Estes Big Daddy....... but.....

[StreuB1]

So I've always wanted an Estes Big Daddy. I've also been working on building, fixing, and upgrading, several rockets lately. All of them complex. I am sure you all know the feeling when working on a host of more complex rockets back to back to back. That you sometimes say to yourself "Man, I should build a small, cheap, simple rocket again, like back in the old days.

So, I did just that. I bought a Big Daddy off of Amazon. It just showed up 20min ago. Unboxed it, unbagged it, began examining the parts.

Big balsa fins...... they'll need to be paper skinned with CA or epoxy.

Paperboard centering rings...... don't like that at all. Need to make new more robust ones.

Plastic chute...... need a top flight thin mill upgrade.

Rubber shock cord with folded paper mount...... yeah, not sure about that.

Then.....I set the 24mm MMT aside it.

Then my 29/40-120 RMS case next to it......


Then...... yeah.

So, anyone have any suggestions before I set my 54/852 case next to it???

38/240 looks great actually. The 29/180 would need the NC modified as its too long.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Step 1) replace the balsa fins with 1/8 ply.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Step 2) Order more and build one of each.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

With through-the-wall fin tabs, the paper centering rings are probably good enough, and yellow glue is good enough. Leave off the aft ring until last, and glue fillets everywhere (forward cr, motor mount, inside body tube, outside body tube). I've been thinking about a similar project, and was thinking if it would advantageous to add internal "tabs", equal spaced between the fins, but only between the body and motor mount (between forward and aft cr).

 

[OzHybrid]

Ask your wife. When she says "why are you asking me, I don't care" Carbon fibre fins., Machined alloy retainer, Tungsten for the additional nose weight, new flight computer, that full alloy launch tower and trailer you've wanted, solar panels for it......
29mm and ply fins should give you a lot of fun.

 

[StreuB1]

Ask your wife. When she says "why are you asking me, I don't care" Carbon fibre fins., Machined alloy retainer, Tungsten for the additional nose weight, new flight computer, that full alloy launch tower and trailer you've wanted, solar panels for it......
29mm and ply fins should give you a lot of fun.

I don't have one of those; eternally single. All my money goes to me.

 

[user 35280]

Buy the 24mm and 29mm BMS 3” diameter School Rockets also.

 

[StreuB1]

Buy the 24mm and 29mm BMS 3” diameter School Rockets also.

I'm sorry but I cannot figure out what you are saying....

 

[user 35280]

I'm sorry but I cannot figure out what you are saying....

Buy this rocket kit from BMS. They also make/sell a upgraded version that uses a 29mm motor.
https://www.balsamachining.com/3inchschool.pdf

 

[user 35280]

So I've always wanted an Estes Big Daddy. I've also been working on building, fixing, and upgrading, several rockets lately. All of them complex. I am sure you all know the feeling when working on a host of more complex rockets back to back to back. That you sometimes say to yourself "Man, I should build a small, cheap, simple rocket again, like back in the old days.

So, I did just that. I bought a Big Daddy off of Amazon. It just showed up 20min ago. Unboxed it, unbagged it, began examining the parts.

Big balsa fins...... they'll need to be paper skinned with CA or epoxy.

Paperboard centering rings...... don't like that at all. Need to make new more robust ones.

Plastic chute...... need a top flight thin mill upgrade.

Rubber shock cord with folded paper mount...... yeah, not sure about that.

Then.....I set the 24mm MMT aside it.

Then my 29/40-120 RMS case next to it......


Then...... yeah.

So, anyone have any suggestions before I set my 54/852 case next to it???

38/240 looks great actually. The 29/180 would need the NC modified as its too long.


View attachment 501265

View attachment 501259

View attachment 501260

View attachment 501261

View attachment 501262

https://www.launchlabrocketry.com/shop/p/vanderburnbigdaddy24mmupgradekithttps://www.launchlabrocketry.com/shop/p/vanderburnbigdaddy29mmupgradekithttps://www.launchlabrocketry.com/shop/p/vanderburnbigdaddy38mmupgradekithttps://www.rocketryworks.com/plywood-big-daddy-upgrade-set/

 

[Sandy H.]

[snip]

you sometimes say to yourself "Man, I should build a small, cheap, simple rocket again, like back in the old days.

[/snip]

Mine is completely stock except for parachute and I added kevlar to the motor tube and use a long piece of masons line instead of elastic. Still 24mm, stock fins without paper, stock centering rings.

It flies great on the Aerotech E11-3J which is a 'cheap' reload since it comes in a 3 pack for the 24/40 case. The black smoke looks nice too. I feel like I've flown it on the 24/60 case before, but not 100% sure. It seems like the E11J motors might not be in production, as I can't find stock at the typical places, but there is stock of various other 24mm reloads. I would leave the motor hook off and get rid of the front motor block (or at least hollow it out more so you can fit the reload cases if desired).

So, my vote is leave it alone, with the minor changes to the recovery attachment and motor block being the only change. And then follow sSooner Boomer's post #3!

Sandy.

 

[OzHybrid]

I don't have one of those; eternally single. All my money goes to me.

How do you make decisions about what to avoid hitting when you're driving? .......

 

[tfish]

Full send!



Tony

 

[StreuB1]

Full send!

View attachment 501320

Tony

 

[StreuB1]

How do you make decisions about what to avoid hitting when you're driving? .......

 

[teepot]

The BMS 3" rocket is a very good kit. I have built several. With a 29mm mmt and the payload bay it is easy to make it dual deploy. Ply fins, TTW. Good stuff. As for the Big Baddy I like the 29mm. And I think you need a tracker. I think a 38mm would have it teleport to another dimension.

 

[StreuB1]

The BMS 3" rocket is a very good kit. I have built several. With a 29mm mmt and the payload bay it is easy to make it dual deploy. Ply fins, TTW. Good stuff. As for the Big Baddy I like the 29mm. And I think you need a tracker. I think a 38mm would have it teleport to another dimension.

I'm dying!!

I599 in the 54/426 case or the H669 in the 38/240 case might make it evaporate....

H999 in the 38/360 would fit if I gutted the NC.....it might hit Alpha Centauri

 

[dr wogz]

I say leabve it alone, build the kit as intended.

BUT

build a clone of it with all teh plywood upgrades & ether the 29mm or 38mm mount... (Do go 38mm & HED end deploy!!)

Why buy a kit to just replace 60-80% of the parts?

 

[hball55]

Full send!

View attachment 501320

Tony

Tony, is that the one that A.J. flew? Love that case too. Is that the LDRS one? I have the same but from NARAM 42, all but the 1080 case.

 

[tfish]

Tony, is that the one that A.J. flew? Love that case too. Is that the LDRS one? I have the same but from NARAM 42, all but the 1080 case.

yes! he built it when he was 13. He'as 30 something now. He should be at the next Snow Ranch launch with 'his' son.

time flies...faster then rockets sometimes!

not sure on the case...I'm not 'into them' other then it being a motor case.

Tony

 

[viney266]

I built one bone stock. Thinking about building a 2nd one with a 29mm mount and upgrading the bits with Vandenberg parts.

 

[hball55]

yes! he built it when he was 13. He'as 30 something now. He should be at the next Snow Ranch launch with 'his' son.

time flies...faster then rockets sometimes!

not sure on the case...I'm not 'into them' other then it being a motor case.

Tony

Awesome, I’ll be at the next Snow Ranch launch too. I’ll be sure to look him up.

 

[DigBaddy]

I thought I did a build thread on my 29mm BD build, guess not. It's a recent creation, and it hasn't flown yet, so don't take anything I type seriously. In trying to use as much of the kit as I could, I went with 1/64" ply skins over the stock balsa. I've done a couple rockets like this recently and it comes in lighter than full ply and from what I can tell, they are incredibly strong. Even with 60g of nose weight, nomex, nylon chute, etc this BD will fly just fine on adapted-down E20 motors or E23 reloads. The front CR is ply, the rear is one of the original cardstock rings just expanded for the larger motors.

This then gives you a chance to fix the short fin tabs (as pictured). The slots in the BT are longer than the fins' tabs.

 

[Donnager]

I'd build three of them.
One 29mm, One 38mm, and One 54mm.

The 38mm has flown an H-550. The 54 has only been on an H-238, so far, but was built for a J250.
29mm has balsa fins. 38mm has plywood fins. 54mm has balsa with fiberglass. I'd suggest stiffening the tube above the motor if you want to rock and roll. Plan on 4-10 oz of weight in the nose depending on what you want to do.

 

[DigBaddy]

I'd build three of them.
One 29mm, One 38mm, and One 54mm.

The 38mm has flown an H-550. The 54 has only been on an H-238, so far, but was built for a J250.
29mm has balsa fins. 38mm has plywood fins. 54mm has balsa with fiberglass. I'd suggest stiffening the tube above the motor if you want to rock and roll. Plan on 4-10 oz of weight in the nose depending on what you want to do.

View attachment 501368

I'd add a 24mm as well; it's a nice small field rocket on 24mm Ds and Es.

Then build a clustered version

 

[Donnager]

I'd add a 24mm as well; it's a nice small field rocket on 24mm Ds and Es.

Then build a clustered version

You may be right. I've just seen so many 24mm's not go as high as I'd like and the delays were not correct. When I build one, it tends to be overweight and heavier than the motor recommendations can allow.

Realistically, any high performance vehicle I own is at eminent risk of turning into a drag race car. Unfortunately, this performance issue has manifested itself in Big Daddy customizations.

Cluster is on the list, now.

 

[DigBaddy]

I think the OP is probably now overwhelmed with options That's ok, just need to build a lot of Big Daddies.

Really a shame Estes doesn't offer the BT and nosecone separate; so many of these get modded or custom built...

 

[K'Tesh]

My only recommendation.... Make sure you adjust the fit of the nosecone (per the instructions), or modify it (to prevent it drag separating and venting your ejection charge (leading to a lawn dart). A lot of people miss the step about adjusting the fit of the nosecone, and this kit seems to have a problem with lawndarts.

 

[pathtouch]

My vote: Build it stock as an experiment to see the limits of balsa and paper centering rings. I bet we’d all be surprised. If it ever fails in a spectacular fashion, build back better.

You said yourself that you have too many projects, make this a cheap beater that gets flown a lot!

 

[Joekeyo]

Mine has papered fins and Kevlar shock cord that runs the length of the BT then terminates in a loop; cloth/elastic after that. I used a longer MM that ends where the NC shoulder begins. I tuck an 18" nylon chute between the MM and BT. Flies great on E12s. Weathercocks in moderate winds.