Rocketjunkie
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I've had motor ejection work (no electronics in 1992) at 25,000' AGL (29K MSL). However, I did have one fail at around 40K' in 1990.
Lesson you have learned the hard way
- Thread starter cwbullet
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I am afraid to admit the lesson I learned today. I tested my load cell with G75 DM. I forgot to bolt it down. The rest you can figure out. I cannot believe it push my unistrut launch stand off the perch I made for it. I glad I did not text a J.
Always check the rail to ensure its locked into the launchpad.
Full disclosure: this wasn't my rocket, but I helped a friend put it on the pad.
Full disclosure: this wasn't my rocket, but I helped a friend put it on the pad.
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I am SOOOO guilty of this. For some dumb reason my brain refuses to accept that a 3/32" o-ring is smaller than 1/8". I know it is. I really do, but as soon as I go and build a 29/240 motor, I manage to screw it up. I've even told myself 'last time you screwed it up, so make sure to put the small o-ring [in the exact wrong spot].' First rocket destroyed was my L1 cert scratch-build (not on the cert flight, but a later flight). Second was a PML Black Brant. I don't think I threw either away, but have yet to repair them.
Sandy.
Don't drop a 9v battery in your pocket full of change...
That rail button might not be moving smooth enough on that rail.
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When you are doing a process that needs to be followed step by step and you get interrupted, bail out and start over from the beginning, especially if it is a somewhat mindless task that you've done hundreds of times, but if you don't do it in the right order, things go wrong. This applies to rocketry as well as many other things.
Sandy.
Sandy.
That flight was a double-fault of sorts. Not only was the rail not locked in, but the bottom rail button slid past the end of the rail and came off. It butted up against the bottom of the rail at liftoff but didn't catch the groove, ensuring that it wasn't letting go. Individually, those two events were bad enough, but together...you get a flying rail.
It is amazing what those motors will move. That test stand weighs more than 40 pounds and a G moved it.
You are the target audience for the A&W ads, which try to explain 1/3 pound is bigger than 1/4 pound.
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I learned to wait at least one week after painting with that GD Rustoleum before doing anything at all even picking it up to make sure that it finally sets up what a POS.
I once looped the the leads over a fin so it wouldn't pull the igniter out. The entire lead pulled out of the receptacle and went up with the rocket. Rocket didn't go very high. oops.
loopy
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The issue was that A&W advertised a 1/3 pound burger and advertised it against the McDonald's quarter pounder...A&W didn't get much business, and the prevailing feeling among consumers was that the quarter pounder was bigger than 1/3 pound...
So what happened on the rest of the flight? Definitely a heads up at that point!
Cruise missile. It turned horizontal and the rail let loose when the rail button broke off. Luckily, the motor finished burning before it hit apogee, but it was going really fast horizontally. The rocket came down safely but had a substantial zipper. Definitely heads-up.
Sooner Boomer
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Before you apply medicine to a "sensitive area", read the list of ingredients first! If it has any kind of alcohol in it, DON'T DO IT!
I managed to do it by cramming the little red capplug on a G-79 nozzle & ignitor, with the corner sliced off.
Stayed on long enough to vector the thrust so it went horizontal at about eight foot altitude and stayed that way for about a quarter mile. No injuries / no brush fires. Close call.
jbsommerfeldt
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Dont kick the brine tank for you water softener to shake the salt. Broke my toe.
Kicking inanimate objects tends to do that. I broke my right great toe on a soccer goal. I Missed the ball and still "scored" a goal.
jbsommerfeldt
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At least yours had a purpose. I was just stupid.
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