Fliskits Deuce 29 Build Thread

[gdjsky01]

A while back I became aware of the Fliskits MPR/HPR Deuce 29. Being that my current 'thing' is clustering, well, you know... I had to have one. I have a built Deuces Wild. And a Diminutive Deuce. Such a great idea. I love the little guy

Being on the wrong side of 'rich', I sold some astronomy stuff and on Friday the 10th one long UPS box showed up. Alas I had to wait until today, the 13th, for the other box to show up.
So lets drive in to the parts.

The bad.

• The instructions are ink jet printed. Nothing like the Fliskits instructions of the past which were professional layouts and drawings. The text and images are less than good. The images are tiny and low resolution. Many are incomprehensible. But who cares right! Who needs instructions? RIGHT! Onward!
• The body tube was creased. The box it came in was fine. I do not think it happened during shipping. I could be wrong tho.
  
  

The very good!

• I contacted Fliskits and they responded in one day. They'll replace it, or give me credit. Since I already replaced it from my 'stash' I am hoping for a credit on a Tres.

The neither bad nor good

• I got another chute I did not need. No option to buy without one. But then I did not ask.
• The nose cone fits the creased tube perfect. The one from my stash is a tad loose. The nose cone is nice. The two other 3D parts are... well... 3D parts. Test fitting shows I'll have to do some minor fitting work, which the instructions do say might be needed.
• The instructions came with the tube. Which came before the rest of the parts. So I was expecting two estes 29mm motor retainers as show in the instructions. But never actually mentioned in the instructions. Slight disappointment there for a $110 kit.

So here are the parts




The fins are covered with what to me seems to be vinyl transfer tape. I assume it's to protect them from the cutting process.
The screw eye is HUGE!

So the spirals are filled with bondo and sanded.
Next up, completely deviate from the plan and cut the body tube to add a payload section. There is plenty of room for a chute, and I only need 6 or 7 inches (15 to 18cm) of space to add any Eggtimer altimeter. I do dual deployment using cable cutters. I am not gonna not add that. It won't change the length. And it might lessen a tenee tiny bit of nose weight it needed.

Jazzed! Onward!

 

[gdjsky01]

What I meant is an Eggtimer Quantum or Quark will save the day. And its just a coupler and bulkhead away.

 

[artgsc]

I agree that the shank on the screw eye is too big for the allotted space in the nosecone so I used a smaller one. Also, my kit did not include the reinforcing plate that is supposed to be placed on the bulkhead under the U-bolt on the top front of the motor mount assembly. Had to make my own from a piece of very lightweight aluminum that I carved out of an old RC airplane landing gear I had on hand. Lastly, the template included to make the fin and motor mount holes in the body tube was too liberal in the width of the cuts for the motor tubes which resulted in more epoxy filler needed than I would've liked. Overall, I really liked building this kit and look forward to getting some primer on mine soon. Glad to see your build thread here!

 

[gdjsky01]

Yeah there was no plate in mine either. I know the company is under new ownership, and frankly I want to support them. So I am looking forward to other MPR and HPR kits they might produce. They have a very high bar to live up to. The instructions are not up the the Flis standard. But again, instructions? What are those?

Lastly, the template included to make the fin and motor mount holes in the body tube was too liberal in the width of the cuts for the motor tubes which resulted in more epoxy filler needed than I would've liked. Overall, I really liked building this kit and look forward to getting some primer on mine soon. Glad to see your build thread here!

Oh My!!! I have not started cutting yet. Should I be conservative and cut further inside the line?

 

[Sandy H.]

[snip]
The fins are covered with what to me seems to be vinyl transfer tape. I assume it's to protect them from the cutting process.
[/snip]

That is one of a few ways to keep laser 'flash-back' from hitting the fins and leaving a mark when using a grid table. Personally, it isn't my go-to method, but I think it shows the manufacturer is trying to give the end user the best possible product and I think it is a good way to achieve that goal, so I'd consider that a big benefit that they are trying to give you a great product.

I don't think you were saying it was a bad thing, so definitely not trying to 'correct you' or similar. I just thought I'd point out that it seems like they are taking a great effort to give the hobbyist a first class product. While transfer tape isn't crazy expensive, it isn't free and it also takes time to apply. Only someone who cares about the user experience would go to that effort and cost and I think that its awesome they did.

I hope you enjoy the build and flying the rocket!!!

Sandy.

 

[artgsc]

Below is a pic showing the gaps I incurred after cutting the body tube according to the template. As you can see, the length is fine but yes...be conservative in the width. Not the end of the world (as the gap can be filled with epoxy and sanded) but if I can save someone else that trouble then so much the better. Also, below is a pic of the bulkhead strengthener I made to replace the one that was not in the kit. Besides strengthening the 3D printed bulkhead this plate also appears to act as further support for the motor tubes. Maybe this isn’t at all necessary but I don’t want to find out the hard way. Lastly, my nosecone was a loose fit but a film of thin CA in the end of the body tube (then sanded smooth) solved the problem. My favorite part of this kit is that the motor mount bulkheads and support wooden parts all fit together perfectly making assembly quite easy and with excellent result….

 

[KenECoyote]

The body tube was creased. The box it came in was fine. I do not think it happened during shipping. I could be wrong tho.

Your note had me check and my tube is fine. Luckily it's perfect and was even in a plastic bag (great to prevent rain damage in shipping). Also is it just me or is that one beefy body tube?

 

[gdjsky01]

Still waiting to hear back if they give me a few bucks credit on a Tres rather than ship a new tube.

@KenECoyote Mine was not in the plastic bag. Its a standard LOC 3.1 AFAICT.
@artgsc Thanks for the heads up. I held off on the tube cutting til I heard back from you. The laser cut parts for the motor mount fit well in one 3D piece but will require sanding to fit the other. My NCs are always loose. And yes, the first thing I do after filling the spirals in a paper tube is spread some thin CA on all the edges. But I always need a little masking tape. Dunno why... must be the SoCal weather. Or the way I hold my head... . How come you got the cool green and I got the boring blue!? LOL j/k (but mine are blue... ABS? PETG? I assume PLA would be a bad idea that close to the motors.) BTW: Mine did not come with the U bolt plate either. But I have no way/skill in fabricating metal parts. I'll try fender washers.
@Sandy H. Thank you for the 411. I have never seen that. At first when I saw the fins I was like "Your joking right? All these creases are suppose to make me happy they papered the fins?" LOL! Then I realized it was vinyl transfer tape (which I use with my crappy little Stika cutter). I was "Ok peel this off!" As I know its low tack. Again thanks for the info... onward!

 

[Rocketjunkie]

54 mm Tres

 

[gdjsky01]

54 mm Tres
View attachment 563646

Those are CTI loads? So you just used the supplied e-match? (Since they have the pellet in the top grain.)
Ever an AT load? What starters then?
Great rocket BTW!

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Those are CTI loads? So you just used the supplied e-match? (Since they have the pellet in the top grain.)
Ever an AT load? What starters then?
Great rocket BTW!

K160s are slotted and are supplied with dipped ematch starters. The video is my Rx K160s, D grains designed before the CTI loads came out. They fit the 54/1706 case.
With AT loads, I just use the starters that come with the motors. The club launch controller has no problem supplying the needed current (5A per starter). Secure each starter to the motor it's inserted into.
Thanks. Haven't flown it since flying it in 2008. Went 900' up then dragged 3000' across the field sanding off the body and fins until ending up in a ditch.

 

[cwbullet]

I have one in my build pile (29mm). It pales in comparison to @Rocketjunkie .

 

[Rocketjunkie]

<duplicate>

 

[Rocketjunkie]

I have one in my build pile (29mm). It pales in comparison to @Rocketjunkie .

You've got a **huge** build pile

 

[cwbullet]

You've got a **huge** build pile

You are not wrong.

 

[gdjsky01]

You are not wrong.

No where NEAR as large as mine I would bet!

Nonetheless.

The motor assembly is built

 

[gdjsky01]

Went and cut the tube for a payload section



Which result in these parts

 

[gdjsky01]

Cut out the template for marking the tube.

 

[gdjsky01]

Motor mount is put together and ready.

 

[gdjsky01]

I did not interpret the warning I got about the poor sizing of the cutout templates. Resulting is huge gaps that need to be fill.







Not exactly sure how to fill those gaps. The curve in the template is totally wrong.
Either fiberglass, or try epoxy clay.

 

[gdjsky01]

Dry fit of the fins. No issues there.

 

[gdjsky01]

So far...
Dry fit

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Wow, the motor tubes stick out a long ways! They will take the landing loads so will get damaged. My Deuce upscales get fiberglass motor tubes for this reason. I kept the motor tubes sticking out the same amount as the original kit but reduced the angle so I could get longer motors in it.

 

[gdjsky01]

Sorry. Yeah they look strange. I think they be fine once a single layer of 1oz cloth is placed. I simply want to use three grain motors and I can not alter the kit rings as they are 3D printed. The stock length really limited me. I don't have, nor want two 2 grain cases. I have two three grain and 29/180s and 29/240s.

 

[gdjsky01]

So a single wrap of light fiberglass.





And the gaps covered. Remember the gap coverage is just cosmetic.

 

[kuririn]

Scallop cut templates for the cutouts would have given a better fit, IMHO.
The templates for the original Deuce 18 had scallop cuts, IIRC.
So did the templates for the downscale 13mm and upscale 24mm Deuce. (Builders plans were on Jims' old website, IIRC).
Sunward had a dual canted motor rocket. The templates used a cathedral cut, and required considerably more filling.
Deuce 18mm


Sunward Screamer 18mm dual canted



PS Are the motor tubes supposed to stick out that much?
The 18 mm Deuce motor tubes do not (see above pic).

 

[gdjsky01]

@kuririn No. I MADE them longer because they otherwise only fit CTI 2 grain cases. I wanted 3 grain because I have 2 of those, and 2 AT 29/180s, and 2 AT 29/240s

I know it looks hokey. But think if I paint them like a candy cane???

Yes I am aware of the landing profile. Which is why I wrapped them in fiberglass. The centering rings are 3D printed and the cant is fixed so I could not lengthen the tubes internally. Yes I am aware of the shifting CG. I will add nose weight as needed (which the instructions already claim I'd need anyways).

Plus I added a coupler and bulkhead for an avbay. That allows me to use some motors I could not as the delays would be wrong. I can deploy at apogee with a JLCR or a cable cutter.

I know it looks weird. And I like the candy cane idea. It should fly well. And two H97s might look pretty cool
From 100' (30m) it should look the part.

 

[gdjsky01]

PS: Flis made good on the damaged body tube giving me a nice discount on a Tres.
Recommended vendor!

 

[curtisheisey]

@gdjsky01 if you (or anyone else) are going to extend the motor tubes, two highly advised suggestions: 1) Glass or carbon fiber the fins tip-to-tip on the two motor sides. Probably don't need to do all 4 sides, just the two motors sides. I put 3-grain H in these at LDRS and shredded the fins, which fluttered and broke off right at the glue join. This was with non-glassed stock kit. However, I have glassed versions that hold up fine with more powerful motors.

2) I would also glass the cardboard motor tubes as well. Rational: a hard hit with tubes sticking out this much can possibly bend a CTI motor tube (ask me how I know). This would help to prevent this a bit.

Please send your feedback back to Ray, so can fix the glitches and improve the kit.

Curtis

 

[gdjsky01]

@curtisheisey I did did the MMTs. Yeah I figure I'd do the fins as long as I had the glass out. But hesitated. Now waiting for the long cure epoxy to cure. Once done and the fins on, I'll do the tip to tip thing. If you have part drawings for a 3.9 inch pls share if you can.