What did you do rocket wise today?

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I am finishing up my PML Bumble Bee that I call the Murder Hornet. It was about 103 F and 32% humidity when I shot these pictures. Hornets aren't the only things around here capable of homicide.View attachment 469653View attachment 469654

Bye for now, stay frosty folks.

Jim

That finish is stunning- especially that deep metallic red. Mind sharing what that paint/color is?
 
More progress on the Solar Warrior. The main part of the fins were glued together and papered; pressing now. CWF filled some of the other small fin pieces, sanded and those are glued together. Motor mount is assembled. Got some new parts, pieces and tools organization from the regional big box home improvement store/money pit. Laughed at 2x4 prices while I was there. Also finished up the last bits of wiring needed for a new 12v relayed launch controller and grabbed a battery while at above noted store. Oh, also picked up a new 3/16 launch rod since our cheap steel one has just a tiny wiggle in it that is occasionally problematic. And, grabbed a 6' long 1/4 rod for new/future stuff. Which, I did order some stuff I needed from Estes and some stuff my wife would say I don't :)
 
Got some primer on the Yalga proto.

Surprise visit from one of Bruce Lamington's highly trained safety staff for mandatory greeble inspection.

safety (FILEminimizer).jpg

A quick photo with a geriatric Estes Bullpup for size comparison.

comparison (FILEminimizer).jpg

Primer makes the greebles pop. Looking forward to getting some paint and airtime on this one.

greeble in primer (FILEminimizer).jpg
 
Reattaching 3 fins on a 3" IQSY. They broke loose on a hard landing. Got the old fillets removed, fins and BT sanded with 120 grit and tacking in place with medium CA and to be followed up with glass filled West Systems fillets.
 
So, does anyone have an OpenRocket file for the the WildMan Rockets Shapeshifter? I will be weighing and creating my own, but it would be good to have a starting point. TIA
 
A bit of work on my CAD-Fu over the past few days. My wife keeps asking what is taking so long. I am still driving 3D CAD like a neanderthal :rolleyes:.
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It is a mounting interface for a pitot-static tube for measuring airspeed on my VTS. I will rough one up in PLA+ and if I'm happy I will flick it to the resin printer.

For scale, the mounting base is an inch square. Those bolt-holes suit M3 countersunk screws. The pitot tube is 4mm diameter.

Oops. Just found a chamfer I left out :oops:. Lucky I haven't printed yet.
 
That finish is stunning- especially that deep metallic red. Mind sharing what that paint/color is?
Hey rbelknap;

No problem, I used Dupli-Color Metalcast series. See picture. This is a true two stage paint and requires a metallic undercoat for proper effect. I used the dupli-color undercoat, that's the can with the silver-gray lid. The color coat is transparent to translucent depending on coating depth. The trick to multi-stage paints is to apply light coats,especially early in the process. The can says to apply 2-3 light coats and to finish with a medium wet coat. I would use that method with the under coat as well. The idea with these paints is to avoid a splotchy appearance. Consistent application is important with these types of paint. Metallics will always require more paint than regular gloss etc. Buy an extra can of undercoat and color coat.
Jimspray cans 003.JPG
 
Hey rbelknap;

No problem, I used Dupli-Color Metalcast series. See picture. This is a true two stage paint and requires a metallic undercoat for proper effect. I used the dupli-color undercoat, that's the can with the silver-gray lid. The color coat is transparent to translucent depending on coating depth. The trick to multi-stage paints is to apply light coats,especially early in the process. The can says to apply 2-3 light coats and to finish with a medium wet coat. I would use that method with the under coat as well. The idea with these paints is to avoid a splotchy appearance. Consistent application is important with these types of paint. Metallics will always require more paint than regular gloss etc. Buy an extra can of undercoat and color coat.
JimView attachment 469749

Thanks Jim. I’ve used the Duplicolor Mirage paints on a few rockets in the past, most notably on the king kraken I flew for my level 1 cert flight. (Build thread for that is around here somewhere…)
 
Ah, but one could could use cm instead of in and not incur any more use of scientific notation to speak of. Of course, that would imply to use of the other cgs units, like erg/s instead of W, but even I would let that one slide.
 
I still use 1W/sqinch as a good rule-of-thumb for heat generation on a PCB.
And an Aussie at that! A tip'o th' hat to you, mate! To be certain, the PCB or the electrical generatio doesn't understand metric or imperial! And they are blindly impervious to our many calculations, being bound only the laws of physics!
 
I donated some unbuilt kits, a launcher, spray paint and some other LPR supplies to a local rocket club. I'm happy that someone will get some good use out of them.

And the HPR kit that I'm hoping to build is still out of stock everywhere. Oh well.
 
I still use 1W/sqinch as a good rule-of-thumb for heat generation on a PCB.
That one, mmm... OK. Power in Watts rather than, say, BTU/s is more understandable and much more convenient in any context. Note that my original "heathen" comment was made about mixing inches and millimeters in the same sentence, i.e. length to length. I'd also call "heathen" if one were to say "My temperature is 100.4, so it's only 1°C over normal," but I wouldn't over "I just did a 10K run and burned a lot of Calories."
 
That one, mmm... OK. Power in Watts rather than, say, BTU/s is more understandable and much more convenient in any context. Note that my original "heathen" comment was made about mixing inches and millimeters in the same sentence, i.e. length to length. I'd also call "heathen" if one were to say "My temperature is 100.4, so it's only 1°C over normal," but I wouldn't over "I just did a 10K run and burned a lot of Calories."
Well, then how about "I just did a 10K run and burned a lot of BTU's!" ??? o_O
 
Well, then how about "I just did a 10K run and burned a lot of BTU's!" ??? o_O
Just the point; I wouldn't say that, nor expect anyone else to.
I'd also call "heathen" if one were to say... but I wouldn't over "I just did a 10K run and burned a lot of Calories."
(In point of fact, I've never done so much as a 1K run, nor much if anything over a 10K walk.)
 
Finished the topcoat on an old LOC IRIS. Poison Green Candy shaded with Emerald Green Candy. The green is applied over silver sealer and coarse aluminum base coat. Flames are sealer white. All products other than topcoat are Createx.
 

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