Neil
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- May 10, 2011
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Well, I just finished braiding the LAST SHOCKCORD for the kits, my fingers are aching, and I want to ramble on about my progress. So far I have:
8 10' long braided-Kevlar shockcords
12 2" diameter body tubes (I bought extra thinking I would make more kits that I actually can. Oh well. I can still make good use of the extras!!!!!!!!!!), so far unfiberglassed
15 1.5" tubes for the motor mounts, which need to be cut down the middle and have a sanded dowel put in the slot to make them the right size. Again, I bought too many.
2 packs of fiberglass cloth (thats all they had in stock. I am going back later to buy more.).
a ton of plywood for fins, centering rings ETC.
a big fat order of nosecones from Sandman, that should be coming in the next two or three weeks, weather dependant.
9/10 completed instrutions. All it needs now is a few diagrams such as how to fold the chute and how to do the fillets (I am making the instructions fool-proof. I know most a ya know how to make a decent fillet, but better safe than sorry.).
5 parachutes.
What I dont got. What you gotta have. These wont be in the kit.:
29/38 motor mount adaptor.
Heatshield, wadding or whatever heat-protective stuff you like. Sorry, I cant afford to supply heatshields with the kits. Same goes for the motor adaptor.
What the kit will be like:
This kit will have all top-notch components. No underwear-grade shockcords, no extra-weak fins, no tiny motor mounts, nothing of that.
Airframe: 24" long 2" diameter tube, pre fiberglassed.
Nosecone: supah hard balsa conical. Instructions call for you to coat it with epoxy or fiberglass it if you plan on flying it on motors over the I285R. On that motor or above it will be going along at a VERY good clip. Near mach one, or above mach one.
Fins: 5-ply aircraft grade plywood. Pre cut. 1/8" thick
Centering rings: 3 5-ply aircraft grade plywood. Pre cut. 1/8" thick.
Shockcord: 10 feet of hand-braided Kevlar cord. VERY strong. You all know what Kevlar is, I know I dont have to explain that...
Shockcord attatchment: attactched to motor mount like a PML piston strap. Through the top centering ring and epoxied.
Chute: Ya'll know I make parachutes. This kit will have a nice big red 25" 8 panel chute.
Motor mount: 38MM Should be able to take J420Rs if you are wicked dumb, or own a million acres of desert and a ton of tracking powder....
Reccomended motors: anything from an E20-4W to a J420R. J570s are too long for the rocket.
This is a pretty versitile rocket. almost any composite motor that fits 29MM or 38MM will work. With the exeption of the E16W. Thats too weak. I think... I will have to finish my boiler plate model and weigh it to see. Flights to 7K can be expected on Js, and flights to about 1.5K on F20s. Less on smaller motors, of course. And it may weigh more that simulations predict. Again, I have to build the boiler plate. OK, I gotta stop ranting. 'Night!
8 10' long braided-Kevlar shockcords
12 2" diameter body tubes (I bought extra thinking I would make more kits that I actually can. Oh well. I can still make good use of the extras!!!!!!!!!!), so far unfiberglassed
15 1.5" tubes for the motor mounts, which need to be cut down the middle and have a sanded dowel put in the slot to make them the right size. Again, I bought too many.
2 packs of fiberglass cloth (thats all they had in stock. I am going back later to buy more.).
a ton of plywood for fins, centering rings ETC.
a big fat order of nosecones from Sandman, that should be coming in the next two or three weeks, weather dependant.
9/10 completed instrutions. All it needs now is a few diagrams such as how to fold the chute and how to do the fillets (I am making the instructions fool-proof. I know most a ya know how to make a decent fillet, but better safe than sorry.).
5 parachutes.
What I dont got. What you gotta have. These wont be in the kit.:
29/38 motor mount adaptor.
Heatshield, wadding or whatever heat-protective stuff you like. Sorry, I cant afford to supply heatshields with the kits. Same goes for the motor adaptor.
What the kit will be like:
This kit will have all top-notch components. No underwear-grade shockcords, no extra-weak fins, no tiny motor mounts, nothing of that.
Airframe: 24" long 2" diameter tube, pre fiberglassed.
Nosecone: supah hard balsa conical. Instructions call for you to coat it with epoxy or fiberglass it if you plan on flying it on motors over the I285R. On that motor or above it will be going along at a VERY good clip. Near mach one, or above mach one.
Fins: 5-ply aircraft grade plywood. Pre cut. 1/8" thick
Centering rings: 3 5-ply aircraft grade plywood. Pre cut. 1/8" thick.
Shockcord: 10 feet of hand-braided Kevlar cord. VERY strong. You all know what Kevlar is, I know I dont have to explain that...
Shockcord attatchment: attactched to motor mount like a PML piston strap. Through the top centering ring and epoxied.
Chute: Ya'll know I make parachutes. This kit will have a nice big red 25" 8 panel chute.
Motor mount: 38MM Should be able to take J420Rs if you are wicked dumb, or own a million acres of desert and a ton of tracking powder....
Reccomended motors: anything from an E20-4W to a J420R. J570s are too long for the rocket.
This is a pretty versitile rocket. almost any composite motor that fits 29MM or 38MM will work. With the exeption of the E16W. Thats too weak. I think... I will have to finish my boiler plate model and weigh it to see. Flights to 7K can be expected on Js, and flights to about 1.5K on F20s. Less on smaller motors, of course. And it may weigh more that simulations predict. Again, I have to build the boiler plate. OK, I gotta stop ranting. 'Night!
