Wasn't planning L3, but...

Here's a shot of one of the av-bay pods partially inserted into the av-bay, and another shot with the sled partially inserted into the pod...

Powering up the altimeters will be accomplished by inserting an allen-head ball driver through the port and closing the screw switches.

Made a little more progess last night. I installed 4 brass shear plates in the shoulder of the nose cone. They will serve to shear off the 4 each #2-56 nylon screws used as shear pins. These photos show a few steps in the process. The first photo shows one of the four brass plates cut and bent to shape and one of the four sites on the nose cone shoulder marked for its location.



I used a Dremel tool cutoff wheel to cut the four slots in the nose cone shoulder, in which the tabs of the brass plates will be inserted.



Lastly, I used a sanding drum on the Dremel tool to grind out a thin layer of the nose cone shoulder so that the four shear plates could be epoxied in place flush with the outer surface. This shot is a dry fit. I will rough up the under side of each plate with a dull exacto blade and attach them with JB Weld.

Like your builds!!!

Here's a shot of one of the four shear plates epoxied in place with JB Weld and drilled with a 5/64 inch bit for a perfect (tight) fit for the #2-56 nylon screw shear pins. To ensure alignment of the shear pins/holes I installed the nose cone on the forward airframe, carefully measured and marked the hole location, taped the nose cone in place, then drilled through the airframe and the shear plates in one motion.

Okay, the forward airframe is completed (unless I determine that I have to cut off the base of the nose cone in order to make room for the main parachute and shock cord, but I'll figure that out later). Now it's time to get started on the booster section. Here's a shot of the fins. The fins are made from 1/4 inch Nomex honeycomb composite and since, I'm building a "kit" I had the pleasure of receiving them precut to my specifications and edged with medium density fiberboard. This is the first time I've worked with composite materials and was amazed at how light and rigid this material is and the joinery and workmanship was outstanding. Kent at GLR is as much of a perfectionists as I am. I couldn't be more pleased with the materials and pre-cut components in this kit.



Here's a closeup of the joinery on the rear fins.

I am surprised at the decision to use MDF for the edging, I would think you would want something a little more durable so as to withstand landings and the unavoidable bumps the rocket will encounter during flight and transport.

Are you going to glass these fins or the leading/trailing edges so that your bevels dont get ruined?

Originally posted by SteelyEyed
I plan to create my static vent ports by drilling through the forward airframe and main coupler (the av-bay resideds inside the main coupler) at 3 locations that will expose the entire av-bay volume to atmospheric pressure and two of those holes will be aligned to allow access to the Newton's 3rd screw switches so I can insert a ball-end allen wrench to turn the screw switches to arm the altimeters. I intend to cut over-sized holes in the walls of the two pods and tubes that hold the altimeters so that both altimeters will be open to the inside volume of the av-bay. I think I explained that right...

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A word of caution here and a disclaimer. First the disclaimer: I am not an expert on this subject but I have practical experience with the failure mode I am about to describe.

Caution: With the design that you are using for the screws if for any reason your main should not fully deploy and the rocket lands hard - your screw switches may dislodge from where you aligned them with the holes. This makes disarming the live charges scary.

In my case the Epoxy holding the altimeter to the sled inside the AV bay had not cured correctly and on a hard landing it broke free from the tube used to hold it to the all-thread. This left the altimeter lying at an angle and the screw switch was completly misaligned with the hole I had in the AV bay.

My designs from that time forward have had the switches placed on the outside of the rocket where even in a hard landing they are likely to be accessible.

Plenty of people are very successful with designs that place the switch inside and access via the vent holes is elegant. Take what I say with a grain of salt - I'm still learning and maybe my failure was highly unusual.

Originally posted by uncle_vanya
A word of caution here and a disclaimer. First the disclaimer: I am not an expert on this subject but I have practical experience with the failure mode I am about to describe.

Caution: With the design that you are using for the screws if for any reason your main should not fully deploy and the rocket lands hard - your screw switches may dislodge from where you aligned them with the holes. This makes disarming the live charges scary.

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I appreciate the feedback. At this point, I'm not inclined to make any modifications. Just a couple of thoughts in response though, 1) the CD3 is not quite an energetic as BP charges and might be a little less risky to handle in a similar unusual event and 2) I'm thinking I would just reach in and cut/or disconnect the ematch wires...

Originally posted by Ryan S.
I am surprised at the decision to use MDF for the edging, I would think you would want something a little more durable so as to withstand landings and the unavoidable bumps the rocket will encounter during flight and transport.

Are you going to glass these fins or the leading/trailing edges so that your bevels dont get ruined?

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_____________________________

Ryan,
MDF is the material that comes with the kit. The material is light weight, low cost, easily milled for tongue and groove joinery, and is plently strong for the application. For this project it will be covered with with two layers of tip-to-tip fiberglass. It is my understanding that the same material and approach has been used successfully for years on GLR Talon design.

The photo below is a shot of the motor mount tube with the middle centering ring already epoxied in place and the aft coupler tube and centering ring clamped in place while the epoxy sets up. In this step the tailcone is only dry fit to maintain the centering and alignment of the aft coupler tube. The second photo is a view of the tailcone (dry fit at this point) and retainer.
________________________________

SteelyEyed

No update on this more recently???

dgreenapple said:

SteelyEyed

No update on this more recently???

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_____________________________________

dgreenapple,
Nope, no update and no progress. The project has been sitting untouched in my office/shop since late June. Real life has intruded upon my hobby again. I got a "battlefield promotion" at work and have been in well over my head since then (I'm now managing an organization of 1000+ staff members and a $500M budget). I had to cancel two planned vacations this summer and have been runnin' ragged for over 3 months. Because I will be in "use it or lose it" mode with my accrued vacation time I should be able to get back to the project later this fall. I'm still anxiously waiting for GLR to finish their Sledgehammer build and post photos on their website... that will be cool to see. Kent will certainly finish his before I do. Can't wait to see his finished product and flight results.

I will update the post just as soon as I make more progress...

Well, the promotion is quite impressive... Hopefully, you'll earn enough money soon enough to retire and build rockets all week long...

Good luck in the new job -- it sounds like a challenge!

Resurrecting this thread due to the fact that the unfinished kit is now in my possesion and I am looking forward to finishing it.

I have the OP's permission to take over this build thread as I continue the build that began 11 years ago. As of last night I acquired the last pieces of the rocket ( the fins with edges already assembled but not laminated with FG yet). I have no plans to modify the rocket by adding additional length or features, beyond building my usual nosecone electronics bay and noseweight as needed.

Looking forward to seeing the build progress! This is one seriously bad-ass kit.

Way cool Rich! I look forward to your build. I bet Bret was excited !

Its one seriously huge ass kit for me. After visiting with Steely Eyed last evening we both love the kind of brutish/masculine style of the original shorter version of the kit and not to extend the forward section as others have done. I may skin the fins with CF on the top layer only cuz I love the look of CF twill.

I also didnt know until last night that there was a two stage version of the Nuclear Sledgehammer (7.5") that was built and flown at a launch in Three Oaks Michigan.

I would have loved to see this one kitted. - Again

CW, do you remember what the kit originally cost?

$795.

cwbullet said:

I would have loved to see this one kitted. - Again

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Is Giant Leap still around? They have a website with old pages that include the Nuclear Sledgehammer.

mcderek said:

Is Giant Leap still around? They have a website with old pages that include the Nuclear Sledgehammer.

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I haven't heard anything from them in over a year, ever since they were bought out by someone in Hillsboro, OR iirc. I would love to get a 38mm Slimline retainer for my upcoming 4" Loc V2 build so I can recess the motor flush with the bottom of the boattail.

Okay, I just reviewed the Rocksim file and it was interesting, in that its pretty close to the rocket I have. The biggest discrepancies were the fins are to short on the root and span lengths (due to the file not including the edging), and my main payload bay is only 30" long not 48" like the file had to start with. I will correct my file to reflect the actual rocket I have.

When you finish, could you post your file for comparison?

mcderek said:

Is Giant Leap still around? They have a website with old pages that include the Nuclear Sledgehammer.

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I ordered some tubing from them this year.

terryg said:

When you finish, could you post your file for comparison?

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I will, the main difference so far other than my upper payload bay is 18" shorter than the file CW passed on to me is that the fins match the honeycomb without the profiled edges almost exactly. Due to other projects, building a shed and stuff, as well as getting ready for new puppy in 7 weeks, as well as working 52-63 hours a week time for this project is slim until all that is done, but I expect to have all that stuff done within 2-3 months and the overtime will slack off about mid-September. On top of that I am the VP of our local NAR Section, and soon to be Secretary of a new Tripoli Prefecture as long as all goes well with the application process.

cwbullet said:

I ordered some tubing from them this year.

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So the website is still working then? I haven't tried using the contact email yet.

I order from the website. I did not email them. I ordered in November and got my order in a couple days to a week.