Way to temporarily mount camera to rocket when very cold?

[fliptwister]

Hello,

I'm trying to get back into rocketry a bit and figured a good opportunity would be when the lake was frozen. I have an Aerotech Cheetah. Yesterday conditions were perfect because the wind was 2 mph. Normally I use a combination of masking and duct tape to mount camera on the rocket with no issues. Yesterday was very cold (12° F, -11°C) and apparently the cold affected the adhesive on the tape quite a bit. The way I normally do it is tape camera and rocket with masking tape and then use duct tape to finish off over the masking tape.

The following launch was the results. As you can see the camera is moving around quite a bit but it did not come off. The rocket went to an altitude 1,510 ft. (460 m). I suspect the acceleration and altitude in cold also affected tape. This was with a F67-9W motor and camera was Mobius Mini v2.



Any ideas on how to better temporarily mount the camera in this kind of cold? Ideally I would like to avoid more permanent solutions. I have 3M 5952 VHB tape and imagine this would work but would prefer not going this route. Thanks!

 

[Nytrunner]

Could try electrical tape, but I don't know how it reaches in that cold.

If you tape it on before bringing it to the field, the tape should wrap around and stick to itself.

 

[fliptwister]

Could try electrical tape, but I don't know how it reaches in that cold.

If you tape it on before bringing it to the field, the tape should wrap around and stick to itself.

Interesting idea. Electrical tape may actually bond better together. I did tape it before I brought to field. I used high end masking tape and Gorilla Tape which is a high end duct tape. I will try electrical tape. Thanks!

 

[Ez2cDave]

Velcro strips . . .

Dave F.

 

[fliptwister]

Velcro strips . . .

Dave F.

I once lost a #16 camera when using Velcro on rocket. Since then I have been a bit hesitant to try again. Are you talking about using Velcro with adhesive on backs or the strips which you wrap around the camera and rocket and fasten to themselves?

 

[Ez2cDave]

Are you talking about using Velcro with adhesive on backs or the strips which you wrap around the camera and rocket and fasten to themselves?

Both,actually . . . Adhesive-backed on airframe & camera . . . Straps, if additional strength is needed.

It might be possible to use adhesive-backed Velcro to mount the "toothed" side to the camera and then use the "looped" side, with straps sewn to it to provide a secure grip on the airframe.

Thoughts ?

Dave F.

 

[fliptwister]

Both,actually . . . Adhesive-backed on airframe & camera . . . Straps, if additional strength is needed.

It might be possible to use adhesive-backed Velcro to mount the "toothed" side to the camera and then use the "looped" side, with straps sewn to it to provide a secure grip on the airframe.

Thoughts ?

Dave F.

I will give it a shot. Thanks!

 

[Jacob Ritzke]

I use electrical tape to attach my cameras all the time. Ive done some winter flying and I haven't really any problems. Another solution would be to either atach it at home or if your attaching it on the range, keep it in your pocket to keep it warm.

 

[jadebox]

Electrical tape works great for holding cameras to rockets. I used to spend a lot of time engineering fancy shrouds to hold my cameras. Now I just grab the tape. Electrical tape also comes in colors so you can find some to compliment your rocket.

I haven't had any problem with electrical tape lifting off paint, but you might want to test it on a less conspicuous place on your rocket first.

Living in Florida, I cannot really speak to how it works in the cold.

 

[Jacob Ritzke]

The only time I ever had electrical tape peel off paint was on my custom Neutron rocket. All the nice matte black paint came right off! I always use to pieces of tape, one that goes around the diameter of the rocket and the camera and one that goes from the top of the camera to the rocket's body.

 

[fliptwister]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to try electrical tape. I really do not care about paint. After using this rocket many times there are chips etc. already. Unfortunately I will have to wait a bit. We got about 12 inches of snow earlier in week and I'm too worried about losing rocket, camera, and altimeter

 

[Nytrunner]

My method with electrical or masking tape:

-a couple pieces of tape rolled so the outside is sticky> on the bottom of camera. (could be a velcro patch also)
-1 strip over the camera body and around the body tube (If its 3" or larger, doesn't necessarily have to go all the way around the tube)
-1 strip in an upside down u-shape, over the back of the camera and around the sides (grabbing camera and tube)
-2-3 strips extending from the back top of the camera up the tube a couple inches (flexibility of the tape makes a nice aero-slope)

 

[JERRYR708]

I put a piece of Velcro tape on the camera and rocket that my 808 keychain camera came with. I then wrap painters blue tape around the camera going completely around the rocket. I also place a little tape over the top of the camera creating a taper for less wind drag. I like the painters tape because it sticks good and doesn't leave residue or stress the finish on my rockets when you want to remove it. I do keep the postage stamp size Velcro on the rockets I use the camera a lot.
The extra little weight of the small camera was enough to make my under powered Estes Patriot turn into an Honest John. Halfway during flight, the Patriot was flying completely horizontal, then started to come down at a 45 degree. The parachute opened up about 50 feet before touchdown.