Executioner, Day 2

[NewEntity1]

Since I work two jobs, I have weird hours off. Currently, my 'days off' consider of Friday morning ( I work through the night), all of Saturday, and Monday Evening, heh.

At any rate, today (Friday), I had some more time to put into the Executioner project.

Attached is a picture of the forward baffled centering ring I created. The steel washer surrounds the smaller hole where the steel leader for the recovery attachment will pass through.

This item was made completely from scratch...I started with a blank sheet of 3/32" model airplane plywood.

First I used the Estes centering rings that came with the kit as a template, and outlined the centering ring in the plywood with a pencil.

Next, I cut the outer diameter of the centering ring out using a power jigsaw, leaving 1/8" extra material around the outside. I then sanded the outer diameter down to the pencil markings.

After this, I glued the forward Estes centering ring (the one with the slit already in it) directly onto the rough centering ring shape, creating a plywood/cardboard sandwish. I fine sanded some more until the outter diameter exactly matched that of the Estes cardboard.

Next, I drilled a hole through the center of the plywood ring, Then continued to enlarge the hole with a round file, until the inner diameter exactly matched that of the Estas cardboard ring.

After this, I drilled a small 3/16" hole through the slit in the Estes ring and into the plywood, creating the hole for the recovery leader to pass through. I drilled three additional 3/8" holes around the combined centering ring after this ( I didn't line 'em up right with the first hole, but it wont matter). These will act as the baffle holes to allow the ejection gasses to pass through.

Next (pant pant...all these steps for one frickin ring! ...I attached a steel washer over the recovery hole, so that the steel leader wouldn't tear through the plywood down to the mount tube. The steel leader will be fed through itself and wrapped around the mount tube, this time.

As a last step (done after photo was taken), I coated the ring in a thin layor of epoxy for additional strength.

 

[NewEntity1]

Here is the baffle centering ring described above, dry fitted to the mount tube.

 

[NewEntity1]

DAY 3

No new pictures yet, but this morning I epoxied the middle and upper centering rings on, and coating the entire mount tube with epoxy. This was my first use of the West Systems epoxy I purchased. I used a colloidal silica as filler.

Next, I installed the coupler in the upper body tube using a thin epoxy mixture with very little filler. I coated the portion of the coupler that hangs out with epoxy as well, for added strength. Once set, I'll sand it down so still fits in the lower tube. Note: In the Executioner instructions, installing this coupler is the first step in building, but I wanted to get the motor mount completed first, since that's the trickiest operation.

Currently, the epoxy on the mount tube is still curing, but once it has hardened, the next thing I'll do will be to install the steel leader that acts as the recovery attachment point.

 

[Stymye]

new entity
I'm curious,
Why all the heavy duty mods? is this a 29mm?
mine flys on f motors stock built with yellow glue...the BT area above the fins needs more renforcing from landings tho since the tubing is so thin

I planned to beef one up last summer but found that a Loc Graduator was cheaper in the long run and very simular.so I bought that instead.

let er rip!

 

[NewEntity1]

Why all the heavy duty mods? is this a 29mm?

More than anything, I'm just paranoid

The mount is just 24mm...but the stock estes body tube tore apart on me when the AG50 fin mount tube got stuck...so I had to replace the motor mount tube as a minimum. ...I had no choice, there.

The baffle and recovery attachment changes were planned from the beginning though. Me and recovering wadding just don't seem to get along ...so I designed it with a baffle. My next midpower...which may well be a graduater, btw, will also have a baffle added (unless the kit comes with one already).

The steel leader was suggested to me by other TRF members for my previous project. It worked out well, so I was going to use it again (at least until I can get ahold of some kevlar thread ).

I will also be use a TopFlight parachute...Estes chutes just blow . I also plan on using both the elastic that came with the kit, and a second length of elastic connected to the leader as well. My last rocket died when it's shock cord burned through, so I wanted redundancy. The plywood CR and steel washer were also to strengthen the recovery mount point...your probably beginning to get the idea I don't trust recovery systems much

 

[NewEntity1]

Oh and one more thing...modding is fun

On a side issue: West Systems mini-pumps. The store I bought my West Systems epoxy from didn't give me any mini pumps when I bought the epoxy, and I didn't notice any for sale seperately at the store, either. I thought they came with the cans themselves...do they not come with the smallest size cans?

 

[Stymye]

yes modding is fun,,I have very few rockets that are truely stock

I think the pumps are a seperate item.I have not used the pump system .

for large jobs (like glassing)
I have been measuring out in plastic cups the 1 to 5 ratio and have had complete sucess so far..

I also use the west system for all my smaller epoxy jobs ..I keep some resin and hardener in hot sauce bottles and just count the drops(5 to 1)

a great way to save on top quality epoxy!

looking forward to seeing more progress pics on the build

 

[NewEntity1]

I also use the west system for all my smaller epoxy jobs ..I keep some resin and hardener in hot sauce bottles and just count the drops(5 to 1)

Thats a great Idea! I'll have to save that squeezable catchup bottle...

I'm working today, until evening, and Tomarrow, daytime ( 7am to 3pm ouch!)...so there won't be any new build pics until Monday night or Tuesday morning, alas.