Bigger Deuce

[Rocketjunkie]

More done.
Fillet and glass the remaining 3 sides.
The remaining airframe bulkhead gets 3 layers each side.
This will be the recovery anchor plate in the booster airframe. Next, sanding.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

You've been lucky so far!

I don't see any kitty paw prints on anything or did they get glued to a wall?

Oughtn't you keep the cats away from fiberglass cloth?

The cats check everything out but stay away from the epoxy - no sticky cats I guess they don't like the smell.

 

[jus_rockets]

I still cant believe how small the 98mm motor tubes look.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Started the sanding process. Rough sanded the glass edges and trimmed the airframe flush with the buttplate.
Yes, it does fit the van
Test fit to determine length of booster tube. Will be 5' with 39" payload section.

 

[Gary Byrum]

Tom, it's almost time to invest in a trailer.

 

[cwbullet]

Holy mackerel that is a big deuce. I did not get the scope until I saw it in your minivan.

 

[Pantherjon]

Tight fit in the van!:eyepop: You going to make a holder for your camera between the motors?

 

[Gary Byrum]

Holy mackerel that is a big deuce. I did not get the scope until I saw it in your minivan.

I can see a trailer in the works, you?

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Tight fit in the van!:eyepop: You going to make a holder for your camera between the motors?

I'll use the same camera and mount as the 54 mm.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

I can see a trailer in the works, you?

No provision for towing. Maybe next vehicle.

 

[gdiscenza]

I was looking at that aft bulkplate, and I thought, "man, what a great place to zip-tie an old Flip Mino HD video camera!!"

That would be an awesome video, assuming the camera survives the twin pillars of fire!

G.D.

 

[patelldp]

I was looking at that aft bulkplate, and I thought, "man, what a great place to zip-tie an old Flip Mino HD video camera!!"

That would be an awesome video, assuming the camera survives the twin pillars of fire!

G.D.

Tom has done this with his 5.5" Deuce. Search around on youtube, the results were pretty unique!

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Tom has done this with his 5.5" Deuce. Search around on youtube, the results were pretty unique!

Here's an example, on Aerotech K270's[YOUTUBE]UmwGx6W--Rk[/YOUTUBE]
How I mounted the camera is in this thread https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?4380-54-mm-Deuce-Rebuild/page2 The Zi6 has been replaced with a 1080p Zi10.

 

[Cl(VII)]

The fact that I hauled a full sized couch in the back of our van last weekend, with plenty of space to spare, really provides a startling perspective. Quite impressive, sir!

 

[Kehoes23]

Do the same set up with the camera for the bigger Duce and use Aerotech L900 DM motors, that will be a spectacular video, the build is looking good

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Do the same set up with the camera for the bigger Duce and use Aerotech L900 DM motors, that will be a spectacular video, the build is looking good

Thanks. Actually, the onboard with Dark Matter/Skidmarks doesn't work all that well. Here's onboard with K454 and K456 motors:[YOUTUBE]ZAoQHdKxlpA[/YOUTUBE]
The ground view is spectacular: [YOUTUBE]KvirVZNB1B4[/YOUTUBE]

I do have M1075's for the bigger Deuce (98/7680) :smile::cool2:

 

[Rocketjunkie]

A little more...
Install the eyebolt into the bulkplate, epoxied with washers.
A short piece of slit airframe is epoxied into the main booster airframe.
Then the bulkhead
And finally another piece of airframe to prevent it from ripping out.
I also cut the payload tube to length and tested the nose cone fit. (Very loose and tube isn't round )

 

[Rocketjunkie]

I assembled the altimeter bay today.
Cut a short ring of airframe. This is the shoulder for the removable bulkhead.
Enlarge center hole in the bulkheads to 1/2"
Dry assemble threaded rod, bulkheads, and nuts before cutting threaded rod to length.
Epoxy in the shoulder ring and stationary bulkhead. The small hole allows e-match wires through.
The bay is long enough for 2 altimeters although I usually only fly one.
A loose fit of the removable bulkhead - epoxy still a little sticky

 

[Davidtmp]

Hey Tom, haven't built any av bays yet, but the one I have from LOC has a stiffy tube inside the coupler tube. Basically you're doing the same thing with the ring of body tube, correct? Making your shoulder for bulkhead to sit on, without the added weight of a complete stuffy tube?

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Hey Tom, haven't built any av bays yet, but the one I have from LOC has a stiffy tube inside the coupler tube. Basically you're doing the same thing with the ring of body tube, correct? Making your shoulder for bulkhead to sit on, without the added weight of a complete stuffy tube?

The coupler for this rocket is very thick, about 1/4" wall. A ring is enough. With LOC couplers, I usually slit a second coupler and line the e-bay with it. Stiffy tubes are thick. As you can see from the photo, the altimeter sled has a lug on the back that fits a 1/2" rod. All my rockets have a 1/2" rod through the bay. (Aluminum or wood in smaller rockets.)

 

[Davidtmp]

The coupler for this rocket is very thick, about 1/4" wall. A ring is enough. With LOC couplers, I usually slit a second coupler and line the e-bay with it. Stiffy tubes are thick. As you can see from the photo, the altimeter sled has a lug on the back that fits a 1/2" rod. All my rockets have a 1/2" rod through the bay. (Aluminum or wood in smaller rockets.)

Gotcha. I'm planning on building one from scratch for another project....I'll keep this in mind when I start on it. Good Stuff.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

I didn't get as much done as I had planned this weekend. I had some kind of bug and all I did yesterday was uke:
Today, I epoxy painted the coupler and airframe to reduce fraying on assembly.
I also did some testing to determine the amount of acetone and curative for Bondo 'paint'
This will be the filler on the body.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

I sanded the payload section, then painted on a coat of thinned Bondo.
After full cure, lots of sanding
I also cut a bulkhead for the nose cone from 3/8" plywood. The coupler bulkhead I purchased was way too small. No picture of the plywood circle

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Here's the nose cone bulkhead in place, dry fit only.
I haven't decided whether to provide access to the inside of the nose cone.
I also painted all the glassed areas of the booster with Bondo.
Except for fitting the nose cone and adding shear pin guides, basic construction is complete.
Next will be recovery.

 

[Pantherjon]

"Thinned down bondo"...What did you use to thin it?

 

[Rocketjunkie]

"Thinned down bondo"...What did you use to thin it?

Acetone. About 3 parts Bondo, 1 part acetone. The usual amount of curative for the amount of Bondo. It dries to touch in about 1/2 hour but takes a couple days to be sandable without clogging the paper.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

The Bondo was fully cured so I did a lot of sanding...sanding......sanding......sanding...

Then I drilled the rail guide mounting holes.

 

[Hogan3276]

Looks good Tom! I used to like the sanding part. Now i dread it...

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Looks good Tom! I used to like the sanding part. Now i dread it...

Sanding is the part I like least...:sad:uke:

 

[Rocketjunkie]

I added a single layer of 9 oz cloth to the inside of the payload section. This is to take up some of the slop in the nose cone fit. Hopefully, it should add enough strength, that with the glass on the outside, will stand up to the shear pins. I do have inserts if needed.