Biggest scratch build yet - Bluto

o1d_dude said:

I'm pretty sure a lot of other folks have the same thought.

It's a cautionary tale. It starts out so small and low powered. Then it's only going to be a level one cert... Next thing you know, you need a trailer to haul your rocket to the launch.

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iter said:

So they tell me.

Ari.

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Or an ambulance.

qquake2k said:

Or an ambulance.

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I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about.

Ari.

iter said:

I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about.

Ari.

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:tongue:

I am loving this build. I am learning some techniques here too. Thanks for sharing this build.

Devontmp said:

I am loving this build. I am learning some techniques here too. Thanks for sharing this build.

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Thank you for the kind words! It's been a slow build for me, but hopefully I'll get back to it this weekend.

Perhaps it should have been named for the OTHER Bluto.....

TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!

evil ed said:

Perhaps it should have been named for the OTHER Bluto.....

TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!

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Now that would be a great tribute to John Belushi!

qquake2k said:

Now that would be a great tribute to John Belushi!

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Unless this build gets going again, I think it's time for a TRF...

o1d_dude said:

I'm pretty sure a lot of other folks have the same thought.

It's a cautionary tale. It starts out so small and low powered. Then it's only going to be a level one cert... Next thing you know, you need a trailer to haul your rocket to the launch.

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Ya mean something like this?


If you woulda told me a lil 3 years ago when I became a BAR that I would have a trailer full of rockets I woulda told ya you were crazy!Thats my buddy Jimmy(on the right) that did the paint job on Fly'n High and got me to toss the rattle cans for a spray guns.Soon my 7.5 build will start with a 54mm and 4 x 38mm so I'm taking notes after Jim linked me here.

Awesome job as always Jim,looking forward to the flight vidz!

Rocketeer Gator said:

If you woulda told me a lil 3 years ago when I became a BAR that I would have a trailer full of rockets I woulda told ya you were crazy!Thats my buddy Jimmy(on the right) that did the paint job on Fly'n High and got me to toss the rattle cans for a spray guns.Soon my 7.5 build will start with a 54mm and 4 x 38mm so I'm taking notes after Jim linked me here.

Awesome job as always Jim,looking forward to the flight vidz!

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This rocketry thing does get under your skin, doesn't it?

qquake2k said:

I think it's about time I got back to work on Bluto...

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Agreed

qquake2k said:

I think it's about time I got back to work on Bluto...

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op:

Yep.

Big birds are much easier to see at altitude than those little things.

Are you thinking an 84" IRIS from Fruity Chutes?

o1d_dude said:

Yep.

Big birds are much easier to see at altitude than those little things.

Are you thinking an 84" IRIS from Fruity Chutes?

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No way. An 84" Iris is $240! The motors for the first flight alone will be $165. I'm looking at a 96" Top Flight for $80, for the main.

I always found Rocketman chutes to be a great bang for the buck...........

Teddy

onebadhawk said:

I always found Rocketman chutes to be a great bang for the buck...........

Teddy

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Those are good prices, but are they as strong? They're 1.1 oz, and the Top Flight are 1.7 oz (I believe). Also, do the 4 shroud line chutes have the same descent rate as 16?

https://www.the-rocketman.com/chutes.html

qquake2k said:

Those are good prices, but are they as strong? They're 1.1 oz, and the Top Flight are 1.7 oz (I believe). Also, do the 4 shroud line chutes have the same descent rate as 16?

https://www.the-rocketman.com/chutes.html

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Quake look again,,,,
Scroll down a little further,,,,,
His 1.9 Ripstop Pro XP are the ones I buy...........
I think they're great,,,,,, especially for the price...........

Teddy

And the proponents of 4 shroud lines vs more than 4
say they are less likely to tangle on deployment......???

Try one,,,,,,,,,,

Teddy

He's a nice man too........
He stepped up a size for me once
and wouldn't take more money...........

You know, ever since I started this project well over a year ago, I've been struggling with how to align the fins when I epoxy them on. I could do them the old fashioned way, with my Mark 1 eyeballs, but just don't trust myself enough. I thought about any number of other methods and guides, but none jumped out at me. I really like my homemade fin guide, but the big one is too small. I was planning on building a new, bigger one, but then it hit me today. Why not modify it to take the bigger body tube?

I bought a length of primered 1x4, and even had it cut at Home Depot. Yes, I'm that lazy! I drilled the holes, and used them as spacers to increase the width between the miters. I mean the tube only contacts the edges anyway, so why not? I went ahead and cut out a nice fin spacer, from the same 3/8" plywood the fins are cut from. I cut slots in it, so I only have to loosen the wing nuts to remove or replace it. Eventually, I'll cut out other thickness spacers like this one.

I think it's going to work. It was a little fiddly, because the back end is so heavy from the massive motor mount. And I'll need to trim the fin spacer a bit. But I really think it's going to work. I'm pleased with the modification.

As an aside, somehow I've gotten an undeserved reputation on the forum as some great craftsman. I've even been compared to Norm. I've always asserted that I'm far from a craftsman, I just have a lot of tools. Now let me ask you, would Norm suck up one of his flat washers with his hand vacuum?

It's about time you got back to this one,LOL. You could have it finished by now if you hadn't built like --a hundred more.Looking forward to seeing it finished. And flight video.

Don't fruit the beer: Man Law.

LOL!

This's a monster. Can't wait to see it fly!

Believe it or not, I actually got some work done on Bluto this morning. I cut the slots in the fin tabs for the middle centering ring. I had the bevel the ends slightly to clear the epoxy fillets.

I had to trim some of the fin slots to get the fins to fit, and believe it or not a cordless saw was the easiest way I found. I couldn't resist a dry fit. I also added two hooks to the fin guide, and trimmed the spacer to clear the fin.

I gave the sides of the fins an initial sanding. I put the coupler in to give more for the bungee to grab. I sanded the body tube over the fin slots, and epoxied the first one in place. I'm using 15 minute epoxy for the extra setting time.

so many motors :drool:

Got all the fins epoxied on.