Upscale Death Star

This is a joint project I am working on with Dan. He has been a great partner to work with, having done a majority of the advance work (Rocksim file, locating components, etc.), as well as being an awesome sounding board and brainstormer. I have taken a few wrong turns along the way (starting with a 40" ball, etc...), and been close to abandoning the project completely, while Dan's eternal patience and reassuring voice of reason has kept the project grounded in reality and properly paced. Thank you, Dan!!!

The original Estes Death Star (kit #2143, out of production) has a 4-piece styrofoam Death Star sitting atop the booster. At apogee, the Death Star "breaks up" and the individual quadrants recover via streamers. It is a great rocket to fly and always a crowd pleaser, although slightly underpowered on the current offering of 18mm BP motors and not good in anything over light winds.

We're building two of them. (We were originally going to drag race them, but now plan to launch them separately to give each an undivided gallery. The goal is to have them ready by this year's (2010) Star War's theme launch at Eat Cheese or Fly.

The work began last fall with Dan's sketch of what the interior bulkhead's should look like. We had independently located sources of large, heavy-walled inflatable balls (Dan's 25" and my 40"), to become the Death Star end of the rocket. I attempted to fiberglass mine with the same glass I was using on my JayHawk wings (purchased from Wildman.) It consists of two layers of cloth, sewn together with the glass weave rotated 45°. This is awesome fiberglass for flat surfaces (fins) or cylinders (tubing), but not so great for the compound curve of a sphere. After a few frustrating sessions creating something that, at best, looked like Miranda*, Dan located a source of a highly-drapable fiberglass cloth and I started over with the more correctly-proportioned 25" ball.

P.S. the 10" diameter JayHawk is being chronicled here... https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=9044

* Uranus, the seventh planet of the Solar System, has 27 known moons, all of which are named after characters from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. In 1948, Gerard Kuiper discovered the smallest and the last of the five large, spherical moons, Miranda. The only close-up images of Miranda are from Voyager 2, during it's Uranus flyby in January, 1986. Miranda's surface has patchwork regions of broken terrain indicating intense geological activity in the moon's past, and is criss-crossed by huge canyons. (source - Wikipedia)

This will catch up to the point we are now. The first attached picture is putting a second fiberglass layer on the 25" ball. We built a stand for the ball from a playground clubhouse steering wheel (thanks, kids!), which balances the ball perfectly and allows it to be rotated while being worked on. It got to be too hard to keep track of which parts had one layer and which had two, so I started marking them as we went (cross hatched areas are done). There are two glass cloth pieces left to go.

The next two pictures are progress on the body tubes. The first fin is on lower body section. The green tape holds it vertical until the JB Weld sets up, as the fin length is tough to balance. The 3/4" dowel on left side allows me to fine-tune the tape tension to get the fin exactly vertical. The aft ring is not glued on yet, actually installed upside down (inside out) so I can use the button mount as a handle to remove it for glassing the interior fillets. The length of the fin vs the length of the tang is a little worrisome, as it will put a LOT of torque on the fin-motor tube joint on landing. We will definitely need to glass the seams and foam the cavities.

We scanned the original Estes decal and sent it off to Mark at https://www.stickershock23.com/. He printed two upscaled copies on high quality automotive vinyl (like race cars use), with a really fast turn-around. They are each a whopping 18" x 29 1/2". Having the stickers in-hand gives a little more incentive to get the rockets done.

Fin #2 in position. The wingspan is 50 1/2" tall and wide, turned 45° it will be 35 1/2" tall and wide. Should (barely) still fit in my SUV, (although, as I write this, I wonder about getting it out the door and down the hall from the room I am building it in). I added 1/4" dowel into the JB Weld fillet as it squeezed out while pushing the fin against the motor tube. I think this might help against some of the sheer stress when the the first fin hits the ground on recovery. A layer of glass tape will go over this.

This is why we wear eye protection... it is a piece of shrapnel from a shattered Dremel cutoff wheel, imbedded in the ceiling!

Third fin is going on today, shown here being trial fit in the slot. Looking suspiciously like the empennage of a 757...

I hope you made sure it will fit through the door with the 4th fin on it. I am
not as far along on the second Death Star for ECOF but here is a ruff cut picture of what the final product will look like. They will be flying on K2045 Vmax motors. :clap:


Dan

WOW dan that is just WAY COOL one of my FAVORITE estes rockets.. I have on original I still fly to this day.. its always fun!

Thanks, and thank you for doing such a great job on the vinyl wraps. They turned out perfect and are going to add greatly to the impact of the final rocket.


Dan

Fin #4 is on! This is a logical break point for me, so I will be back on the 10" Jayhawk project for a while. (I don't like to waste epoxy, so I like to have something at this stage when working on another project - that way whenever I have leftover epoxy on project #2, I toss in some thickener and make fillets on Project #1. In the background of the attached photo, you can see my Binder Design "Samurai", whose 16 fillets were made with leftover epoxy from the Death Star ball half of this project.)

Very neat - I had one of these a long time ago (before I crashed it on a day with a bit too much wind). It flew wonderfully on the C5-3.

I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of this build (and flight pics )

Okay, my break is over. I am always amazed and impressed by those who can stay focused and crank out a complex project in a relatively short time span. I'm not capable of that. I have 15 projects going at one time, some are years behind schedule. Most are sequential and I sometimes run into gridlock... i.e. I need to build a jig for project 9 before I can move it out of the way to work on project 7, the scraps of which are needed to make the jig for project 9. That said, I have made a little progress on the upscale Death Star rocket section. The attached photo better shows the dowels used to augment the internal fillets of the fin attachment to the motor tube. I am also adding the external fillets (body tube to wing) with leftover epoxy from a separate project. When the externals are done, I will start glassing the internal fillets (body tube to wing AND body tube to motor tube). I do the external fillets first, to "seal" any gaps which could result in epoxy leaking from the internal work. External epoxy leaking into the interior is preferable to internal epoxy leaking onto the exterior.

On the ball section, I have marked and cut the 5.5" hole on the bottom for the rocket section to enter. I have also cut a separate partial sphere from the 40" ball I had previously fiberglassed. This will become the inside of the laser "eye". Once the ball is cut into quarters, I will trace this circle onto one of the ball sections, cut out the hole, and epoxy and glass this in from the inside. Next steps... spin the glass ball on a turntable to mark the true "North Pole" and "Equator", then measure and cut the four quadrants and build plywood bulkheads. 3 months to go!

Moff Jerjerrod: "Lord Vader, we're honored by your presence!"

Vader: "You may dispense with the pleasantries--I'm here to put you BACK ON SCHEDULE!"

Moff Jerjerrod: "I tell you, this battlestation WILL be operational... AS PLANNED."

Vader: "The Emperor does not share your OPTIMISTIC appraisal of the situation!"

Moff Jerjerrod: "But he asks the impossible! (lowering voice) I NEED more men!"

Vader: " Then perhaps YOU can tell him when he arrives!"

Moff Jerjerrod: (nervously) "The Emperor is coming HERE!!?!"

Vader: "That is CORRECT, Commander-- and he is MOST DISPLEASED with your apparent LACK OF PROGRESS!"

Moff Jerjerrod: (Confidently) "We shall DOUBLE our efforts!"

Vader: (menacingly) "I HOPE SO, Commander, for YOUR sake-- The Emperor is not as FORGIVING as I am... "

:dark::dark:

Heheheehe... Couldn't resist! OL JR :dark:

SMR said:

This is a joint project I am working on with Dan.

[snip]

The original Estes Death Star (kit #2143, out of production) has a 4-piece styrofoam Death Star sitting atop the booster. At apogee, the Death Star "breaks up" and the individual quadrants recover via streamers. It is a great rocket to fly and always a crowd pleaser, although slightly underpowered on the current offering of 18mm BP motors and not good in anything over light winds.

Click to expand...

When I saw the title of this thread, I said out loud, "Cool! What a great idea!" Of course, *my* idea of upscaling a BT-50-based rocket would be more like building one with BT-60 body tubes, not 5.5" tubes.

I have to agree that the Estes #2143 Death Star is underpowered using 18 mm C6-3 motors. It also weathercocks like nobody's business if there's any wind at all. I have one that I fly from time to time, and it always gets a really good reaction from those who see it fly.

Hmm.. a BT-60 upscale could use 24 mm Estes D12 or E9 motors... now *that* would make for a cool flight!

Also, and I'm deliberately being nitpicky, you do know that the OD of a BT-50 is 0.976" and not 1.000", right? That's a 1.6% difference, which may not matter.

luke strawwalker said:

Vader: "That is CORRECT, Commander-- and he is MOST DISPLEASED with your apparent LACK OF PROGRESS!"

Click to expand...

Wow, The Force is strong with you. I guess I had better get busy... But I can assure you, this battlestation WILL be operational... as planned. In Wisconsin. Eat Cheese or Fly. Aug 28-29, 2010.

SMR said:

Wow, The Force is strong with you. I guess I had better get busy... But I can assure you, this battlestation WILL be operational... as planned. In Wisconsin. Eat Cheese or Fly. Aug 28-29, 2010.

Click to expand...

These are not the droids you are look for....

Move along...

JRThro said:

When I saw the title of this thread, I said out loud, "Cool! What a great idea!" Of course, *my* idea of upscaling a BT-50-based rocket would be more like building one with BT-60 body tubes, not 5.5" tubes. ....

Hmm.. a BT-60 upscale could use 24 mm Estes D12 or E9 motors... now *that* would make for a cool flight!

Also, and I'm deliberately being nitpicky, you do know that the OD of a BT-50 is 0.984" and not 1.000", right? That's a 1.6% difference, which may not matter.

Click to expand...

I have started one with a BT-55 tube and a plastic transition to the BT-50 upper, with a 24mm motor mount in the BT-55. I had to drill through the transition and mount the lug to the motor tube to keep the rod lined up with the original Death Star holes. But I think an E15-4W would look pretty cool. Of course, one could also fit a 24mm motor in the BT-50 tube with surface mounted fins. Hmmmm....

Still not sure what we will end up with for launch guidance on the 5.5" tubes, (which are actually 5.54") I have mount points for buttons (getting the 1010 rail through the ball will be an issue). May also use 1/2" lugs. I did know the BT50 tubing was 0.984", so I suppose it isn't technically an upscale. I guess we should change the title. . But the 54mm motor is too small for scale also. A 5.54"/0.984" upscale of the 18mm motor should be 101.34mm. A 98mm motor would be closer. Insane, but closer....

stickershock23 said:

These are not the droids you are look for....

Move along...

Click to expand...

I liked this one...

Captain Needa - (being choked by Vader by the force) "Ugggghhhhhhh" (soon passes out and falls to the floor)

Vader - "Apology accepted Captain Needa"

Couldn't resist that one either.

Awesome project, looks VERY cool.

JRThro said:

When I saw the title of this thread, I said out loud, "Cool! What a great idea!" Of course, *my* idea of upscaling a BT-50-based rocket would be more like building one with BT-60 body tubes, not 5.5" tubes.

I have to agree that the Estes #2143 Death Star is underpowered using 18 mm C6-3 motors. It also weathercocks like nobody's business if there's any wind at all. I have one that I fly from time to time, and it always gets a really good reaction from those who see it fly.

Hmm.. a BT-60 upscale could use 24 mm Estes D12 or E9 motors... now *that* would make for a cool flight!

Also, and I'm deliberately being nitpicky, you do know that the OD of a BT-50 is 0.984" and not 1.000", right? That's a 1.6% difference, which may not matter.

Click to expand...

It actually did quite well on the C5-3 motors, which unfortunately went OOP just after I built the kit. The C6s (contrary to what the designation might lead you to believe) just don't have the punch off the pad that the old C5s did, and the kit is somewhat questionable on them.

SMR said:

Wow, The Force is strong with you. I guess I had better get busy... But I can assure you, this battlestation WILL be operational... as planned. In Wisconsin. Eat Cheese or Fly. Aug 28-29, 2010.

Click to expand...

You guys are my heros with the complex projects you undertake - I really look forward to seeing these fly!

It might be fun to time the launching of some X-Wings with these, though they won't be the proper scale...

Donaldsrockets said:

Captain Needa - (being choked by Vader by the force) "Ugggghhhhhhh" (soon passes out and falls to the floor)

Vader - "Apology accepted Captain Needa"

Couldn't resist that one either.

Awesome project, looks VERY cool.

Click to expand...

According to the book Needra was dead, very dead

dpower said:

It might be fun to time the launching of some X-Wings with these, though they won't be the proper scale...

Click to expand...

"Scale" is relative. From the viewers forced perspective, they'll be just fine.

P.S. Also flying within the Death Star will be Vader's Hallmark TIE fighter ornament. It will be ejected from the Death Star upon breakup at apogee, in honor of the original movie ending, (setting up the sequel). Somewhere we'll need a Millennium Falcon.

NOW WE KNOW WHAT TO USE THE 40 INCH BALL FOR!

You could get the milenium falcon ornamet here.

https://www.bonanzle.com/booths/Ecl...s_Millennium_Falcon_Hallmark_Ornament_QLX7474

I picked up an 8" foam ball for the BT-60 upscale, which will use an 18" BT-60. The ball is slightly undersized (should be 8.3"), but the body tube is exactly the right length!

JRThro said:

I picked up an 8" foam ball for the BT-60 upscale, which will use an 18" BT-60. The ball is slightly undersized (should be 8.3"), but the body tube is exactly the right length!

Click to expand...

You're doing one too? Awesome.

Mikus said:

You're doing one too? Awesome.

Click to expand...

Yeah, though I should apologize for butting into this thread, and go start my own.

Also? Hi, Mike!

I was finally able to get back to building the second Death Star today. With time flying I will finish up glassing this week and also start to assemble the pile of parts I have. I built my laser eye by taking a bowl that had a bottom the shape I wanted and covering it with 2 layers of glass. I then traced an 8 inch circle around the center and cut it out. I am planning to cut a 1-2 inch hole in the center and place a flashlight in it. I will take out the guts of the flashlight and replace them with the Gear Cam I bought this year. That is the plan if time allows