Custom 4” Mercury Redstone Build w/38 mm Boyce Aerospace Hobbies/LOC Precision

[n27sb]

Good I would like to sand it once with one good coat then have to do it again. After I sand it and prime it again will show me if I made best choice. I used the Emmer's Probound Wood Filler watered down.

That is a good choice, If you are using a filler such as epoxy and microspheres multiple coats will give you hard and soft areas as you fill and feather out. This is because the sanded areas absorb epoxy from the subsequent layers because they are now more porous. It will start to look like the rings on a tree stump. As the end product shrinks the rings will print through the finished paint.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Thanks, Steve, I have read a thread here on painting your rocket and the best advice was to let it dry between coasts and wet sand in each time. I could be happier in how the white came out.

All that Black:

I used Tamaya masking tape to get all the main detail masked off around the fins. I filled it with my blue tape then wrapped the body. The masking around the fins was challenging. After letting it dry I peeled the tape. I had a couple of spots that bleed through a little and I touched that off by hand-painted those spots, look OK to me... Going to let everything sit for a while then I have decided to Clear it with SpayMax 2k Gloss clear. The capsule will have to be done in a flat clear.

Don't think I mentioned it before but I had drilled 4 vent hole before the white paint for my Altimeter 3. They are in-line with each fin in the upper section of the body tube. They are hidden mostly in the black section of the upper wrap and you can hardly see them.

Here she is before the clear. Not bad looking if I say so my self.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

OK, OK so I left off the MR7 stickers in the above photo so here you go and with both sides

 

[cerving]

Absolutely gorgeous! If I built something this nice, I'd probably put it on my desk... once it was dragged through the playa at Lucerne Dry Lake by the wind it would never be the same.

 

[Theory]

V E R Y well done my friend!

 

[ThePlmbr]

Llyod, it is looking wonderful. Nice job with Mark's decals

 

[Mugs914]

Looks worthy of a museum Lloyd, beautiful work!

 

[PatD]

Beautiful job! Excellent patience and attention to detail.

 

[ThePlmbr]

Good morning Lloyd. Have you had a chance to fly it yet? Greg

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

No not yet. I still have to clear it with SpayMax 2k clear. Looks like I have to order it as I looked and no one has that by me

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Update, cleared with SpayMay 2K clear. I wanted that extra protection then all those enamel clear. It looks really good. I bring her to the next Right Stuff launch in Muncie next month. I have decided to pop the capsule with it own chute and one of my 24" chutes as a drouge then 3- 36" mains at 400 ft

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Looks like I forgot to post photo of the launch.

All loaded up on the rail


I used a AT RMS I178-10 Dark Matter for her maiden flight. My JLA2 recorded 1234 feet. a little corkscrew but I know why.
View attachment MR First Flight_Trim.mp4

The reason for the corkscrew and be seen on the BT, for got to remove the Arm Electronics flag, Opp's



I would have uploaded the onboard video but on my last flight of the day with my MDRM the camera fell off and lost. I was able to view the video and the DM was so cool. Just didn't save it. I had it attached to heave duty velcro and taped as a backup, looks like the G80 was too much for it, lol Over all it was a great flight

 

[MikeT]

Wow nice build.

Mike

 

[ThePlmbr]

This is my finished Mercury 7. It still hasn't been flown, but I plan to fly it Spring of 2022. Greg

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

This is my finished Mercury 7. It still hasn't been flown, but I plan to fly it Spring of 2022. Greg

Did you go with the 29 mm stock motor mount or the 38 option I used? Stock fins or my through the wall version? Looks great, the best part is the maiden flight. Make sure you add nose weight in the capsule...

 

[ThePlmbr]

Good morning Lloyd. My Mercury Redstone is built similar to yours. It has the 38mm motor option and through the wall fins. It will recover on a 36' chute at apogee. I will fly it on a Cesaroni H110W to about 1700'. And I add the nose weight when I built it. Greg Olson

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

I used a Dark Matter for mine and the onboard camera footage was cool on a sparky. Unfortunately, before I could downloaded all the videos from that day I lost the camera on my last flight. Note to self, download after each flight...

 

[jd2cylman]

Good morning Lloyd. My Mercury Redstone is built similar to yours. It has the 38mm motor option and through the wall fins. It will recover on a 36' chute at apogee. I will fly it on a Cesaroni H110W to about 1700'. And I add the nose weight when I built it. Greg Olson

Greg,
How much weight did you add?
Adrian

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Oh crud. Not sure, I know I needed more nose weight so I used some modeling clay to fill up the internal capsules cavity because I didn't have any lead weight's at the time. I will have to see if the Boyce instructions has it list.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Good morning Lloyd. My Mercury Redstone is built similar to yours. It has the 38mm motor option and through the wall fins. It will recover on a 36' chute at apogee. I will fly it on a Cesaroni H110W to about 1700'. And I add the nose weight when I built it. Greg Olson

The 32" chute is too small. It's recommended to use a 60" chute. I ended up using 2 24" and 1 36" chute. I did that because I had matching Apollo chutes from Rocketman

 

[TRWXXA]

All loaded up on the rail
View attachment 493202

I used a AT RMS I178-10 Dark Matter for her maiden flight. My JLA2 recorded 1234 feet. a little corkscrew but I know why.
View attachment 493203
View attachment 493208
The reason for the corkscrew and be seen on the BT, for got to remove the Arm Electronics flag, Opp's

View attachment 493209

I would have uploaded the onboard video but on my last flight of the day with my MDRM the camera fell off and lost. I was able to view the video and the DM was so cool. Just didn't save it. I had it attached to heave duty velcro and taped as a backup, looks like the G80 was too much for it, lol Over all it was a great flight

Hi, Lloyd!

I believe we met up at the last ROCI launch. Really enjoyed reading this build thread.

I purchased a Boyce Aerospace, 4" Redstone builder's kit a few weeks ago. Last week I was up at my parent's house, and my father brought an old box up from the basement. In it was a Boyce, 4" Redstone I had purchased in the mid-'90s. A big job change and move shortly after that, and I completely forgot about it. Somehow it wound up at my parent's place.

Here is a side-by-side of the 2 kits...


Cast resin capsule and layered PVC fins vs. 3D printing. Much has changed in 25 years.