Epoxying fins today. I have 15min epoxy, and it's not super-thick. One at a time.
Apogee Zephyr L1 Build
- Thread starter Alan R
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Little red marks so I dont pull the epoxy too far to the rear.
Little red dots on the spacers matched to dots on CR so I put it on correct orientation after I slather both with epoxy when installing it.
3d printed fin alignment
Little red dots on the spacers matched to dots on CR so I put it on correct orientation after I slather both with epoxy when installing it.
3d printed fin alignment
All the main stuff done. Epoxied the retainer. Had to do a lot of sanding. I got tired and used the Dremel to take off one whole layer of the motor tube before it fit.
Deviated from instructions and used Titebond for fillets and the coupler.
Now I have to figure out that motor adapter. And I need a cool paint job. Green drip?
Deviated from instructions and used Titebond for fillets and the coupler.
Now I have to figure out that motor adapter. And I need a cool paint job. Green drip?
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Looks like you did a great job.
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I built the Zephyr's big brother, the Katana. Also an awesome value from Apogee and comes with EVERYTHING, sans motor retainer. I really like the chutes - inexpensive, but they feel nice and pack very small. I built mine 95% stock per the old-school instructions and didn't think twice about it. Tim makes good stuff and knows how to build 'em. I can't believe somebody upthread was complaining that the recovery harnesses didn't have pre-sewn loops. Geez, tie a knot.
One mod that may help your build is to reinforce the bottom of the body tube. These 4" tubes are wimpy and easily get dented. Looks like yours already suffered some dings. I like to take a thin strip of coupler or body tube and glue it around the bottom of the body tube, doubling its thickness.
One mod that may help your build is to reinforce the bottom of the body tube. These 4" tubes are wimpy and easily get dented. Looks like yours already suffered some dings. I like to take a thin strip of coupler or body tube and glue it around the bottom of the body tube, doubling its thickness.
Thanks! That crossfire was my first BAR kit.
Absolutely a great value. Really, the only thing you need to buy is glue. Even the nomex chute protector is in there.
Good eye, ya, it did get dinged early on. Making that aft CR a bit of a struggle to pull in and out sometimes during the process. Hence the red alignment dots.
No body tube or coupler left now so cie la vie.
Another good tip to file away for the future though.
Doesn't have to be tube or coupler. Cut a bunch of strips off a sheet of card stock ( or anything ) and just layer them in until it is stiff enough.
The kits are good value but like most of his kits they come with thin tubing. The reinforcement techquie I used on other kits I would also coat the tubes edges with thin CA
I wouldn't say 'thin'. I think there's probably only 3 tube manufacturers. This is the same stuff (OD, thickness) that LOC uses. Exact dimensions as my 4" Magg.
Bored today. I might just do that.
Dale Medin
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A good coat of epoxy on all surfaces of the aft area will be plenty of reinforcement.
o1d_dude
'I battle gravity'
This is what I do as a minimum on my "paper" rockets.
Finished motor adapter.
It's a LOC 38/29 adapter. Couple of motor tubes and paper centering rings. I added a the kevlar "puller" thread and 3D printed the washer.
Puller thread is very good idea. Will that printed washer handle the heat? The bottom of those motors get very hot.
They're only hot for a very short time. I've used several PETG printed motor retainers (24, 29mm) and those have held up fine over multiple launches. Worst case, it melts itself onto the disposable motor casing. And gets disposed. I don't do reloads (yet).
o1d_dude
'I battle gravity'
The experience I have heard from HPR folks is that they don’t hold up very well to the heat.
Dunno the composition of the printed retainers only that they were ultimately a single use item.
Whenever I fly 29mm motors I generally use the Estes threaded retainer in my newer builds. The price is ridiculously affordable and they seem to last with no issues.
Mostly used Aerotech and AeroPack retainers on my older birds once I realized Kaplow clips and threaded inserts were too labor intensive.
Dunno the composition of the printed retainers only that they were ultimately a single use item.
Whenever I fly 29mm motors I generally use the Estes threaded retainer in my newer builds. The price is ridiculously affordable and they seem to last with no issues.
Mostly used Aerotech and AeroPack retainers on my older birds once I realized Kaplow clips and threaded inserts were too labor intensive.
Problem here is that a 29mm motor will go right through the nozzle opening on the 38. So it needs something (tape or whatever) to keep it from kicking out. Just thought I'd try this little washer and see how it goes.
PETG holds up well. This 29mm retainer has been through multiple flights, no melting, no warping.
Nytrunner
Pop lugs, not drugs
I've found just a couple strips of ductape on the exposed plastic really helps protect them from the flame wash
o1d_dude
'I battle gravity'
Duct tape: Apparently the universal solution to any problem.
As kids we used to refer to it as “200 mile per hour tape.”
Looks like we were on to something and didn’t know it.
As kids we used to refer to it as “200 mile per hour tape.”
Looks like we were on to something and didn’t know it.
I usually use Gorilla Tape which I consider Mach 1 tape. Great stuff!
Good for almost everything, except actual ducts: https://www.mrhandyman.com/blog/2016/november/you-shouldn-t-use-duct-tape-on-your-ducts/
Nice build so far. Looking forward to seeing the paint scheme.
Thanks. I have one in mind and the weather is giving me lots of extra time to think about it.
o1d_dude
'I battle gravity'
gldknght
Well-Known Member
When you ordered your Aeropak retainer, did you get the 38 L body, or the 38 P body? I just got my Zephyr yesterday, along with the 38 L retainer. It fit the motor mount like a glove, no sanding required. I'm a bit curious about this.
Also, I use the Aeropak 29 to 38 mm adapter A LOT! It's so easy to use with their retainers. Drop it in the rocket, put your motor in, add the spacer or what ever it's called, screw on the cap, go.
It was the 38L, linked from the description, so I just bought that one. No idea why it was so tight. But tight is good. Maybe they changed my motor tube? dunno.
When I was playing with the sim file, I noticed that most all of the G motors were 29mm. That's what I'll probably fly the most. I don't have any other 38mm birds (yet).
gldknght
Well-Known Member
I think every one of my 38mm birds has flown on 29mm motors at least once. Do you use Apogee's Rocksim program? If not, I highly recommend it. Apogee has a warning on the Zephyr page about using low power 29mm motors, which I'm certain you've seen.
I may build mine with dual deployment so I can actually put a few 38mm CTI motors in it.
I loaded the Apogee .rkt into OpenRocket and sim'd a bunch of motors. First flight will maybe be G75J or G80NBT. Single use or LMS. Plan to just pick up on site from the vendor, so depends on whats available. Most G75/77/79/80 looks like they will work fine.
L1 attempt will probably be an H242 or H178.
My only beef with OR is that the motor data is way out of date. Lots of motors listed on Aerotech site, not selectable inside OR. Just have to guess on a few of them from the spec.
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