Estes Ventris (Pro Series II)

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https://www.estesrockets.com/rockets/pro-series/rockets/builder-kits/009701-ventris-ps-rocket

In general, I am not overly impressed with Estes models they are marketing today. But the
Ventris caught my eye at a Hobby Lobby visit and with a 40% off coupon, I purchased it.
Even though I have not been building and launch the last few years. I still have been collecting
kits (30-40) and engines (144 after yesterday).

Well a few days ago I started on the Ventris. My plans are to fly it with the Aerotech Hobby
Line RMS 29/40-120 series of engines.





I am going to modify a few things from the kit.
1) Shock cord mounting
2) Parachute stop, I post pictures later. it keep the wadding and chute forward in the BT.
3) I am going to mount an altimeter in the forward bay.

Color scheme will likely be simple bright and possibly a roll pattern.

 

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I forgot to comment on the second picture in the previous post. The aft most BT had a
slight crease in it, so I cut off .75 inches of the tube coupler and slid it the BT to reinforce
the crease with some 30 minute epoxy it straightened out the crease nicely and is not
visible from the exterior. The MMT and fins went on smoothly.

So after reading on how many of you like your Titebond II, I retrieved my bottle, never
used it on any rockets, Holy ****!! you guys ain't kidding when you say it grabs! Like a
drowning man going under for the third time. Might have to rethink that next time I try
it. I got the tubes mated but barely.

Tonight's work continued...

Since I am going to install an altimeter to this rocket, I cut out the bottom of the NC for
2 reasons. The altimeter is a barometric style so the added volume in the bay will not
hurt the performance and will hopefully minimize some transients. Also it removes a small
amount of mass from the rocket.


I like using a long piece of Kevlar cord that reaches outside of the BT I have lost too many
shock cords over the years to the heat from ejection charges that even as a kid I was using
heavy cotton cord that I then tied to the shock cord. The 'X' in the couple is to limit the
movement of the wadding, harness/cord and chute under the high g's at launch. I have
had a few borderline stable rocket loose stability at launch due to movement aft of the
recovery system. If I don't have a baffle I glue in a X to limit movement. Since I did not
want to go to the effort of a baffle in this rocket I just used my old X block.


Okay how many times have you all gone looking for something in your shop and it was
missing only to find out later that your spouse or kids "borrowed" it. Well my 1/4" dowel
rod the perfectly straight one I used to align launch lugs is holding up a bean plant in my
wife garden... Never to be straight again... So a fiberglass gun cleaning rod is being use
to insure launch lug alignment.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Looks like a nice build and some cool mods. I like the X-shape chute shelf. There are a few kits that seem to let the chute, wadding, recovery gear, etc. slide too far aft, especially in the PSII line. The X is a nice simple solution. Rockets like the Partizon and Leviathan could use that, or a baffle, or other chute shelf. I've got a ventris in the build pile and will get to it eventually, so I like seeing other people's techniques.

I use Titebond II for a lot of the build, but I've been using Gorilla Glue for couplers. It doesn't grab like wood glue. It be panda a little bit, so you need to clamp it in place while it cures.

Great story about the perfectly straight dowel! This is just what I need for the bean plants! Of course, my wife has to deal with me turning the laundry table into the "rocket factory", so turnabout is fair play, I guess! I've got a couple of old Estes 3/16" and 1/4" rods I use to align lugs, and mostly now I use ACME rail guides and align then with an aluminum angle.

Looking forward to the rest of the build!

 

[HHaase]

I love the x-shelf, will have to incorporate that in the future.

In place of your dowel, look into an incra bend-rule. I've been eyeballing them for a while now.

 

[EXPjawa]

I haven't built my Ventris yet, but on both my Argent & the Leviathan that I'm building, I've gone to buttons. Pretty much anything big enough to use two lugs spaced a distance apart gets either micro, mini or 1010 buttons now. That makes aligning them very easy.

 

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But I've been using Gorilla Glue for couplers. It doesn't grab like wood glue. It be panda a little bit, so you need to clamp it in place while it cures.

I have Gorilla Glue on the shelf my try that next time around I was concerned that the off
gassing of CO2 in a PU glue would be an issue, but if clamping the tubes works I will have
to try it. Thanks.

In place of your dowel, look into an incra bend-rule. I've been eyeballing them for a while now.

I think I am just going to purchase some extra drill rod and keep them in my steel stock pile
for use. Drill rod is tool steel so it is strong and stiff, I use it for my launch rods but those
are too long for lug alignment. I purchase it from www.use-enco.com. The do rust so after
use is clean them and oil them with some RP prior to storing them. Drill rod is stiffer then
SS rods.

I haven't built my Ventris yet, but on both my Argent & the Leviathan that I'm building, I've gone to buttons. Pretty much anything big enough to use two lugs spaced a distance apart gets either micro, mini or 1010 buttons now. That makes aligning them very easy.

I have a 6 foot piece of aluminum rail I am pretty sure it is 1515 rail will have to measure
later and see. I got it free from a friend when they were ripping out of where he works.
I started on some plans to build a pad from it. Any suggestions on buttons for 1515 rail?

Ohh so many ideas... so many projects... oh so little time...

 

[rharshberger]

I have Gorilla Glue on the shelf my try that next time around I was concerned that the off
gassing of CO2 in a PU glue would be an issue, but if clamping the tubes works I will have
to try it. Thanks.


I think I am just going to purchase some extra drill rod and keep them in my steel stock pile
for use. Drill rod is tool steel so it is strong and stiff, I use it for my launch rods but those
are too long for lug alignment. I purchase it from www.use-enco.com. The do rust so after
use is clean them and oil them with some RP prior to storing them. Drill rod is stiffer then
SS rods.


I have a 6 foot piece of aluminum rail I am pretty sure it is 1515 rail will have to measure
later and see. I got it free from a friend when they were ripping out of where he works.
I started on some plans to build a pad from it. Any suggestions on buttons for 1515 rail?

Ohh so many ideas... so many projects... oh so little time...

Check out www.railbuttons.com he has micro, mini, 1010, 1515 railbuttons.

 

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Recap of tonight's efforts.

My 3 in one, roller brake and shear, I know she is in poor shape an need some
attention and TLC, this winter.


She still works well, made a small bracket for my altimeter platform


All the bits and bobs (I hang with too many Englishmen) to assemble the
altimeter platform. I am using an old Transolv P6K altimeter. I have 2 of
them. I will not have any worries on nose weight on this puppy!


Assembled altimeter platform, quarter views.


First look at it together, I like it.

 

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Check out www.railbuttons.com he has micro, mini, 1010, 1515 railbuttons.

Thank you sir!

 

[K'Tesh]

Recap of tonight's efforts.
All the bits and bobs (I hang with too many Englishmen) to assemble the
altimeter platform. I am using an old Transolv P6K altimeter. I have 2 of
them. I will not have any worries on nose weight on this puppy!
View attachment 268430

Assembled altimeter platform, quarter views.
View attachment 268429 View attachment 268428 View attachment 268427 View attachment 268426

Nice looking bit of kit you have there... (I used to live in England).

KUTGW!

 

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Don't know if I will get any work done tonight. Was tasked by SWMBO to build a new hog
enclosure for our boar as the sow is about to pop a new litter of piglets.

 

[Anthony Bean]

This is my favorite Pro Series II to fly next to the Mega Der Red Max. I have flown the Ventris to death. I lost it a few months ago. Everything worked great but couldn't find it in all the brush at the launch site. I took advantage of the Estes 4th of July sale and got four Pro Series II rockets basically for the price of one. It includes another Ventris. I built mine with all epoxy but it really doesn't need it. I've been using the Titebond II for the small rockets my son and I build for him and it works great. Anyway, here is a video of my Ventris on a G40.

[video=youtube;LtkjkJ2-yZQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtkjkJ2-yZQ[/video]

 

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Don't know if I will get any work done tonight. Was tasked by SWMBO to build a new hog
enclosure for our boar as the sow is about to pop a new litter of piglets.

The project was an electric fencing, got all the post and insulators done yesterday, strung
all the wire today and spliced it into the existing fence. Since hogs are low riders compared
to the horses and steers, we had to run wires closer to the ground. I still need to build a
\shelter for the hog, maybe I will start on that today maybe not, daylight will be a determining
factor pending me getting enough prep for tomorrow done, I guess I have to keep my boss
happy (my work boss not the wife). Maybe will have some time tonight to get out to the
shop and work on the rockets, one can only hope.

 

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I have satellite internet, so I am happy working on work stuff and a line of storms rolls past,
bye-bye internet. So it was pouring rain, so I am not going to the shop ~125 feet from the
house. So grabbed my notes and decided to put my RockSim file together. See attached.
I do not have the launch lugs on it yet as I have to learn how to do subassemblies first, I think
since they are stand off lugs. Still a newby on RockSim, also I am run v8.1.1, need to upgrade
someday.

View attachment Ventris.rkt

 

[noffie79]

How's the Ventris build coming along? Mine came in the mail today and I started on the MMT and fins. Eight hours of dry time until I get back home from work!

 

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How's the Ventris build coming along? Mine came in the mail today and I started on the MMT and fins. Eight hours of dry time until I get back home from work!

Been on hold, spent the weekend and evening, moving around farm critters.
It is built not painted.

 

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Snuck out at lunch and sprayed a coat of primer.

 

[noffie79]

Mine is about 75 percent built. Should be able to finish tomorrow or Sunday. Then it'll be on to priming and painting. I think I'm going with the Estes paint scheme.

 

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In general, I view paint to me a necessary evil,
I generally only pay attention on scale models.
Other wise I go for bright and easy to see and
recover.

 

[Shade]

Mine is about 75 percent built. Should be able to finish tomorrow or Sunday. Then it'll be on to priming and painting. I think I'm going with the Estes paint scheme.

Are you putting a payload on it?

 

[noffie79]

No, I'm new to the MPR, so I'm going with the KISS principle. Someday I'll get into DD, payloads, etc.

 

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Waiting on help to move the boar. So I grabbed some rattle can to spray some paint.
IH Red bad can, tossed it; Persian Orange, bad can, tossed it... Copper, Yeah it worked!
So the transition, payload BT and NC are copper. Gloss white on the rest of it. going to
paint a basic roll pattern on the fins.

 

[noffie79]

That'll look sharp! Share some pics when it's finished!

 

[Shade]

That'll look sharp! Share some pics when it's finished!

I will, how about some pictures of yours!

I was hoping to paint some more tonight but the boar decided he did not like his new
enclosure and busted out, 1/2 mile chase, 2 hours finally got him amazing how stubborn
a 400 pound hog can be. Got him back home and locked up. Hog panels to be added
tomorrow and try again...


All in all good, hog is home, nobody got hurt.

 

[noffie79]

Lol, damn hogs! Always interrupting rocket building! Well, I'm almost home from work and I'll be finishing the fin fillets (epoxy). After that, all I need to do is mount the shock cord then I can paint. Probably won't start that until early next week as I'm busy this weekend. I copied Max Thrust's build of his Leviathan and I'm building my Ventris basically the same way. With these PS II kits at $22.50, hard to pass up. I'm still learning, but this build is easier than the first. And at that price, if I screw something so bad that I destroy my rocket, I won't cry...too much. I'm building them per instructions, so nothing crazy for me. Yet! But I'll post pics when it's finished.

 

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Just finished dinner; eggs, bacon, potatoes and an English muffin.

Eggs from our chickens,
Venison bacon,
Potatoes from the wife's garden.

Okay the muffins were from the store...

Time to sleep, morning trip to Farm and Fleet for supplies to fence in the hog, try again tomorrow.

 

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We tried moving the pig (boar) to his out side pen Friday night. Well he and
the electric fence did not get along and he busted out, he ran until he got to
the drainage ditch about 1/4 mile away, SWMBO, the kids and my neighbors
caught up to him there, He was enjoying the water and mud and blowing
bubbles in the water. Slowly and will great effort, and several hours later we
got him back in to the barn and in his stall.

Saturday started off with a $500 plus trip to Farm and Fleet for hog panels
and other misc. supplies. Spent the afternoon installing the hog panels
around the outside of the hog pen and adding colored electrical wire with the
solid wire around the pens. Move some spare 21 foot gates to the outside of
that in the area he busted through the night before, just for some added
visual blockage.

Saturday evening, got the help together again and slowly moved him toward
the pen, he did not want to go. it is really fun trying to coax a 400 pound hog
to do something he really does not want to do, but we did it, Maybe I should
hire myself out as a pig whisperer... once we got him in he only tested the
fence once, we had a rope harness on him and got him slowed down and
calmed down. It was the only test he tried. He slept all night in the same
spot. We put the goat in the pen with him, they are buddies all winter in the
barn. The goat seemed to calm the pig down.

Sunday Morning, he is playing bulldozer and seems quite happy so far, keep a
respectful distance from the fence. I am sore... Farmer version of resistance
training, moving a reluctant hog. I am just glad he like his humans, he never
once tried to bite or hurt anyone, just was rather stubborn.

Maybe I will get some time in the shop today to work on the Rocket...

 

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Short update, it is painted, though I may add some more color to it. Depends on motivation
and time. It is ready to fly as it. Now I just need time and good weather. I know some of
really do a magnificent job on painting, I view paint as a necessary evil. :grin:

 

[K'Tesh]

Looking Good Ron!

I was suddenly reminded of the Estes Polaris... Hmmm perhaps some blue is in order.

Here's foose4string's Polaris