C6-0 to A8-5 three stage with the old MPC kit "Zenith II Payloader" I finished (resplendent in its white primer)... but would probably bust the waiver....

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oint:oint:

 

[gdjsky01]

And the first internal fillets go on. Twenty eight point eight grams of System III and silica to thicken it up just a tad.

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No way this will be ready by the time I have to start my new job... Monday... oh well...

 

[qquake2k]

Hey Jeff, good luck with your new job!

 

[gdjsky01]

All the internal fin fillets are done and curing.

PEM nuts were installed in what would be the 'electronics bay'. I am not using it for now as an e-bay but as a simple mechanical coupler. The PEM nuts have a drop of thick CA on them. Next I will mix epoxy clay and place a blob over each which locks them in place. Before the clay sets a screw will we driven in from the outside with grease on the threads. This ensures the clay is not blocking the threads whilst not gluing the screws in!

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[jlnel]

Its gunna be a nice one!!

 

[gdjsky01]

So here's the rear Centering Ring installed.
It's epoxied on the back. I'll seal the rear in a bit.
The Aeropack 54mm retainer is installed with JB Weld.

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I had some JB Weld left over... so I attached the terminals to the nose cone bulk plate. (Yes I roughed up the FG under them.)

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After making sure there was plenty of vaseline on the threads I inserted the screws in the PEM nuts in the coupler. Then mixed some epoxy clay and placed little dabs over each PEM nut with the screw installed. Of course I sanded the fiberglass (kinda goes unsaid for EVERYTHING) to promote adhesion. This locks the PEM nuts in. Notice on the off chance I decide to make this into a traditional AV bay I made sure the clay is clear of a bulk plate were I to use one.

I did this on the Formula 98 and its been most satisfactory. Or as I like to say, "Most gratifying citizen." (Bonus points if you know the reference without Google'ing it :wink.

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Drilled the 1/2 inch (25mm) hole for the rotary switch in the nose cone.

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[CarVac]

I have to say: thank you for this build thread for you have given me the inspiration I needed.

 

[gdjsky01]

I have to say: thank you for this build thread for you have given me the inspiration I needed.

Thank you. But I am a hacker... everything by eye and a wing and a prayer (ok... ok... no prayers for me... but you know what I mean!)

You OTOH are an engineer...

 

[gdjsky01]

The centering ring and coupler epoxied into the transition.

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The two 4 inch (10cm) diameter tubes joined using the coupler with the PEM nuts.

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Mix up some aeropoxy and smooth it into the transition. Then insert the coupler twisting as it goes to spread the epoxy.

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[gdjsky01]

No idea why I took that picture....

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[qquake2k]

Is that Monokote?