Mid Power Mick

[Buckaroo]

Got most of the parts today for my next mid power project, an upscaled Thrustline Mighty Mick.

BT-80H tubing and balsa nose cone from Semroc, 1/8" plywood fins, 29mm motor mount. Works out to be 1.67x original scale. Should be a pretty straight forward build, I think "Mega Mick" sounds about right.

Definitely going to need a rocket cozy for this one...

 

[Buckaroo]

Finally commenced work on the Mega Mick today, got out the Jig-Saw and cut out the fins. Hope to have a productive weekend on this build.

 

[Buckaroo]

Got a little more work done today... First thing was to trim down the body tube a bit. Needed 28 inches from a 30 inch tube. Used my simple tube cutting jig and a new razor and got a nice clean cut. :clap:

 

[Buckaroo]

Using my mad trigonometry skilz... I drew up a fin alignment template, and then used it to mark the body tube for fin/launch lug placement

 

[Buckaroo]

Next I measured and cut out slots for the fin tabs. I use a section of small aluminum angle from the local hardware store to draw lines and make cuts in body tubes. I usually make a few passes along the angle using an X-acto knife and then make the final cut with a razor. The fins also got some work with the sandpaper this weekend, now sporting some nice rounded leading and trailing edges.

 

[Buckaroo]

Also got some work done on the motor mount, Semroc #115 tubing. First task was to peel a couple of layers off the end of the tube to allow the Aero Pack retainer to fir.

 

[Buckaroo]

After I marked to position of the forward centering ring I cut a shallow notch for the shock cord. The centering ring is epoxied in place with the kevlar underneath, and a knot tied behind it. After the epoxy had set on the centering ring I epoxied the tail of the shock cord to the motor mount tube.

The centering rings are stock 1/8" thick light ply from Semroc, and the shock cord is 15 feet of 1/8" flat woven kevlar (600 lb strength) from Uncle Mike's Rocket Shack.

Note: Aft centering ring and Aero Pack retainer are not glued in place yet.

(The motor tube is 8" long and will accomdate AT 29/180 hardware... H128 here we come )

 

[Buckaroo]

We'll leave you all tonight with the obligatory dry fit photo... Stock Mighty Mick (BT-60) on the right.

 

[Pantherjon]

Nice lookin Mega Mick!

 

[Buckaroo]

Nice lookin Mega Mick!

Thanks! Like a lot of Thrustline designs, the Mighty Mick has very nice lines, to my eye anyway, so it was a shoe-in for an upscale once I found the right components. It's funny, but the ideas for both my mid power builds and my Level 1 high power build all came while I was cruising the nose cone page on the Semroc website... inspiration is a funny thing sometimes

Got the motor mount installed this evening.

(This was actually the second motor mount installation in as many days. I put the original mount in Monday morning, but when I cam back later to check it I discovered that I had not bothered to pay attention to where the shock cord tail was, and of course managed to get it lined up right underneath one of the fin slots :bang: I managed to pry the mount out without damaging the body tube, luckily I had enough spare components on hand to quickly make a new one...)

 

[Buckaroo]

Final bit of work tonight was to get the first fin tacked on.

Note: The aft centering ring is only set in place to keep the motor tube centered.

 

[gary7]

1st: great looking rocket. What are you planning to fly it with? Did you put it into ROCKSIM?

2nd: I like your fin template alot. I would consider putting a notch of 1/4 inch or so at the corner where the allignment template, fin and body tube meet. This would allow room for your fin epoxy while keeping the template on until the epoxy is dry. It would also prevent glue up of your template to the rocket of course. Then, you could market the template, first by sending me one for fine compliment I am giving you. Seriously though, good job.

 

[Buckaroo]

1st: great looking rocket. What are you planning to fly it with? Did you put it into ROCKSIM?

Thanks! Absolutely built a Rocksim file for it. I simmed just about evey engine that would fit. Of the motors I currently have in my inventory these are the ones I'm looking at:

F40W-7 - 1370ft - Probably use this for first flight
G78G-7 - 1755ft - The one I'm most looking forward to
G64W-8 - 1890ft
G80T-7 - 2040ft

If I can borrow the herdware from someone I'd like to fly either:

AT H128W - 2200ft needs a shorter delay element
CTI H90-CL-9 - 2350'

The Rocksim file is attached, sorry I had to strip out most of the flight sims to get the file size down... enjoy!

View attachment 29mm_mighty_mick_2.rkt

 

[Buckaroo]

2nd: I like your fin template alot. I would consider putting a notch of 1/4 inch or so at the corner where the allignment template, fin and body tube meet. This would allow room for your fin epoxy while keeping the template on until the epoxy is dry. It would also prevent glue up of your template to the rocket of course. Then, you could market the template, first by sending me one for fine compliment I am giving you. Seriously though, good job.

Thanks again. The notches are there, just hard to see, I probably only cut about 1/8" or so. That's one of those things that's self-correcting... you forget once or twice and it becomes habit. Here's a pic that maybe shows them a bit better.

I'm not sure there's enough of a demand to market it, what I've always wanted to do was to draw a set of templates using some kind of software app, and then whenever you needed one you could just print out the sheet, paste it to your poster board and cut it out. I never manage to find the time to do it thought, and in the end it's easy enough to make one from scratch when I need it.

Got all the fins attached, and started on the fillets... 2 down, 16 to go

 

[MarkH]

Sweet looking build.

I've made a few orders of the BT-80H /29 mm tube and ply centering rings from Semroc for three different rockets. Semroc needs to come out with a 3.0 inch dia SLS kit (so they start stocking that size tube) in order to come up with a serious HPR kit. The Brighton and ARCAS are more MPR than HPR and will fly kind of high on an H.

I've also noticed that the Semroc 2.6 " heavy tubes are on par with LOC tubing of the same size (if not from the same source), but the Aerotech 2.6" tube is of a little better finished quality.

 

[Buckaroo]

Sweet looking build.

I've made a few orders of the BT-80H /29 mm tube and ply centering rings from Semroc for three different rockets. Semroc needs to come out with a 3.0 inch dia SLS kit (so they start stocking that size tube) in order to come up with a serious HPR kit. The Brighton and ARCAS are more MPR than HPR and will fly kind of high on an H.

I've also noticed that the Semroc 2.6 " heavy tubes are on par with LOC tubing of the same size (if not from the same source), but the Aerotech 2.6" tube is of a little better finished quality.

Thanks!

I built my level 1 rocket out of Semroc #225 tubing, with 1/8" plywood fins and a 38mm motor mount. I didn't glass anything, so other than the avionics bay, it was really just an upscaled model rocket build for me. I've got 4 flights on it so far, and it seems to be holding up ok. Certainly don't plan on pushing the Mach boudary, but I'm learning a lot with it. I hope to fly that one on an I59 soon. I need to get that thread up to date...

What got my going with Semroc was that they have a lot of the "classic" nose cone shapes in larger sizes, just begging for an upscale or three That and their stuff is always great quility... and their service is awesome...

 

[MarkH]

Thanks!

I built my level 1 rocket out of Semroc #225 tubing, with 1/8" plywood fins and a 38mm motor mount. I didn't glass anything, so other than the avionics bay, it was really just an upscaled model rocket build for me. I've got 4 flights on it so far, and it seems to be holding up ok. Certainly don't plan on pushing the Mach boudary, but I'm learning a lot with it. I hope to fly that one on an I59 soon. I need to get that thread up to date...

What got my going with Semroc was that they have a lot of the "classic" nose cone shapes in larger sizes, just begging for an upscale or three That and their stuff is always great quility... and their service is awesome...

Do you have pics of the level 1 build?

 

[Buckaroo]

Do you have pics of the level 1 build?

I'll use that as motivation to bring my HPR thread out of retirement. Look for the Upscale Thurstline Duster thread

Is that picture on your posts the Upscale Groove Tube that flew at NARAM? I think I saw your flight log on EMRR...?

 

[MarkH]

I'll use that as motivation to bring my HPR thread out of retirement. Look for the Upscale Thurstline Duster thread

Is that picture on your posts the Upscale Groove Tube that flew at NARAM? I think I saw your flight log on EMRR...?

The avatar pic is my upscale Groove Tube on a G64 from a couple months ago. I flew it twice at NARAM on an H165R for L1. The first attempt the nosecone came loose, so I didn't get certed. I got my L1 on the second attempt.

 

[Buckaroo]

The avatar pic is my upscale Groove Tube on a G64 from a couple months ago. I flew it twice at NARAM on an H165R for L1. The first attempt the nosecone came loose, so I didn't get certed. I got my L1 on the second attempt.

Congrats on the L1! :clap:

I'm sure someone has already said it to you, but just in case.... Welcome to High Power, now open up your Wallet! :roll:

 

[MarkH]

Congrats on the L1! :clap:

I'm sure someone has already said it to you, but just in case.... Welcome to High Power, now open up your Wallet! :roll:

Thanks.

Yeah, that's what they said. So I immediately walked over to the onsite vendor and bought two more H reloads.

 

[Handeman]

I'm not sure there's enough of a demand to market it, what I've always wanted to do was to draw a set of templates using some kind of software app, and then whenever you needed one you could just print out the sheet, paste it to your poster board and cut it out. I never manage to find the time to do it thought, and in the end it's easy enough to make one from scratch when I need it.

Just use VCP. It will print out alignment wraps and guides.

 

[Buckaroo]

Just use VCP. It will print out alignment wraps and guides.

Good Call! I always forget about using VCP until after the fact...

Kind of like forgetting to put the launch lugs on until AFTER I paint the rocket...

Speaking of launch lugs...

I got the external fillets done on the fins and got the launch lugs on.

 

[Buckaroo]

The next night I got all the internal fillets finished

 

[Buckaroo]

And the aft centering ring installed.

 

[Buckaroo]

I wanted to re-enforce the aft end of the body tube so I took the leftover piece of BT and cut a section that would fit up against the aft centering ring, and cut a slot out like you would if you were making your own tube coupler.

I ran a bead of epoxy around the aft centering ring / BT joint, then a thin layer on the inside of the main BT before sliding in the re-enforcement section. Finally I added healthy fillets around the centering ring joints.

 

[Buckaroo]

When I first got the nose cone a few weeks ago I immediately gave it multiple coats of MinWax Wood Hardener. I have discovered through trial and error that this stuff takes a long time to cure, but once it does, it does a fairly good job of making the balsa just a little tougher.

I can't adequately describe how beautiful this Semroc nose cone is. The Balsa is clean and solid and the tooling is excellent. :clap:

Today I got to work sanding down the leftover wood hardener, and tonight got the first coat of thinned down Elmer's Wood Filler brushed on.

 

[Buckaroo]

Got the last of the fillets done on the launch lugs last night...

I also took a Q-tip and swabbed the inside of the launch lugs with a thin film of epoxy. I've heard stories of folks who have had paper launch lugs swell up in humid weather to the point where they can't get them on the rod. I don't know if that's true or not, but hopefully this will solve that problem, real or imagined. :confused2:

 

[Buckaroo]

Tonight I got a coat of thinned down Elmer's Wood Filler on the fins. At this rate I might even get some painting done this weekend, and it's still more than two weeks until the next club launch

I might have to build another rocket just to keep up the proper stress level...

 

[Buckaroo]

Well the Mega Mick is chompin' at the bit (unlike llamas which like to chomp on you hands ).

The paint job came out as nice as I could hope for. I used the new Rust-Oleum Metallic (Racing Green). It might not look like much at first, but a clear coat finish (I used Future Floor Polish) makes it look awesome!

Got the AeroPack retainer installed on the back end, and a nice color coordinated spherachute for the front end.

Got an F-40 loaded up for first flight tomorrow, and a good selection of single use G motors as well. I also got a couple of H128s in the mail the other day, just in case