54/38 adapter in minimum diameter.

[Joey Draney]

I was thinking of purchasing a wildman mach 2 but I'm not 18 yet so I cannot use l2 motors and almost all of my level 1 motors are 38. I know you can fly it on some 38 I motors but I would have to use my 54/38 adapter from wildman. I wasn't sure if this would be a good idea or not. I also was thinking of retention methods and i think a boattail retainer would work.

 

[davidb123]

I'm in the process of building a Mach 2 and I bought some Loc/Precision retainers that I will modify. I'm planning on attaching the shock cord to the motor for 54mm flights, and I will epoxy a kevlar harness to the adapters so I can attach the cord to those. It's also pretty affordable since the Loc adapters are cheap.

I'm not sure a boattail retainer would work best for this purpose. Do you have one in mind? I think you may have trouble strongly securing a) the Aeropack adapter in the rocket and b) the inner retaining ring to the adapter.

 

[Joey Draney]

I'm in the process of building a Mach 2 and I bought some Loc/Precision retainers that I will modify. I'm planning on attaching the shock cord to the motor for 54mm flights, and I will epoxy a kevlar harness to the adapters so I can attach the cord to those. It's also pretty affordable since the Loc adapters are cheap.

I'm not sure a boattail retainer would work best for this purpose. Do you have one in mind? I think you may have trouble strongly securing a) the Aeropack adapter in the rocket and b) the inner retaining ring to the adapter.

Yea that's my thoughts exactly and is why I'm hesitant about it. I would love to do 54mm but I'm only 14 so 38 has way more level 1 motors and it's just more practical. I hadn't really had any specific boatails in mind so if you have any other ideas for how I can do this please let me know.

 

[davidb123]

I don't know of any other boattails besides AeroPack, and they don't have one for a 54mm airframe per their website: https://aeropack.net/motortailcones.asp

I think your best bet is to friction fit a LOC adapter if you're set on the Mach 2. You can't friction fit an AeroPack adapter since there is not as much contact between the centering ring and the motor tube. LOC adapters have a section of coupler you can wrap tape around.

Wildman also has plenty of other 2" kits that you could buy with a 38mm motor mount. I'd highly recommend those instead of the Mach 2 if you don't have as much experience with high power.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Use a LOC 38-54 adapter. Instead of using the supplied piece of body tube, build up a thrust ring of 3/8" tape. This is the same as the closure on a 54 mm motor. I cut the 38 mm tube flush with the coupler, insert the 38 mm motor and wrap a couple layers of tape where it comes through. If the motor is too short to come through, wrap several layers of tape around the joint between the motor closure and adapter 38 mm tube. (you did build the adapter with about 1/2" of the 38 mm tube sticking out beyond the coupler.) This keeps the 38 mm motor in the adapter. Install the adapter like you would a 54 mm motor.

 

[Joey Draney]

Use a LOC 38-54 adapter. Instead of using the supplied piece of body tube, build up a thrust ring of 3/8" tape. This is the same as the closure on a 54 mm motor. I cut the 38 mm tube flush with the coupler, insert the 38 mm motor and wrap a couple layers of tape where it comes through. If the motor is too short to come through, wrap several layers of tape around the joint between the motor closure and adapter 38 mm tube. (you did build the adapter with about 1/2" of the 38 mm tube sticking out beyond the coupler.) This keeps the 38 mm motor in the adapter. Install the adapter like you would a 54 mm motor.

Thanks! That's a really good idea that I would probably never have thought of.

 

[David Schwantz]

https://wildmanrocketry.com/collections/54mm/products/54tc

 

[davidb123]

https://wildmanrocketry.com/collections/54mm/products/54tc

That is an aft closure only for AT 54mm reloads. I think OP is looking for a tail one retainer/adapter to fly 38mm

 

[Joey Draney]

That is an aft closure only for AT 54mm reloads. I think OP is looking for a tail one retainer/adapter to fly 38mm

Yes exactly. I have seen this boattail and I am aware it's excellent however I do not think it is suitable for what I am wanting to do

 

[cwbullet]

You could easily make an adaptor and use grub screws to hold it in.

 

[IRanWitScissors]

Use a LOC 38-54 adapter. Instead of using the supplied piece of body tube, build up a thrust ring of 3/8" tape. This is the same as the closure on a 54 mm motor. I cut the 38 mm tube flush with the coupler, insert the 38 mm motor and wrap a couple layers of tape where it comes through. If the motor is too short to come through, wrap several layers of tape around the joint between the motor closure and adapter 38 mm tube. (you did build the adapter with about 1/2" of the 38 mm tube sticking out beyond the coupler.) This keeps the 38 mm motor in the adapter. Install the adapter like you would a 54 mm motor.

Can you post a picture of this? Both of my 38mm & 54mm tubes are 5.75" so when I look to do the fit as you described it looks wrong. Instruction sheet makes it look like the 38mm should extend past the 54mm?

 

[rfjustin]

@StreuB1 , can you post pics of your Mach 2 adapters?

 

[StreuB1]

29mm and 38mm adapters for the WM Mach 2 per request

LOC Precision 29->54mm and 38->54mm adapter kits, Aeropack closures, a 29mm and 38mm CR, some 1/8" kevlar, and (2ea) 6-32 x 1/2"L pan head machine screws and nuts. Little epoxy and JB weld, and they're done. Cheap and dead simple to make and use.

These can easily be used on any other minimum diameter rocket in your fleet simply by adding (2) securing holes to the base of the rocket. Or, just another wind of tape and friction fit.

Got a Mach 3?? Same idea can be adapted to that as well or any other 3" min diameter rocket to fly on a 54mm, 38mm, etc.

 

[IRanWitScissors]

So I would guess my kit is wrong since both tubes are same length?

 

[StreuB1]

So I would guess my kit is wrong since both tubes are same length?

I wouldn't say wrong, just different.

You can cut them down to suit the design. Thats what nice about HPR, there are no absolute ways to do anything. Take it, and make it your own. Either way, I am sure it will work just fine. All it needs to do is center the motor in the airframe, provide a means to push against the airframe, not pull out prematurely (there is a joke in there I think.....), and hold on to retain the laundry for recovery.

 

[kjhambrick]

@StreuB1 --

I like your 54::38 and 54::29 adapters.

Thanks for taking time to post all the photos !

Do you use the same purpendicular screws thru the airframe to retain 54mm motors ?

Any issues with marring motor cases with the screws ?

-- kjh

 

[StreuB1]

@StreuB1 --

Do you use the same purpendicular screws thru the airframe to retain 54mm motors ?
-- kjh

I do not, only to achieve positive retention of the adapters. Reason being is that the adapters are cardboard and while I could get a sufficient friction fit with tape, removing them likely could eventually be damaging to the adapters. So, (2) cross-pin machine screws that thread into hex nuts epoxied into the outer adapter sleeve provides positive retention and easy-in/easy-out, with no dramas.

The motor uses a threaded forward closure that secures through the bulkhead with a screw eye for recovery attachment.

Retention of 54mm motors into the M2 is handled by a positive retention bulkhead that is secured into the airframe with (4) radial #4-40 FHMS. When I am flying the adapters, I remove the bulkhead and just install the FHMS's with hex nuts on the inside to secure them.

 

[IRanWitScissors]

I wouldn't say wrong, just different.

You can cut them down to suit the design. Thats what nice about HPR, there are no absolute ways to do anything. Take it, and make it your own. Either way, I am sure it will work just fine. All it needs to do is center the motor in the airframe, provide a means to push against the airframe, not pull out prematurely (there is a joke in there I think.....), and hold on to retain the laundry for recovery.

True

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Epoxy the centering rings to the motor tube where you have them. Insert the assembly into the coupler tube with the rear centering ring about 1/4" recessed. Before epoxying it in, cut off the excess coupler so it is flush with the motor tube. Build up a thrust ring on the rear of the coupler with 3/8" wide masking tape to duplicate the rear closure of a 54 mm motor. Insert the 38 mm motor into the 38 mm tube. If the motor sticks out the top of the coupler, a couple wraps of tape around the motor will keep it from falling out. Otherwise wrap tape around the motor tube/motor closure to keep the motor in. Install the coupler like you would a 54 mm motor. I can attach pictures if you need more info. (Will have to take them, download to computer and attach them.)

 

[Joey Draney]

Thanks for everyone's comments on this post it's helped a lot as I'm still learning like crazy. I hope I can continue this hobby and some day do something much much greater. I'm About to start my first year of highschool. If anyone's going to down to airfest in a month I'll have to say hi.