What did you do rocket wise today?

For those Black Brant II lovers. One of my favorites.

I'm new to the forum and just too proud of myself to contain my excitement. Had to post!
Today I finished the Rocketry Basics guide from NASA with my class and we started to build rockets. One rocket for each 3 students. We will visit Northrop Grumman in a couple of weeks to see a rocket test fire and then we will launch our own rockets. How much more fun can you get than that?

jjones said:

I'm new to the forum and just too proud of myself to contain my excitement. Had to post!
Today I finished the Rocketry Basics guide from NASA with my class and we started to build rockets. One rocket for each 3 students. We will visit Northrop Grumman in a couple of weeks to see a rocket test fire and then we will launch our own rockets. How much more fun can you get than that?

Click to expand...

Awesome! What grade? Is this science class?

Oh, I looked out the window to see my dog running around with a freshly painted Hornet!!!!!!!

It was hanging on the porch drying, maybe a gust of wind blew it down, and she ate it

jjones said:

We will visit Northrop Grumman in a couple of weeks to see a rocket test fire

Click to expand...

Which location?

Charles_McG said:

Yes. It has side effects I started a new thread to discuss.

And I had built the Protons with header pins to jumper B+ to DP+ to begin with, just in case I ever wanted to fly the two battery option. This is just moving where the jumper is.

Now my Quantums have a soldered jumper. Those will be harder to update.

Click to expand...

Yea. My Quantums (4?) and my one Proton all have soldered jumpers. At least that part is through-the-hole....I guess it could be worse.

SeanW78 said:

A high power, minimum diameter rocket with an aft facing camera could catch the gradient from motor heat to airflow cooling. Could be cool.

Click to expand...

Nah, you just need @mbeels with a viewfinder

I got my Goblin and Flutterby as far as being ready for the fillets....

BDB said:

Yea. My Quantums (4?) and my one Proton all have soldered jumpers. At least that part is through-the-hole....I guess it could be worse.

Click to expand...

Let's not think about worse.

Finished my Starship Nova with Stickershock graphics!

jjones said:

I'm new to the forum and just too proud of myself to contain my excitement.

Click to expand...

As well you should be. Passing it on is awesome. You've earned both congrats and thanks!

PXR5 said:

Oh, I looked out the window to see my dog running around with a freshly painted Hornet!!!!!!!

It was hanging on the porch drying, maybe a gust of wind blew it down, and she ate it

Click to expand...

Early in my BAR career my 40 pound puppy got ahold of my Quest Courier. I feel for you.

PXR5 said:

Oh, I looked out the window to see my dog running around with a freshly painted Hornet!!!!!!!

It was hanging on the porch drying, maybe a gust of wind blew it down, and she ate it

Click to expand...

I think somebody's NOT a good girl!

Ordered more Aeropoxy ES6209 as the resin in my current supply has gone weird after two years of inactivity in the garage.

Normally I bring my epoxy into the house over the winter but have been lax in that regard lately.

o1d_dude said:

Ordered more Aeropoxy ES6209 as the resin in my current supply has gone weird after two years of inactivity in the garage.

Normally I bring my epoxy into the house over the winter but have been lax in that regard lately.

Click to expand...

If crystals have formed just put the can in the sun until they dissolve.

Steve Shannon said:

If crystals have formed just put the can in the sun until they dissolve.

Click to expand...

You talkin' 'bout epoxy or honey?

neil_w said:

You talkin' 'bout epoxy or honey?

Click to expand...

Both.....[emoji3]

Steve Shannon said:

If crystals have formed just put the can in the sun until they dissolve.

Click to expand...

No crystals at all.

A few years back I decanted some resin and some hardener separately into capped industrial squeeze bottles allowing only a minimal amount of air. The hardener remains in its original state but the resin has solidified into a hard mass.

Aircraft Spruce sent shipping notice w tracking notice the following morning. My package should arrive Tuesday. Very prompt service as a rule from them.

o1d_dude said:

The hardener remains in its original state but the resin has solidified into a hard mass.

Click to expand...

Try a hot water bath for a few minutes. Worked for me:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/question-on-epoxy-resins.151556/
(Bath for the epoxy bottle, not for you).

Hadn't considered the hot water bath as a potential solution.

I'll have to try it.

Thanks!

I've Nuked the bottles in a Microwaved for a bit with great results.

Mike

Started getting some rockets ready in the hope that the weather cooperates for PSC launch tomorrow at Weber Farm. Spent some time last night running simulations. If it's a "go" will build some motors and measure some BP for ejection charges.

Mick Kelly said:

View attachment 406439 View attachment 406440
For those Black Brant II lovers. One of my favorites.

Click to expand...

Beautiful work on both finishes!
Question: What brand of paint did you use for the metal finishes? And I take it both birds were shot using spray guns/air brushes?

PXR5 said:

Oh, I looked out the window to see my dog running around with a freshly painted Hornet!!!!!!!

It was hanging on the porch drying, maybe a gust of wind blew it down, and she ate it

Click to expand...

Total bummer.

Tobor said:

Beautiful work on both finishes!
Question: What brand of paint did you use for the metal finishes? And I take it both birds were shot using spray guns/air brushes?

Click to expand...

Thanks. For the nose cone and fins I used Krylon premium Metallic original chrome rattle can. All other colors are Rust-Oleum 2X ultra cover rattle cans. I'll add that it did take 3 coats of the metallic with 400 grit sands between coats to get the mirror finish.

Got the fin cores back from the machine shop for my current project. 1/4” G10 fully CNC cut with profiles.

What sort of lighter weight core goes in those pockets ?

Nytrunner said:

What sort of lighter weight core goes in those pockets ?

Click to expand...

Air works.
So does foam board.
The ultimate is end grain balsa.

conman13 said:

Got the fin cores back from the machine shop for my current project. 1/4” G10 fully CNC cut with profiles.

View attachment 406668

Click to expand...

Divinycell structural foam works great for cores and skins easily.

PXR5 said:

Oh, I looked out the window to see my dog running around with a freshly painted Hornet!!!!!!!

It was hanging on the porch drying, maybe a gust of wind blew it down, and she ate it

Click to expand...

Been there, done that... Our dog got an Astrocam 110. I dropped it from the deck to test the chute. Then watched a few innings of baseball before going out to get it. I never even got a chance to fly it.

Nytrunner said:

What sort of lighter weight core goes in those pockets ?

Click to expand...

It’ll be reinforced with 7 layers of spread row carbon fiber for “independently” increasing fin stiffness and then an additional 6 layers of spread tow for T2T allowing for it to be protected from de-lamination going M3.6+.