Estes Big Daddy upgrade

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AfterBurners

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I had this kit laying around and thought I would upgrade it. I didn't realize thow the quality of the ring have gone down hill. Cheap card stock that is out of form and a rubber band shock cord. Yeah it's been awhile for me building one of these kits. Anyway the Big Daddy is deserving of a decent motor. I wanted to go with 3" LOC rings, but all that I see they come with is 29mm which is fine, but will the rings fit the Estes body tub? I checked the rings on hobbylinc but should look on the LOC site
 
Estes 3" airframe is slightly smaller than Loc airframe. Loc CR's would need to be sanded down, or new ones acquired from BMS or Estes, the BMS part is for a T-300 airframe.
 
Even though I'm not a big kit builder, I can testify to those CR's. I can't stand em either. If you can find them in the Letramax black fiber type, that's a big plus. But when it comes down to having to fabricate my own, I'll opt for a thicker, better quality hard poster stock, plywood, or make them from laminated cross grain balsa in a plywood fashion. They'll last longer than those el-cheapos.
 
I just placed an order with LOC for the Center Rings and motor mount tube. LOC states the rings are for a 75mm airframe which is what the ESTES airframe come out to be. If Ihave some sanding to do I'm ok with that ... at least it will be built right. This will be the last ESTES kit I buy.
 
How about using the kit rings in a lamination for added strength. More cardstock, 1/16 balsa, 1/32 ply, fiberglass cloth etc. etc. etc...

Doh! Gary already suggested this.
 
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I wouldn't sweat the centering rings. Structurally they do nothing, as the motor mount load is transferred through the fins onto the body tube. The centering rings merely act to seal the bottom of the body tube during ejection.
 
Just make sure you do something about that nosecone and the venting problem it has. You don't want all that work and material to be wasted in a lawndart.
 
Commenting on the lawn dart problem.
Ever since I started wrapping the Estes nose cones with a little extra blue tape, I have not had a lawn dart.
My thinking is that the tape obviously makes the nose cone fit tighter in the body tube. This allows the tube to pressurise to a higher level than without the tape. Bang, nose cone comes off with force!

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Commenting on the tape question.
Yes, I use blue masking tape to collect the shock cord in bundles. Started this when my rockets crept over 10lb. The tape seems to work better with heavier rockets. The heavier sections have more momentum when they separate and provide more force to the shock cord to snap the blue tape.
 
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I wouldn't sweat the centering rings. Structurally they do nothing, as the motor mount load is transferred through the fins onto the body tube. The centering rings merely act to seal the bottom of the body tube during ejection.


If they were straighter than what I had I would have used them in stock form, but they were really tweaked.
 
Looks like my LOC order shipped so I'll be working with those parts when they arrive. No biggie just going to take the time to sand them to fit. Anyway maybe I'll put up some pictures when I'm done with it. Thanks guys for your input.
 
For anyone viewing this thread with a similar question, this is what I do sometimes. Glue some balsa to the ring and cut it out like a template. Then you have a stronger, straighter, but still light CR without much fuss.

20160605_225849_HDR.jpg
 
For anyone viewing this thread with a similar question, this is what I do sometimes. Glue some balsa to the ring and cut it out like a template. Then you have a stronger, straighter, but still light CR without much fuss.

View attachment 302771

I did the same, but with basswood, with good results. So far I've had succesful flights on up to an F39..
 
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I made my own CRs using 1/8" lite ply, used stock fins, added 4oz of lead to the nose cone, and added the Estes 24mm motor retainer. Have had 9 flights on the CTI F240 Vmax, 3 on the F85 White Thunder and 4 on the F50 Skidmark, Never had an issue with the nose cone. I did cut the bottom off, epoxied a bulkhead in farther up in the nose cone for added recovery room. Has about 10 ft of 1/8" Kevlar cord, nomex chute protector and I think an 18" nylon chute.
Blow on the left is the 24mm powered Olde Bay Daddy, and the Coors Light Silver Bullet which is built the exact same way except is has a 29mm MMT, Both have 1010 rail buttons as well. the drag race is Crabs on the F240 and Beer on the F120 Vmaxs (Crabs is kicking major butt!)
Crabsandbeer.jpgCrabsandBeerDragRace.jpg

Close up of Silver Bullet on the F120 Vmax:
IMG_0713[1].jpg
 
For anyone viewing this thread with a similar question, this is what I do sometimes. Glue some balsa to the ring and cut it out like a template. Then you have a stronger, straighter, but still light CR without much fuss.

View attachment 302771

I'll try this next weather its another Big Daddy or similar kit. When I got my rings off the card stock it looked like someone folded them in 3 different directions.
 
I made my own CRs using 1/8" lite ply, used stock fins, added 4oz of lead to the nose cone, and added the Estes 24mm motor retainer. Have had 9 flights on the CTI F240 Vmax, 3 on the F85 White Thunder and 4 on the F50 Skidmark, Never had an issue with the nose cone. I did cut the bottom off, epoxied a bulkhead in farther up in the nose cone for added recovery room. Has about 10 ft of 1/8" Kevlar cord, nomex chute protector and I think an 18" nylon chute.
Blow on the left is the 24mm powered Olde Bay Daddy, and the Coors Light Silver Bullet which is built the exact same way except is has a 29mm MMT, Both have 1010 rail buttons as well. the drag race is Crabs on the F240 and Beer on the F120 Vmaxs (Crabs is kicking major butt!)
View attachment 302798View attachment 302799

Close up of Silver Bullet on the F120 Vmax:
View attachment 302800

I like the builds you did. I think adding a bulkhead was a good idea to gain more room. Things are kinda tight in there
 
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