- Joined
- Feb 5, 2016
- Messages
- 257
- Reaction score
- 40
Ive had this Estes Nike Smoke kit on my build pile and I thought it was time to give it some consideration. I'm not really sure how quickly this build will go as I've decided a stock build was not going to cut it for this one. I tried to talk myself into building it stock as it is really just a nice looking kit. But the more I looked at the rocket the more it screamed to be modded.
The stock motor mount is a 29mm, that's nice, but a 38mm would be so much cooler!
Centering Rings/Motor Mount:
I had a PML 38mm MMT laying around waiting to be used, I liked the fin lock system on the original kit but its going to need some rework for a 38mm tube. I drew up some centering rings and cut them from 3/32 G10 on my router just to see how feasible this whole idea is.
The original Estes rings were pretty loose so I added a bit to these. As a result it took a bit of sanding to get them to fit but now I have a set that fits perfect.
I placed notches in the forward centering ring to allow for the attachment of a Kevlar shock.
Fins:
I like the fins that came with it, I have a few doubts, I need to get them assembled to see how rigid they are. With the 38mm motor the fin tabs will need to be trimmed, however if they are not stiff enough I may build some new fins with a G10 core. One of the other options is to do a fiberglass tip to tip. I was looking earlier today at paint schemes other than the standard White/Yellow/Red scheme.
So the first step was to go ahead and assemble the fins and see how they come out. I noticed the edges come together well, but have some gaps, I decided to tape along the edges of the fin and then use binder clips to clamp the edges. The tape helps to protect from scratches and gives the clips a little more bite.
Body Tube:
The tube is very nice, the spirals are barely noticeable, that being said I think it needs a little more to hold up to the 38mm motor. Im thinking about a couple wraps of fiberglass on the body which will mean peeling the glassine. This would actually be my first attempt at glassing a tube
Nosecone:
The nosecone on this thing is huge, I would like to turn this into an AV Bay. Adding electronics to the nose will move some weight forward and help to offset the larger motor. The one thing I really need to do is build out the open rocket model, so I can get a better idea of where exactly I sit and how high this might fly. I will most likely fly this as a dual deployment of some kind. It would be a shame for me to build a rocket and not put in some of my Rocket Junkie charge wells (sorry shameless plug).
That's the start, I'll update the build as I progress.
Thanks
Mendal
The stock motor mount is a 29mm, that's nice, but a 38mm would be so much cooler!
Centering Rings/Motor Mount:
I had a PML 38mm MMT laying around waiting to be used, I liked the fin lock system on the original kit but its going to need some rework for a 38mm tube. I drew up some centering rings and cut them from 3/32 G10 on my router just to see how feasible this whole idea is.
The original Estes rings were pretty loose so I added a bit to these. As a result it took a bit of sanding to get them to fit but now I have a set that fits perfect.
I placed notches in the forward centering ring to allow for the attachment of a Kevlar shock.
Fins:
I like the fins that came with it, I have a few doubts, I need to get them assembled to see how rigid they are. With the 38mm motor the fin tabs will need to be trimmed, however if they are not stiff enough I may build some new fins with a G10 core. One of the other options is to do a fiberglass tip to tip. I was looking earlier today at paint schemes other than the standard White/Yellow/Red scheme.
So the first step was to go ahead and assemble the fins and see how they come out. I noticed the edges come together well, but have some gaps, I decided to tape along the edges of the fin and then use binder clips to clamp the edges. The tape helps to protect from scratches and gives the clips a little more bite.
Body Tube:
The tube is very nice, the spirals are barely noticeable, that being said I think it needs a little more to hold up to the 38mm motor. Im thinking about a couple wraps of fiberglass on the body which will mean peeling the glassine. This would actually be my first attempt at glassing a tube
Nosecone:
The nosecone on this thing is huge, I would like to turn this into an AV Bay. Adding electronics to the nose will move some weight forward and help to offset the larger motor. The one thing I really need to do is build out the open rocket model, so I can get a better idea of where exactly I sit and how high this might fly. I will most likely fly this as a dual deployment of some kind. It would be a shame for me to build a rocket and not put in some of my Rocket Junkie charge wells (sorry shameless plug).
That's the start, I'll update the build as I progress.
Thanks
Mendal