Custom large nose cones by Python Rocketry

pythonrock · Nov 22, 2013

I am starting a new service to make large custom nose cones. They can be 6 to 16 inches or more in diameter and almost any shape that can be turned.
I welcome any questions, recommendations, suggestions, as well as orders.
[email protected]
Thanks
danschwartz

www.pythonrocketry.com

chadrog · Nov 22, 2013

Are these the ones I saw down at Midwest Power?

nh4clo4 · Nov 22, 2013

chadrog said:
Are these the ones I saw down at Midwest Power?

Yes.

They looked great.

chadrog · Nov 22, 2013

nh4clo4 said:
Yes.

They looked great.

They sure did, that big ol' Ho-Jo cone was tough to resist.

jlnel · Nov 22, 2013

what size is second from left, price?

crossfire · Nov 23, 2013

I also looked at the nose cones at MWP. Dan does very nice work.

pythonrock · Nov 23, 2013

jlnel said:
what size is second from left, price?

That one is 10.7 inches diameter, fits the quick tube I had, and 30 inches long. It is ogive at the bottom and conical top half.
They are made custom so price depends on exactly what you want. A cone like this would be about $100 just cut and $140 with 2 layers of glass, unfinished.
I am a new business, so prices may change over time as I determine my costs and time involved, but this should be pretty close for now.
Thanks for your interest.
danschwartz
www.pythonrocketry.com

Hybrid33 · Nov 23, 2013

I don't see shoulders, will they have shoulders or do they just use a coupler tube ?
Is 6 inch the lower limit, could you be talked into 5.5"?

pythonrock · Nov 23, 2013

Hybrid33 said:
I don't see shoulders, will they have shoulders or do they just use a coupler tube ?
Is 6 inch the lower limit, could you be talked into 5.5"?

The prototypes are just made with a plywood ring shoulder for a coupler tube. The bottom edge and the plywood "centering ring" are cut with the rest of the cone, so it will be flat and straight. I could make that plywood edge somewhat longer for a stronger anchor to the coupler. Cutting foam and glassing it would not be precise enough for a smooth fit as a shoulder.
As the cone gets smaller with this technique, the proportionate margin of error increases so it is harder to cut a good, accurate shape, but 5.5 -maybe. What shape, length are you thnking of?

danschwartz
www.pythonrocketry.com

Hybrid33 · Nov 23, 2013

Conical, scale Black Brandt 2

JohnCoker · Nov 24, 2013

pythonrock said:
Cutting foam and glassing it would not be precise enough for a smooth fit as a shoulder.

What kind of foam are you using? This looks like a nice alternative to wooden turnings since it should be much lighter.

pythonrock · Nov 24, 2013

JohnCoker said:
What kind of foam are you using? This looks like a nice alternative to wooden turnings since it should be much lighter.

John,
I'm using Dow highload 40. It has 40 psi compression resistance compared to 15 psi for standard Home Depot foam. It weighs 40% more. If weight is a major issue, I can use 25 psi at 18% weight over standard foam. With the 40 psi, a 14 x 56 cone would still only weight about 8 lb +/- before fiberglass.
At this point, I am only making cones much larger than could be turned with wood anyway - over 6 inch diameter, though I have seen references online of people turning cones or whole rockets of foam on wood lathes.
I have a diagram of my typical construction on my website www.pythonrocketry.com

Thanks for your interest, and let me know when you need a big one.
danschwartz

dixontj93060 · Jul 1, 2014

I'm going to resurrect this oldish vendor thread...

I was up in Norhbrook, IL and Dan gave me a tour of his elf-like basement workshop where he calculates and constructs these massive nosecones. I will say, 1) Dan knows his arcs and angles and is a great resource for anyone considering a large project, and 2) if you, or anyone you know, is considering a large project you are doing yourself a major disservice by not going to Dan. If you count the time and factor in the high quality of the finished product, it is much cheaper to outsource the nosecone to Dan. These nosecones are massive, but super light, perfectly shaped and smooth as a baby's butt. I'd venture to say you will have less finishing work than a standard large LOC or PML nosecone. In summary, two thumbs up for Python Rocketry! Start placing orders now!

www.pythonrocketry.com

pythonrock · Jul 2, 2014

Tim,
"elf-like" ?? really??
Thank you very much for the positive comments!!
I printed out your 0.69 power series and I think it will JUST BARELY FIT.
It should be perfect.
Dan

dixontj93060 said:
I'm going to resurrect this oldish vendor thread...

I was up in Norhbrook, IL and Dan gave me a tour of his elf-like basement workshop where he calculates and constructs these massive nosecones. I will say, 1) Dan knows his arcs and angles and is a great resource for anyone considering a large project, and 2) if you, or anyone you know, is considering a large project you are doing yourself a major disservice by not going to Dan. If you count the time and factor in the high quality of the finished product, it is much cheaper to outsource the nosecone to Dan. These nosecones are massive, but super light, perfectly shaped and smooth as a baby's butt. I'd venture to say you will have less finishing work than a standard large LOC or PML nosecone. In summary, two thumbs up for Python Rocketry! Start placing orders now!

www.pythonrocketry.com

dixontj93060 · Jul 2, 2014

Well, elf-like in the connotation of assembling special "gifts" for people to enjoy.

pythonrock · Jul 2, 2014

dixontj93060 said:
Well, elf-like in the connotation of assembling special "gifts" for people to enjoy.

OH OK I get it
Thank you again
Dan

legranddudu · Jul 4, 2014

Dan,

this is looking good. Would you consider to serve also overseas customers?

Regards from good old Europe

Denis

(Dreaming of some 100% scale projects *lol*)

DeeRoc29 · Oct 9, 2014

Just here to sing the praises of Python Rocketry. Dan does AWESOME work and shipping was like lightning. Very happy customer here!

cwbullet · Jun 25, 2019

Do you know if he is still in business?

djs · Jun 25, 2019

He had some severe health problems 2 years ago. I would hazard a guess (without any inside info) that the business is probably suspended, but not completely "done".

cwbullet · Jun 25, 2019

I am so sorry to hear that. I met him at an NSL in Orangeburg. Great guy.

Bat-mite · Jun 26, 2019

Dan's son is Ravenex here on the forums. People with a legitimate need for info might consider contacting him.

Ez2cDave · Jun 27, 2019

Here is a good document for making your own large, custom nose cones . . . PDF below.

This was/is the logo for Python Rocketry

Dave F.

Custom large nose cones by Python Rocketry

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