What did you do rocket wise today?

Yesterday we attended the D.A.R.T. Launch at fiesta island in San Diego with another family, it was their kids first experience with rocketry and it went awesome. And we filmed it.

1. Learned how to thin CWF properly (thanks again, Chris M, aka hcmbanjo) and applied to fins of Redstone and Venus Probe.
2. Sanded said fins to a fine finish... this definitely beats butyrate based sealers!
3. Masked and painted Mercury capsule (Tower was already detained, hadto mask it)
4. Worked like nuts on Venus probe leg assemblies, alien and booster, almost ready for paint
5. Finished motor mount assembly for Redstone.
6. CA'd the capsule end of the Redstone body tube.
7. ... This list doesn't seem long enough to reflect ALL DAY in the shop on those two rockets (again).
8. Came upstairs to try to verify Liberty Bell 7 capsule markings (apparently no flag under "United States").
9. In the course of the search found someone had a MUCH NICER CAPSULE AND TOWER for this kit on Shapeways!... <sigh> should'a known, and that tower was a right bear to put together...

Blast it Tom! said:

1. Learned how to......

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To paraphrase As they say on the internet, if no pictures are included, the events did not take place

Finished my cert 1 attempt rocket

Indeed it has been submitted. Thanks.

hprocketeer said:

Excellent editing and detail of CATO in progress. 2 thumbs up. But sorry for the loss and damage to body and recovery system.
I am sure the mess form has been filed.

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Flyfalcons said:

Thought I had my video editor issues licked, so I spent seven hours editing launch footage. Then the program wouldn't save the file as a movie. Oy vey..........

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What editor are you using and on what platform??

Principle construction of my clone of a Cherokee D is complete...since I don’t have a paint booth, I’ll wait for a warmish day to go prime...top coat it with a gloss white and then try not to gaff the decals

I have a few waiting for paint [emoji439]

Kevin O'Dell said:

What editor are you using and on what platform??

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Movie Maker on Windows 10. It has worked just fin for years and is now deciding that some of my .M2TS files from my video camera are corrupt, when other editors have no problem with them. I purchased Adobe Elements but doing what I do (lots of short clips with captions) is more complicated and frustrating with it than Movie Maker.

Nytrunner said:

To paraphrase As they say on the internet, if no pictures are included, the events did not take place

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Holy smokes, if I had time to do that I'd be one happy guy! But I see your point...

Yesterday, sanded the body tube on the Park Flyer Magnum. That tube had a super narrow spiral groove I could barey feel with a finger nail, but it had a spiral ridge where, apparently, strips overlapped on a layer below. As I sanded those, the flassine sanding dust was forced into the grooves; WIN!

Today, while driving from Hornell, NY to Waltham, MA for work, I stopped at the LHS in Sturbridbe, MA for some Epoxy. It's a really good one, called Hog Heaven. I nearly bought some 1/32" cherry and mahagony to make a woody rocket. But I just got the epoxy and chatted with the owner a while.

Slowly fitting things together

And I think I like the look of clusters

Opened the 'Rockets for Repair' box back from when I was a 1x BAR. Damage from bad storage and 5x house moves in 12 years...

Scale Kits Apex built with a 24mm E length mount. Should be a fairly easy repair, I hope. 'Twas my first 24mm build and I'm a bit attached to it.

Instructions and scans here:
https://plans.rocketshoppe.com/scale/scaAPEX/scaAPEX.htm

Video of her first flight here:

Applied wax to finish off a couple of rockets. The fleet is ready for the February launch. There's a two engine cluster in there, a D engine rocket, a few multi-stagers, once of which is an odd-ball. I like variety.

Nytrunner said:

Slowly fitting things together

And I think I like the look of clusters
View attachment 404129

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That motor cluster looks like the one from the Estes Pro Series Patriot.

Bungie64 said:

That motor cluster looks like the one from the Estes Pro Series Patriot.

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Yep, see post 24148 on the last page.

Its fitting together really well

Nytrunner said:

Yep, see post 24148 on the last page.

Its fitting together really well

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I thought so. I know that setup by heart.

Epoxied the fins to the patriot motor tube. Next up epoxy clay the centering rings and fins for extra ridgidity.

Bungie64 said:

I thought so. I know that setup by heart.View attachment 404183

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Very nice, did yours require any nose weight? Initial openrocket estimates would like a couple oz for 4x E12s

I have a LPR launch tomorrow with a College Rocket Team tomorrow at Noon. We'll be launching with a Standard Estes motor. I've heard & read about the new Estes ignitors so today I "enhanced" mine. Fabri-Tac & BP.

Nytrunner said:

Very nice, did yours require any nose weight? Initial openrocket estimates would like a couple oz for 4x E12s

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I have no nose weight in mine. Designed mine to use E9's and up as well but haven't flown it on anything but D12's. I am not sure I trust the E12's. If I do, O guess I may need to add nose weight.

Estes SR-71

Decided to build this little project this morning. It’s been in the shelf for many, many years.. I’d say over 18 years.. lol

Bungie64 said:

I have no nose weight in mine. Designed mine to use E9's and up as well but haven't flown it on anything but D12's. I am not sure I trust the E12's. If I do, O guess I may need to add nose weight.

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Good to know, thanks!

The E12 is only 1 gram more than the E9, so I doubt the difference will be meaningful. (I just make sure I launch E12s in warm weather)

Vdutel said:

Estes SR-71

Decided to build this little project this morning. It’s been in the shelf for many, many years.. I’d say over 18 years.. lol

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Just finished cutting out Wing parts and wing jigs.

Started working on this 1:35 Sat 1B. The bulk of it is 3d printed with cardboard tubes for the eight fuel tanks. Ply bulkheads and stringers will provide as much structural integrity as possible while trying to keep weight down. Will use 5 motors (4 for effect) and have yet to simulate to get best flight characteristics i.e. low speed and altitude. A bit of detailing and final assembly to do.

lanternfish said:

Started working on this 1:35 Sat 1B. The bulk of it is 3d printed with cardboard tubes for the eight fuel tanks.

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Whoa. What’s it weigh?

Nytrunner said:

Good to know, thanks!

The E12 is only 1 gram more than the E9, so I doubt the difference will be meaningful. (I just make sure I launch E12s in warm weather)

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My only concern is catos. The E9s were known for it, E12s I hear have that problem too. I would launch it on 4 reloads but my club has a rule against that.

Just finished the epoxy clay fillets on all the centering rings and fins. My job for today is done.

Vdutel said:

Estes SR-71

Decided to build this little project this morning. It’s been in the shelf for many, many years.. I’d say over 18 years.. lol

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Sweet. I have the same kit but haven't worked up the nerve to tackle it. I've never had much luck with vacuform parts.

In other news....
Almost finished this Goblin for my GF's son.

Just need to spray back fin Black and clear coat everything. That happens tomorrow.

After not attending a launch of any kind in over a year, I finally took the time today to inventory my build pile and inspect my fleet for any issues since they have been sitting idle for so long. I am hoping that my work schedule will allow for me to attend some launches this year! I havent even touched my building supplies since last April, and I am itching to fly something more than the 747 I fly on at work (flying over a million miles a year gets very old very fast)!

Before i went out tonight i threw together this little anchor/baffle/biscuit thing for the PS Patriot.

Nifty little setup, i may borrow it in the future