What did you do rocket wise today?

[Wayco]

Several days ago I started prepping rockets for two launches, TRA/PHX Feb. 22nd to the 24th, and Holtville Havoc Feb 28th to March 3rd. The first launch is a research launch, so I built an M2239 Not Your Wimpy Red load in a Loki 76/6000 casing today and put it in my L3 rocket "Red Tailed Extreme". I also built a CTI L995 Red Lightning to fly at Holtville in the same rocket.
Then I went outside and finished sanding off the old emerald green lacquer/fluorescent orange that was on my X-Celerator. Stickershock made me a new "RAPIDITTY" sticker, and I'm refinishing it with what I hope will be a more durable paint.
Last year Exactimator brought his "Fairly Fast Finch" to Holtville and really made my old paint look bad:

Hoping I can talk Mark into actually flying his beautiful rocket this year and maybe getting a scratch or two on it.

 

[Andrew_ASC]

Flew the Wildman RB-05A and lost another 38-240 casing today. Flew the Conquest twice and the extreme 12 once. Nice flights to all at HARA.

 

[Eric]

View attachment 374264 Flew the Wildman RB-05A and lost another 38-240 casing today. Flew the Conquest twice and the extreme 12 once. Nice flights to all at HARA.

The rocket is right there in the picture... how would you lose the motor casing? What were you using for retention?

 

[Andrew_ASC]

Masking tape. Casing pops at Apogee about 50% of my flights with friction fit. It’s getting annoying. My L2 rocket has an actual retainer. Lol.

 

[Eric]

Use more tape.... I love friction fit and have never had it fail. It should be very difficult to remove by hand once installed. I often use a large dowel and rubber mallet from the top side.

 

[TurbulentSphere]

I flew a couple of my 3D printed rockets at the HARA launch today. Further Assembly Required (the grid fin rocket) went up on a H165, but suffered a motor malfunction and the parachute deployed right after burnout. Apart from the nose cone, the rocket survived intact. Checked Baggage flew on a J270 and had a perfect flight.

 

[Nytrunner]

Flew a few rockets and got in some practice at the LCO table with HARA (as above)

Broncbuster III got a maiden flight, and I got a nice walk!
I like the slow roll I got on this one, I may be getting better at the hand beveling

 

[dr wogz]

Yesterday actually:

Glued up some motor mounts and nosecones. West Systems epoxy teaches patients!!

(There are 3 motor mounts in the picture)

 

[AeroAggie]

I cooked up a batch of Go Devil 54 fins with 6 plies of plain weave carbon to stiffen them up a bit. They're not fully cured yet, so I'll wait until next weekend to trim them up and get them ready for installation.

 

[Nytrunner]

Interesting. are you making the fins yourself, or just reinforcing them?

What kind of flight profile are they for?

 

[prfesser]

Today I epoxied one of the centering rings for Alpha LIV on the MMT. I use very slow epoxy so epoxy-ing the assembly into the airframe will be tomorrow. Fins will have to wait until Tuesday.

And Friday I sent a Research proposal to the Tripoli BoD. I'll post the result as soon as I'm able to.

Best -- Terry

 

[ManiakMechanik]

Been working on my Argent. I messed up my fins by using glazing and spot putty on them to try and make them smooth. They ended up with a slight warp. I tried a few things and got them a bit better, but still not good enough. I was going to paper skin them, hoping the glue will straighten them out but I think I'm just gonna make some new ones.

 

[AeroAggie]

I'm just reinforcing the stock fins for a Loki L1040. Open Rocket says Mach 2.47...we'll see if that comes true or not later this year. FinSim says they're ok with this hybrid laminate, so fingers crossed.

 

[Nytrunner]

I messed up my fins by using glazing and spot putty on them to try and make them smooth

Hmmm, havent run into that issue with spot putty before, although I spray an initial layer of sandable filler primer, sand, then apply the putty to imperfections.

 

[AeroAggie]

Hmmm, havent run into that issue with spot putty before, although I spray an initial layer of sandable filler primer, sand, then apply the putty to imperfections.

Yep, prime first then spot putty.

 

[ManiakMechanik]

Hmmm, havent run into that issue with spot putty before, although I spray an initial layer of sandable filler primer, sand, then apply the putty to imperfections.

That's my mistake there I think. I should've put some primer on first to seal them up.

 

[krislhull]

Installed the motor mount, and the first two fins on my 3" LOC Sandhawk today. Hoping I can have this one ready for flight by the first launch of the season next month.

 

[Igotnothing]

Rolled first half of a 4" motor mount. 1st pack of FG cloth used up. One to go. And shoveled snow. Been here 30 years - most snow, and coldest temps.
And so begins the next ice age.

 

[DRAGON64]

Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for a rocket that I had to re-build from the fin can up (Black Dahlia). Printing a fincan for a 2.6" research rocket (95%) print.

 

[ManiakMechanik]

Can anyone recommend a type of wood to use for fins? I found some 1/8" birch aircraft plywood, but at $112 per 4' x 4' sheet I'd like to know if I have any other options.

 

[Araize01]

Can anyone recommend a type of wood to use for fins? I found some 1/8" birch aircraft plywood, but at $112 per 4' x 4' sheet I'd like to know if I have any other options.

Check Hobby lobby. They have various sizes of several different types.

 

[Nytrunner]

Can anyone recommend a type of wood to use for fins? I found some 1/8" birch aircraft plywood, but at $112 per 4' x 4' sheet I'd like to know if I have any other options.

What size rocket, and how fast will it go?

 

[ManiakMechanik]

What size rocket, and how fast will it go?

It's an Argent. Don't know how fast, F and G engines mostly.

 

[Nytrunner]

It's an Argent. Don't know how fast, F and G engines mostly.

Gotcha. Check out Hobby lobby like Araize suggested.

Also, I've had very good results taking an 1/8" piece of balsa, and skinning it with 1/32" basswood. It's a tad thicker, but very light and stiff made with Titebond II

 

[ManiakMechanik]

Crisis averted. Nice sheet of 1/8" Baltic birch and a sweet deal on a scroll saw from the brother in law, I made some new fins. Thanks for the suggestions. Theres no hobby lobby where I am and the local hobby shops just had balsa. Went to a place that specialized in just plywood.

 

[Luzwingnut]

Mr. Brown Santa Claus dropped off a North Coast Rocketry SA-14 Archer on my doorstep this evening!!

FUN TIMES ARE COMING!!

 

[mdnehez]

Seems a bit pricey, although 4 x 4 is a large piece, try Aircraft Spruce, the sell plywood in smaller pieces.

 

[amirpc]

Got my new painting booth set up, I'm pretty excited about this.

 

[rocketgreenhouse]

Had a crack at making a carbon fibre airframe (for a 38mm rocket) This was for the upper airframe but I’m not happy with the results so I’ll use it on something random and try again. The weave distorted badly due to stretching the middle out and the sides not moving (they had tape on them).

 

[ROCKETDAWG]

This landed on my doorstep today.