Help on selecting a first two stage high power rocket kit

[Bobfly]

Thanks Guys for the words of encouragement. Andrew and Tim are both right in that this was a SAFE failure. All of the recovery electronics worked properly. Both stages were recovered with only a paint scratch. Carrot crops are very soft.

I’m going to take Tim’s offer to look at my data to try and figure out why the RRC3 didn’t fire off the auxiliary channel. I’m most concerned about the PET2 not firing off the seperation charge. The RRC3 and the redundant RRC2+ both fired off their apogee and main parachute charges successfully.

All the best,
Bob

 

[blackjack2564]

Try shooting some WD-40 into brake line conduit & cutting a 45 degrees angle on match wire to fish easier.

I always leave the "knob"on end of conduit that is towards rear & bring it to edge of motor retention.
Fish wire from rear after stretching it out & running between fingers...making sure length is flat..with NO twists. Should go in fairly easy..
I always spritz my conduit interior, with WD-40 so it does not corrode inside from AP residue after firing motor.

 

[Bobfly]

Thanks Jim, I will try that. Jim do you just use a short length of brake tubing, or do you run the tubing up to the AV Bay?

 

[blackjack2564]

My first one I did full length conduit, right up to coupler. I had it glued to wall of airframe....THAT only lasted one flight before coming loose & getting in the way of recovery gear.
All of mine now only go 1 ft above motor mount & I fish wire from rear.

Note how conduit [end with flare fitting] got right up to edge of motor retainer, allowing for ease of fishing e-match wire.
About 1/4 inch from edge of retainer mount.
This is 54 mount for 3inch rocket

 

[Bobfly]

Thanks for the tip Jim.

All the best,
Bob

 

[Bobfly]

Hi All,

URRF 6 is coming up next weekend in Potter, NY. I’ll be trying to achieve a first successful second stage air ignition. I’ll post pictures if all goes well.

All the best,
Bob

 

[tim cubbedge]

Did you ever do a “dry run” flight with no motor in sustainer, just igniter?

 

[blackjack2564]

Good luck with your flight.
When they work, you will find yourself smiling ear to ear and laughing/giggling like a little kid.
Smile will last all day & into the night. Your wife will want to know what you were up to that you shouldn't have been.
The laughing will be dependent on when and where the story of the flight gets repeated....lol

 

[Bobfly]

Hi Tim and Jim,

No Tim I never got an opportunity to fly again after we discussed having another test flight. You and Jim at Missile Works kindly reviewed my flight data from “Kate” and the RRC3 altimeter. Adjustments were made. I was supposed to fly a test flight at the low wavier field which is only about a two hour drive from my home on Long Island. That flight was only going to have an empty motor case in the second stage. The goal was to see if all of the electronics would fire off correctly.

Unfortunately I busted up my foot in September last year. That made me miss the last two launches at the closer field last year. The weather didn’t cooperate this year so far. Two of the launches were rained out. I was away for the third launch of the season.

The URRF events up state in Potter, NY, URRF 6 this year, are great! Over 100 pilots preregistered for the 3 day event this year. There is a huge turnout from all over the country. The club has an 18,000 foot waiver for the event.

I will attempt an actual operational two stage flight at this event. The first stage will be powered by a Loki J820. That is the motor that was used during last years first flight in the picture that I posted last year. The second stage will have a CTI I218 White Thunder 1 grain motor. The mission goal is just to have a successful second stage ignition. This motor combo will keep all the action within visual range. I will be filming the launch.

I’m going to have to start swearing this afternoon. I made the terrible mistake of running the break lines all of the way up to the AV Bay. What a mistake! It took me hours last year to snake in the two e-matches. It’s almost impossible. I’m going to buy another second stage kit from Tim if I can get a successful second stage ignition this time. It would be less time consuming to build a replacement second stage with SHORT break lines than to try and snake the e-matches through the long break lines for each flight.

Thanks Jim for all of your help and advice during this long build and flight testing process.

All the best,
Bob

 

[ksaves2]

I'm late to this dance but I was going to spit out use a large enough project so you have room to work with. I see you've already done that.
Though, Jim H. is a master of cramming a lot of stuff in small spaces and pulling off some neat staging and tracking tricks
Kurt

 

[blackjack2564]

I’m going to buy another second stage kit from Tim if I can get a successful second stage ignition this time. It would be less time consuming to build a replacement second stage with SHORT break lines than to try and snake the e-matches through the long break lines for each flight.

Thanks Jim for all of your help and advice during this long build and flight testing process.

All the best,
Bob

Want to save time & money ?
Get a 4-6in. long coupler. Only extra needed.
Cut airframe off 10-14in from top of CR/motor mount. Cut right through both airframe and conduit at once.
I laid mine with conduit on bottom side of tube, when on the table of chop saw. [with carbide blade.] I quick cut and conduit was apprx 12in long above my top CR. Just glued airframe back together and problem solved.
Mark a line couple inches vertically down tube where cut will be.
This will be Key mark to align both sections when gluing back together.
As long as tubes are glued on key mark. doesn't matter if cut was straight/perfect...they will go back together perfect!
Be sure to file edges of conduit after cut to smooth them.
NOW YOU CAN FISH WIRE WITH A .

Your first 2 ...two stagers are learning experience. You will always build the next one with mods ya wished done on the last...lol

"2 stagers are NOT twice as hard..they are 10x's more complex"

 

[Bobfly]

Hi Jim,

That's a great idea to chop out a section of the booster. I have a carbide blade for fiberglass. I didn't think that it could cut through the metal break lines. Your right that two stage rockets are way more complicated than a one stage. This rocket has four altimeters, a staging device, and two trackers. Hopefully all will go well with this weekends test flight.

I'm in the process of typing up another preflight checklist. There is quite a long process just to assemble the rocket and activate all of the electronics in the right sequence on the pad.

All the best,
Bob

 

[markg]

Hi Jim,
That's a great idea to chop out a section of the booster. I have a carbide blade for fiberglass. I didn't think that it could cut through the metal break lines. Your right that two stage rockets are way more complicated than a one stage. This rocket has four altimeters, a staging device, and two trackers. Hopefully all will go well with this weekends test flight.

Good luck with your flight! I'll be around this weekend, if you need a hand carrying stuff out I'll be happy to help. I'm planning on flying a couple of two stage rockets. A Wildman 2.6" competitor on it's 6th flight and a Madcow Nike-Tomahawk on it's first and hopefully second flight.

A checklist is a must have for two stage flights. I have my helper read out the checklist to me and check them off as I go through it. I just posted my checklist on my two stage thread here :

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/2-6-competitor-2-stage-configuration.145569/

cheers - mark