Are you going to put the canards on post-paint or did you just decide to bag them? They do factor into the front paint scheme if they are to be included.
Alcubierre Upscale (a Neil_W design)
- Thread starter SDramstad
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Yeah, but I think your put it better. Maybe an oblique bicolor mask over the bottom part of the joint as well, sort of an inverse version on the tail mask
Solid silver on top, red on bottom, windscreen with black windows on the silver
OK, now I'm just drawing stuff too.
I do want to install canards but I have a problem.... The nose cone is a conical cone but has a straight "Body tube " section 2 to 3 inches long. The canard looks best when the front edge of the canard is even with the transition. But the canard is longer then the straight section on nose cone. So I would need to move the canard 2 to 3 inches down to the nosecone/bodytube joint or cut the canards in half and mount them in 2 pieces. 1 on the nosecone and one on the body tube. Still thinking about it.....
I have been thinking of something very similar to this.
Ah, I see. If you want them to be there, then I'd just cut them and mount in two pieces. I don't see much downside there.
Nytrunner
Pop lugs, not drugs
Carefully cut out a small triangle or trapezoid of body tube at the mouth, and glue that to the nose coupler. That way your nose will always be keyed to line up the canards.
Great idea! I like that.
That's a good idea. I was thinking just shear pins to hold the nose cone in place, but a small triangle makes it so much easier to put it in the right place. I might use this idea on some of my rockets.
Thats why I hang out here. So many great ideas.
Nytrunner
Pop lugs, not drugs
You're both welcome.
I didn't come up with keying the airframes, I think I first saw it on Louisville's Student Launch entry for 2016 when they were using HARA's field for practice flights. (I'm a little embarrassed I didn't think of it on my own since I dealt with shaft/pully/gear keys/slots in the machine shop at school all the time when I was a research asst.)
, but it's a great way to align shear pin holes (that's what I use it for) and just so happens to be useful to align cosmetic features too.
I didn't come up with keying the airframes, I think I first saw it on Louisville's Student Launch entry for 2016 when they were using HARA's field for practice flights. (I'm a little embarrassed I didn't think of it on my own since I dealt with shaft/pully/gear keys/slots in the machine shop at school all the time when I was a research asst.)
, but it's a great way to align shear pin holes (that's what I use it for) and just so happens to be useful to align cosmetic features too.
Level 3 complete! Now back to our regularly scheduled build.
Next step is glue on the pods. Used 60 minute epoxy to glue the pods to the wing tips. Will use rocketpoxy for the internal fillets inside the pods.
Next step is glue on the pods. Used 60 minute epoxy to glue the pods to the wing tips. Will use rocketpoxy for the internal fillets inside the pods.
Alright, looks like it is so close to completion. Did you ever decide how you wanted to finish the front of the rocket?
Something similar to what’s in post 123. Will paint most of the nose red with silver “windows” and some black edging. Will try it anyway. Nice thing about paint. It sands off if you don’t like it.
Next on the list of things to do are the canards. I cut the 2 out on a table saw/jigsaw thing I bought at Menards. Works really well on G10 with the carbide blade. Taped them together and finished them off with the disk sander.
Thought I would have trouble since they are so thin and pointy but no problem. Got them on the first try. Decided to not cut them up and mount them in 2 pieces. When I put them on the end of the payload section they looked right so I called it good. Now I had already painted that tube so I marked off where they would go in pencil and outlined that with tape. Then used sandpaper and a piece of G10 to scrape off the paint .
Applied 2 part 60 minute epoxy to the root edge of the canard and set it in place. Used some blue painters tape to hold it in place while it dried. Then repeated the procedure on the other side of the tube.
Will tape it off after the epoxy has a few day of drying and paint both canards silver.
Didnt get pictures but I have already mounted the ebay and drilled vent holes. Also installed the 2 harnesses. Painting the nosecone red with silver "Windows". Man, almost done. We have a launch scheduled for this Saturday. Should be ready by then.
Thought I would have trouble since they are so thin and pointy but no problem. Got them on the first try. Decided to not cut them up and mount them in 2 pieces. When I put them on the end of the payload section they looked right so I called it good. Now I had already painted that tube so I marked off where they would go in pencil and outlined that with tape. Then used sandpaper and a piece of G10 to scrape off the paint .
Applied 2 part 60 minute epoxy to the root edge of the canard and set it in place. Used some blue painters tape to hold it in place while it dried. Then repeated the procedure on the other side of the tube.
Will tape it off after the epoxy has a few day of drying and paint both canards silver.
Didnt get pictures but I have already mounted the ebay and drilled vent holes. Also installed the 2 harnesses. Painting the nosecone red with silver "Windows". Man, almost done. We have a launch scheduled for this Saturday. Should be ready by then.
@SDramstad Can you post a pic of the "table saw/jigsaw thing I bought at Menards "? Or a link to it on the Menards website?
Nytrunner
Pop lugs, not drugs
Is that a canard or a fiberglass falchion?
Yes, I can.
Picked this up at Menards a few years ago. Its like an upside down jig saw. The arm is removable if you are cutting something large.
Interesting tool. An upside down stationary jig saw. And it uses the Bosch style blades.
I cut almost everything with it. Plywood and G10 for fins, even body tubes.
I have a Bosch jig saw and with the right blade it will cut anything, including stainless steel. I highly recommend Bosch blades.
Finished up the paint on the canards, shot some clear coat over the whole thing and installed the rail buttons and.........IT'S READY TO FLY! And guess what, our club has a launch scheduled for Saturday. 
Still deciding which load to put in it. Thinking either an H550 or an H669. Both are fast burn/ high thrust motors which is what I prefer for first flights. Will try to get at least some cell phone video of the flight. Will let you know how it goes..
Still deciding which load to put in it. Thinking either an H550 or an H669. Both are fast burn/ high thrust motors which is what I prefer for first flights. Will try to get at least some cell phone video of the flight. Will let you know how it goes..
And some pictures....
Looks great! I hope she flies as good as she looks.
Nice job.
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Very cool!
Came out great!
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Hoping for straight trail and short walk!
