LEVIATHAN

Well I went and did it, I've been drooling over this one for quite some time. This thing is a MONSTER. I guess, technically this should be in the MPR catagory but I think I'm going to tune it down. The smallest engine it calls for is an F26-6F, so it's going to cost at least twenty five dollars just for one launch. I priced some engines on Hobby Link and can find them for around seventeen bucks, and dual packs for twenty seven, tack on shipping you'r still looking at around twenty five per launch. In light of all this I want to convert this to a 24mm cluster, I'm thinking a dual D. On top of this, the fins included in the kit are, (I think) birch, not balsa, I figure I can make a set from balsa, and make my own mounts as the ones include are also birch.

I thought I would post this here and hopfully get some input from those that may have some experiance with this kit. Any advise and info from ye'ol MPR veterans would be greatly appreciated.

Thought about a RMS casing, like the 29/40-120?

I've been wanting one of these as well. Like you, I've considered making a cluster version to use LPR motors. I probably will do it in the spring, sometime.

Have you considered employing some form of removable & interchangeable motor mount? That way you could use anywhere from 2xD/E, 3xD/E, a 29mm mount, etc..

I do this on a lot of my BT-60 builds to allow single 18, triple 18, or single 24 mm.

Just my 2 cents. I'll be following this thread.

Marc

I think you bought a nice looking kit and it's well made. I would just bite the bullet and build it as is. If you were to convert it to cluster and change the fins you'd be better off doing a scratch build, but kind of late for that.

blackbrandt said:

Thought about a RMS casing, like the 29/40-120?

Click to expand...

You have to remember BB you'r talking to a rookie barely comming out of LPR. RMS casing, (who?) like the 29/40-120? (what?)

RMS is Reloadable motor systems by aerotech. It is a casing you buy that you can reload with pre-made reload kits. The reloads are much cheaper, but the casing is a $40 investment. Watch the yard sale forum and ebay, one occasionally pops up for sale.
Here is the link:
https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/aro/aro91291.htm

Marc_G said:

I've been wanting one of these as well. Like you, I've considered making a cluster version to use LPR motors. I probably will do it in the spring, sometime.

Have you considered employing some form of removable & interchangeable motor mount? That way you could use anywhere from 2xD/E, 3xD/E, a 29mm mount, etc..

I do this on a lot of my BT-60 builds to allow single 18, triple 18, or single 24 mm.

Just my 2 cents. I'll be following this thread.

Marc

Click to expand...

Hey Marc...this sounds like the way to go, I'd be VERY interested in how you incorporate these, interchangeable mounts, thats an excellent idea. One problem I see here is the fin material, I figure there's a reason for the birch, but I could be wrong, the weight difference between these and the balsa seems substantial, and they're through mount.

blackbrandt said:

RMS is Reloadable motor systems by aerotech. It is a casing you buy that you can reload with pre-made reload kits. The reloads are much cheaper, but the casing is a $40 investment. Watch the yard sale forum and ebay, one occasionally pops up for sale.
Here is the link:
https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/aro/aro91291.htm

Click to expand...

Hey..now thats another intreguing option, and a ten dollar rebuild is quite affordable. Looks like I'm going to be searching the forum for info on this. I really do like the idea of the big engine, I've never seen a launch (in person) using one of these engines, I imagine they're quite loud and powerfull, probably quite showy too. I'm going to have to go through a learning curve here be fore before I even start the build.

Thank's for the input!

closet astronaut said:

You have to remember BB you'r talking to a rookie barely comming out of LPR. RMS casing, (who?) like the 29/40-120? (what?)

Click to expand...

Merlin Missle Solutions is where I bought my 29-40-120 for $38.50,it's made by Rouse Tech and is Blue instead of the Aerotec which is black.The blue casing makes it easy to see if you have it cleaned.Both are the same quality,but the Rouse Tech is much cheaper.Hope this helps,Hobbylinc has a great price on the 24-40 Aerotec casing.With these two casings you can fly many reloads much cheaper than single use 24 and 29mm motors.

Also, the 29/40-120 casing has the G138...
:dark:
CJP, you are talking about this?

Marc_G said:

Have you considered employing some form of removable & interchangeable motor mount? That way you could use anywhere from 2xD/E, 3xD/E, a 29mm mount, etc..

Click to expand...

I've actually been planning to do something similar with my Leviathan/Patriot Pro clone.

The rocket body part 'sleeve' of the mount uses a ST-27 sized BT. All the remove engine mount 'slugs' will be constructed with a BTH-80 (that has all the actual motor mounts) that slides in. Two long bolts will extend from the top of the 'sleeve', and the 'slug' will slide up the bolts, then use 2 nuts to secure the 'slug' in place.

I'm going to try to do this for several of my larger models (Saturn V, LOC-based Alpha III upscale, etc), to have a variety of options for different sized fields/venues (1x24,2x24,3x24,4x24,1x29)...

FC

blackbrandt said:

Also, the 29/40-120 casing has the G138...
:dark:
CJP, you are talking about this?

Click to expand...

That's the one,you'll like it.

I suppose if you were willing to get your L1 you could get one of these https://stores.whatsuphobby.com/-strse-485/Cesaroni-29mm-3-Grain/Detail.bok
and then stick one of these in it https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocke...h=7_8_15_105&zenid=dd4irhn462t850arunaus08037

not helping with the whole price/money thing am I....sorry

I think he wants to actually be able to see his rocket...
:lol: :drool:

blackbrandt said:

I think he wants to actually be able to see his rocket...
:lol: :drool:

Click to expand...

hey you never know hahaha:tongue: but I guess your probably right.

Merry Christmas

closet astronaut said:

Hey Marc...this sounds like the way to go, I'd be VERY interested in how you incorporate these, interchangeable mounts, thats an excellent idea. One problem I see here is the fin material, I figure there's a reason for the birch, but I could be wrong, the weight difference between these and the balsa seems substantial, and they're through mount.

Click to expand...

In this case, since you have TTW fins, you would need to mod the fins a bit, but it should not be hard.

I'm ignorant of what diameter the Leviathan is, but what you would do is find a body tube that is smaller than the Leviathan main tube, but big enough to house your intended motor mount/cluster options. You build the rocket with that in the center, and build motor mounts into couplers that fit inside that tube. This involves coming up with centering rings to mount whatever tube you decide to use, and a fastening mechanism to make the couplers lock in. And shortening the TTW fin tabs.

I've not actually made one like this yet, because I haven't worked with sufficiently large body tubes, but I have a few on the planning queue.

Meanwhile, here are some examples of interchangeable "twist lock" style things I've done in BT-60. OThers can post links

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?26271

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?15045

I'm having trouble finding a link to a more on-point version for you. It was authored I think by Solomoria (or something like that).

I will keep looking...

This was the last rocket I just built! Nice simple build and pretty impressive once finished. If you are looking at motors for this have you checked hobby lobby yet? Most of the time they charge full retail, but once you go online and print off 40% coupon it usually beats almost online retailer which often I've seen only discounts of 25%-33% and dont have to pay for shipping.

Finally found the post by Solomoriah that I was looking for. See it here:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...-Mounts-Mini-Build-Thread&p=131920#post131920

From looking at what he did you can probably figure out what I was talking about in my ramble, above. Doing this comes with a weight penalty, but if you now are using significantly shorter fin tabs, it probably is not so bad.

This rocket is a WHOLE NEW BALLGAME. It's huge and heavy. Just the fin and mount section weighs in at 7.4 oz's, total package w/o recovery system weighs in at a whopping 13.3 oz's. Building and assembly is childs play. Decided to go with the rebuildable engines, the hight projections for this isn't any more than most small and medium size rockets, 1500', I think this would be a low flier even on a three 24mm cluster. Calculating the cost of a three pack of D's I think it would be more cost effective with the rebuildables

Been a busy bee today, with prepping for a launch tomarrow, making repairs on the Atlas (including making a baffle for it), and building two new rockets and baffles for both the Vagabond and Leviathan. Except for paint, recovery and baffle installation they're both assembled.

Weather permitting, tomarrow's the big day for the Merc capsule launch and maybe the Hulk and Warp 10. I must say I'm feeling a bit of anxiety over the launch, is it all going to work??? We'll see. Alot of time, design and planning has been invested.

blackbrandt said:

Also, the 29/40-120 casing has the G138...
:dark:

Click to expand...

L1 is required for the G138.....

The Rocket Kid said:

I suppose if you were willing to get your L1 you could get one of these https://stores.whatsuphobby.com/-strse-485/Cesaroni-29mm-3-Grain/Detail.bok
and then stick one of these in it https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocke...h=7_8_15_105&zenid=dd4irhn462t850arunaus08037

Click to expand...

If one doesn't already have the delay drilling tool for CTI then this is a better choice https://stores.whatsuphobby.com/-strse-500/Cesaroni-29mm-Starter-Kit/Detail.bok. It has the delay tool and an aft closure.

Rather than H410 an H87 or H90 for an L1 cert flight or afterward. I used an H90 in mine for my L1 cert flight to something over 2200 feet. Pretty much stock except for an added baffle. Even used the tri-fold shock cord mount. All has been well.

You can also get the Estes pro motors at Hobby Lobby for 40% off. That takes a bit of the sting out of them.

closet astronaut said:

Hey..now thats another intreguing option, and a ten dollar rebuild is quite affordable. Looks like I'm going to be searching the forum for info on this. I really do like the idea of the big engine, I've never seen a launch (in person) using one of these engines, I imagine they're quite loud and powerfull, probably quite showy too. I'm going to have to go through a learning curve here be fore before I even start the build.

Thank's for the input!

Click to expand...

Here are the three G propellants available for the Aerotech 29/40-120 case. G64 White Lightning, G76 Mojave Green, and G53 Blackjack.

[YOUTUBE]dCK8_dq-Yu4[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]v8vQpDmFt48[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]tdH2fTNqJ4E[/YOUTUBE]

That thing will fly on a lot of other engines down to E20-4 (2 for $14, 400') ... strangely, Estes doesn't say they have anything to fly on their own E30 (500'). Maybe just because they didn't include a 24 mm adapter? It's true there isn't a lot of price reduction on the smaller 29 mm sizes, really seems the best deals are the maximum for each case size.

I'm. Awaiting my Leviathan to get here, it should be a blast. Good thread, I like the idea of making interchangable motor mounts. I guess if you got a coupler to fit inside the body tube your using, and then built the engine mount inside the coupler, and make a stop in the bodytube to keep the coupler that holds the motor from moving up. And some to secure it from falling out, you could change the coupler with the motor setups pretty easy. You wouldn't be able to do it on fins that go into the body, on fins that mount on the outside surface of the body tube. I'm not sure if I typed that so its understandable. I think I'm gonna make 2 interchangeable mounts and post pictures. I'm sure this ideas been done before.

anyone know here to find rocket supplies for home made d.i.y?im seeing all the specs but where di you get the supplies? i like the models dude but putting a whole one from scratch together is where you get to establish how far you can take it.

abovetheinfluence said:

anyone know here to find rocket supplies for home made d.i.y?im seeing all the specs but where di you get the supplies? i like the models dude but putting a whole one from scratch together is where you get to establish how far you can take it.

Click to expand...

The places I buy components from the most are Balsa Machining (LPR and MPR), LOC Precision (MPR and HPR), Hobbylinc (LPR and motors), and Mercury Engineering.

You cannot forget Lowes! They have all of the hardware that you will ever need!

blackbrandt said:

You cannot forget Lowes! They have all of the hardware that you will ever need!

Click to expand...

I actually buy more hardware from Home Depot and OSH. My Lowe's doesn't have as much of what I need, for some reason. I also buy my Rustoleum 2X paint from HD and OSH.