The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

wij

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2019
Messages
96
Reaction score
52
Location
Phoenix Arizona
I have searched the recovery forum for a while and have found a few answers but I still have some questions for people with experience.

- Cable cutter or tender descender for ~10 lb rocket ? I will be building a LOC Warlock 54mm with a 6 ft main chute and I want to have some way of a low main Chute deployment. Looking at the line of products from tinderrocketry.com. I have done some research on how to properly set up these devices (close to avbay, strain relief ect.) but are there any key tips to success?

- Anyone have interesting 7.5" Nosecone Avbays ? or any large diameter nosecone avbays?

- For larger rockets and larger parachutes I know some like to use a deployment bag with pilot chute to keep things nice and organized for a smooth main opening, What are key points to success? (im generally curious on the subject and like the idea of having it all contained nicely). Since there will be ample room in the rocket, why not keep it all organized?

- Is there a deployment bag or system that you can keep the pilot chute inflated on the way down as a "drogue" and the cut the cable to free the pilot chute and allow it to pull the main? Or is it better to just have it all wrapped up and bound by the cable?

- Another option I can see working is a drogue that is attached directly to the shock cord maybe 2/3 the way up deployed at apogee event, then have the main in the cutter near the NC av bay.

Im interested to see how people recover single break large diameter rockets besides standard motor deploy. I will be using an altimeter with this build because its a large heavy rocket and I want accurate apogee events. I have seen a few large rockets have mistimed ejections with harsh consequences. The first flights will likely just be main @ apogee to introduce myself to this build but I will want to have some way of DD with it after that.
 
In my Warlock based Fat Daddy, I made centering rings and put an av bay in the nose using a 4" coupler tube. Originally was to be for a cable cutter, but now just an altimeter since I am using a JL Chute Release.
 
In my Warlock based Fat Daddy, I made centering rings and put an av bay in the nose using a 4" coupler tube. Originally was to be for a cable cutter, but now just an altimeter since I am using a JL Chute Release.

Nice, Im planning a 3" av bay in the nose, even that will be over kill on space for an altimeter... did you ever use the cable cutter or did you just got with chute release? How reliable has chute release been in a big rocket?
 
Does this make any sense? I was messing around drawing up some ideas for a deployment bag that when used with a line cutter can allow the pilot chute to be out in the airstream and once the line is cut it would allow the pilot to fully extend and pull the main out of the bag. Thoughts? Concerns? Anyone tried this? I was imagining using the mako line cutter with some 300lb or so paracord to make sure its strong enough. There would be small loops around the bag to take the load of the pilot chute pulling on the cord.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5853.JPG
    IMG_5853.JPG
    55.9 KB · Views: 33
Nice, Im planning a 3" av bay in the nose, even that will be over kill on space for an altimeter... did you ever use the cable cutter or did you just got with chute release? How reliable has chute release been in a big rocket?
I never have used my cable cutter. The JLCR has been excellent in all of my rockets.
The only time it failed me was my fault. I did 2 dumb things on that flight.
I put the CR outside the nomex blanket, so the rubber band got caught in a fold on the way down. I also use a cover with a velcro closure to protect my CR. If you are going to use a cover, make sure the hook part of the velcro is covered. I left a corner of mine exposed and it grabbed onto the nomex.
These 2 combined made it so the bundle never opened.
 
Back
Top