What did you do rocket wise today?

[teepot]

Finished my Atlas V build. 66 inches long, weighs 61 ounces. Upper fairing is 3 inches, the lower tube is 2.2 inches. It has 6 24mm SRB's with 18mm motor mounts. The SRB's are attached with Apogee SRB hooks.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Got a rocket stuck in a tree. Its about 30 feet up? I tried a roof rack poles but not long enough. Will attempt to retrieve again. Any recommendations for retrieval mechanisms?

On my red 2 stager code named red lipstick, we lost the glider. Thinking of making a different glider. Any recommendations for a design?

I got my rocket out of a 50’ tree using a PVC pipe, tubing, dowel, and twine. I tried fishing line but it just tangled. The elastic on the rocket finally snapped so forget about it if you only used Kevlar cord. The NC and chute are still in the tree. Those are easily replaceable.

erockets.biz has a nice glider.
https://www.erockets.biz/semroc-flying-model-kit-sabre-parasite-glider-kn-7/

 

[Rocks&Rockets]

Looking at CL and found this ... maybe someone here has a need for it ! really big plans?
https://denver.craigslist.org/avo/d/littleton-beech-aircraft-nosecone/7237096395.html

 

[cbwho]

rklapp, thanks for the pvc pipe idea! What diameter did you use?

Is it threaded? how did you secure the tubes? Simply taped?

I really like your Hawaii launch facilities. The trees are far away. On my local baseball park, there are trees on the edges of all the ball fields.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

rklapp, thanks for the pvc pipe idea! What diameter did you use?

Is it threaded? how did you secure the tubes? Simply taped?

I really like your Hawaii launch facilities. The trees are far away. On my local baseball park, there are trees on the edges of all the ball fields.

I didn’t use a fishing reel, just twine that was duct taped to a dowel. Shoot the dowel over the branch and use the tube to shake the branch. Eventually the shock cord snaps.

 

[cbwho]

Rklapp, OH!

i was thinking you used a long pole with a hook.

I watched the video you posted, very clever. If I don't succeed tomorrow with the longer hook, the next launch will be via surgical tubing!

 

[Bruiser]

Just ordered a Aerotech 29/40-120 motor with a G64-7 white lightning reload along with a Nomex chute protector. It was a BF special I couldn't pass up.

I just launched my first composite motor last Saturday so this is a big thing for me. I wonder if I'll be able to use it in any of my 29mm rockets? So far they have only flown with Estes E16 and F15 motors...

-Bob

 

[Nytrunner]

I wonder if I'll be able to use it in any of my 29mm rockets?

As with most things rockets, it depends

How high will they go on the G, and do you have enough recovery space for them to drift? If tight on space, do you have a chute release or some other way to delay the opening?

Lastly, if they just have balsa fins, you'll want to paper them at the very least to make sure they survive. As you've probably gleaned from the forum, composite motors can hit much harder than the 29mm blackpowder motors

 

[Mugs914]

Just ordered a Aerotech 29/40-120 motor with a G64-7 white lightning reload along with a Nomex chute protector. It was a BF special I couldn't pass up.

I just launched my first composite motor last Saturday so this is a big thing for me. I wonder if I'll be able to use it in any of my 29mm rockets? So far they have only flown with Estes E16 and F15 motors...

-Bob

I think you are going to be very happy with the 29/40-120, I fly one just about every time I go fly. Just be sure to follow the directions closely; it is very easy to use, but you do need to make sure everything is assembled correctly.

Oh, and the G64W is one of my all-time favorite motors! Fire, smoke and noise....

 

[Bruiser]

Yeah, I don't think any of mine have just balsa fins and I have a big desert at the launch site. I was thinking more about how the weight compares to an Estes F15. I need to research how much the case weighs along with any potential reloads. I wonder if I'll have to do an override in OR for the weight of the case or if it will already factor that in when you select a motor that is only available as a reload... First rocket I might try it in is probably my modified Majestic.

-Bob

 

[Nytrunner]

I wonder if I'll have to do an override in OR for the weight of the case or if it will already factor that in when you select a motor that is only available as a reload..

Openrocket accounts for the weight of the reload and case. (as does thrustcurve I believe)

 

[tsmith1315]

Bruiser, my 29/40-120 case with closures weighs 58.93g, aka 2.08 oz

Agreed Mugs, that is the one case that always gets used.

Got my Eggtimer Proton working after correcting the obligatory stupid mistake. Of course it couldn't have been a quick & easy one to fix. Now to build a bay to fit it into the Arreaux, and maybe one for the Expediter.

 

[jqavins]

I didn’t use a fishing reel, just twine that was duct taped to a dowel. Shoot the dowel over the branch and use the tube to shake the branch. Eventually the shock cord snaps.

Very nice. And, as usual, "Very nice" is followed by (hopefully) constructive feedback. First, as I saw you taping a bolt to the dowel for nose weight I thought Why not use an arrow? Nose weight and "fins" are already there. And that led to the thought that one might simply use a bow to shoot the arrow over a branch. Nothing fancy would be needed, just a kid's backyard rig.

 

[Wayco]

Just ordered a Aerotech 29/40-120 motor with a G64-7 white lightning reload along with a Nomex chute protector. It was a BF special I couldn't pass up.

I just launched my first composite motor last Saturday so this is a big thing for me. I wonder if I'll be able to use it in any of my 29mm rockets? So far they have only flown with Estes E16 and F15 motors...

-Bob

Excellent choice for a versatile reload casing, we use several of those at every launch. ALL reloads for that case will outperform an Estes BP motor.
Where did you get a deal like that?

 

[Bruiser]

It was at buyrocketmotors.com for half price

Bob

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Very nice. And, as usual, "Very nice" is followed by (hopefully) constructive feedback. First, as I saw you taping a bolt to the dowel for nose weight I thought Why not use an arrow? Nose weight and "fins" are already there. And that led to the thought that one might simply use a bow to shoot the arrow over a branch. Nothing fancy would be needed, just a kid's backyard rig.

Actually that’s not my video, but my abridged retrieval video was posted above. We tried using an arrow with the fletchings removed. However, we found the arrow too light and thought the dowel would be more innocuous if the popo pulled up. Technically, we’re not supposed to be hurtling pointy objects in the park (rockets exempted). I guess we could shoot a rocket but the dowel seemed to work well enough.

 

[Mugs914]

Added a coat of epoxy to the rear bulkhead of the LOC Nike Zeus/Spartan thing (finally back at it!).

 

[Nytrunner]

Showed my wife epoxy mixing, had her fix on the fin locks and centering rings, and her 38mm G-force is under way! She's already made the openrocket file.

She thinks she's just "helping me", but I plan to remain hands off and see if I can get her L1 certed without her knowing about it (until the launch anyway)

 

[GrouchoDuke]

Here's the new paint job design for my Alien Interceptor 38, with the 3d model rotated to see 3 different views around the rocket. It's a new pattern, but inspired by the paint job on my Quicksilver from a few years back. It has a lot more detail than the previous design, so it'll probably be a bear to pick all those tiny vinyl mask bits out of the wet paint. Seems like a fun challenge though.

I'm going to stew on it for a few days, then decide if I want to cut out some of the detail. Any votes/thoughts/comments?

 

[neil_w]

I'm going to stew on it for a few days, then decide if I want to cut out some of the detail. Any votes/thoughts/comments?

My thought is that one day I'm going to ask you to make one of those designs for one of my rockets.

Anyway, I like it a lot, although I'm not sure it's necessarily *better* than the previous versions or that design I've seen. This one piece seems a bit out of place to me:

Nitpicks aside, I would *gladly* have any of my rockets look like that. Of course, I wouldn't know how to do that good of a fade even if you gave me the vinyl.

 

[GrouchoDuke]

Anyway, I like it a lot, although I'm not sure it's necessarily *better* than the previous versions or that design I've seen. This one piece seems a bit out of place to me:
View attachment 440144

Thanks a ton, Neil. My goals for this design were for it to look close enough from my Quicksilver's design so that people might go "oh, that's the same paint job from his old rocket" while after closer inspection people might go "oh, wait, it's a new design." Very similar style, but different. That said, there are a few elements that remained the same on purpose.

Yeah, that element you highlighted might be pushing the style bounds a bit. I think it might look better with some additional texture within that grid (maybe shadows or some other type of fade). Another solution might be to replace it with something else. Great inputs, thanks!

Here's the rocket rotated to show that top element better.

(The metal launch lugs I grabbed for it aren't going to look pretty mixed into there, but my intent for this rocket is to be a sport flier that I can launch off a standard rail instead of requiring me to drag around a tower. This is the way. )

 

[Wally Ferrer]

took advantage of a couple more BF sales...

 

[UPscaler]

Couple days late, but uh

Caved pretty hard on the ol Wild Wednesday sale.

Braden

 

[OverTheTop]

Last club launch for the year. Flew two D motors. That makes a total of three D motors for the year.

 

[Mugs914]

Post office says an Aeropack 54mm flanged retainer will land in the mailbox today...

 

[Devin Batten]

Built an Estes Hi-Flier with usual mods, clipped engine hook and epoxy papered fins. And finished the fin can for my Big Daddy.

 

[Nytrunner]

The Starbiter caught red plague

 

[H. Craig Miller]

Taught an Eggtimer Proton altimeter how to multi-task... I needed a down and dirty launch control system for the grandkids tomorrow and the Proton fit the bill.

First, and most important... the selection of a watertight container from Target... about $2.50. Then, the location of the 6 wire outlets were marked, and punched before drilling to prevent the bit from drifting (because the kids will only be launching one rocket at a time tomorrow, I only drilled 1 location); did I forget to mention that the Proton, as a controller, can launch 6 rockets simultaneously, now that's a grandchild's dream.

​

After that, the output wire was installed, the battery (in its anti-static bag) was placed in the bottom of the container, and the Proton was placed on top of the anti-static bag and connected to the battery.

​

Then, the setup was tested with a Christmas tree bulb (you use the Proton's WiFi interface test screen to launch the rockets, with a 5 second countdown on the phone's screen). The last two photographs show the closed container and the wiring for the launch pad (the JST adapter allows this setup to be substituted for the traditional large lead-acid battery powered system.

​

This setup does have two limitations that you need to be aware of, each channel is limited to 10 amps and the total draw of all 6 channels is limited to 30 amps. For Estes rockets, though, 5 amps per channel for a drag race should be plenty.

I guess the only thing left to find out tomorrow is what the ground distance of the WiFi signal is.

 

[GrouchoDuke]

Taught an Eggtimer Proton altimeter how to multi-task... I needed a down and dirty launch control system for the grandkids tomorrow and the Proton fit the bill.

I'm sooooo doing this. Great idea!!

I think I've finalized the design for my AI38's paint job...opened up the design in one area near the front of the rocket to make it easier to mask and have a space for the forward launch lug. Also changed the "squares" area to be overlapping and a little more curved to more closely copy some Polynesian design elements.

I picked out colors for it too. I think I'm going to try Duplicolor lacquer this time instead of Rustoleum. Hopefully I can find those at a local store.

That masking is going to be fun...

 

[Adam3836]

Got myself alittle cell phone stand lol