Build Thread Dragon Rocketry 4” Starblazer X20

[OKTurbo]

It’s been a while since I’ve built any rockets. This one is right up my alley. I love the old Estes design upscales.

Nice parts..

 

[OKTurbo]

No instructions included, so I did a dry fit to make sure I know where everything goes.

It’s a big rocket. Sits nicely with my upscale Stiletto.

 

[DragonRocketry]

No instructions included, so I did a dry fit to make sure I know where everything goes.

It’s a big rocket. Sits nicely with my upscale Stiletto.



View attachment 576611

Ummmm Looks like mighty mick has some issues. Looking forward to seeing this thing built. Have any questions just drop me a message.

 

[OKTurbo]

Ummmm Looks like mighty mick has some issues. Looking forward to seeing this thing built. Have any questions just drop me a message.

Uhhh. Yeah…. I’ve had several versions of Mighty Mick over the years. This was a dual deploy version that met its demise in Argonia at Airfest last year (I think…). Apogee event didn’t separate and then gravity….the main couldn’t handle the speed when it came out.

The charges went off, but it still came in hard. I’m going redundant altimeters for the Starblazer. It’s scary watching your rocket come in ballistic. Especially with a big crowd at Argonia. No one hurt, but still….

 

[DragonRocketry]

Uhhh. Yeah…. I’ve had several versions of Mighty Mick over the years. This was a dual deploy version that met its demise in Argonia at Airfest last year (I think…). Apogee event didn’t separate and then gravity….the main couldn’t handle the speed when it came out.

The charges went off, but it still came in hard. I’m going redundant altimeters for the Starblazer. It’s scary watching your rocket come in ballistic. Especially with a big crowd at Argonia. No one hurt, but still….

The starblazer ebay is designed to run redundant electronics. I run redundant whenever I can and if not, my charges are little on the heavy side. It sucks to watch one of your rockets re-kit itself.

 

[OKTurbo]

Altimeters are ordered. Going with RRC3 / RRC2 combo. Also ordered 54mm Retainer and Kevlar harnesses.

Starblazer is getting a tracker mount in the Nosecone.

 

[OKTurbo]

Construction going slowly. Here’s the current state of things. Notice my high tech homemade foam board fin guide.

 

[OKTurbo]

Update pics..

 

[OKTurbo]

Epoxy has cured and I’m at a decision point in the build. Scott included an extra 4” centering ring and a 3” bulkhead. From the Rocksim file it looks like he intended for the bulkhead to be used in the 3“ lower section for drogue harness attachment, but this means no motor ejection backup. I’m going with redundant altimeters, so that may be a moot point. The 4” CR attachment makes motor ejection possible, but it shortens the available space for the harness and drogue. With all the fins on it, I’m pretty sure that it will come down nose first if I go drogue less.

Any advice from the group?

pics that hopefully help you understand.

 

[DragonRocketry]

It was designed to use the bulkhead at the top of the 3" tube for your harness anchor point. I do not use motor ejection on any of my dual deployment rockets. I always use 2 altimeters as the ebay is designed to run 2. If you got an extra CR that was a mistake.

 

[OKTurbo]

Thanks Scott. I went with the 3” bulkhead. For the canopy, I cut out the parts from balsa and fiberglassed it. We’ll see how sturdy it feels when the resin cures. It may need another layer of glass.

 

[OKTurbo]

Fiberglass was still ‘leathery’, so I trimmed it up a little. Still needs some sanding to fit, but I think it’s going to work. I put some heavier glass on the inside to stiffen it up.

 

[KenECoyote]

Fantastic build so far, thanks for sharing!

 

[neil_w]

Starblazer is a great sci-fi design and that looks like a fantastic kit. I love seeing big upscales of this sort of design rather than the usual 3/4FNC.

And of course, great build as always by @OKTurbo.

 

[DragonRocketry]

I had thought about doing a printed canopy but was worried about the weight plus the additional cost to the kit. I might need to play with the canopy printout to make it fit a little better so I can laser cut balsa or basswood parts for the canopy.

Loving the build, it is making me want to build another one for myself.

 

[OKTurbo]

What would be cool if you could 3d print a negative mold of the canopy that would be used to fabricate a fiberglass part. Add some mold release and glass away… pop out a new canopy.

 

[DragonRocketry]

What would be cool if you could 3d print a negative mold of the canopy that would be used to fabricate a fiberglass part. Add some mold release and glass away… pop out a new canopy.

That would be nice but again the time and price it would add to the kit may be a deal breaker. Plus not sure the amount of sales would cover the extra work. This style kit only sells to a special crowd.

 

[OKTurbo]

I added some foam to inside of the canopy to give it a little more stiffness.


Then this happened: I had to make a special bulkhead support tube removal tool. When glueing in the top bulkhead, I used an old tube to support the bulkhead so it wouldn’t slip down the tube as it cured. There must have been enough epoxy on the bottom side of the tube that when I went to remove it, it wouldn’t come out. Grrrrr.

Crisis adverted. I got it out, but good grief

 

[OKTurbo]

Coated the inside of tubes and e-bay coupler with West Systems epoxy. Booster section glued up.

 

[Highpowerrocketyahoo]

Im digging the nosecone bay. Nice

 

[OKTurbo]

 

[KenECoyote]

View attachment 578768

Looks awesome! ...and ready to launch out the bay doors!

 

[OKTurbo]

Working on the fillets.

 

[DragonRocketry]

Well I know what the next build will be in my build pile. This is looking sweet. Love the canopy.

 

[neil_w]

I just love this kit, it's one of those that makes me wish I did HPR just so I could get one.

So do you do full fillets on the fin/fin joints (i.e. the tips on the main fins)?

 

[DragonRocketry]

I added some foam to inside of the canopy to give it a little more stiffness.
View attachment 578042

Then this happened: I had to make a special bulkhead support tube removal tool. When glueing in the top bulkhead, I used an old tube to support the bulkhead so it wouldn’t slip down the tube as it cured. There must have been enough epoxy on the bottom side of the tube that when I went to remove it, it wouldn’t come out. Grrrrr.

Crisis adverted. I got it out, but good grief

View attachment 578044View attachment 578043View attachment 578045View attachment 578046View attachment 578047

I will have to include a small piece of coupler to glue into the tube first so the bulkhead can sit against it when gluing it in.

 

[Ulexis]

Well I know what the next build will be in my build pile. This is looking sweet. Love the canopy.

Yeah, great job on the canopy. The only thing better would be a 3D printed version.

 

[OKTurbo]

I just love this kit, it's one of those that makes me wish I did HPR just so I could get one.

So do you do full fillets on the fin/fin joints (i.e. the tips on the main fins)?

Yeah. I put small fillets on the fin tip panels too. A lot of fins on this one!

 

[OKTurbo]

Been working on the electronics bay. Scott includes some really nice hardware in his kits.

 

[Hobie1dog]

WOW, Thanks for all the pictures.