What did you do rocket wise today?

Got a second coat of primer on my mighty little Alpha....so far it's been a successful experiment trying a couple of new techniques. I think it's going to turn out really well. I've decided to paper the fins on my Harpoon but can't get motivated to tackle it this evening....saving it for tomorrow. Here's a pic of my happy place.

- Got a piece of 2 mm Carbon Fiber Plate in the mail. Destined to be the fins on a 38 MD rocket.
- Picked up a diamond grit jigsaw blade to cut it with ($11 blade in a $5 saw).
- Reorganized the rocket closet to better fit everything...Arapahoe-J has a home now.
- Placed a Hobbylinc order.

OK, Leviathan finished. My daughter who is 4 is already visually clued in enough to call it the "big... big Daddy" smile emoticon A little paint and the weather clearing and we will see how she fairs. Kevlar shock cord mount, buttons and lugs.

Was wiring up another alt-bay using a MissileWorks/Landru sled and discovered there was no way to use one of the slots for a cable tie. Decided to take my Dremel and hog out another slot to provide access to the first. It was there that the trouble began.

The Dremel chuck jaws refused to open far enough for a standard Dremel tool shaft. WTF? Removed the chuck housing and discovered the interior and most of the moving parts were covered in rust. Taking a deep breath I removed all the jaws and springs for a thorough cleaning. Each of the three jaws has two small holes to hold a tiny spring captive between the neighboring jaws. Had to set the jaws upright on the table, dab a bit of grease on the end of each spring, and using a bamboo skewer, recreate the original set up on the glass surfaced workbench. Then lower the chuck housing over the assembly, slide it off the edge of the bench capturing the parts with a fingertip. Threaded the assembly back on to the Dremel but still no joy.

Time to think about what I'd seen. D'oh!

The base of the assembly was also a wee bit rusted and all I was unthreading was the housing rather than the enitire assembly! Vise grips broke the base loose and I threaded the chuck housing and base together into one complete assembly...like it's supposed to be. Mission accomplished.

Drilled out another slot and cable tied the wiring.

I received my eggtimer TRS in the mail, and started to assemble it, only to find that my soldering iron tip sucks, so I have to wait until tomorrow to buy a new tip.

completed the final touches on the altimeter bay for my King Kraken. Unlike o1d_dude, I was able to sneak a bit of painting in between rain showers. The vent-band now matches the green on the interior tube fins. Soldered the wire onto the Schurter switch and installed that. Dug through my chutes to find a suitable drogue and main. Then tested my ability to wire everything up and get it packed into the rocket. Turned on the altimeter and listened for the beeps. One long - which is what I was expecting since I didn't connect any ematches.

Then weighed everything. Just a hair under 65 oz.

Updated my ork file and simmed a few motors. I think I'm going to try a DMS I140w for this flight. I'd like to fly it next week. The payload and nosecone will still in primer. Oh, and I still need to ground-test. (I think I'll be doing that out at snow ranch.)

bertrand said:

Weather was perfect for launching. Flew 2 quest Astras on A8-3, and one Baby Bertha on a B4-4. The Astras really soar, even on an A8. The Baby Bertha... not so much. I really messed up the fin alignment when I assembled it- it won't fly straight.

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Don't feel so bad about the Baby Bertha, I have one in the fleet and haven't had a decent flight. Flown it on an A and B6-4. The B was definitely better, but not very straight.


Started painting the MIRV. After some tests with rattle cans, decided to go with acrylic brush on the styrofoam. Also worked on sanding/priming the Argent.

rbelknap said:

...Then weighed everything. Just a hair under 65 oz...

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Strange.

That's just about how much my dual deploy converted tube fin rocket weighs: A hair over 65 ounces.

Got some repair work started today on my Blue Phenix Jr and Loc Norad Pro Max. Received brand new fins for the Blue Phenix Jr from Dave at Always Ready Rocketry a couple of days ago. Thanks to Dave, for the quick response! Earlier this week I had augered out the remains of the fin that got cracked hitting a tree and today I had the time to epoxy a new one back in. After applying some sanding sealer, will try my hand at repair painting over a duplicolor Mirage paint job. Dont know how it will turn out.
Also reepoxied in the fin on my Loc Norad Pro max. It had broken loose at the end of last year when the shock chord snapped. Fin didnt break, just broke loose from the motor mount and body tube.
Finally, dug out my Trident I which crashed a couple of years ago. Body is in good shape but the nose cone will be a challenge, although a generous dousing with wood filler, sanding painting etc may revive it.

Worked on my Alpha and ordered a new spool of Nichrome, having failed to locate my old one.

Epoxied in the motor mount on my Darkstar jr. Saw that Missile works has some of the things I need back in stock, so started putting together my order.

Removed paint... added paint.

Nate

ewg1967 said:

Masked and painted the black fins on my MLAS.

View attachment 254223
Had it drying in the sun when the dog knocked over the rig it was sitting on and broke off a fin.

View attachment 254224

I'm about to call it quits with this one. This has been one of those builds that just felt cursed from the very beginning. I think I spent more time correcting mistakes than actually building it. One step forward and two steps back. Ugh!!!!

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After what you've been through...definitely have to fly it now.

Got paint on my two stage today. I see from all the post I'm not the only one painting.

Ordered enough parts to build my PSII rockets as true MPR. Got other parts to build my Estes E rockets as MPR rockets. Figure I can practice for HPR this way.

I made an angle plate for my CNC mill this weekend. It's designed to cut bevels at 4.5 degrees of taper (~.080" per inch). It's 16" long so I should be able to bevel edges up to about 12" long. It's made from 1.25" x 3" 6061 bar stock.

I got the inspiration from watheyak's thread here: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?66439-Carbon-Prepreg-Airframe-build-for-the-Loki-54-4000-Fins-Beveled&p=1419627#post1419627

Did some wiring on the MissileWorks / Landru 3" 3D sled and RRC2+. Decided I like the hole through the av-bay wall and the internally mounted switch as it's one less connector to install. All the power wiring is direct from battery>switch>alt.

Decided I'm going to use nylon screws to attach the alternate av-bay (a LOC with Stiffy coupler) to the payload bay as snap rivets might not be long enough. The rivets will work fine with the single wall coupler and the MissileWorks sled, though.

Sanded the gloss off the Goblin 5.5 nose cone gelcoat. Was smart enough to wear an N95 dust mask (I hate those damn things...feels like not enough air getting in), gloves, long sleeves, etc. and to do it outside in between rain showers. I'd like to paint the nose cone before I install the av-bay centering ring. Tomorrow I'll drill out the static ports just above the shoulder.

Then I looked at positive airflow hoods/masks...$$$$

Cleared the other rotating hobbies off the workbench and started building again.

Estes Yankee (NARTrek Bronze A/B) basically complete, but I think I want a better streamer, so I may be making one of those soon.
I'm not sure how much I hate my Patriot fins, so that one is just going to stare at me until I make a decision to either replace them or just paint it.
Started on the Long Tom and Maxi Alpha III, mostly papering fins, gluing couplers, and sealing balsa.

Apogee order in for some Rocketpoxy (Maxi Alpha III and the Leviathan) as well as some kits to clear the NARTrek Silver bar. 6 weeks until the next launch where I can hopefully find someone to man a stopwatch for me.

-Worked on my dual deploy D-region Tomahawk

- Worked on my Broadsword, converting it to 29mm, longer motor mount. Undecided on the nose cone however.

- Worked on the OR draft of my Exocet AM39 rocket. So far it's turning out to be a BT70 sized beast (light enough for G's, strong enough to handle a small I motor).

GDJ said:

-Worked on my dual deploy D-region Tomahawk (snip)

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What size, standard Estes? Sounds like a really cool project!

Nate

nute said:

What size, standard Estes? Sounds like a really cool project!

Nate

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Yep, essentially a stock build, but the apogee deployment will be a pair of 300mm x 460mm "streamers" packed into the lower bodytube between the motor mount, stock 18" nylon parachute in the upper tube. I figure dual deploy would be smart since it spec'd out to reach almost 3700 feet with a CTI G144 motor. Don't really want to lose this one.

Well, after replacing the alternator in my truck (surprise this morning!) I stood there in the garage and looked at a whole bunch of rocket related things I could be doing,
then decided since it was only 40 degrees in my garage I went back in the house and made lunch!

Saturday was P.A.R.C.’s inaugural launch at our new High Power field. Currently the ceiling is 7,500’ and we are limiting motors to “K” and below. One or both may change in the course of time.

I flew my LOC P “Stovi” aka “The Last Hurrah of the U.S.S.R.” on an H97J, lots of black smoke denoting a typical Soviet rocket burning liquid oxygen and low-grade kerosene.

Also flew “Bad Medicine” on a F35W. What is it about that 24/60 motor that produces such a roar off the rod?

Yesterday I got two of the fins on the sustainer stage of my “Aerobee-Hi” painted white so all I have left to do is the final black fin and the decals and clear coat.

Sprayed the first coat of gloss white on my Alpha which resulted in a verbal warning from my wife (I do this down in the basement in a little paint tent beside the wood furnace but for some reason my wife doesn't approve of the Eau d'Krylon aroma). Drew the fin and launch lug lines on the BT of my Harpoon and am going to work on the fins again this afternoon. Hoping the SpaceX launch happens this evening so I can watch it with my kids.

Started my Bomb Pop fiberglass rocket.


TA

Yesterday I finished soldering my Eggtimer TRS and LCD receiver, now I'm just waiting for the antennas to come from mouser. I also bought an Aerotech 38/360 and reload adapter system from the classifieds, which shipped today.

Picture of my TRS:

o1d_dude said:

That's just about how much my dual deploy converted tube fin rocket weighs: A hair over 65 ounces.

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I actually need to revise that up a bit. Closer tor 68 oz now that I've swapped out the smaller quicklinks with some that will actually fit around my eyebolts. (I was doing this funky loop the harness through the eye-bolt and quick-link it to itself thing that I wasn't totally happy with.)

I also taught myself how to tie an alpine butterfly knot in tubular nylon strapping. I'm not totally convinced its any better than a simple overhand-loop as an attachment point for chutes. But hey - a new relatively easy knot.

o1d_dude said:

Decided I'm going to use nylon screws to attach the alternate av-bay (a LOC with Stiffy coupler) to the payload bay as snap rivets might not be long enough. The rivets will work fine with the single wall coupler and the MissileWorks sled, though.

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I bought some longer pop-rivets from mcmaster when I realized the first batch weren't long enough to be installed through the stiffy. The longer ones seem to work fine. I can get you the part number if you're interested. I'll also bring some to Snow Ranch next weekend if you want to try them out.

My 6-year-old was looking at the assembled KK-DD with the upper section still in primer last night. He told me: "Dad, I think you should paint those forward fin things green like the inside fins. It would look cool." That had been an idea I had early on, but I had decided not to mostly because I didn't want to bother masking the canards before doing the color shift paint...

So anyway, the nose cone is now masked leaving the squiddly canards exposed in preparation for a bit of testors lime ice. I doubt I'll be able to do the duplicolor mirage on the rest of the payload in time for Saturday, but I'll have the green done.

I'm oscillating between an I140W and an I280DM for saturday. (Currently leaning towards the less expensive lower thrust one...)

^ If you still have a CTI 3G 38mm case an I180 Skid would look really neat without the thrust of the I280. Either motor, that should be a really nice flight.

SCrocketfan said:

^ If you still have a CTI 3G 38mm case an I180 Skid would look really neat without the thrust of the I280. Either motor, that should be a really nice flight.

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Oi - duh. I DO still have a 3G 38mm casing. I really should use that case more than once. Of course Dave R. will still want me to clean the rails after after a smokey or sparky.

I got my rail buttons installed on my current project. Now I just have to get the fillets on, fill some spirals and paint.