A nice clone from the lab

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Fore Check

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I don't know if this rocket was all that popular, but I think it's pretty sharp.

I wanted to put together another clone with home-made decals made on my inkjet printer, which limited me to anything with very basic decal colors. Luckily, this one had only black on the decals.

The rocket is based on an 18" BT55, but originally had an 18mm motor mount. This one has a 24mm E mount.

Anyway, I think it turned out really nice!
 
The fins and bits are made of 1/8" balsa, and the forward fin thingys are 1/8" balsa on 3/16" balsa strips.

The magenta paint was a near perfect match, I think. My wife actually picked it out for me. It's a Plasti-Kote brand "odds 'n' ends" spray enamel that she found in a 3 oz. can at Wal-Mart, in the same aisle as all the Krylon and other sprays, right at toe level near the floor. The color name is "bougainvillea."

Here's a slightly different view.
 
Looks pretty sharp in my humble opinion - good job!
 
Very Nice!

Now let's see that baby in the air!

The decals turned out sharp. I could never get that opaque look on my homemade deskjet decals...

John
 
The only trick I can think of for that "opaque" issue on the decals is that I go to pringer settings and select the "high" or "best" quality prior to printing, and then let them sit and dry a while before handling them.

I hope to get a chance to launch it next weekend.
 
Real nice job!! If it wasn't popular...I can't see why. Looks awesome.

Question-Is this model a BT60 airframe? The nose cone looks like a NC60AH.
 
It's a BT55 airframe. The nose cone is a spare PNC55AO that I had in the box. I'm sure that a balsa Goblin cone would work just as well (there is a *slight* difference in shape between the plastic and balsa 55AO cones, but they're the same length.)

I might upscale one in the future, and I'd use the 60AH cone for that size if I build it.
 
Forecheck, you saw my BBZ and had to do me one better, didn't ya! LOL :D :D :D


Great job!! I'm trying to get the Photon Disruptors I&II, but I think I may just clone 'em. I also would like to do an upscale of it, BT80, about 4-5 feet tall. That would look sweet. Since your the clone King, any pointers? Again, great job!!
 
The "clone king"???

LOL! :D :D :cool:

Here's a tip that comes to mind, as I've come across this on a different upscale that I'm cooking up.

The upper body tube is BT50 and the lower is BT20. If you're gonna upscale to BT80, that's a 2.66 upscale. When you apply that upscale factor to the BT20, you get a tube with an OD of 1.96". You can get a tube from BMS that's like 2.014 OD and 2.0" ID that will match pretty well. You can cluster 2 x 24mm motors in that tube, but not three. You could opt to use a BT70 for that lower tube, even though it's a tad larger OD (2.127") and very few would know the difference. The advantage with the BT70 would be that you could cluster 3 x 24mm engines in it.

Either way, you're gonna need some custom rings from BMS to center whichever lower tube you go with inside that BT80 upper tube (unless you're pretty handy making rings yourself.)

Don't forget to get your decals from Astronboy!
 
Then to get the overall height all I need to do is take the original length dimension and multiply that by 2.66. That would also go for figuring out each different body tube section as well, right? How do I get/figure out what type of nose cone?
 
Originally posted by kelltym88
Then to get the overall height all I need to do is take the original length dimension and multiply that by 2.66. That would also go for figuring out each different body tube section as well, right? How do I get/figure out what type of nose cone?

I gues I should back up and say that the 2.66 upscale is for the Photon Disruptor I (the later version is based on a BT55 upper airframe with a BT50 lower airframe.)

OK: You're right regarding the length multiplier. In the case of the Disruptor I, the upper airframe is a BT50W, which is 9.5" long. To upscale to a BT80, multiply 9.5" by 2.66 and get an overall length of 25.31", or 25.25" to certainly be close enough.

The lower tube is a BT20D, which is 6.5" long. Upscaled by 2.66, this gives you a BT70 or BT 2.01 (whichever you decide to go with) being 17.32" or go with 17.25" (one end is inside the upper tube anyway.)

Then just upscale your fin patterns on a copier at 266%. Just be sure to omit the indentation in the root edge of the main fins to accomodate the body wrap which retains the motor hook, as yours will probably not have this external wrap on that lower tube.

As far as engine mounts, I recommend using stuffer tubes the same length as your lower (BT70 or T 2.01) tube.

For the nose cone - well, you have a choice to make. The plans call for a PNC 50X, which is rounded at the top and 3.25" long (above the shoulder.) Upscaled, that gives you a cone that is 8.66" long. You could go with the Estes PNC 80K (Phoenix style) nose cone, which is 8.15" long. It won't match the shape exactly, but for an upscale such as this you won't miss that 1/2" (what I'm saying is that you'd probably not notice the difference, as the overall package will be very impressive anyway.) If you feel the strong need to be "exact" or "true to plan," Sandman can turn you a wonderful upscaled 50x. He's done so for me (BT70 sized) for my Atlantis, and also for himself on his current Constellation upscale (featured in a current thread in the Scratch Built forum.)

---

I don't have any real good dimensions on the Photon Disruptor II model, because the part numbers in the plans don't cross reference to any published list that I'm aware of. I do know that it is BT55 based on the upper airframe, though. My suggestion would be to go after the Photon Disruptor I because the dimensions are available.

Good Luck!
 
Forecheck,
Thank you so much. I'm gonna take all this info in and do my best to make my upscale. I think I'll clone the original first as a reference. Thanx again.
 
Kipper shoulda had that one...

(*my bad, watching the Finals...*)

Anyway-

I'd further suggest that you omit that tab-insert arrangement in the perpendicular tabs on the main fins. Cut 'em straight and give them epoxy fillets. Will be easier to build and just as strong if you fillet well.
 
Fore Check,

Way beautiful rocket. Looks like it's flying just sitting there. Finish is spectacular.

I think I saw fins that smooth once, but not on any of MY rockets. :mad:

Gus
 
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