How I Build An All Fiberglass Rocket (A Video Tutorial)

[BayouRat]

I'm often asked how to build these fiberglass rocket kits that come with just the fiberglass parts and no instructions. So I decided to do a video tutorial on how I build them. This kit is a 3" Bomb Pop purchased from Chris' Rocket Supply. This rocket build is suitable for an advanced Level 1 or Level 2 flyer.

PART 1 THE MOTOR MOUNT

In this video I use the following supplies.

1. Bomb Pop Rocket Kit from Chris' Rocket Supply
2. 30' of Kevlar Shock Cord from Chris' Rocket Supply
3. US Composites Thick Fast Cure Epoxy. ( I use fillers but you do not need them)
4. Milled fiberglass and Cabosil fillers for epoxy
5. A gram scale, craft sticks and cups for mixing.
6. Masking tape, Sharpy, Ruler, Wood Dowel.
7. 80 Grit Sand Paper
8. Dish soap, paper towels, water

 

[Bat-mite]

Nice.

 

[jmwoody]

Watching with interest .... always looking for new tips and techniques

 

[Theory]

Cool deal. Those CRs looked really loose. Is that typical for FG / FG kits? I mean, I under that you want some adhesive in the joint, but the bore on that middle CR looks to be a full 1/8th too large

 

[BayouRat]

Cool deal. Those CRs looked really loose. Is that typical for FG / FG kits? I mean, I under that you want some adhesive in the joint, but the bore on that middle CR looks to be a full 1/8th too large

Yes, they were way out. But that is a problem with fiberglass parts when ordered from different vendors at different times. Usually the parts in a kit will fit fine. The motor mount and centering rings came from Mad Cow and I may have ordered wrong to. They have LOC and PML sizes as well as thin and thicker. But I made it work and the end result is fine.

 

[BayouRat]

I'd like to add that a fit check of all parts when I first open the box was done. I will at that time sand the parts that are to big and decide how to adjust parts that are to loose. It is common to have to adjust the fit of some parts when it comes to fiberglass kits.

 

[lowga]

Nice video but I wish you wouldn't skip so many of the intermediate steps. For instance, I would have loved to see your technique for applying the epoxy to the motor mount centering rings.

Also noticed that you had a commercial kitchen stand mixer and an older pot in the background. Wondered if you used that to mix all your ingredients?

Great stuff--just want to see more of your techniques. Always learn a lot by seeing how others do their builds. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BayouRat]

PART 2 INSTALLING THE MOTOR MOUNT AND FINS

In this video I use the following supplies.

1. US Composites Thick Fast Cure Epoxy. ( I use fillers but you do not need them)
2. Milled fiberglass and Cabosil fillers for epoxy
3. A gram scale, craft sticks and cups for mixing.
4. Wood Dowel.
5. 80 Grit Sand Paper Masking Tape

 

[BayouRat]

PART 3 FILLING WITH 2 PART FOAM, INSTALLING A NOSE CONE SHOULDER, INSTALLING A MOTOR RETAINER

In this video I use the following supplies.

1. US Composites Thick Fast Cure Epoxy. ( I use fillers but you do not need them)
2. Milled fiberglass and Cabosil fillers for epoxy
3. A gram scale, craft sticks and cups for mixing.
4. US Composites Two Part Expanding Foam
5. 80 Grit Sand Paper Masking Tape
6. 54mm AeroPack Motor Retainer
7. JB Weld

 

[BayouRat]

PART 4 Adding Attachment Point To The Nose Cone

In this video I use the following supplies.

1. US Composites Thick Fast Cure Epoxy. ( I use fillers but you do not need them)
2. Milled fiberglass and Cabosil fillers for epoxy
3. A gram scale, craft sticks and cups for mixing.
4. 80 Grit Sand Paper Masking Tape
5. Soap and water
6. Acetone and paper towels
7. 8" length of Kevlar cut from the shock cord.

 

[BayouRat]

PART 5 Adding Rail Buttons and Electronic Bay Build

In this video I use the following supplies.

1. US Composites Thick Fast Cure Epoxy. ( I use fillers but you do not need them)
2. Milled fiberglass and Cabosil fillers for epoxy
3. A gram scale, craft sticks and cups for mixing.
4. 80 Grit Sand Paper
5. 1010 Rail Buttons and Screws
6. 1/4" Eye Bolts, Nuts and Washers
7. 1/4" Threaded Rods, Nuts and Washers
8. Drill and Bits
9. Ruler, Pen, and Paper

 

[BayouRat]

I flew the Bomb Pop at last months launch. I flew it with just the bottom section. I used motor ejection and a chute release. First flight was on an I140 Aerotech DMS Motor. Nominal flight with a little weather cocking. It was windy and it was over stable with this light motor. [mov]

 

[BayouRat]

The motor is an Aerotech DMS 38mm I 140 and not 130.
This is a single use White Lightning motor. I drilled the delay down to 8 seconds.

 

[cwbullet]

correction made.

 

[BayouRat]

Well, it's been a few years. It about time I finished this rocket!

 

[BayouRat]

It's been a while since the maiden flight. So far I've flown my Bomb Pop rocket 4 times in full dual deployment mode. The latest was this flight on an Aerotech J615 Super Thunder Aero Spike motor. I had a Perfectflight Stratologger flight controller and a Featherweight Raven 3 flight controller as well as a Altus Metrum TeleGPS. It's earned it's paint. I'm thinking Purple, Green, and Yellow Mardi Gras Bomb Pop.