Der Mad Max - The Estes Design on Steroids

[EeebeeE]

Thanks for the info. What is the weight (and length) of the blue-tube MMT ?

My MDRM "EX" is completed except for finishing the NC paint, and I was interested in the weights of your version for comparison purposes as I've never yet used blue-tube. Only the kit's NC, BT, and fin shape & design were used. The BT has a CF overly, as do the fins, which have a G10 foundation with cutouts to save weight. The weight of my 3 completed fins are 18.67oz. My RockSim (as-built) model has a K2045 reaching 6,200 ft and Mach 1.37.

Our rockets would make a nice drag race... :y:

Here is the Open Rocket File. All overridden weights are actual numbers weighed on my scale. I am hoping to fly this at LDRS and NYPower. It would be cool to do a drag race. So you know, the Bluetube definitely needs a filler. I use a 1-part Bondo glazing putty. Fills the grooves real well, dries fast, easy to sand and the paint looks real good. This will be heavier and essentially sims to a mile at Mach 1.23 on a K2045, but the fin thickness is the same as the original.

Like the idea of the paint scheme. I was thinking either a hammered white or a desert sand. Black on top, of course.

View attachment Mega Der Red Max on Steroids.ork

 

[wighty44]

... I was thinking either a hammered white or a desert sand. Black on top, of course.

Because I wanted to preserve the BT's CF mirror finish, I opted for a reverse MDRM color scheme as the photo shows - the NC will be the same red as the fins.

 

[EeebeeE]

Sweet!

 

[K'Tesh]

Gotta say, I like how the fins are locked into place by the CRs. Nice trick!!!

 

[EeebeeE]

Nat at Upscale CNC had designed these with the slots on the outside of the rings and they locked together real well. I had him put the slots on the inside of the rings to lock the fins down on a previous L3 project. Worked very well until I broke a fin. Can't replace it. You also have to assemble the fincan then slide it into a airframe that is slotted all the way to the bottom. But in this case, when I want this thing to break mach, it is good shred insurance.

 

[EeebeeE]

While I had not planned to do a T-to-T treatment on my fins, I am bonding the finroots to the MT with strips of FG. Using a laminating epoxy and 1.5" wide strips of 6 oz. I attach them to the roots, then cover with a plastic bag of lead shot, which helps seal the glass in place. The interlocking fins should hold everything in place, but this application should help a lot to reduce fin flutter. External fillets will be RocketPoxy.

 

[EeebeeE]

And this is how it looks after the glue has set. A very strong FG internal fillet.

 

[RodRocket]

Great thread! I am also collecting parts to build a super MDRM. 54mm motor and PML tubing. The nose cone fits this tubing really well. I am also thinking about an aluninum panel look to the finish, think polished B29 like this. Great thread and will be following!

 

[EeebeeE]

Great thread! I am also collecting parts to build a super MDRM. 54mm motor and PML tubing. The nose cone fits this tubing really well. I am also thinking about an aluninum panel look to the finish, think polished B29 like this. Great thread and will be following!

That would be sweet looking. Der Enola Gay Max? perhaps?

 

[EeebeeE]

Cut the airframe and dry fit the whole thing together. The nose cone has a very snug fit, which will be good in a machbusting flight...no drag sep. Looks just like a Mega Der Red Max.... Until you flip it over. Then it looks considerably more nasty. Wickedly nasty.

 

[djpaulys]

So I'm building the same rocket only I'm using all fg airframe and motor tube and rings
I have vacuumed fg my fins once and I'm wondering if I should do another layer
I used this fg cloth from hd

Thoughts


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[djpaulys]

So I'm building the same rocket only I'm using all fg airframe and motor tube and rings
I have vacuumed fg my fins once and I'm wondering if I should do another layer
I used this fg cloth from hd

Thoughts


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And I did confirm it is a 6oz cloth


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[EeebeeE]

So I'm building the same rocket only I'm using all fg airframe and motor tube and rings
I have vacuumed fg my fins once and I'm wondering if I should do another layer

Surface area of these fins is 294 sq in. or about 1/4 yard. That means the cloth will weigh 1.5 oz. and if you vacuum seal, you will probably need about 2 oz. of epoxy. More weight added to your aft end requires more nose wieght to counter it. You will give up a lot of speed and altitude. This isn't the most aerodynamic bird to begin with.

 

[djpaulys]

Surface area of these fins is 294 sq in. or about 1/4 yard. That means the cloth will weigh 1.5 oz. and if you vacuum seal, you will probably need about 2 oz. of epoxy. More weight added to your aft end requires more nose wieght to counter it. You will give up a lot of speed and altitude. This isn't the most aerodynamic bird to begin with.

So a single layer would be fine


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[EeebeeE]

So a single layer would be fine


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It's a tradeoff. More weight...more strength...lower altitude...lower speed...less likely to shred...less flutter. Depends on what you want the bird to do.

 

[EeebeeE]

Fillets are done. Used RocketPoxy. Nice and smooth.

 

[djpaulys]

How much weight you putting in your nose
I plan to use 20oz but I'm using a j300 54mm motor


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[kcobbva]

.View attachment 307271

THAT is awesome looking! Very well done!

 

[kcobbva]

Fillets are done. Used RocketPoxy. Nice and smooth.

View attachment 307884

Very nice. My daughter is building her first MDRM right now. Always great to see this rocket getting built. This one will look really nice!

 

[wighty44]

THAT is awesome looking! Very well done!

Thanks. This is the finished rocket...

 

[wighty44]

How much weight you putting in your nose
I plan to use 20oz but I'm using a j300 54mm motor

I used ~159g (5.6oz) by opening up the NC, adding a bulkhead (~9" from the NC tip), 2-part foam, and a 1/4-20 threaded rod assembly with an eye bolt. A 54mm CTI J240 yields a SM of 0.98 - 1.33 for a 54mm CTI K635.

 

[kcobbva]

oh wow! that really is awesome. did Mark make those decals? really Sharp looking all around!!

 

[wighty44]

Yes. He reversed a couple of colors to work with my inverted color scheme - red NC, black BT vs. the traditional colors.

 

[DAllen]

View attachment 303806

HOW CAN YOU HAVE A MAD MAX THEME AND NO TOE-CUTTER? SHEEZ KIDS THESE DAYS

 

[EeebeeE]

HOW CAN YOU HAVE A MAD MAX THEME AND NO TOE-CUTTER? SHEEZ KIDS THESE DAYS

View attachment 310212

This is a "Road Warrior" theme. Tried to find a good image of the boomerang cutting off fingers, but there was none that looked good enough.

 

[EeebeeE]

The paint scheme ended up being a “Carbon Mist Metallic” for the nose cone and a “Hammered White for the air frame. The decals should show up very well on this. Need to do a couple more coats on the hammered white to cover off the leading edges of the fins. Because they are sanded birch ply, they are just sucking up the paint.
Someone asked about Nose Cone Ballast… Since I am putting electronics there, I am thinking I only need about 6-8 oz.

Decal paper should arrive next week. Then we shall see if it is as cool as In think it will be.

 

[EeebeeE]

Decals are always a struggle when they are as large as those on an MDRM... but home-printed decals are even harder. Still... I think this worked out. Here are finished photos. Unfortunately "the Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla" decal failed. might add that later.

 

[redleder]

Looks awesome.


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[T-Rex]

Outstanding!!

 

[chris m]

Who make the cone that will work for this see estes is out of stock for a kit and don't sell the cone