New scratch build, "Chopped!"

qquake2k · Apr 20, 2013

I had so much fun building the Jersey Bomber, I decided to build another fun and easy rocket. I got the inspiration for this one from Estesbasher's Chopped Big Daddy thread. I'm even naming it "Chopped". It's going to be a very short and stubby rocket. And just to make you guys happy, I'll even be putting a 54mm motor mount in it! Like you tell me, I can always adapt down but but not up.

As usual, I printed the fin template on cardstock. I had to cut the template in two pieces and tape them together. The fins will be made out of 1/4" birch plywood that I got from Michael's.

View attachment Chopped54mm.ork

qquake2k · Apr 20, 2013

I pinned the fins together with 1/4" dowel pins so I could cut and sand them together.

qquake2k · Apr 20, 2013

Like I've done in the past. I used the bandsaw rip fence to cut the fin tabs. Keeps them more uniform that way.

Orion14ed · Apr 20, 2013

Man, you really are addicted to rocketry. Thats awesome! Will be looking forward to this, I have been meaning to tell you this but, I learn a ton from your threads, read them from top to bottom.

Thanks, and good luck!

qquake2k · Apr 20, 2013

Orion14ed said:
Man, you really are addicted to rocketry. Thats awesome! Will be looking forward to this, I have been meaning to tell you this but, I learn a ton from your threads, read them from top to bottom.

Thanks, and good luck!

Well, thank you!

qquake2k · Apr 20, 2013

I match sanded the fins on the stationary belt sander, and sanded the sides with my cordless sander. Using a 4-1/4" hole saw, I cut out the centering rings, then sized them on the lathe.

qquake2k · Apr 20, 2013

I epoxied blocks to the centering rings for the rail buttons, and to the aft ring for the tee nuts.

qquake2k · Apr 20, 2013

I hammered the 6-32 tee nuts in the aft ring, then covered them with epoxy. I cut 1-1/2" off the nose cone shoulder, leaving 2-1/2". And I don't know if it will help, but I flooded the tips of the fins with thin CA. I'm hoping it will help keep them from getting splintered on landing. I thought about rounding the tips, but didn't think it would look good.

o1d_dude · Apr 20, 2013

I think you're going to like the opened up nose cone.

Two of my birds have them and they're both short, too. It's the best thing I can think of for getting a short rocket on the outside and and long rocket on the inside.

BTW, a 1 grain 54mm case and an I150T make a great combination for birds this size. I also like the 38/360 case loaded up with an I218R that I flew my Squat on last weekend.

qquake2k · Apr 20, 2013

I cut the body tube in half with the miter saw. Sure is gonna be a shorty!

qquake2k · Apr 20, 2013

o1d_dude said:
I think you're going to like the opened up nose cone.

Two of my birds have them and they're both short, too. It's the best thing I can think of for getting a short rocket on the outside and and long rocket on the inside.

BTW, a 1 grain 54mm case and an I150T make a great combination for birds this size. I also like the 38/360 case loaded up with an I218R that I flew my Squat on last weekend.

Yeah, that's the only way to do this one. I'll have to put almost a pound of weight in the nose, and embed a screw eye in the resin, like I did with Jersey Bomber. I don't know yet which case and load I'll go with. I'm thinking either an I117 Fastjack, or I140 Skidmark. Really depends on what Mike has at the time.

Scotty Dog · Apr 20, 2013

qquake2k said:
I match sanded the fins on the stationary belt sander, and sanded the sides with my cordless sander. Using a 4-1/4" hole saw, I cut out the centering rings, then sized them on the lathe.

You did make extra CRs for Jeff ? :wink:
Is that a Mercury Engineering NC?

accpool · Apr 20, 2013

qquake2k said:
I cut the body tube in half with the miter saw. Sure is gonna be a shorty!

what type of and tooth count blade did you use? did you put it in "backwards"? i too have learned a lot from you builds, thanks for sharing.

legranddudu · Apr 21, 2013

nice design captain, following your build...

soxfan121 · Apr 21, 2013

looks like a fun rocket! i also learn a lot from your threads keep it up!

op:

qquake2k · Apr 21, 2013

Because it's so short and stubby, and only has three fins, Open Rocket called for about a pound of nose weight. The first step is to put the weight medium in the nose cone, in this case nuts and BB's, and mark the level. Then I drilled 5/32" holes and put bamboo skewers through. The skewers will hold the resin in place, since it won't stick well enough to the plastic.

qquake2k · Apr 21, 2013

I put masking tape over the ends of the skewers in case of leaks, and covered it all with some Press N Seal. Then mixed up the two part casting resin, about 60ml total.

qquake2k · Apr 21, 2013

I poured the resin in over the weight. It will work its way down through the BB's and nuts and hold it all together. Since I cut the aft end off the nose cone, I had to embed an eyebolt in the resin to attach the shock cord to. This nose cone is long and the tip tapers down quickly, and there's not much room in it for my big hands. I had trouble placing the eyebolt upright, but finally got it with the use of a long dowel and an 1/8" brass rod with a hook in one end. After weighing it, I discovered I needed three more ounces of weight. Fortunately there was enough resin for three more ounces of BB's.

Madison Alum · Apr 21, 2013

Another informative build in the works. I get a lot out of your builds, as well. Thanks for posting them. Do you have a heat issue with the casting resin, as it cures?

qquake2k · Apr 21, 2013

Madison Alum said:
Another informative build in the works. I get a lot out of your builds, as well. Thanks for posting them. Do you have a heat issue with the casting resin, as it cures?

You know, the first time I used resin, it got pretty warm, but not hot enough to melt the nose cone. So the next two or three times I used it, I suspended the nose cone in water just in case. But the last couple of times, it didn't get very warm at all. So I no longer bother with the water.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...tch-build-the-Plasma-Fart&p=306617#post306617

qquake2k · Apr 21, 2013

Orion14ed said:
Man, you really are addicted to rocketry. Thats awesome! Will be looking forward to this, I have been meaning to tell you this but, I learn a ton from your threads, read them from top to bottom.

Thanks, and good luck!

accpool said:
what type of and tooth count blade did you use? did you put it in "backwards"? i too have learned a lot from you builds, thanks for sharing.

legranddudu said:
nice design captain, following your build...

soxfan121 said:
looks like a fun rocket! i also learn a lot from your threads keep it up! op:

Madison Alum said:
Another informative build in the works. I get a lot out of your builds, as well. Thanks for posting them. Do you have a heat issue with the casting resin, as it cures?

Thanks for all the compliments, guys!

qquake2k · Apr 21, 2013

Scotty Dog said:
You did make extra CRs for Jeff ? :wink:
Is that a Mercury Engineering NC?

Darn, I knew I was forgetting something!

Yes, the nose cone is from Mercury. I've used their nose cones a lot. They're a little thin, but they're inexpensive and longer and sharper than LOC's cones. Haven't had one fail yet.

qquake2k · Apr 21, 2013

accpool said:
what type of and tooth count blade did you use? did you put it in "backwards"? i too have learned a lot from you builds, thanks for sharing.

It's an 80-tooth, 12" blade. No, I haven't put it in backwards, but I have heard of that.

Estesbasher · Apr 21, 2013

As I was painting my rocket I was thinking of you Capt.:y: Heck a rocket that big you should of went with a coffee can.:y:https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?52324-Chopping-the-bigdaddy

accpool · Apr 21, 2013

qquake2k said:
It's an 80-tooth, 12" blade. No, I haven't put it in backwards, but I have heard of that.

thanks.

qquake2k · Apr 22, 2013

Estesbasher said:
As I was painting my rocket I was thinking of you Capt.:y: Heck a rocket that big you should of went with a coffee can.:y:https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?52324-Chopping-the-bigdaddy

Yeah, it is a short stubby thing. I got the inspiration from you, so it's your fault I'm building yet another rocket! :tongue:

qquake2k · Apr 22, 2013

You know, if I had thought this through, I would have gotten a longer eyebolt. As it is, it's too close to the resin. I can just barely get a quick link on it, but there's not quite enough room for me to tighten it. No big deal, though, I can just loop a length of Kevlar through it.

rocketgeek101 · Apr 22, 2013

And yet another superb build by Captain Low-N-Slow!!! Keep em up friend! What motor are you planning on using for the first flight?

qquake2k · Apr 22, 2013

rocketgeek101 said:
And yet another superb build by Captain Low-N-Slow!!! Keep em up friend! What motor are you planning on using for the first flight?

Thank you for the compliment! I'm thinking of either an I117 Fastjack or I140 Skidmark.

legranddudu · Apr 22, 2013

Hey captain,

I found a bird that could be your design... ;-)

800px-Payen_PA49_Katy_F-WGVA_Le_Bourget_29.05.57_edited-2.jpg

New scratch build, "Chopped!"

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