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

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Here she is so far. I used one coat of the 2in1 sandable primer and that worked out great over the 2 coat of just the regular sandable primer. Just did a light sanding and look smooth.. I will mount the fins next then the first coat of gloss white this weekend.



I pulled my tape around the slots and did a test fit of the fins

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

View attachment 425173

Did you go with the standard fins or go with the through the wall fins like I did? Also what motor size did you go with?

 

[ThePlmbr]

Same build as yours. Through the wall fins and a 38mm motor tube. Your primed body tube looks great!

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Same build as yours. Through the wall fins and a 38mm motor tube. Your primed body tube looks great!

Sweet... I'm glad Alex at Boyce was able to give you those custom fin. I did have to sand the tabs down to fit in the slots but it's a nice tight fit. Did you mount you MMT yet? And if so did you make some wells like I did?

 

[ThePlmbr]

No pockets. Sanded the motor tube. Used the double dip method. Butter the edges, insert into slot, remove the fin, rebutter the edges and reinsert. Smooth and remove excess epoxy. Then let the epoxy set. I carefully removed cardboard on each side of the slots. Just enough, the fins were still a tight fit.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Fin Time:

I inserted one of the fins and taped off close to the root of the fin. Removed the fin and sanded the tube were the root will seat. I mixed up some Rocketpoxy and dripped it in the slot and spread some on the fin. I wiped off the excess pulled the tape (only used to keep epoxy off the tube and not to form a fillet... one down, three more to go

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Paint time for the Capsule:

I did 2 coats and have 2 runs, going to let it dry then wet sand the dips and a final coat. I like the flat black over the gloss
I should be ready this week end to paint the main body

 

[crossfire]

Great build. Do you plan on removing tower before flight? I myself would like to fly one with the tower. Can tower be replace easily?

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Great build. Do you plan on removing tower before flight? I myself would like to fly one with the tower. Can tower be replace easily?

Thanks, I'm really liking this build. Good question.... Not sure yet but leaning with the tower. So yes I could replace the tower if it gets destroyed. If I keep the tower ring on I could just drill out the holes to mount a new one. I'm planing on doing the red ring into the capsule also after the final coat.

 

[crossfire]

Thanks, I'm really liking this build. Good question.... Not sure yet but leaning with the tower. So yes I could replace the tower if it gets destroyed. If I keep the tower ring on I could just drill out the holes to mount a new one. I'm planing on doing the red ring into the capsule also after the final coat.

The way I understand it you guys went with standard CRs and went with 38mmt? So will Boyce make TTW to MMT fins? I prefer a 38 mmt.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

The way I understand it you guys went with standard CRs and went with 38mmt? So will Boyce make TTW to MMT fins? I prefer a 38 mmt.

I did not use the Boyce centering rings. I used the LOC ring with there motor clip. So yes that will. It's a custom find. He has already made 2 sets. So yes, the 38mm was a must for me and getting this all worked out was so much fun.. I may put my 38/600 in this and load it up, we'll see ...

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

I got my final coat of flat black on the capsule. Going to let that dry a couple days before I mask it off for the red on the bottom of the capsule and white inside the tower on the top of the Capsule.

Getting the main body ready for paint probably on Sunday. I mounted the standoff rails and the pull plugs. Next drill some holes in the upper tube for the altimeter that will be covered up or hidden by the upper wrap.

 

[ThePlmbr]

Good morning Lloyd. Your build is looking super! I get why you like the black flat paint on the capsule. I used satin because it looks better, when it's on a pad. To you and Gary, I'm not willing to sacrifice the tower. I believe it won't survive the 1st launch. Mine is removable. My main body is painted, will wet sand and put down two more light coats. Keep Safe. Have a good weekend. Greg

 

[mo2872]

Re: the escape tower.....it would be cool to make it functional, and fire it off sometime near apogee......pain to find again though, I suppose.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

As for the tower, I'm thinking I will take it off. One, it's not that strong for what I'm going to put it through. Two, don't want re-order and build a new one every time... Tower going static only...

 

[rharshberger]

So how did the 3x24" is equivalent to one 60" chute figure come about? Based on flat urface area a 60" chute has 2850 sq in. (approx) and a 24" has approximately 450 sq in so about 5+ 24" are needed to equal one 60" chute, of course thats lots of simplification, I am curious how the chute determination was done. My feeling is that if a 60" is recommended then three 24" will result in a pretty quick descent rate.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

So how did the 3x24" is equivalent to one 60" chute figure come about? Based on flat urface area a 60" chute has 2850 sq in. (approx) and a 24" has approximately 450 sq in so about 5+ 24" are needed to equal one 60" chute, of course thats lots of simplification, I am curious how the chute determination was done. My feeling is that if a 60" is recommended then three 24" will result in a pretty quick descent rate.

Hi Rich,

Thanks, Rich for pointing that out to me. It should have been 3-36" chutes...
So here are some more calculations. (Sq/In)
60" chute = 2827
3-24" Chutes=1356
Option 3-36" chutes=3051

I do have some 36" chutes that would be a total of 3051 But....

I have a Rocketman 36" SpaceX chute also that is 1017

If I add the 3-24" and the 36" it comes out to 2372. I looked at my OR and I was at 21.7 Ft/S and now it's 16.7 Ft/S that is much better.
With an I364FJ Apogee is at 3000' Haven't decided to have all 4 in my chute release or if I should pop the 36" at apogee (drogue chute) then the 3-24" round 400'. I can live with the 16.7 Ft/S.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

First light coat of white this morning and just got done with wet sanding. going to do another coat tomorrow morning.

 

[Handeman]

Hi Rich,

Thanks, Rich for pointing that out to me. It should have been 3-36" chutes...
So here are some more calculations. (Sq/In)
60" chute = 2827
3-24" Chutes=1356
Option 3-36" chutes=3051

I do have some 36" chutes that would be a total of 3051 But....

I have a Rocketman 36" SpaceX chute also that is 1017

If I add the 3-24" and the 36" it comes out to 2372. I looked at my OR and I was at 21.7 Ft/S and now it's 16.7 Ft/S that is much better.
With an I364FJ Apogee is at 3000' Haven't decided to have all 4 in my chute release or if I should pop the 36" at apogee (drogue chute) then the 3-24" round 400'. I can live with the 16.7 Ft/S.

Something you don't seem to consider is that when you put three chutes together from the same attachment point, they are all at an angle to the attachment point, not vertical like a single chute would be. That angle causes spillage so even if the three are the same area as a single chute, I would think they would be less efficient. I would add about 20% - 30% more area if using 3 chutes instead of one. That is just my guess. Others probably know more about that.

 

[Sheree]

Re: the escape tower.....it would be cool to make it functional, and fire it off sometime near apogee......pain to find again though, I suppose.

We're working on a new version of the capsule that incorporates a microswitch that activates after the capsule has been ejected from the Redstone booster and will fire a small charge to eject the tower on it's own chute and a set of three small chutes for the capsule. This will eliminate the problem of the escape tower being damaged upon landing. As far as the strength of the tower in flight it will survive any 29 or 38mm motor you want too throw at it. I upscaled and built the same tower in ABS that was flown and survived a M motor flight in a 7.51 LOC diameter Redstone.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

We're working on a new version of the capsule that incorporates a microswitch that activates after the capsule has been ejected from the Redstone booster and will fire a small charge to eject the tower on it's own chute and a set of three small chutes for the capsule. This will eliminate the problem of the escape tower being damaged upon landing. As far as the strength of the tower in flight it will survive any 29 or 38mm motor you want too throw at it. I upscaled and built the same tower in ABS that was flown and survived a M motor flight in a 7.51 LOC diameter Redstone.

That sounds very exciting news on the tower. Thanks for that update. Let us know when this is available.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

That sounds very exciting news on the tower. Thanks for that update. Let us know when this is available.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

I painted the second coat today. Stating to look sharp... Will wet sand this and do another coat tomorrow.

I also painted the lower section of the parachute section. Next will be the red on the lower capsule ring.


Here is the look I'm shooting for the white on the tower, the red on the lower ring and the pale blue for the porthole windows

 

[stantonjtroy]

I painted the second coat today. Stating to look sharp... Will wet sand this and do another coat tomorrow. View attachment 425995

I also painted the lower section of the parachute section. Next will be the red on the lower capsule ring.
View attachment 425996

Here is the look I'm shooting for the white on the tower, the red on the lower ring and the pale blue for the porthole windows
View attachment 425997

Not sure what "White" on the tower you're referring to. If it's what's visible on the lower uprights at either side, That's just reflected light. The tower is red overall. There are some silver/steel conduits on one of the lower "V" struts.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Not sure what "White" on the tower you're referring to. If it's what's visible on the lower uprights at either side, That's just reflected light. The tower is red overall. There are some silver/steel conduits on one of the lower "V" struts. View attachment 426056

Look at the photo of MR capsule I posted, you can see the white band above the tower ring. You can see it in your illustrated capsule drawing also. The question I couldn't confirm is if it is white or silver. I went with white because the actual photo look white.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Last coat of white. Going to let it dry over night then a final wet sand 1500 grit. The next step will be masking of the lower section for the black.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

StickerShock23 time:

I gave a lite 1500 grit wet sanding then added the top section Stickershock23 sticker. Finally getting the hang of doing the wraps, no bubbles or wrinkles. Going to wait a few days before I mask off the lower section for the black. I'll do the red in the capsule tomorrow

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

All that Red:

I have painted the tower and the lower ring on the capsule red.

Here is my ugly masking job.


Here is the capsule with now the lower ring painted red. I'm really happy I did this she looks so good...
Stickers next and is anything like the Estes decals wish me luck. Not so confident this will work out...


Here is the tower added to test fit.


Overall look so far:


I will apply the stickers tonight. Looks like I'm out of Gloss Black and have to pick some up on Friday along with some type of blue for the portholes. The weekend is set for the black trim on the fin area.

 

[Lloyd Leichentritt]

Capsule Stickers:

Expect the worst, hope for the best...



Tower in style:


Freedom & Capsuel:


The tower needs to be gloss cleared and the capsule needs a flat clear that I will try to pick up Friday. (Blue Portholes also)

 

[stickershock23]

OUTSTANDING! very beautiful!