"About Damn Time." My Level 3 Build

David Schwantz said:

Hi Greg, this is just a cheapo. Had the nice Craftsman one for, God, don't remember how many years. It died, bought the Dewalt, which is way bigger, nice but big. So found this one at Fleet Farm and it is the same as the Craftsman one. I can get into the whole fillet area, both sides, and with the tip even between split fin rockets. Makes the work go faster.

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@David Schwantz So the pad on this is smaller than a standard pad sander which is 1/4 of a sheet of sandpaper? Hook & loop paper attachment?

Way smaller. Hook and loop, yup. Full sheet on left, mouse on right.

Alright, all this elbow grease is starting to pay off. A little color provides some much needed perspective.

I kinda like the green, but I covered it back up. Whole rocket it is primer now.

Maybe we should go green? I think it would be cool to keep the paint scheme from my 3 inch punisher, but with green instead of orange.

Braden

For reference, here is the 3". The name "Greensicle" has been pitched a couple times. Maybe a bit on the nose.

I also had a thought to paint it metallic silver and keep the white accents and call it silver streak. Not really sure yet!

Braden

Color has been decided!

Braden

UPscaler said:

Color has been decided!

Braden

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If you plan to fly it on the salt, I hope you have a nice dark parachute. Yeah, yeah. Although you didn't specify here I assume you are flying a tracker. Nice metal flake.

Edit: Also a plus 1 on the mouse sander. Only issue I have is the pads are pricey. Of course any good sandpaper is getting pricey.

PatD said:

If you plan to fly it on the salt, I hope you have a nice dark parachute. Yeah, yeah. Although you didn't specify here I assume you are flying a tracker. Nice metal flake.

Edit: Also a plus 1 on the mouse sander. Only issue I have is the pads are pricey. Of course any good sandpaper is getting pricey.

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Absolutely! I like to live by Crazy Jim's recommendation. Put a tracker in everything, especially the flights you think you won't need it.


Braden

And the laws of cosmic irony determine that if you take the trouble to install a tracker and verify operation, that will guarantee it lands about 300 ft from the pad in plain site

Nytrunner said:

And the laws of cosmic irony determine that if you take the trouble to install a tracker and verify operation, that will guarantee it lands about 300 ft from the pad in plain site

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You know it! It's the only way!

So this paint is kinda hard to capture, it has a lot more metallic flake in person and looks amazing in the sun.


Braden

Nytrunner said:

And the laws of cosmic irony determine that if you take the trouble to install a tracker and verify operation, that will guarantee it lands about 300 ft from the pad in plain site

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If you put in two trackers, it'll land between the high power pads.

Alright, after way more wet sanding/cutting/ buffing by hand the paint looks and feels astonishing. Definitely worth the effort.

Now to ruin it, the final picture is how it'll be flown for my cert.


Pretty ugly, but it'll do the trick.


Braden

Nice paint, young Jedi.

o1d_dude said:

Nice paint, young Jedi.

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Thank you! It's still hard to appreciate the paint in photos, but I featured it in a recent Youtube video if anyone happens to be interested in seeing it from a better point of view.



Braden

Superb work. What's the actual name of that colour? Also, have you thought of a name for the rocket yet?

Tim51 said:

Superb work. What's the actual name of that colour? Also, have you thought of a name for the rocket yet?

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I believe it is just Rustoleum's Bright Coat Metallic Copper. It came out super nice.

I am ripping the logo from one of my favorite roller coasters, "Ghostrider" at Knott's Berry Farm. Should make for a pretty good theme!

Braden

UPscaler said:

I believe it is just Rustoleum's Bright Coat Metallic Copper. It came out super nice.

I am ripping the logo from one of my favorite roller coasters, "Ghostrider" at Knott's Berry Farm. Should make for a pretty good theme!

Braden

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Unfortunately haven't had the pleasure of the Knott's Berry Farm Ghostrider, (I live probably 4.5 - 5K miles east of it, which is hard enough even without a lockdown ) but it sounds appropriate. Really liked the Dreamsicle logo and colour scheme on the Punisher 3. Good luck with the L3 cert (and I also look forward to maybe seeing more progress on the big Loc Iris project here and in your future vlog episodes..!)

Next episode will be on the IRIS!

Here is the finished product, I still need to build the electronics bay, but it is ready to fly in L3 mode. Now to just wait until a launch is allowed.


Braden

UPscaler said:

I am ripping the logo from one of my favorite roller coasters, "Ghostrider" at Knott's Berry Farm. Should make for a pretty good theme!

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I'm doing the same on a Mach 1 Electron. I have the first version with surface mount fine, so I'm thinking about making it a 29mm almost minimum diameter and calling it "Blue Streak" with the paint and logo borrowed from Cedar Point.

UPscaler, did you print your own decals or have it done?

NateB said:

UPscaler, did you print your own decals or have it done?

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I made them myself, I have a small home-run sign shop of sorts.


Braden

At long last, I am level 3 certified.

Thanks to my TAPs Greg and Jason, Taylor Jesse for helping me load it up on the pad and track it down, and to all the people on this forum who have long put up with my nonsense.



Video soon!

Braden

Good for you.

Outstanding! and u r right...it's about damn time, congrats buddy.

Congrats on your L3. Some day I will join "The 3rd Tier".

Congratulations nice accomplishment!!!

Rocket came out great looking to!!

blackjack2564 said:

Outstanding! and u r right...it's about damn time, congrats buddy.

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Thanks Jim! I was bummed you didn't make it out there!

Braden

congrats, thanks for the pics and video