Madcow Super DX3 Build Thread

[Green Jello]

Hi Jello,

The colour and finish looks fantastic, what is your set up on the spray gun, compressor, etc.?

Also now that I have decided to redo the MMT I am researching the idea of building this rocket as a 54MM MMT, when I RockSimm this config the rocket seems to fly very well...keeping in mind I can also and will very likely use a 38mm to 54mm adapter more often than not.

What is your opinion on this?

The sprayer is the cheap HPLV one from Harbor Freight:

https://www.harborfreight.com/20-oz-high-volume-low-pressure-gravity-feed-spray-gun-47016.html

My compressor is a pretty standard 5 gallon Craftsman one. Just about anything can run a HPLV sprayer really.

As for the 54mm motor mount. I think that's a great idea. I wish I had done it myself now. The rocket is super sturdy and over 6 lbs with how I built it.

 

[Wayco]

So, you went to the launch and?

 

[Green Jello]

So, you went to the launch and?

LOL I'm working on it Wayne. Uploading and editing pics and video. Will post shortly, but the flight went perfectly.

 

[Wayco]

LOL I'm working on it Wayne. Uploading and editing pics and video. Will post shortly, but the flight went perfectly.

:clap:op:

 

[mpitfield]

LOL I'm working on it Wayne. Uploading and editing pics and video. Will post shortly, but the flight went perfectly.

Add me to the can't wait to see it fly list :drool:

 

[Green Jello]

Ok, so here it is....

The family and I pulled into camp out on the playa at about 4:30 pm on Friday. The evidence of the day before was clear. I had never seen the ground so torn up and muddy, but it was already almost dry. We found a great spot in the front row that had been abandoned in the rain and set up camp. After that was done, I headed down to see Jack at WUH and purchased a CTI I-125 from him for the next morning. After the flight meeting Saturday morning, I began prepping the DX3 for launch. I decided to go drogueless, and I used a 48" chute for the main at 900'. The day was absolutely beautiful with no clouds or wind. Finally at around 9:30, I took her to the pad. The flight went a tad crooked off the rail, and then straightened out. I think that was because it ended up being much heavier than anticipated with the 12 coats of paint on it.

[video=youtube;2pbF1MWNCpE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pbF1MWNCpE[/video]

Both charges fired perfectly and it hit the ground nice and slow. I am now even more sold on the car paint as it hardly got a single scratch. Thanks to all who helped me with my first dual deploy flight especially my resident expert James Flenner (Fdog).

 

[AfterBurners]

Nice pictures and great video Dave!!

Fantastic!

I think you sold me on alternative ways to paint rockets. I think I will build a booth like you did and invest in a spray gun. I have a small 3 gallon compressor that's 1 HP. Do you think I should get a bigger compressor?? See below

https://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-g...p-00915310000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

When I first bought the compressor I had no intentions of using it to paint rockets. It was mainly going to used for blowing down the sanding dust from my rockets and also used for cleaning and drying RC parts etc...

I'm just getting tired of using rattle cans and I know there is an easier way...

 

[Green Jello]

Nice pictures and great video Dave!!

Fantastic!

I think you sold me on alternative ways to paint rockets. I think I will build a booth like you did and invest in a spray gun. I have a small 3 gallon compressor that's 1 HP. Do you think I should get a bigger compressor?? See below

https://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-g...p-00915310000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

When I first bought the compressor I had no intentions of using it to paint rockets. It was mainly going to used for blowing down the sanding dust from my rockets and also used for cleaning and drying RC parts etc...

I'm just getting tired of using rattle cans and I know there is an easier way...

That is VERY similar to the Craftsman one that I have. I only had it set for 30 psi and it worked quite well. I would say the only downside to the gun is the cleanup after.

 

[AfterBurners]

That is VERY similar to the Craftsman one that I have. I only had it set for 30 psi and it worked quite well. I would say the only downside to the gun is the cleanup after.

You will have that with all guns, but what's nice about using a gun is you get a wider fan when painting and you also get a wider variety of colors to chose from. As you mentioned before the paint seems more durable. I'm not sure how many coats I would use, but when I paint with rattle cans I use about 3-4 coats just to save on cost.

 

[Green Jello]

I found that the $25 Duplicolor cans that I used will do about 3 rockets of this size.

 

[AfterBurners]

I found that the $25 Duplicolor cans that I used will do about 3 rockets of this size.

How many coats per rocket and what size cans are they??

 

[dgreger]

Congrats Dave!! Sweet Flight and great looking rocket!

 

[Green Jello]

How many coats per rocket and what size cans are they??

Those came in a quart. The candy coat system is 3 steps. I used rusto rattle can filler primer with about 4 coats with sanding. Then I did about 5 full coats of the silver under coat and another 5-6 of the green tint. I wish I did a before and after weight, but it sure added quite a bit.

https://www.duplicolor.com/products/psCandyCoat/

 

[AfterBurners]

Yeah I think that many coats of paint would add a substantial amount of weight. I would probably do maybe 3 coats on each step and even that might be too much?

 

[Green Jello]

Plus the normal colors don't have the three layers. Only 2. I wasn't worried about altitude on this one. I wanted to see if I could make it beautiful and keep it that way. In many ways it was a test. My 3" Wildman Darkstar will be painted all black with the Duplicolor soon and that will be more of my L2 altitude rocket.

 

[Wayco]

Nice flight Dave. I thought the I125 might not have enough initial thrust to get your heavy rocket up to speed off the rod, but it looked great in the video.
Slippery slope now buddy. You got your L-1 and have DD down, you are already talking about your L-2 rocket and I think the 3" Darkstar is a great choice. Mine weighs in at 9 lbs., so getting big altitude with it will be costly. CTI L935 6xl sims to 11,000 ft. $180 :y: You know you will want to, and I'm planning that flight for ROCstock in November..... It's a great launch, and kinda halfway between us, how about it? WANNA DRAG RACE? Kenny and Sharon will have theirs done.....

 

[Green Jello]

Nice flight Dave. I thought the I125 might not have enough initial thrust to get your heavy rocket up to speed off the rod, but it looked great in the video.
Slippery slope now buddy. You got your L-1 and have DD down, you are already talking about your L-2 rocket and I think the 3" Darkstar is a great choice. Mine weighs in at 9 lbs., so getting big altitude with it will be costly. CTI L935 6xl sims to 11,000 ft. $180 :y: You know you will want to, and I'm planning that flight for ROCstock in November..... It's a great launch, and kinda halfway between us, how about it? WANNA DRAG RACE? Kenny and Sharon will have theirs done.....

I was actually talking to a ROC guy this weekend about that launch. I really want to go to Lucerne sometime, but I doubt it will be this year. I am already driving to L.A. for Disneyland in October. Either way, L2 is definitely happening next summer.

 

[Fdog]

First of all, I want to go on record that Dave is a "paint God". All of his rockets look spectacular. I am embarrassed to walk by his camp with one of my rattle-can hack jobs, because his rockets look...well...amazing.

Here's the Super DX3 on it's maiden voyage:

His DD went perfectly. Next thing you know, he'll be saying "Motor eject? We don't need no steenking motor eject!"


All the best, James

 

[Green Jello]

Thanks James! I've been meaning to confirm something with you. Did you see how it fell pretty much in a vertical line? So based on our conversation, you think I should use a small drogue next time?

 

[Wayco]

I don't think I can talk myself or Sharon into doing the summer ROCstock next year, it was BLISTERINGLY HOT! But when you do get your L-2, we will work out a plan to get us all together and fly some rockets. You're gonna love the 3" Darkstar, and you know how I love split fin rockets right? Well that slippery slope is here in Goodyear too:

 

[Green Jello]

Woah! is that the Ultimate Darkstar?

 

[Wayco]

Yeah, Sharon decided that it would be a good birthday present, even though mine isn't until next month. I had ordered some 75mm MMT stuff from Wildman and when the shipping notification came, I had to wonder how 24" of 75mm MMT could weigh 64 lbs. Now I know. Guess I need to start looking for good deals on 98mm hardware, huh?

 

[Fdog]

Thanks James! I've been meaning to confirm something with you. Did you see how it fell pretty much in a vertical line? So based on our conversation, you think I should use a small drogue next time?

Welllll....this will kind of be wordy, so bear with me...


When I initially glanced over the photos, I thought so (vertical line). After giving them a detailed examination, now, I'm not so sure. I believe the two halves fell fairly flat.

To simulate this:

• Grab a pencil.
• Place it on the desk in front of you with the eraser close to you.
• Point should be directed straight away from you.
• Keeping eraser stationary, nudge point about 1" to the left.
• Keeping this configuration, pick up pencil and raise it straight up from the desk with left hand.
• Keep going until your arm is at extension.
• You should now look something like the Statue of Liberty.

Now, compare the view you see of the pencil with the following photos:

The clues that make me think we're the victims of an optical illusion are:

A) The fincan stays horizontal. If the nose had been low, and the fincan high (point the pencil at the ground), the fincan would have been vertical too, as it was pulled down by the nose section.

B) If the fincan was directly above the nose, as the nose stopped, the fincan would have fallen past it. The shock cord would have bowed above it because of the drag, or at the least, bunched up. In the photos, it is always a smooth, fairly straight line from the fincan to the payload section, as it is foreshortened by the angle we see it from.

C) The giveaway photo is #6 above - the shock cord should be a big wad here if the fincan was falling by the payload - and it isn't, it appears as a straight line.

D) The fincan only becomes vertical as it comes to rest under the payload section.


If it were me, I'd fly it again drougeless and really watch the drougefall. However, there's nothing to be lost by attaching a small drogue and flying it. Either way, you'll get the feedback you need to make an informed decision.


All the best, James

 

[Green Jello]

Thanks so much James. I wish I had some pics of it falling before the main deployed. I was too busy being nervous about it happening at all.

 

[Green Jello]

Those came in a quart. The candy coat system is 3 steps. I used rusto rattle can filler primer with about 4 coats with sanding. Then I did about 5 full coats of the silver under coat and another 5-6 of the green tint. I wish I did a before and after weight, but it sure added quite a bit.

https://www.duplicolor.com/products/psCandyCoat/

I just realized something. I forgot to mention the 5 coats of clear on top of all that. No wonder it weighs so much.

 

[blackbrandt]

Did you spray it with a spray gun or can? Or just paint it on?


Matt

 

[Green Jello]

Did you spray it with a spray gun or can? Or just paint it on?


Matt

Look up. I've detailed it 3 times in this thread with links to the gun I used.

 

[WoShuGui]

Welllll....this will kind of be wordy, so bear with me...


When I initially glanced over the photos, I thought so (vertical line). After giving them a detailed examination, now, I'm not so sure. I believe the two halves fell fairly flat.

To simulate this:

• Grab a pencil.
• Place it on the desk in front of you with the eraser close to you.
• Point should be directed straight away from you.
• Keeping eraser stationary, nudge point about 1" to the left.
• Keeping this configuration, pick up pencil and raise it straight up from the desk with left hand.
• Keep going until your arm is at extension.
• You should now look something like the Statue of Liberty.

Now, compare the view you see of the pencil with the following photos:

The clues that make me think we're the victims of an optical illusion are:

A) The fincan stays horizontal. If the nose had been low, and the fincan high (point the pencil at the ground), the fincan would have been vertical too, as it was pulled down by the nose section.

B) If the fincan was directly above the nose, as the nose stopped, the fincan would have fallen past it. The shock cord would have bowed above it because of the drag, or at the least, bunched up. In the photos, it is always a smooth, fairly straight line from the fincan to the payload section, as it is foreshortened by the angle we see it from.

C) The giveaway photo is #6 above - the shock cord should be a big wad here if the fincan was falling by the payload - and it isn't, it appears as a straight line.

D) The fincan only becomes vertical as it comes to rest under the payload section.


If it were me, I'd fly it again drougeless and really watch the drougefall. However, there's nothing to be lost by attaching a small drogue and flying it. Either way, you'll get the feedback you need to make an informed decision.


All the best, James

I dunno, it sure looks like the nose cone and payload are already on the way up in the 1st photo with some slack to the booster. If everything is level at that point, it could be that the booster was higher before main deployment. Agree that another drogue-less flight is way to confirm. If you can get a hold of a key chain camera or two, it is a great way to see what is going on. Maybe a booster camera looking up and a payload camera looking down. I learned a lot about my Super DX3 from video. Especially how the wind can get the light booster spinning pretty good.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs8R3hWcKq0&feature=related
Green Jello, if you make the trek out to ROC, I will even lend you a couple of my cameras if you can bring yourself to tape them onto that beautiful paint job.

 

[Wayco]

That second shot looks like the fincan is floating above the chute. I know that's not happening, so it must be in front of the rest of the rocket. I kinda get what Fdog is saying though, and agree that a few more flights will give you more info. to work with. Since nothing bad happened, and the chute opened in clear air, no reason to change anything.
Sharon got a keychain camera and flew it at Airfest several times. You can get interesting video from them, but not always of what you want. Good electricians tape won't hurt your paint job either.

 

[Fdog]

Something to keep in mind when evaluating these photos is the rocket isn't exactly directly overhead, but pretty close...maybe up at a 75 degree angle.

Regardless, I'm proud as can be of Dave. He's gotten this far on research and innate skill. A steely-eyed missile man!


All the best, James