Finally Flying My 7.5" Iris

[UPscaler]

Nearly a decade ago I started construction on what was to be my L3 rocket and never came to be so. An all fiberglass (mostly) 7.5" Iris with a 6" motor mount. Why? Because Jerry O'Sullivan had one and it was rad.

Now, though, it's flying at LDRS 39 in Utah. Waiting on a couple of parts but we're almost there!

It weighs 51 pounds with no motor and will be flying on an Aerotech N2220 Dark Matter. Recovery is a Skyangle Cert3 XL and onboard is a Missileworks RRC2+ and an RRC3 Extreme.

It's been a long time coming!
Big thanks to:
Jim Scarpine for cutting the fins and big rocket advice over the years.
Wildman Tim for getting the tubes and components for me and pretending not to get annoyed every time I called as a teenager.
Crazy Jim Hendricksen
Everyone who gave me sh*t for letting this thing sit unfinished and convincing me to actually do it.

and all the people who have encouraged my questionable ideas over the years on this forum and gave me guidance instead of saying no.


Braden

 

[Adam3836]

Beautiful rocket very nice
Good luck !!!!



QUOTE="UPscaler, post: 2155236, member: 2424"]
Nearly a decade ago I started construction on what was to be my L3 rocket and never came to be so. An all fiberglass (mostly) 7.5" Iris with a 6" motor mount. Why? Because Jerry O'Sullivan had one and it was rad.

Now, though, it's flying at LDRS 39 in Utah. Waiting on a couple of parts but we're almost there!

It weighs 51 pounds with no motor and will be flying on an Aerotech N2220 Dark Matter. Recovery is a Skyangle Cert3 XL and onboard is a Missileworks RRC2+ and an RRC3 Extreme.

It's been a long time coming!
Big thanks to:
Jim Scarpine for cutting the fins and big rocket advice over the years.
Wildman Tim for getting the tubes from me and pretending not to get annoyed every time I called as a teenager.
Crazy Jim Hendricksen
Everyone who gave me sh*t for letting this thing sit unfinished and convincing me to actually do it.

and all the people who have encouraged my questionable ideas over the years on this forum and gave me guidance instead of saying no.


Braden
[/QUOTE]

 

[DEmery]

Looks great. I did my level 3 cert many years ago with a scratch built 7.5” Iris at the Salt Flats.

 

[UPscaler]

Looks great. I did my level 3 cert many years ago with a scratch built 7.5” Iris at the Salt Flats.

That's super cool. I unfortunately defaulted to the ol' 4" rocket with an M1297 to get my cert out of the way, but assembled weight tells me this rocket is still within the restraints of an M2200 Skidmark. So, if I can manage to find one this thing will fly on it as originally planned!

Braden

 

[jimzcatz]

With respect to Paul Robinson, the N2220 is Dark Matter not Skidmark. but you already knew that.

 

[UPscaler]

With respect to Paul Robinson, the N2220 is Dark Matter not Skidmark. but you already knew that.

I'm not implying that it is. However, I do think Dark Matter motors are the best sparkies on the market right now and the price this motor was at during Tim's sale made it a no-brainer!

I'm working on lining up an M2200 for it, though. I thought for a while there it was going to be too heavy but it's a good bit lighter than I anticipated.

Braden

 

[jimzcatz]

I'm not implying that it is. However, I do think Dark Matter motors are the best sparkies on the market right now and the price this motor was at during Tim's sale made it a no-brainer!

I'm working on lining up an M2200 for it, though. I thought for a while there it was going to be too heavy but it's a good bit lighter than I anticipated.

Braden

M2200 is good for 100 pounds. I've done 85 myself

 

[Bat-mite]

That looks phenomenal! Here's the real thing at GSFC:

 

[jimzcatz]

Did you edit a post or 2? C'mon fess up. If not I apologize because I totally misunderstood your skidmark reference. I didn't originally see you mention the M2200.

 

[Tim51]

Excuse my ignorance but I can't find any reference to any M2200 motor on Thrustcurve - is it OOP or an EX or something..?

 

[jimzcatz]

The most popular motor in the whole AMW line. I personally have used at least a dozen over the years. Yes, they are out of production but motors never lose their certification

 

[UPscaler]

Did you edit a post or 2? C'mon fess up. If not I apologize because I totally misunderstood your skidmark reference. I didn't originally see you mention the M2200.

I did mention that it is within the weight restraints of an M2200 on the post above yours, but it wasn't mentioned in my original post. I can see why you'd think so, though, because that's the motor I've wanted to fly it on for a decade!

Excuse my ignorance but I can't find any reference to any M2200 motor on Thrustcurve - is it OOP or an EX or something..?

The Animal Motor Works M2200 Skidmark was a six-grain 75mm sparky that, in my opinion, is still one of the best motors there ever was!



Braden

 

[jimzcatz]

If we are picking nits, let's get the details right for the uninformed. It uses 6 Extended grains like the 75/7600 KBA loads. In standard AMW /CTI grain configuration it would use 7 grains. I have done it once (don't ask! Lol)

 

[Tim51]

@UPscaler @jimzcatz Thanks! Cool video.

 

[jimzcatz]

There has always been a discussion on as to weather Paul had different skid formulations. Decide for yourself.
Starleopard

Starleopard

 

[3stoogesrocketry]

There has always been a discussion on as to weather Paul had different skid formulations. Decide for yourself.
Starleopard

Starleopard

Different formula no , but there was a change in the liquids . Same percentages all around , just a different binder

 

[blackjack2564]

'bout time...have a great flight buddy!

 

[Dipstick]

Looks great. I did my level 3 cert many years ago with a scratch built 7.5” Iris at the Salt Flats.

I fondly remember your Iris flights at Rock Lake Dale, I immediately thought of your rocket when I saw his picture here.

Nice rocket! Looking forward to flight footage.

 

[UPscaler]

Here's a video covering some of the final preparation steps as we inch closer to launch day!



Braden

 

[Tim51]

Always enjoy your videos anyway but I also think they're also getting better as YT productions. You communicate your enthusiasm and knowledge better in this one, without losing your signature relaxed tone. Nice job!

 

[UPscaler]

Always enjoy your videos anyway but I also think they're also getting better as YT productions. You communicate your enthusiasm and knowledge better in this one, without losing your signature relaxed tone. Nice job!

Much appreciated! The voiceovers are nice because it makes it a lot easier to gather my thoughts and put them together in a coherent manner.

Braden

 

[UPscaler]

Here's the ground testing video! Next step is to put my N together and get my electronics bay situated. Then we're off to LDRS.

Cuttin it close as usual!



Braden

 

[TheTank]

I think I saw a pic of it coming off the pad? Was that yours? How did it go?

 

[DMehalko]

Meant to come find you at ldrs, mostly because you were wearing a VW shirt, and vw’s and rockets are 2 awesome things

 

[UPscaler]

I think I saw a pic of it coming off the pad? Was that yours? How did it go?

Yep, that was mine! All went well except for a bit of a rough landing. Chute was a little small for how hard the flats are so we sacrificed one of the fillets. I'll have to pull the fin out and re-do it on both sides. Oh well! It also sheered all 8 of the rivets holding the electronics bay in, so I'll be going to stainless hardware for that, too. All in all though, pretty successful for my first big rocket flight! Now...on to something bigger.

Meant to come find you at ldrs, mostly because you were wearing a VW shirt, and vw’s and rockets are 2 awesome things

Right on! I have a 79 Rabbit that I'm building a 2.0 16v engine for with 11:1 forged pistons, forged steel rods, microsquirt standalone, and plenty of other goodies. It should boogie!

Braden

 

[DMehalko]

Right on! I have a 79 Rabbit that I'm building a 2.0 16v engine for with 11:1 forged pistons, forged steel rods, microsquirt standalone, and plenty of other goodies. It should boogie!

Braden

Heck ya! that will be light and fun! MK2's were my jam a long while back, aba turbo's (meh), 12v turbos, etc.. Still tinker today and doing an EFR setup in the S3 at the moment.

Well officially hello from a fellow rocketeer and vdubber haha!

 

[UPscaler]

Here we are!

Braden