ARG 13mm Trident

[JAL3]

Advanced Rocketry Group out of Canada has several interesting models including a series of Black Brandt scales but the ones that captured my attention were the Trident series. They offer what is basically the same rocket in 4 different sizes, based upon motor diamter. All are triple clusters and have a payload bay. I got one of each in 13, 18, 24 and 29mm. Because of limited flying opportunities, I decided to go with the 13mm version first.

 

[JRThro]

John, yeah, I really like the 13 mm and 18 mm Tridents, too. Taras Tataryn of ARG had a set of all of the sizes on display at NARAM-50. Once I finally decided I wanted one (or two), he and his display models were already gone. I'm not sure if he actually had kits to sell at NARAM-50 or not.

 

[JAL3]

John, yeah, I really like the 13 mm and 18 mm Tridents, too. Taras Tataryn of ARG had a set of all of the sizes on display at NARAM-50. Once I finally decided I wanted one (or two), he and his display models were already gone. I'm not sure if he actually had kits to sell at NARAM-50 or not.

I like clusters and I like the look of these. I got them a while back and they have languished. At the last ART Freedom Launch, a guy brought his newly finished 24mm version. It looked like it had been finished by somebody who does nothing but finish rockets for a living. It was beautiful. It flew great too and it turned out that this was the guy's first attempt. He was new to rocketry. He's a natural.

 

[JAL3]

The first step in construction was to lightly sand the 3 BT5 tubes that will serve as the motor tubes. This was done with #400 sandpaper and the aft end of each tube was chosen and marked.

 

[JAL3]

Each tube needed to have a thrust ring installed 1.5" from the aft end. This was done with yellow glue and using a marked spent casing to shove the ring into place.

 

[JAL3]

Two of the motor tubes were then glued together and efforts were made to ensure that they were straight and even.

 

[JAL3]

The shock cord is a length of Kevlar. The instructions said to knot it at one end and then make another knot 1.5" from the knotted end. I was also to mark the motor tubes 3" back from the forward end. A trough of yellow glue was poured into the "V" between the 2 tubes from the 3" mark to the forward end. The knotted end of the thread was then laid into to the glue and it was allowed to dry.

 

[Micromeister]

Wow kinda disappointing...thought you'd downscaled the Estes Trident to 13mm bummer. oh well looks like it'll be a nice model when done.

 

[JAL3]

Wow kinda disappointing...thought you'd downscaled the Estes Trident to 13mm bummer. oh well looks like it'll be a nice model when done.

No...I'm waiting to do an MMX version...as soon as I get some smaller hands and better eyes.

Sorry to dissapoint.

 

[Micromeister]

Nope that didn't come off negative Jal3:
Missed the first pic but saw the three tubes on the table...twas just looking for someone building a slightly smaller version of the Trident-III or even -II

Isn't the trident sort of a stretched Viper-III? or is that another manufacturer...
either way, doesn't take much to make a very nice flying clutered micro and it's pretty easy even for us old, feeble, stubby fringered guy's:lol:

 

[JAL3]

Nope that didn't come off negative Jal3:
Missed the first pic but saw the three tubes on the table...twas just looking for someone building a slightly smaller version of the Trident-III or even -II

Isn't the trident sort of a stretched Viper-III? or is that another manufacturer...
either way, doesn't take much to make a very nice flying clutered micro and it's pretty easy even for us old, feeble, stubby fringered guy's:lol:

I've got to admit, there is a certain allure to the MMX stuff. I have several kits that are yet to be opened but thus far, all I have flown are the Quest plastic bricks. I had mixed results with ignition and GSE. I've got the wire to make my own igniters, I've got some of those pyrogen-less igniters from Fliskits, I've made my own launch rod to fit over our club's gear. I've just never gotten it all together at the same time.

I've even done some daydreaming about "our of the box" designs. For a while, I was toying with the idea of an MMX cluster that would qualify as HPR but the numbers got absurd too quickly. Still, the CAD drawing was a Rube Goldberg nightmare...

One of these days...

 

[JAL3]

When the Kevlar was firmly glued into the valley of the 2 motor tubes, the third tube was laid on top and held against the first pair while a pencil was used to mark the lines of contact with the third. Yellow glue was then placed along the lines and the third tube was pressed into place. Care was taken to make sure the ends were aligned and then some cellophane tape was used to hold the assembly together tightly as it dried.

 

[JAL3]

The cluster bulhead, the one with three holes in it, was then located and test fitted into the airframe. It was a bit tight so the edge was sanded down a bit. When it fit, the Kevlar was threaded through the hole in the middle and the bulkhead was glued to the ends of the motor tubes. Fillets were placed to ensure a good joint.

 

[JAL3]

With the cluster bulkhead secured in place, the motor tubes were marked at a point 2" aft of the forward ends. A ring of glue was smeared along the interior of the Airframe BT and the Kevlar and elastic were allowed to drop through. The motor tubes and bulkhead were then inserted into the airframe tube up to the 2" marks.

 

[JAL3]

The payload bulkhead and the eye screw were located. The screw was twisted into the drilled hole in the center of the bulhead and the threads on the back side were covered in glue and allowed to dry.

At this point, I found that the tube coupler was missing. I contacted ARG to find out what length they recommended.

 

[judo]

Where did you get your kit?

 

[jj94]

You can get them direct from here - https://sigmarockets.com/kits_arg.html

 

[judo]

Thank you.

 

[JAL3]

Where did you get your kit?

I got it direct from Sigma Rockets. There is a link directly from the ARG site.

 

[JAL3]

MEA CULPA, MEA CULPA.

The coupler was not missing. It was hiding inside the payload tube and I was too dense to look there. I apologize to ARG for not having looked and to TRF for again exposing my propensity towards blunders.

 

[JAL3]

The payload bulkhead was seated about 1/8" inside of the tube coupler and glued in place. When dry, both sides were filleted.

 

[JAL3]

As the payload coupler dried, I turned my attention to the fins. While I bevel the leading, trailing and outer edges of most fins, on this project I also beveled the root edges. This was recommended in the instructions to ensure a better fit between the cluster tubes. As a result, all edges were beveled.

 

[JAL3]

The coupler tube was marked at the 1.25" mark; that's the halfway point. A ring of glue was then smeared into the end of the payload tube and the coupler was inserted.

 

[JAL3]

The motor tubes were marked are quarter inch from their ends and then the process of gluing the fins in place began. The beveling did help.

 

[JAL3]

While the fins were setting up, I gently sanded it nosecone. It was a bit fuzzy. I then applied some Elmer's filler and put everything away to dry for the night.

 

[JAL3]

On returning to the build, I sanded the NC and then proceeded to begin filleting the fins. I used yellow glue and got ti smoothed around the fin/motor tube joint. I also decided to run a fillet in the valley between motor tubes. This was less to strengthen than it was to give a uniform contour for painting.

 

[JAL3]

The nosecone was sealed with elmers but I decided to rely on Kilz to seal the basswood fins. Accordingly, the rocket was set up in the booth and sprayed with Kilz primer. After about an hour, it was given another coat.

 

[JAL3]

The primed rocket was lightly sanded and then I had to decide on the paintjob. Orange is probably my least favorite color but I saw a paintjob on the 24mm version of this rocket that was very attractive and decided to give it a try. Accordingly, the Trident was put in the booth and given 2 coats of Rustoleum orange.

 

[JAL3]

While the orange paint was drying, I took a closer look and the nice nylon chute provided in the kit. As I did so, the launch lug came bouncing out. I had forgotten to install it. Accordingly, when the paint had dried, I used an X-acto to scrape away the paint where the lug would be installed. The lug was then glued on. This should not cause any problems since this entire area of the rocket is going to get a differing paint.

 

[JAL3]

I was looking forward to a peaceful evening finishing up some projects. I got to my shop at my nephew's house and started to putter around with various things in the works and then decided I had better get the Trident 13 masked and the next coat of paint on. I looked where I had put it along with several others and they were all on the floor. The others were not damaged but the Trident was. It looked like it had been stepped on.:cry:

The payload bay was crushed and the NC has a big smiley dent in it.:cry::cry:

I wanted to have this one ready for my meet next saturday but seems like a long shot. The Tube is not an Estes Standard at 1.17x5" The closest I found was a series 11 from Semroc. I know their mailing is legendary but...:cry::cry::cry: