What did you do rocket wise today?

Today was a good day at the 2019 ALRS! I got to launch my rocket "Space Pew Pew". It flew on an H128 then an H180. Bot flight went fine. No damages. I will definitely this one again!

Worked on the to be Star Ship kit. Molded nose cone with scal details, fins and tail cone. Clear window. Doing the concept in Lightwave, sims in Openrocket. Lightwave model is in its early stages with lots to do still but getting there.

What do you use for your molding Steve?

Parts will go on the lathe and then hand detailed followed by silicone molds and castings of two part polyurethane resin. That's how I did the X-15 and German Rocket plane I did 10 years ago.

Sometimes an idea doesnt pan out and you just have to paint it all gray

Nytrunner said:

Sometimes an idea doesnt pan out and you just have to paint it all gray

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What happened? Or, what didn't happen?

All revealed in time

mbeels said:

What happened? Or, what didn't happen?

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Nytrunner said:

All revealed in time

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Oooh, cliffhanger!

readytorock556 said:

Finished a Swift 220.

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Hey Rocker, is that a Falcon on the left side of your pic?
Kit or scratcher?
Home printed decals?

I just came from a really good late afternoon launch. No misfires and the recoveries mostly worked. One guy had a Hail Marry 3D printed RCRG that refilamented itself against the pavement, but it was an entertaining failure.

Got the color coats on my Boosted Bertha. Decals over the next few nights. Clear coat ... 7-10 days. I am NOT crinkling this one!

Got the Ox Metal Router build finished! Even got it moving the axes under computer control (the Open Builds Black Box controller is amazing). Still a lot of work/learning/tweaking to go before cutting begins, but I can see it from here.

I do still have to mount the computer monitor on the wall as it is sitting on the cutting bed currently.

Also, I picked up my M1315 for my L3 at LDRS, and when I was putting in the cabinet today I realized I ALREADY HAD AN M1315 in there! I was right as a child, 40 is old, at least it is for me.

kuririn said:

Hey Rocker, is that a Falcon on the left side of your pic?
Kit or scratcher?
Home printed decals?

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Nah! It’s just a Estes Heatseeker.

Last night/early this morning:
Finishing up assembly on the Heavenly Hobbies Resistor 224.
(Did I mention I like the unusual?)
Interesting features.
2x24mm cluster
Baffle and midpoint separation
Jayhawk style wings and winglets
Big tube ring
Recommended 24" nylon parachute not included.
It's a dated kit, instructions are on CD with simulation software for Windows 7 (!).
Time to get some sleep.
Laters.

Got the monitor on the wall. Need to work out the dust shoe, organize inside the cabinet wiring and get it dialed in yet.

It drives me crazy that I am out of the yellow filament the printer parts are made from, and I need to print a dust shoe. Unfortunately, Hatchbox PETG is lost to time...I'll probably just get some black as using the ample supply of orange I have on hand would drive me crazy.

readytorock556 said:

Finished a Swift 220.

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Cute.

Anyone know the significance of the "220" in the name? I've always wondered. Probably something obvious but not to me.

Nice machine!

Anyone know the significance of the "220" in the name?
I've read it's a rifle cartridge.

neil_w said:

Cute.

Anyone know the significance of the "220" in the name? I've always wondered. Probably something obvious but not to me.

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It’s a rifle round!!! Boooom!

readytorock556 said:

It’s a rifle round!!! Boooom!

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Ah. Not a gun guy, had no idea. Thanks!

neil_w said:

Ah. Not a gun guy, had no idea. Thanks!

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.220_Swift

Applied the decals on the Boosted Bertha.

The scary part is clear coat in a few days...

beantownJPL said:

Applied the decals on the Boosted Bertha.

The scary part is clear coat in a few days... View attachment 394109

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Boosted Bertha seems a lot smaller that i thought, I was thinking they added a boosted part to the Super Big Bertha, but saying that just gives me an idea

Getting prepped for High Frontier launch this weekend. Picking which rockets to take, getting them cleaned up and flight ready.
Big Praetor
Thor
Upscale Interceptor
PML Intruder
Mega der Red Max 38mm
And BT80 sized Red Max just because you can’t have too much der Red Max!

6 rockets is probably enough.

Matt_The_RocketMan said:

Boosted Bertha seems a lot smaller that i thought, I was thinking they added a boosted part to the Super Big Bertha, but saying that just gives me an idea

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Nope, it's a booster added to a "regular" Big Bertha.

Nice Thor!

neil_w said:

Ah. Not a gun guy, had no idea. Thanks!

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For many years the .220 Swift rifle cartridge was the speed king, iirc a 40 grain bullet at 4000 fps (yes I currently own a .220 Swift, and no I don't load it that hot, generally its loaded with 55grain Nosler Ballistic Tips to a bit above 22-250 velocities). The next two FACTORY offerings for many years were the 225 Winchester (possible more famous by SSK Industries and JD Jones series of cartridges based on the 225), and the 22-250 Remington, until the last two decades or so these were the highest velocity factory .224 caliber offerings.
The 220 Swift rocket does about 4000 fps off the pad with an A3-4T motor (just kidding, but it does kind of teleport/vanish).

beantownJPL said:

Got the color coats on my Boosted Bertha. Decals over the next few nights. Clear coat ... 7-10 days. I am NOT crinkling this one!

View attachment 394036

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Yeah whats the deal with the time specified on the Rusty rattle cans. It is not reality.
How long do you guys and gals wait till the next application? I wait the 48 hrs and never had a problem until I applied R/O florescent orange over glossy white 48 hrs between coats and got the dreaded wrinkle effect. At first I thought it was the 90 deg. temp. But I waited until 48 hours with cooler temps. and it did it again!
Thanks for the help!
John

I don't think I've ever gone less than 3 days, usually 4-7. Knock on wood I've never had a wrinkle. I see no point in taking any chances after spending a lot of effort on a build.

neil_w said:

I don't think I've ever gone less than 3 days, usually 4-7. Knock on wood I've never had a wrinkle. I see no point in taking any chances after spending a lot of effort on a build.

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Thanks! I have several projects going at the same time. A 25 year old Estes Impulse rebuild, A new LOC Hi-Tech build, and a new Estes Cherokee build. I will adjust my paint schedule accordingly.
Thanks again!
John