What did you do rocket wise today?

[Flyfalcons]

Finished construction of my Punisher Sport and got decals for several projects (including a custom set for the Punisher) on the way from Stickershock.

 

[Charles_McG]

Crushed the slotted tube of my Ventris kit trying to get the motor mount placed correctly. :-(

 

[cbrarick]

Finally finished my Jumbo Darkstar and the O5600 for it.
Next stop, URRF!

 

[cavecentral]

Crushed the slotted tube of my Ventris kit trying to get the motor mount placed correctly. :-(

I crushed the body tube on my built Partizon an year or two ago in the back of my car with too many fiberglass rockets. I put 2 wraps of 2oz glass on the tubes of one In my build pile.

Good kits for the $$$, but wouldn't mind a bit thicker of a tube on the airframes.

 

[Flyfalcons]

Painted the Punisher, cut the fins for my daughter's Encourager, and put together my first cardstock attempt, an ASP from oddlrockets.

 

[TopRamen]

Crushed the slotted tube of my Ventris kit trying to get the motor mount placed correctly. :-(

Did that to my first TLP Kit when I tried to put a baffle in from the top, having first cut slots for the fins. I was fresh back to the hobby, and had forgotten just how quickly wood glue grabs and sets when you use it inside tubes.
There never was enough room for the right recovery gear, and although I managed to complete the build, it was nothing I wanted to fly so I eventually disassembled it.

As far as "Rocketwise Today", I designed an attachement for my soldering iron that lets me re-cut the tongue and groove in tongue and groove blue foam insulation, so I can build a new outside building facility from it, as I now have 5 bags of it, and need to start using it for fear I'll run out of space in my sheds to store it. My sheds are too far from the house to use for a workshop and have no electricity. I can build a 10'x14'x8' box out of foam by gluing it back together with 3M #77 Sparay adhesive, as I have been conducting tests on it and find it to be just as good as everyone says it is when applied per the instructions. My foam pieces I get for free, but they are leftover odd shapes, but consistent shapes.
I also used 3M Scotch Tape to put together a body profile for a stability testing template for a future build.
About then I remembered that my respirator and it's cartridges are made by 3M too, and deemed them my new favorite Rocketry Vendor, even though they are not exactly a Rocketry Vendor.
Without them, I'de be dead in the water or forced to improvise the things that make my ideas possible.
Thanks 3M.



Oh, also am developing an extension hose system for the respirator, so my cartridges can be a few feet further from my work, hopefully extending their serviceability, as I feel obligated to replace them frequently working with CA as often as I do now. I use a fan outside now, even though I'm wearing my safety gear, so my neighbors that drive by must think I'm crazy anyhow, so I don't care if I have to be hooked up to hoses and a separate box.
They might make an extension, or maybe a better respirator, but I just woke up so I'm just cobbling together ideas and writing them on 3M post-it notes.
Have not even finished my first Coffee.

 

[cbrarick]

Oh, also am developing an extension hose system for the respirator, so my cartridges can be a few feet further from my work, hopefully extending their serviceability, as I feel obligated to replace them frequently working with CA as often as I do now. I use a fan outside now, even though I'm wearing my safety gear, so my neighbors that drive by must think I'm crazy anyhow, so I don't care if I have to be hooked up to hoses and a separate box.
They might make an extension, or maybe a better respirator, but I just woke up so I'm just cobbling together ideas and writing them on 3M post-it notes.
Have not even finished my first Coffee.

Mr. Top:

Please don't do that. It's a really bad idea to extend negative pressure respirators. All you will accomplish is preventing you from getting fresh air - because you will not be able to move enough air from your lungs, thru the mask, out the filter (or it's bypass) to allow fresh air in. Might as well just seal your cartridges with packing tape. You seem like a nice guy and it would suck to see you kill yourself trying to save a couple of bucks. All respirators should be used exactly as they are purchased, with the exception of manufacture approved modifications.

 

[RocketFeller]

My rocketry started at 3:45 AM when my wife said that it sounded like it was raining. All of our gear for NXRS (tents, chairs, tables, et cetera) was sitting out getting wet. A mad dash to get everything inside and now I'm wide awake...

I have been watching the forecast for the launch site so closely that I hadn't even looked at the local forecast for days....

 

[Charles_McG]

Did that to my first TLP Kit when I tried to put a baffle in from the top, having first cut slots for the fins. I was fresh back to the hobby, and had forgotten just how quickly wood glue grabs and sets when you use it inside tubes.

Precisely. For some strange reason, unknown even to myself, I was trying to do all wood glue on wood-wood joins this build. Silly me. Epoxy for the next try.

I got everything apart, sanded the inside of the tube and can dry fit it all again - but I'm concerned I've compromised the strength of the tube (creases following the spiral in three places) so I ordered up a replacement from Estes. And a Cosmic interceptor to make the shipping sting less.

Oh, also am developing an extension hose system for the respirator, so my cartridges can be a few feet further from my work, hopefully extending their serviceability, as I feel obligated to replace them frequently working with CA as often as I do now. I use a fan outside now, even though I'm wearing my safety gear, so my neighbors that drive by must think I'm crazy anyhow, so I don't care if I have to be hooked up to hoses and a separate box.
They might make an extension, or maybe a better respirator, but I just woke up so I'm just cobbling together ideas and writing them on 3M post-it notes.
Have not even finished my first Coffee.

While I think cbrarick has his flow direction reversed (fresh air in thru the carts, spent air out through the checked vents - line volume is always fresh air filled, but line resistance might get you anyway), I would concur that modifying safety equipment is a less splendid idea than flying modified motors at an NAR launch.

 

[K'Tesh]

Spent the day (when I wasn't sleeping (I was up all night last night)) refining my sim of the prototype version of the Binder Design Velociraptor...

I figured out something that I had completely missed before on it too... Although I'm not 100% on the location of the ACME Rail Guides, I did figure out that I had simmed the rocket with them on the wrong 1/3 of the rocket. Otherwise I would have been able to see them from underneath.

So, my sim is nearly complete (once I get more info on those rails (weights and measurements), it'll be done.

 

[TopRamen]

Mr. Top:

Please don't do that. It's a really bad idea to extend negative pressure respirators. All you will accomplish is preventing you from getting fresh air - because you will not be able to move enough air from your lungs, thru the mask, out the filter (or it's bypass) to allow fresh air in. Might as well just seal your cartridges with packing tape. You seem like a nice guy and it would suck to see you kill yourself trying to save a couple of bucks. All respirators should be used exactly as they are purchased, with the exception of manufacture approved modifications.

Thanks for the heads up!
I had not gotten around to doing any research yet, but assumed that if one could breath through a snorkel, that using some form of breathable air rated hose/tube, that you could suck enough air though the cartridge a few feet away.
I've seen a unit on someone somewhere in my various meanderings watching manufacturing videos where there were hoses on the face piece and the cartridges were behind the worker on some sort of belt box fanny pack thing.

Wow! $1000! https://www.sheffield-pottery.com/P...rs-s/707.htm?gclid=CJbk_Ny7vs0CFcYlgQodAFcCVA

I just keep doing what I'm doing until I can afford something better that does not make me worry about the wear and tear on the cartridges. I see folks in paint booths with some form of positive air set up, so maybe that is an affordable option.

 

[Rex R]

trued the root edges and did some sanding on my comp3, also ordered some rail guides from PML. glad I didn't have to do the sanding by hand .
Rex

 

[rharshberger]

Thanks for the heads up!
I had not gotten around to doing any research yet, but assumed that if one could breath through a snorkel, that using some form of breathable air rated hose/tube, that you could suck enough air though the cartridge a few feet away.
I've seen a unit on someone somewhere in my various meanderings watching manufacturing videos where there were hoses on the face piece and the cartridges were behind the worker on some sort of belt box fanny pack thing.

Wow! $1000! https://www.sheffield-pottery.com/P...rs-s/707.htm?gclid=CJbk_Ny7vs0CFcYlgQodAFcCVA

I just keep doing what I'm doing until I can afford something better that does not make me worry about the wear and tear on the cartridges. I see folks in paint booths with some form of positive air set up, so maybe that is an affordable option.

PAPRs are indeed expensive, but that type isnt the best for most hobbyists. For most of what we do the style of papr that John Coker uses in some of his videos is an excellent choice, its a one piece unit that incorporates the blower, filters and safety shield all in a helmet style unit.

 

[Wayco]

Finished my Estes Ascender and started my Wildman 3" Punisher.

 

[Flyfalcons]

More paint work on the Punisher. I hate paint work because it requires patience and I just want to go go go. But the Wildman tube is so pretty that I'm motivated to make painting over it worth it.

 

[adrienwapkaplet]

Started building Mean Machine with my son for our upcoming 100th launch.

 

[TopRamen]

Found it hilarious that using the things I've learned in rocketry, I can now use printed paper templates to make a working AR-15 Lower Receiver from carbon fiber, with hand tools and no electricity required except for to produce the paper prints and measure them by digital caliper, but I still can't find the actual blueprints for a single one of any of the missiles that get made as "So Called Scale" Model Rockets.
Line drawings are not blueprints, and if they are, then the engineers and designers of actual war-fighting Tech must take an awful lot of what Sodmiester calls "Carte Blanche" A.K.A. "Artistic License".

I can make an AR-15 Lower easier than than making a Macklin Fin Jig, as it is just slabs of differing thicknesses, but all on the same axis, then drilled for the cross axis after assembly.
There are kits you buy for around 80 bucks to use your drill press, but that is loud. I can do this by hand.
I'm going to start spitting these out to fund my carbon fiber addiction for rocketry purposes. All of my neighbors have AR's, and they will love a Vermont crafted one in CF!

The only bad part is that CF is expensive, so til' I make a YT video, no one will want one.
I hate self exploitation or anything "Social Media" other than here at Rocketry Forum, so I guess I just share them with my Neighbors.
The two on either edge of my property on my side of the road are Nam' Vets, so they will be quite interested, even though they are AK fanboys.

 

[Steve Shannon]

Topramen,
The need for high priced air filtration goes away if you use epoxy instead of CA for your composite construction. I suspect you'll also end up with a stronger and more consistent matrix. I don't see any of the aerospace companies using CA instead of epoxy. I know you've written elsewhere that you cannot afford bulk quantities of a good laminating epoxy like Aeropoxy 2032 with 3660 hardener, but a gallon is only $139 from Aircraft Spruce, which is probably much less than buying all those CA containers, respirators, etc.
Making firearm receivers for anybody other than yourself requires a manufacturer's FFL, not just the usual dealer FFL. Don't get yourself in trouble.


[emoji1010] Steve Shannon [emoji1010]

 

[TopRamen]

Topramen,
The need for high priced air filtration goes away if you use epoxy instead of CA for your composite construction. I suspect you'll also end up with a stronger and more consistent matrix. I don't see any of the aerospace companies using CA instead of epoxy. I know you've written elsewhere that you cannot afford bulk quantities of a good laminating epoxy like Aeropoxy 2032 with 3660 hardener, but a gallon is only $139 from Aircraft Spruce, which is probably much less than buying all those CA containers, respirators, etc.
Making firearm receivers for anybody other than yourself requires a manufacturer's FFL, not just the usual dealer FFL. Don't get yourself in trouble.


[emoji1010] Steve Shannon [emoji1010]

I don't use the CA for Rockets, accept for some LPR fooling around as of lately, mostly just for the stuff like the CA Macklin Fin Jig. It is not going to get beat on or go fast.
Jeez! I'm not an Aerospace company.

I'm quite familiar with the Firearms laws, as I was a gun salesman for 6 years before I joined the Army. I'll only be able to afford to make one for myself, thanks to the high price of CF, and I'm aware that to engage in transfers of firearms you make yourself that they must comply with the Gun Control Act of 1968 and have serial numbers, as well as the manufacturers FFL bit.

Thanks for the heads up though.:wink:

 

[TopRamen]

But anyway, I came to this thread to mention that I did call 3M today, and talked to a lady in the safety products division and she said the organic vapor cartridges I'm using are fine for CA, and mentioned that there were many types of CA in her list and they all said the same.

 

[n3tjm]

Flew my show stopper with a D13-4W. Must of been to much ejection for it because the tail section blew off. Was able to recover the body tube and, the fin can with half the motors. Got my RMS 18/20 motor back too.

 

[EXPjawa]

I flew 6 rockets today at URRF3, including one with my nephew. Came home, sanded the first primer coat on my Orbital Interceptor upscale, had dinner, then shot a second coat.

After that, I went about removing today's rockets from the car and loaded tomorrow's so that everything is ready for the morning. With any luck, I can get a few more than that up tomorrow. Should be a good day for it...

 

[TopRamen]

Finally drilled/bored two holes out on structure that I'm making my foam lathe out of.
I love working with metal, so I don't know why ot seemed daunting or intimidating to me, but today I had had enough of making improvised lathes and got the metal hogged out without ruining it.
I don't have pillow blocks, so I'm using a steel tool box that was given to me by a friend. It is solid steel so the walls at either end just needed measuring and marking, which I did like a month ago. I already have the rod for the spindle and more bearings than I will need so I can support the spindle when doing shorter things with an adjustable piece that will be in the box to hold a bearing, then an extra beyond the shaft collars where the belt goes and on the far outside. 5 bearings total should mean smooth sailing, I hope, but it is totally DIY improvised, based on watching hours and hours of Youtube videos.
Anyhow, I just need to grind the edges of the holes, and stay inside my markings now, then insert the bearings and the machine washers, then drill the holes for all the parts to go onto the board, and make mounting points on my table.
I also started building my front yard workshop, but have not gotten to the part where I put something over me for shade, and it's freaking hot today, so I'm at rest now. It will be nice to not have to make such a mess of my tiny house just to build a rocket. My workbench is a disaster area, and I have about 10-12 different projects hanging up in various ziplock bags and in boxes in my laundry room.
Oh, speaking of which, I also put up another set of shelf brackets in there today to hold a tube box, and have another set to put up later.
I was getting to the point where I could not build anything due to the clutter, and with real life getting in my way, it became overwhelming, so I'm on track to get my butt in gear and fix that now.

 

[Wayco]

Stuck the fins in my 3" Red Punisher this morning, then set it out in the curing oven (garage). It's about 105* out there now, so I went ahead and injected West Systems/chopped carbon fiber in there after it cured the Rocketpoxy in about 30 minutes.
This is building season for us here in sunny AZ. Local clubs have all gone dark until it drops back down to survivable temps. in October or November.

 

[TopRamen]

Began assembling the Power Control Box for my Hot Wire Foam Cutter with the project box that I got from Cavecentral.
Thanks again Kevin!

 

[RocketFeller]

It was actually yesterday, but we flew our upscale Dragonfly. today I am going to pack up camp and possibly go for my L2.

 

[rharshberger]

I actually did these yesterday but just getting around to posting them today. Yep, thats four 3" Crayon nose cones, I plan on doing build threads as soon as I get all the parts ready. The cones are made from balsa turned on my woodworking lathe. There was a slight bit of learning curve due to the softness of balas, which is why two of the nose cones have a pine block glued to the base. The balsa was too soft for the drive spur to hold when the chisels were applied, the opposite end was okay with a cup type live center. The skew and roughing gouge were used the most to remove the material quickly, leaving a very rough surface, from there a piece of 80 grit sandpaper held on a Great Planes T-Bar sander did the semi-final rough shaping and then 150grit on the same sander did the finish sanding. The cones weigh 37g, 52g, 73g, and 92g (the pine on the base accounts for the extra weight). The cones are designed to work with the BMS T-300 airframes, they will still need a paper wrap around the flat just below the cone to match the airframe diameter. The cones were made from 3"x3"x12" blocks from Hobby Lobby, the cost was about $10 to make all four.

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

Sanded down the primer coat on my SL2 Nike Smoke.

 

[scsager]

Deep Cleaning the Evil Mad Scientist Rocket Lab... Before & After.

 

[TopRamen]

It was too hot to do most of the things I wanted to do outside, but I did manage to try out the angle modification I made to my hot wire foam cutter to make a transition that I can shape further by hand then glass, and started putting together the booster section of an SA-3 so I can fly one and see if it is worth doing as an actual "Make it nice" build.

If it cools off I'll go do some more work putting my lathe together.