Finally Building my 29mm Mercury Engineering Integrator, with R.W. upgrades.

[86mustang408w]

Took the chute protector from SBB, it will work fine for this. Its about 14" x 14", big but universal.

I also picked up hair bands for the chute release. They have bigger sizes but these are best for now. I tried one type in the store and it broke, lol. So grabbed these, got home, broke one. To the very left is what I'll probably use.

 

[86mustang408w]

Put glue in the hole I used the syringe in, that needs to dry. Going to drill the pressure relief hole or holes, might go with two. Then start with sanding then ill prep for primer. I also sat down with OpenRocket, I weighed it yesterday its still lighter at 1221 grams, with a few things added to that and primer/paint it will be a little more.


The weight now in OR is 1340g w/o motor, so I did simulations on a few motors(I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to sue until I get there but have a very close idea). So I'm preparing for using a little but of wider range but of the lower H impulse range from a H100 to a H138, H165, etc. Also checked out the flight sim/info for them but going to do more and again. I've also been paying attention what over guys use, how much theirs weigh, and what ejection time they used, etc... But once I get it sprayed and a final weight, I'll sit down Thursday night and do sims, probably print that out too.

 

[JoeFilgas]

Looking great!

 

[86mustang408w]

Looking great!

Thanks Joe, its not easy physically, lol. I'm doing my best its looking ok for the first high power build.

 

[86mustang408w]

Didn't do much last night, but sanded down where the body tubes meet quite a bit, then drilled two 1/8" pressure relief/vent holes. Then this morning started sanding things down. Took out the rail buttons then got over those as well. I took a q-tip and cut it, then stuck it in the vent holes, taped around the inside where the NC shoulder will be, and the motor retainer base/tube. I covered the fins too to leave them white, I'm hitting it today(just the airframe) with that sandable primer/filler. Then maybe fill a few spots and sand a little, then hit those spots again. So the fins and NC will just stay white for now and the airframe will be the primer grey. When I was done sanding I out the rail buttons back in then put tape over them, and wiped it all down twice with rubbing alcohol. I stayed away from using it heavily on the fillets.

I decided about a week or so ago I wasn't going to paint for a few reasons: I didn't want to rush it, im still not sure what colors yet, and it takes well over a week to wait and tape off/hit any other colors. I want it in flyable condition, and thats where its at. Ill probably fill in some spots later on, sand them 2night, and maybe even spray again. I want a closer final/fly weight so I can do sims 2morrow night on OpenRocket and winter it all down. I'm pretty good with remembering numbers but want something to look at. I'm not sure exactly what motor yet but like mentioned above it won't be any wild motor. I know about what the vendor has and a few more sims to run yet.

 

[86mustang408w]

I forgot to update this last night, but I sprayed it with the primer/filler yesterday after around noon before my last post. I let it dry then filled in where the body tubes meet. I sanded that a little last night but it was still wet, so I waited until this morning to finish sanding it. And I'm not sure how I missed it, but there's a second set of spirals that you can see but not really feel. So I didn't fill them in I did the ones you could feel, but I'll take care of that later on.

I have a few pictures from last night but the 2 lights in the room with the camera flash make it look different shades. I wiped it down with a damp warm sponge and sprayed it again this morning, only because of the smell its in the other room until it dries a little. So those pictures again are not that great. There still some spots that need sanding(especially around the fillets)but and normally would do that. But I might stop here and wait until after flight to finish it.

 

[86mustang408w]

I sanded it down again, and sprayed it also today. Just got the nosecone shock cord knotted to the quicklink, took the tape that was on the nosecone shoulder off and put new stuff on, to tighten that fit up. I sat down too and put a few motor simulations in OpenRocket, I'm still not sure what I'm going to use for sure until I get there.

I'll mess around with a little more tomorrow morning but then its getting packed up in the evening for Saturday. Its not close to done paint wise, not even primer yet. Ill finish that after the flight.

 

[86mustang408w]

I went and got some cash for the motor this morning, got home and loaded the range box. After a few other things got back the the nosecone shoulder, It need a little more tape. That's good, so I pulled the recovery stuff out of the build box and put it all together. And folded it to see how I want to do it.

I finally got a good CG and OpenRocket was alsmot dead on, so I know where the CP is too then. I sat down last night tok and wrote down some motor info and grabbed my paperwork.

 

[86mustang408w]

Well it wasn't a pretty flight the motor freaked and ejected about 2.5 seconds into flight...Definitely a motor issue, and amazing the rocket only took minor damage. L1 Certification done, Ill add more text later on..

 

[86mustang408w]

Last night bit into something and had severe tooth pain, that was at midnight I haven't slept, lol.

Got out of bed this morning(wrote this last night forgot to post) and debated going to URRG in NY. But went for my L1 cert flight after leaving a little late about 9am, We got there at noon, I setup. It was a freak flight about 3pm or so, the motor ejected about 2.5 seconds after ignition. I watched the video a few times and thought maybe the NC came out, it didn't. But I had help with drilling the ejection delay in the Aerotech H135W-14A(I got from the best guy named Ted at OneBadHawk.com.), from Larry W.(URRG President), and Dan Michaels for talking to me afterwards a bit.

I'm really impressed the only damage from this was a minor zipper which was tolerable as it can and could have flown again. So, after 33 years of rockets, I'm finally a L1. I said in May within a year I want to have that L1 attempt, so I'm very happy with this outcome. Honestly though, I kind of felt like I didn't deserve it. But after watching the video and seeing it stay together, I earned that much.

I definitely want to have fun with L1. But my goal was if I got certified L1, was L2 by next year this time but probably Spring 2025. I'm gonna build quite a few other 29mm/38mm L1's over the winter. And have fun too next year with that. I definitely want to build a few DD, L1 rockets before my L2. I want that knowledge even though it isn't required of an L2 flight. Now this tooth...

I'll add a YouTube link in a bit. Oh the igniter that came with was a dud, so had to get another one from Larry. Thank you Larry!!!

Slowed and zoomed the video too, the last 2 pictures you can see the ejection charge go off about 2 seconds in.

 

[86mustang408w]

Here's the motor...

 

[86mustang408w]

Did some further inspection, and the ONLY damage is that minor zipper. I may try to fix it, the CA around the top of the tube definitely helped stop a full zipper.

 

[86mustang408w]

Started working on repairs by patiently undoing the shock cord knot to the nose cone. Starting peeling some layers of the BT back too, this will be a fairly easy fix just a little work. I'm also going to put the chute at the end of the shock cord, like my Super Big Bertha pictured.

I'll add updates as usual and it still needs to be finished for paint. The threads not close to dead and probably won't be ill update every launch and make so others can get info/ideas.

 

[86mustang408w]

I found a random coupler around the house I can use for repairs. Its a shame its only 6", od like to use it for an Av-Bay for the Aerotech G-Force. But might as well just order the right coupler, I looked at Apogge they have them. But im gonna check BSM and other places. I'm definitely looking forward to dual deployment.

But for now this fix should be easy. I started peeling back the layers of body tube. I'm going to leave a thin piece on the inside and then cut off the excess or ruined stuff and use either epoxy or glue to fix it. The choice for epoxy is that I feel it would make a stronger replacement over gluebfoe the NC shouder/cone to sit on.

 

[86mustang408w]

Messed around with a coupler and wax paper(I started with a small piece and tape, and then about 4 others beings just one big piece and the coupler pushed all the way in), and decided too to use a hose clamp to help too to pull the body tube together at one point it still meets very well and can save this. I also found the bottom shoulder of the nosecone earlier. I could really use anything but this has the shape so it will make the top edge flat. I'm still not sure if I'm using glue or epoxy. Gonna rest a while, had oral surgery yesterday they ended up pulling 2 and the one that gave me pain the night before the cert flight, almost 2 weeks ago.

But using the hose clamp ill do the top section first then fill in the bottom. This being I'll probably remove some material under the hose clamp after the top dries. Watch for updates that will explain it all.

 

[86mustang408w]

Well I heated up some Titebond Quick and Thick and poured it on the body tube, I used a heating pad to just get it warm. That stuffs great to the point gravity will pretty much do the work for you if things are warm. But its too thick, after a few mins took it apart and wiped that glue off.

Think I grabbed the Titebond II a little bit after and warmed that up the same way with the heating pad. After a while it was pretty hot, lol. So did the same thing it worked like a charm by just pouring it on the middle. Only thing is that I panicked and took that book case thing off for some reason thought the inner coupler had glue on it and didn't want the body tube/coupler to be stuck together. I spent a while messing around with a way to try and make it work.

Its not going the direction I planned but its going a direction that will work. Thats all that matters. Should have used the wax paper, covered the coupler and taped it to it, then put a big glob of glue at the end.

But I messed with it, turned it, held it one end up or down for a few mins at a time, then used another 4" tube to make the top edge that will meet the nosecone a flatter surface. It probably looks like I'm going crazy theres a method to my madness, lol... Ill let this dry over night good then see what I'm dealing with, definitely need and want to do some sanding too.