What did you do rocket wise today?

[lr64]

Went trawling the interweb for organic material 25mm/1 inch tubular webbing, e.g. cotton webbing, of sufficient strength for the 13kg/28lbs level 3 build project. If the strength of the material is sufficient, Id like to consider organic options before falling back to the safe bet of 38mm and 25mm tubular nylon.

Not found anything yet worth pressing the "Buy" button on. Sent an email to two providers asking them to provide strength/breaking strain figures for their 25mm product. https://www.vardhman.com.au/cotton-webbing-natural-25mm-x-50m

Any thoughts folks?

If it's not hideously expensive, I should think silk would be a superior material. Strong, with some give to it, and reasonably temperature resistant. Before synthetics, I think the best rope used to be made from hemp. I don't know if anyone makes suitable webbing, rope, etc. from those materials. You might have to be a bit flexible as to what form your cord takes. It's probably a good idea to test the strength.
I wonder if you don't have something indigenous to your area that I've never heard of.

 

[miket6000]

Attached and filleted the fins for my Big Daddy. My first attempt at using epoxy for fillets, not perfect, but I think it went pretty well.

I had tried a different method for papering the fins this time, last time I used labels which worked well, this time I didn't have large enough labels on hand so used copier paper and contact adhesive. Unfortunately during sanding of the leading edges, the paper caught on the sand paper and was damaged in a couple of places. Not sure if I'll try this again with more clearance or just buy some larger labels.

Also built the transmitter for my wireless launch controller. Now I just need to get the code finished and install it in the enclosure.

 

[BrendanH69]

Finally got around to finishing off the mini Tin Tin Rocket. Hand cut and applied some Cricut white vinyl to conform to its changing curves.

Here's a photo of the 50cm tall, 24mm MMT mini-me beside its 115cm tall, 38mm MMT big brother.

 

[OverTheTop]

Got my level 2. LOC Minie Magg on a J425R

3400 feet up, and a nice down. Chute took a bit of time to open up, make my arse hole pucker for a moment.
View attachment 641636

Congratulations on the L2 .

 

[ReynoldsSlumber]

Finally got around to finishing off the mini Tin Tin Rocket.

Delightful shape accuracy on that model!

 

[fyrwrxz]

Bored out of my skull. Laying flat on my back after fracturing 3 ribs. Had the Viking Princess bring me a couple of junked av bays to strip for parts and maybe repurpose for the neck two builds. Took the proscribed pain killer (apparently pretty strong and very controlled) before starting and nodded out. I woke up TV off, Princess out like the lights and now I'm just throwing it all in a pile in a Tupperware box by the side of the bed. She's asleep and can't reach the light for a picture that would just be of junk. Hoping to fly next month. Missed Vegas by two days. Truck still partially loaded with gear but no birds or motors. Going back to sleep.

 

[cwbullet]

Photos of what went wrong. What does a resin ball of string look like?

Just warped fins

 

[Pinetree]

Launch report: 4/21 at Pittsburgh Space Command -

A little bit of wind, a whole lot of cold (40°F according to my phone, but it was also trying to snow), but we still had a good turnout, still flew a bunch of rockets, and we still had fun.



For me personally, I just got the bug all over again. I sent up my scratch built Mega Der Red Max on a H178 Sparky and it looked good, sounded good, the chute release worked at exactly the time that it was supposed to... and after a long winter of not doing anything rocketry related it felt damn good..

 

[RocketTree]

Worked on the Black Brant IV Hawaii with 54mm motor mount. 4" bottom x 2.6" top, 8.5 ft tall. 3D printed reinforced transition and nose cone.
Still have to finish electronics bay, tubular nylon shock cords, and parachutes.




35' tubular nylon shock cords and a LOC Y harness.

 

[MarsLander]

Slinging paint! Great goblin, payload and NC for 4” photon probe, nc, stickers, and engine shroud for super Vega and engine shroud for crossfire I hadn’t gotten to…

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Today was our first launch at Spaceport Oklahoma. The day started out cold, with a bit of wind. We got occasional drops of rain as we were setting up. We had *LOTS* of space, and pavement, at the airport. We were able to put the pads at the required distance for large motors. That meant a lot of walking. More than I was willing to do. Plus I was RSO at this launch, so I had duties other than taking pictures. It was a beautiful day! The overcast burned off, the wind died, and the sun warmed everything up nicely. We had students from OU, OSU, and SWOSU, plus admin staff from the Spaceport authority. I think we had close to 40 people there at one point. We got in 4 or 5 L1 certs, and 2 or 3 L2 cert flights/tests. No crashes, no CATOs, no serious mess-ups*. I think we left a good impression on the admin folks.
*about the only problem we had was several attempts burned igniters (more than one igniter)

Here are a few pictures.

 

[krislhull]

took advantage of decent weather today to get the first coat of primer on my Mega Der Red Max, Super Big Bertha, and 4" Diablo.... Ill start sanding them down tomorrow and then give them another coat before moving on to the top coats. I also started working on the repairs to my ASP D Region Tomahawk after it suffered a quasi lawn dart last weekend. New tube sections from ASP should arrive tomorrow, so I can splice them in.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I tried tying a knot at the base of the 3D printed nose cone that Chuck made me for the MR-2 rocket ,but my fingers will not work good enough, so now I've got to get my wife to do it.

 

[MarsLander]

Launch report: 4/21 at Pittsburgh Space Command -

I gotta get over and fly with you guys....

 

[n3tjm]

Got the firrst coat of primers applied to my Argent. Got a Aeropack retainer on its way for it (decided to upgrade because I like this rocket a lot). Was impressed that it had 3 centering rings allowing me to leave the aft rings out until after applying internal fillet. I plan to fly her on either a F52-5C or a G54W on its maiden flight.

Got what I hope is the final coat of Primer on my King Kraken. As mentioned already, I plan to put that up on a G53FJ.

 

[KenECoyote]

Glued on Smokin 6" X-15 body tube (multi-step process):

Made dams so epoxy wouldn't flow into where wings go...



Then I coated the inside lower half of the bt with epoxy using my special custom applicator...


Mixed up some thicked-up Epoxy and as I lowered the bt down, I poured that mix to each ring right up to the edges...


The epoxy on the walls would drip down and contact the thickened epoxy. I had a few view ports.


I'll next inject more thickened epoxy through the holes I drilled - which will eventually be covered with the side shrouds and I may leave open for venting with a main vent hole at the back of the shrouds.

 

[Voyhager3]

Timeline of events:
1, Wednesday
-Make tubes

2, Thursday
-process tubes

3.1, Friday morning
-Add fins

3.2, Friday night
-Tip to tip

4, Scrubbed launch
-Finish rocket at home instead of at the site (right)

5, Launch Day
-Finish processing
-Ejection test on-site
-J270, RRC2L, Main 800'
-Walk 3500' as the crow flies (no trophy , not far enough)



it was dubbed 'SCUFF' for a reason

 

[bjphoenix]

Today was our monthly formal launch. I made 6 attempts but only 3 actual launches due to 3 motor failures. But of 3 launches I only made 2 recoveries.

We had a smaller turnout than normal partly due to TARC being over and partly due to having 3 inches of rain at the field yesterday and people thinking it would be wet out there. I got a lot fewer launch photos than I usually get. I drove out to the far reaches of the field to help with some recoveries and got stuck, had to get the farmer's tractor out to pull my Jeep out.

Here is a successful launch by one of our local school teams.

 

[Voyhager3]

Today was our monthly formal launch. I made 6 attempts but only 3 actual launches due to 3 motor failures. But of 3 launches I only made 2 recoveries.

We had a smaller turnout than normal partly due to TARC being over and partly due to having 3 inches of rain at the field yesterday and people thinking it would be wet out there. I got a lot fewer launch photos than I usually get. I drove out to the far reaches of the field to help with some recoveries and got stuck, had to get the farmer's tractor out to pull my Jeep out.

Here is a successful launch by one of our local school teams.

View attachment 641854

THEY DID THE THING I DO
WITH THE FINS

i got a little exited to see that

 

[cwbullet]

designed this:

 

[lakeroadster]

Finished up Gary Larsen's The Far Side Rocket Scientist Rocket. It's powered by a 29MM motor and is rear eject.

​

 

[tfischer]

After early fog burned off, it was a beautiful day yesterday at NCR in CO. Met lots of great people and flew 5 flights with Aspire (D12), HLOC 160 (E16), Arreauxbee Hi (F50), Fat Boy (G80) and Zephyr (G80) before deciding to go for my L1 certification with the Zephyr on an AT H100W DMS. Breeze was about 8 mph, flew to est. 1800', perfect recovery but quite a long walk. Really happy to have gotten certified, looking forward to lots of H and I flights!

 

[bad_idea]

THEY DID THE THING I DO WITH THE FINS

Is that to guard against landing damage?

 

[jqavins]

Got my level 2. LOC Minie Magg on a J425R

3400 feet up, and a nice down. Chute took a bit of time to open up, make my arse hole pucker for a moment.
View attachment 641636

Congratulations.

 

[jqavins]

After early fog burned off, it was a beautiful day yesterday at NCR in CO. Met lots of great people and flew 5 flights with Aspire (D12), HLOC 160 (E16), Arreauxbee Hi (F50), Fat Boy (G80) and Zephyr (G80) before deciding to go for my L1 certification with the Zephyr on an AT H100W DMS. Breeze was about 8 mph, flew to est. 1800', perfect recovery but quite a long walk. Really happy to have gotten certified, looking forward to lots of H and I flights!

Another congratulations.

 

[jqavins]

Did a lot of work this week. It will be interesting to see the Radical Rocketry Little Boy Atom Bomb fly. It comes as a builder's kit with 3D parts provided and you supply the tubes and recovery gear. He has some really interesting kits. Search for Radical Rocketry on Facebook and check them out. Other rockets are the ASP RP3 (24mm), Rocketarium Blue J and Estes Zinger,

FYI, Radical Rocketry is @BigMacDaddy, who is a very active member here.

 

[Voyhager3]

Is that to guard against landing damage?

That is one of the reasons why I may or may not be implementing it into my L3 ⠀, as my small scale one hasn't broken any of its fins yet (1/8" balsa), even on tangles.
It can (theoretically) reduce drag, x-29, su-47, but that requires the rocket to be stable, which often takes extra weight (cp moves forward), unless designed properly. Mine should be about a foot longer to be stable with no weight, but this was an upscale of an old design, the the weight was there to counteract the heavy tip-to-tip.

It also just looks cool, the main reason I did it in the first place.

Update: Just talked to a friend about his flight on the same motor (his rocket was the yellow/red one in my original post), he weighed a bit less than I did, was less windy on his flight, and I went about 200 feet higher. My tubes aren't great and have a lot of parasites drag from the finish; his are nice and painted and still smooth fiberglass. A lot of factors into why this could be, but the drag could've been the factor. I want to do small-scale testing one of these days, with like c motors just to get a bunch of data on it.

 

[SolarYellow]

Went trawling the interweb for organic material 25mm/1 inch tubular webbing, e.g. cotton webbing, of sufficient strength for the 13kg/28lbs level 3 build project. If the strength of the material is sufficient, Id like to consider organic options before falling back to the safe bet of 38mm and 25mm tubular nylon.

Any thoughts folks?

Whatever you do, make sure it won't sustain a flame. Look into the Borax/boric acid type solutions used for "DIY wadding," etc. It's bad enough to crash a rocket if it burns, but to have the smoldering or flaming recovery system start a fire when it hits the ground would be double-ungood.

That is one of the reasons why I may or may not be implementing it into my L3 ⠀, as my small scale one hasn't broken any of its fins yet (1/8" balsa), even on tangles.
It can (theoretically) reduce drag, x-29, su-47, but that requires the rocket to be stable, which often takes extra weight (cp moves forward), unless designed properly. Mine should be about a foot longer to be stable with no weight, but this was an upscale of an old design, the the weight was there to counteract the heavy tip-to-tip.

It also requires the fins to be extraordinarily stiff for high speeds, as any deflection of the fin leads to increased loads, which leads to increased deflection, etc.

 

[bad_idea]

It also requires the fins to be extraordinarily stiff for high speeds, as any deflection of the fin leads to increased loads, which leads to increased deflection, etc.

Yes. My guess is that drag reduction is negative at the thickness of fins we use in hobby rocketry. We don't have nearly as much room to work with as airplane wings do.

Still a good way to protect fins on landing though.

 

[Hobie1dog]

i cut the,angled part off a plastic NC with a Marple saw that @Sooner Boomer gifted me