Lakeroadster's "Level One"

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Finishing Up The TTW Fin Gluing

This one took about 2-1/2 days to apply all the glue.

I try to apply the Gorilla Wood Glue so the fillets are in the optimal position for the glue to gravity flow into the joint. I used a 1/2" diameter fondant ball to pull all the fillets, so I waited about 3-1/2 hours for each application to dry before gluing the next.

Typically, I'm a glueaholic... but in this case, I tried to only use what is needed and not go overkill. Well, in my opinion anyway... :dontknow:

This fin can assembly is hell-for-stout and aesthetically pleasing. I almost hate to install the rear centering ring and cover this all up.

001.JPG001.JPG
 
Last edited:
That looks really good!
Just for fun I built a PML Quantum Tube rocket once using Gorilla Glue. It actually appeared to etch into the surface of the Quantum Tube. I’ve never had a problem with glue pops. Granted I had sanded the QT well before gluing and at least for me I wasn’t able to get the Gorilla Glue smooth, but the bond sees very strong.
 
This fin can assembly is hell-for-stout and aesthetically pleasing. I almost hate to install the rear centering ring and cover this all up.
Well, do you really need to cover it up? I mean, it’s all centered anyway. The front centering ring is there for ejection gasses to do their thing. Would the empty space cause issues?
 
Well, do you really need to cover it up? I mean, it’s all centered anyway. The front centering ring is there for ejection gasses to do their thing. Would the empty space cause issues?

Good point. Aesthetically I think it looks better with the ring, less busy looking.
 
Last edited:
Attaching The Fin Base Cones

These little pieces are giving me fits.
  • I mistakenly cut the slots a 1/2" too long... :facepalm: (CWF to the rescue).
  • By the time I finished slicing, dicing and beveling them half of them snapped into 2 pieces. That shouldn't be a problem though... 🐒 (Gorilla Wood Glue to the rescue).
And attaching these to the rocket requires some "unconventional" clamping and gaping methods.

It's a bit tedious but I think they'll look good once they are all in place, the glue fillets are added, and a I spend a couple hundred hours adding CWF - sanding - primering - sanding, etc.. ⏳⌛ You folks know the drill.

001.JPG002.JPG

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I thought about "weaponizing" the rocket.... and adding some 1/4" dowels to fill up the gaps.... I'll mock something up once I get all the cones on. Not sure if it's something I really want to do or not.

pew... pew, pew, pew... pew, pew.



Base Cone Rework Idea.jpg
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Update: Coming together... needs quite a bit of clamping but everything is aligning pretty well.

004.JPG
 
Last edited:
I thought about "weaponizing" the rocket.... and adding some 1/4" dowels to fill up the gaps.... I'll mock something up once I get all the cones on. Not sure if it's something I really want to do or not.

pew... pew, pew, pew... pew, pew.

If you don't mind an opinion, that looks like guilding the lilly.
 
Last edited:
Attaching The Fin Base Cones

These little pieces are giving me fits.
  • I mistakenly cut the slots a 1/2" too long... :facepalm: (CWF to the rescue).
  • By the time I finished slicing, dicing and beveling them half of them snapped into 2 pieces. That shouldn't be a problem though... 🐒 (Gorilla Wood Glue to the rescue).
And attaching these to the rocket requires some "unconventional" clamping and gaping methods.

It's a bit tedious but I think they'll look good once they are all in place, the glue fillets are added, and a I spend a couple hundred hours adding CWF - sanding - primering - sanding, etc.. ⏳⌛ You folks know the drill.


____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I thought about "weaponizing" the rocket.... and adding some 1/4" dowels to fill up the gaps.... I'll mock something up once I get all the cones on. Not sure if it's something I really want to do or not.

pew... pew, pew, pew... pew, pew.



____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Update: Coming together... needs quite a bit of clamping but everything is aligning pretty well.

My temptation would be move them back the extra 1/2 inch (butt the rear end of the current notch with the forward edge of the fin) and cut the extra off the end. Would be different if it was a SCALE model. Then again, I aren’t a real engineer, so i often don’t have a fixed plan to start with.
 
My temptation would be move them back the extra 1/2 inch (butt the rear end of the current notch with the forward edge of the fin) and cut the extra off the end. Would be different if it was a SCALE model. Then again, I aren’t a real engineer, so i often don’t have a fixed plan to start with.

Thanks for the reply @BABAR.

I mocked that up and didn't like the look. The tip of the cone was so short, forward of the fin, that the proportions were all off.

In order to minimize the amount of wood filler used, I glued some 3/16" poplar dowel pieces inside the voids.
 
Last edited:
I glued a 1" x 1-1/4" piece of furniture grade plywood (no internal voids) to the inside of the 4" tube.... just in case I end up using rail guides. Then I can use a wood screw, into this piece of plywood

001.JPG
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Slathered (it's an industry term) some Carpenters Wood Filler into the fin base cone slots.

002.JPG
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Punched (6) holes through the 4" outer tube. These will be used to insert wood glue for attaching the inner and outer tubes to the nose cone.

003.JPG
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Glued the rear centering ring.

004.JPG005.JPG006.JPG
 
2nd Round of CWF on the fin base cones. Also built the motor mount / spool and turned the centering ring O.D.'s to size on the wood lathe.

001.JPG002.JPG002A.JPG003.JPG004.JPG

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


I also had some time to look at the difference between Surface-Mounted Fins and Through-The-Wall Fins. I chose Phenolic as the material for all the components. This FEA isn't something to hang your hat on so disregard the actual stress numbers, but it does give a rough idea of just how much stronger TTW fins are.

2022-11-26 Surface Mount Fin FEA Level One.JPG2022-11-26 Through The Wall Fin FEA Level One.JPG
 
Last edited:
In regard to applying the stain to the nose cone (2) application seemed to be enough. If I were to apply another coat I think it would mask the character of the wood grain.

So now that the staining is done, I glued the nose cone to the body tubes.

In preparation for adding glue to the nose cone in the inaccessible area between the 4" - 3" body tubes (6) 0.25" dia. holes were punched 1" from the end of the 4" tube. I used a handheld paper hole punch.

Glue was then placed on the nose cone shoulder o.d. and i.d. and the nose cone was inserted into the 4" and 3" tube.

The rocket was then placed upside down into coffee mug that was used as a holding fixture.

4.4 ml of glue was then injected through each of the holes that were punched through the body in step 1.0 above. The shoulder of the nose cone is 0.69" long.

After inserting the glue and it was allowed to free flow into the cavity the glue was clearly visible looking into the rocket via. the 0.25" dia. punched access holes.

001.JPG003.JPG004.JPG005.JPGUntitled.jpg
 
CWF Application 3

001.JPG Level One.jpg
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After sanding with 320 grit

002.JPG 003.JPG

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

And the next round of CWF and gluing the launch lug. I had to call in a request for help from our Circle of Friends.


004.JPG005.JPG
 
Last edited:
Swing Test :headspinning:

I added ballast (steel hex nuts) to the rocket to match the flight ready weight and CG of the rocket with an H128 motor.

This is the heaviest rocket I have swing tested... looks like ole Level One passed the test.



 
Last edited:
No, it’s a little more complicated than that. You only need a waiver for >125 g propellant or >1500 g pad mass. There are a few baby H motors less than 125g. Most of the 3 grain CTI 29mm motors are but I don’t know about the AT options.

Question: Isn't there also a LP limit of :
  • Average Thrust 80N Max,
  • 160N-s Total Impulse Max for each motor,
  • 320N-s Max for clusters.
The reason I ask is the H128 max. total impulse is 173 N-s, so wouldn't that mean a waiver is required?

Or is the waiver only based on ">125 g propellant or >1500 g pad mass".

Thanks
 
This is the heaviest rocket I have swing tested... looks like ole Level One passed the test.
You've got snow already? Wow. And I just saw some other photos from a fellow in Puerto Rico where he's in shorts and a T-shirt and it's warm and sunny. We are all over the place, us rocket guys.
 
Question: Isn't there also a LP limit of :
  • Average Thrust 80N Max,
  • 160N-s Total Impulse Max for each motor,
  • 320N-s Max for clusters.
The reason I ask is the H128 max. total impulse is 173 N-s, so wouldn't that mean a waiver is required?

Or is the waiver only based on ">125 g propellant or >1500 g pad mass".

Thanks
Depends what you're looking at. The FAA waiver is for 1500g pad weight and 125g of propellant. NAR and TRA high power is the >80N (average, not max), >160Ns, >320 Ns that you mentioned. You can fly high power without an FAA waiver if you can slip under the padand propellant weights.
 
Depends what you're looking at. The FAA waiver is for 1500g pad weight and 125g of propellant. NAR and TRA high power is the >80N (average, not max), >160Ns, >320 Ns that you mentioned. You can fly high power without an FAA waiver if you can slip under the pad and propellant weights.
That's awesome and just the answer I was hoping for. Thanks.
 
Depends what you're looking at. The FAA waiver is for 1500g pad weight and 125g of propellant. NAR and TRA high power is the >80N (average, not max), >160Ns, >320 Ns that you mentioned. You can fly high power without an FAA waiver if you can slip under the padand propellant weights.
But for a cert flight you do need at least one certified observer to sign the paperwork, which still usually means a club launch, where a waiver would usually be in effect anyway.
 
Last edited:
But for a cert flight you do need at least one certified observer to sign the paperwork, which still usually means a club launch, where a waiver would usually nein effect anyway.
Definitely true. Once you have the L1 cert, it allows you to fly up into H at your home field with no waiver, presuming it's big enough. Also, you can fly your cert flight at home if you have (1-2) witnesses willing to come by and watch.
 
This rocket is in paint jail... basically waiting for a day when the temperatures outside are warm enough to apply primer. I contemplated adding some corrugated panels to the rocket to mimic the Saturn V corrugations... but I mocked it up and quite frankly, I hated the look. I consulted with Mr. Less I.S. Moore and he agrees, he hated the look also.

I'm still a bit apprehensive about the RMS motor I plan to use for the L1 certification flight. Wanting to learn more about these I did some searching and found this excellent video. Gary Rosenfield shows in the video all the parts and even goes through assembly errors, complete with photo's. Very helpful to a fella wading into uncharted waters.

 
Last edited:
Back
Top