Any Way to Re-Use Aeropak Retainer From Old Rocket?

[deandome]

Specifically, any way to remove the 10yo JB weld from the grooved "connection-part" of the retainer after I peeled all the old cardboard out? Maybe bake it at XXX deg F for a few hours? Days of soaking in a solvent?

Seems a waste to just toss it...any help would be appreciated!

 

[mo2872]

Patience and time, and how much is your time worth? I’d try picking at it with X-acto blades.

 

[afadeev]

Patience and time

+ Heat

 

[GlueckAuf]

With the flame from a butane pencil torch, JB Weld will smoke, crumble, and release its hold on aluminum.

Good skies,

GlueckAuf

 

[heada]

Heat like has been listed but then I used a Dremel abrasive buffing wheel to clean out the grooves. It's not fun and I only did it once before I decided to just buy another one next time.

Abrasive Buffing Wheels, 40pcs Buffing Polishing Wheel Set 80/120/160/240 Grit for Dremel Rotary Tool by YEEZUGO - - Amazon.com

Abrasive Buffing Wheels, 40pcs Buffing Polishing Wheel Set 80/120/160/240 Grit for Dremel Rotary Tool by YEEZUGO - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

[jimzcatz]

Why bother, just reuse it with new epoxy.

 

[deandome]

Why bother, just reuse it with new epoxy.

Thanks all...I was thinking the 'grooves' would be important in creating a good bond, so re-creating them/cleaning them out would be required. I'll try some of these methods, thanks again

 

[rcktnut]

If I had to do it, I'd use one of these in my Dremel:Rotary Burr Set - 20PCS Carving Bits Set 1/8 Inch(3mm) Shank for Dremel, Apollo, Chicago Accessories Carving Tools for DIY Woodworking, Engraving, Drilling, Grooving: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

[DaHabes]

If I had to do it, I'd use one of these in my Dremel:Rotary Burr Set - 20PCS Carving Bits Set 1/8 Inch(3mm) Shank for Dremel, Apollo, Chicago Accessories Carving Tools for DIY Woodworking, Engraving, Drilling, Grooving: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

These are wood carving bits, so...

1) they may not be hard enough to make a serious dent in JB Weld and
2) if they do work, they'll grind down the threads as much as the JB Weld, defeating the purpose.

 

[ghostfather]

Try putting the retainer in a cup of boiling water, it usually softens the epoxy enough to pick it out with the point of an exacto knife. Not sure if it works with JB Weld, but does fine with regular 5 minute epoxy or 30 minute epoxy

 

[tim cubbedge]

Once you get it warm enough, you should be able to use a wire brush to clean up the threads if you are so inclined.

 

[Spitfire222]

This is timely, as I recently purchased my first Aeropak retainer, and was wondering the same thing if the rocket attached to it were to meet its demise someday. I'm no penny pincher, but it's a shame if these nicely made metal parts were one-time use.

 

[ghostfather]

if the rocket attached to it were to meet its demise someday

Yep, I've reused some retainers from damaged rockets, even one from a "shovel recovery", 'cuz the backend wasn't damaged, it was the pointy end that needed replacing

 

[mtnmanak]

I think you are over thinking it. If the retainer can fit on the new MMT, you don't really need to clean out all the grooves. Just use a dremel cutting disc to carve in some new grooves. Doesn't need to be neat or fancy, just something for the epoxy to stick to. Should take all of about 1 minute to cut some random grooves along the inside diameter of the retainer.

 

[mtnmanak]

Since the intent of the retainer is to prevent the motor from being thrown out by the ejection charge, the amount of "stickiness" you get from the epoxy only needs to be stronger than the force required to separate the thing you are trying to eject (nosecone, payload bay, etc). Considering a friction fit works for most motors until you get into larger BP charges, a few grooves cut in the retainer and some epoxy should work fine.

 

[DragonRocketry]

Wire wheel on a dremel is all you need to clean the grooves. Heat it up with a heat gun or torch to remove from tube, the while still hot hit the inside with the wire wheel. Done a few this way and worked great.

 

[Brent]

They will come off using a heat gun. Be careful and use some leather gloves when you pull on it because it will be very hot.

 

[BSNW]

I have reused a glue on a number of times. Just use a Dremel with a "drum sander head" and go slow and steady to grind out the epoxy. Then finish off with 220 sand paper. Easy Peezy
Andrew

 

[crossfire]

Wire wheel on a dremel is all you need to clean the grooves. Heat it up with a heat gun or torch to remove from tube, the while still hot hit the inside with the wire wheel. Done a few this way and worked great.

That's what I do. Works great.

 

[deandome]

OK, got it done. used propane torch and wire brush, clean as can be...though the color is now a cool, bronze-ish/titanium-ish color; the black anodization is gone. Thanks for all your help!

One last question on this, take a look at the photo below; the tall one is the old/cleaned up retainer, which was married to a 4" tailcone, and the shorter one is a brand new, 'plain' retainer....and you can see a damaged, but perfectly usable, spacer that came with the tailcone-set, as the 'retention-space is oddly large compared to my new retainer (that actually accounts for most of the extra height).

My question is....is the tall one tall because it was partnered with the tailcone, or was it tall for some other reason, i.e. it needed that extra 'retention-space' for older motor hardware or something? Cuz I want to use the tailcone on my new build, but the old retainer came from a phenolic (thicker) MM tube & is too loose for the thinwall glass I'll be using. But if I use the short retainer w/the cone, am I doing something wrong?

 

[blackjack2564]

Tall one was for tailcone...that's all.

 

[mtnmanak]

OK, got it done. used propane torch and wire brush, clean as can be...though the color is now a cool, bronze-ish/titanium-ish color; the black anodization is gone. Thanks for all your help!

One last question on this, take a look at the photo below; the tall one is the old/cleaned up retainer, which was married to a 4" tailcone, and the shorter one is a brand new, 'plain' retainer....and you can see a damaged, but perfectly usable, spacer that came with the tailcone-set, as the 'retention-space is oddly large compared to my new retainer (that actually accounts for most of the extra height).

My question is....is the tall one tall because it was partnered with the tailcone, or was it tall for some other reason, i.e. it needed that extra 'retention-space' for older motor hardware or something? Cuz I want to use the tailcone on my new build, but the old retainer came from a phenolic (thicker) MM tube & is too loose for the thinwall glass I'll be using. But if I use the short retainer w/the cone, am I doing something wrong?

View attachment 468198

I have used the shorter one with Aeropack tailcones on a number of rockets with no issues.

 

[deandome]

actually, my new 3">54mm aeropack tailcone arrived an hour ago, and it has a short retainer with it. wonder if the tall ones are passe?

 

[mtnmanak]

actually, my new 3">54mm aeropack tailcone arrived an hour ago, and it has

Yeah, I don't think they make that tall one anymore

 

[downhill_D]

The ideas above about using a dremel and wife brush are all very good. I used sandpaper and a cutting bit on a small lathe (craftsman 105) to get both inside and outside jb weld off. Worked rather well for what it is worth.

 

[ksaves2]

Great thread. I'm going to have to try some heat next time. I think J&B was used by tradition. I used Cotronics 4525b a few times and it was a bear to clean from a trashed rocket. I stopped using it for retainers for that reason. 4525 is high temp (to 500F), room temp curing epoxy that is danged strong: 05 - 4525 4525IP F.cdr (cotronics.com) Kurt

 

[crossfire]

OK, got it done. used propane torch and wire brush, clean as can be...though the color is now a cool, bronze-ish/titanium-ish color; the black anodization is gone. Thanks for all your help!

One last question on this, take a look at the photo below; the tall one is the old/cleaned up retainer, which was married to a 4" tailcone, and the shorter one is a brand new, 'plain' retainer....and you can see a damaged, but perfectly usable, spacer that came with the tailcone-set, as the 'retention-space is oddly large compared to my new retainer (that actually accounts for most of the extra height).

My question is....is the tall one tall because it was partnered with the tailcone, or was it tall for some other reason, i.e. it needed that extra 'retention-space' for older motor hardware or something? Cuz I want to use the tailcone on my new build, but the old retainer came from a phenolic (thicker) MM tube & is too loose for the thinwall glass I'll be using. But if I use the short retainer w/the cone, am I doing something wrong?

View attachment 468198

You must have put more heat to the tail cone retainer. I never had on lose its anodizeing like that.

 

[crossfire]

Yeah, I don't think they make that tall one anymore

I hope they still make the tail cone retainers

 

[mtnmanak]

I hope they still make the tail cone retainers

They did 6 months ago (last time I bought one). Not sure what will happen with the inventory now that Madcow owns Aeropack. I ordered some retainers about a month ago from the Aeropack site and the order took about 3 weeks to get to me. Order came straight from madcow.

 

[AHansom]

OK, got it done. used propane torch and wire brush, clean as can be...though the color is now a cool, bronze-ish/titanium-ish color; the black anodization is gone. Thanks for all your help!

One last question on this, take a look at the photo below; the tall one is the old/cleaned up retainer, which was married to a 4" tailcone, and the shorter one is a brand new, 'plain' retainer....and you can see a damaged, but perfectly usable, spacer that came with the tailcone-set, as the 'retention-space is oddly large compared to my new retainer (that actually accounts for most of the extra height).

My question is....is the tall one tall because it was partnered with the tailcone, or was it tall for some other reason, i.e. it needed that extra 'retention-space' for older motor hardware or something? Cuz I want to use the tailcone on my new build, but the old retainer came from a phenolic (thicker) MM tube & is too loose for the thinwall glass I'll be using. But if I use the short retainer w/the cone, am I doing something wrong?

View attachment 468198

The Aero-Pac retainers heat treated to T-6. Are you afraid of heating it to much and annealing the aluminum? loosing corrosion resistance from burning away the anodizing?