What did you do rocket wise today?

Picked up two Alpha VIs at Hobby Lobby. One to build and one to hang on to...

Kind of a commemorative for me; The Alpha III was my first ever model rocket. Got it at the Huntsville Space and Rocket museum gift shop in 1972. It was the first time I had ever heard of FLYING rocket model...

The first rocket I ever flew (A year or so later) was also an Alpha III, though not the same one.

Still here, still shooting tubes up in the air!

I applied decals on my Estes #1969 Saturn V. I messed a few, but learned to perfect the technique in the process.

Working on rockets for MMWP.
Finally laid down the last set of external fillets on my LOC Goblin. Did 3rd set back in January.
Did the external fillets on the Estes Star Orbiter.
Epoxied the MMT of the RIM-66 in place, forward CR only for now. The aft CR gets it's turn after fins are attached and internal fillets completed.
Set up RIM-66 NC to accept my newly acquired SMT EggFinder tracker sled.
Lastly, I prepped my DarkStar Jr. for primer but it started raining...

prfesser said:

You probably know this already, but Vince Gingery, son of Dave Gingery of the Make-a-metal-shop-from-scrap books, wrote a short book on making a small plastic injection molding attachment for a drill press. Apparently handles a bit more than half an ounce of plastic. Requires a metal lathe to machine some parts. The drill press simply provides the force for injection.

Best -- Terry

Click to expand...

The book I have has a design for one that has a pull lever rather than the drill press. I think I've seen the one for the drill press. My design has is basis on this design.

Put together an AT H130W in a 38/360 case using a spacer, charge well, and forward closure from the 38RAS for the first flight of my Darkstar Jr tomorrow with Tripoli #1.
Hope those thunder storms don't materialise.
I'm anxious to see this rocket fly, want to take it to New York Power next week and stick a J350 in it

Members Only. May 2019 SARA Members Launch. Rockets, cameras, panoramas, I'm just doing it for the drama. Here I'm flying the Enji Mini Fleet on a D13-7 18mm RMS I had loaded a while back and checking out the Quest D16-4 18mm.
#modelrocketry
https://bit.ly/membersonlymay2019

Stitched from above video.
https://bit.ly/saramemberslaunchmay2019

Successful flight for the Darkstar Jr today, 1960 grams ready to fly, 1142 feet. On to New York Power, the J420 awaits!

Punched holes in a few rockets to prepare for my first flying season with a JL Altimeter 3.

Cleaned rod rash and various other stains off Biohazard (one of the newly perforated rockets) with a damp Magic Sponge. Worked a treat.

Installed wiring chases in the motor mount for my Tomahawk-12. Next time, I’ll print the centering ring with the holes instead of using the drill.

Started building v2 of my Vanish 24G. If 1,000,000 stars align, I'll have it ready for a flight at Delamar next weekend.

Over the weekend, worked on preparing three for NY Power.

Sanded and painted a repair of a 2-stage payloader; I don't remember the model name, Quest or Estes, or anything. Attempted to resand 24 hours later, but the paint was still galling. Resanding and at least one more coat are desired, but it's flyable.

Got primer on my Apogee SloMo. That's likely as far as it will get before the weekend, but maybe not. It's already flown naked, so now it can fly in underwear.

Started knocking together an Estes Red Nova. The motor mount is built and installed. The eight fins are all attached, and the first batch of fillets were laid this morning on the way out the door. Another batch this evening, the same tomorrow, install recovery Wednesday, and it'll be flyable. Launch lugs should have gone on this morning, but I couldn't find them. Conduits can go on along with fillets. With luck I'll have time to get some paint on it, otherwise it will fly naked.

Battened down the hatches. That last storm did some damage to my rocket room, and we're supposed to get a wallop tonight.

jqavins said:

Sanded and painted a repair of a 2-stage payloader; I don't remember the model name, Quest or Estes, or anything.

Click to expand...

Found it. It's a Quest Zenith II.

Ordered an av bay and payload tube to make my LOC Forte DD. Ordered from LOC at about 08:30 and it shipped before noon!

Set fins, rail buttons and t-nuts on an overbuilt Big Daddy

Some more work on the Rocket Made of Stone-a, and adding illumination to two more night launch rockets for NY Power. Pics tomorrow.

Vanish 24G (v2) fins are ready to epoxy on.

Last night, launch lugs initial glue on the Red Nova. Lugs had to be stolen from the build pile, and the ones from the kit have disappeared. That's two in the pile missing lugs, donated to other rockets. (The other for a different reason.) I have to order some lugs.

Later last night, set two of fin fillets along with filet on one side of the lugs; also the first conduit shaped and attached.

This morning, third set of fillets.

GrouchoDuke said:

View attachment 383675 Vanish 24G (v2) fins are ready to epoxy on.

Click to expand...

Wow!! Very nice!

Finished Tut...

Preparing ejection charges. Two dual deployment rockets I hope to fly at New York Power. I'm hoping to succeed with my first "K" motor.

Working n the ARG Black Brant III. Have the fins sealed and ready to attach. Also working on the BMS Astron Drifter. Think I will try Avery labels on those long fins to hopefully avoid flutter and breakage. Building a K kit clone is bring back some fond memories.

Purchased a very nice piece of 3/32" balsa at Ace Hardware today. I hadn't even realized they carried 3/32"; once I saw it I ran outside to grab my handy-dandy little scale out of the car and started weighing. Second piece I tried was perfect.

I keep a note on my phone with desired weight ranges of all sizes of balsa sheet I'm likely to use, so I'm prepared.

I now have all necessary supplies for my next build.

I finished these two on Sunday:

Ready for night launch NY Power...

Ground tested drogue pyro charge on Zephyr Block III.
Probably try the main pyro charge Thursday night then test the ematches with the RRC2+.
If everything goes well the rocket will finally be ready to fly for my first dual deploy.
Next high power launch at Bayboro scheduled for September 28 so I'm either a couple of weeks late or four months ahead of schedule.

Finished painting this Estes Patriot. I just eyeballed the masking tape so it's not the best, but I think it will do for a rocket of this type/cost.