Mini Paper Blue Bird Zero

[lessgravity]

I was happy to see an email from fellow TRF'er BobH48 that he had another great mini paper rocket. Moments after putting it on my site I had printed it up and was building it. This is a great little 13mm version of the Blue Bird Zero. The rocket is ready for free download on my Partial Paper Rocket build site. There are no instructions however the build is self-explanatory for anyone with paper rocket experience. As always with the Partial Paper Rocket builds you will need a BT5 nose cone. In the case it's the Quark nose cone. Links are on the page on where to purchase packs of these nose cones.
The rocket stands about 17 inches tall and is 13mm. Bob says it flies great on a A3-4T

Here is a link to the Partial Paper Rocket page

Here is my build of Bob's rocket

 

[foose4string]

Very Cool! I imagine the Hartle NC-5B resin cone would work ok too, maybe slightly lower altitudes. BobH does good work and is a good guy to have around! Thanks to both of you for sharing.

 

[jj94]

About how high does it go on an A3?

 

[BobH48]

About how high does it go on an A3?

I'm not real good at judging altitutes but wRASP says 790 feet on an A3-4T and 398 feet on a 1/2A3-4T.

Mine weighs .4 ounces with a small streamer and a couple sheets of Estes wadding ready to go but without motor installed.

 

[Peartree]

I'm not real good at judging altitutes but wRASP says 790 feet on an A3-4T and 398 feet on a 1/2A3-4T.

Where does it say an A10 puts it (besides into next week)?

 

[BobH48]

Where does it say an A10 puts it (besides into next week)?

The A10-3T is not a good motor for this rocket.

The 3 second delay (actually 2.35 sec average from NAR testing) is way too short so you will LESS altitude than if you use the A3-4T. The 4 second delay on the A3 is a little short also but it's the best we got.

The 4 second delay on the 1/2A3 is just about perfect.

I know that everyone is going to want to use A10-3T's because Walmart has them cheap but with a 40% off coupon at Michaels, the A3-4T's are about the same price.

I find that, in general, for most of the light paper rockets that I make, the A3-4T is a much better motor than the A10-3T. I have a lot of rockets that fly on 13mm motors and I only have one that I fly regularly on A10-3T's

 

[paparoof]

I had terrible luck with my first few paper rockets. I've built a couple from your Partial Paper Rocket Page (the Goblin and the old Star Blazer) and they're starting to look a lot more like actual rockets now. I even made my very own MMX --> 13mm adapter. irate:

This one just became next in my paper rocket build queue. Have you tried it on MMX? I've heard 15 grams is about the limit and this looks pretty dang close to that (.4 ounces = 11.34 grams without the motor).

 

[Indiana]

That looks good LG! Thanks BobH, that's going to look great sitting next to it's big brother.

 

[DexterLB]

Nice! It's a good rocket. I can even build it after I finish with TUX

 

[foose4string]

A10-3T might be too much for this little guy, but I bet a BT20 version of the BBZ might be pretty cool for that motor. Being the upper end of 13mm, I often wondered why they don't offer a longer delay on that particular motor(did they ever?). Not enough room in the casing?

 

[BobH48]

Here is my build of Bob's rocket

Wayne,

Nice job on this...

You didn't waste any time building it, did you?

I only sent it to you on Sunday morning and you had it done later that same day.

I took a couple days building the prototype

 

[lessgravity]

Wayne,

Nice job on this...

You didn't waste any time building it, did you?

I only sent it to you on Sunday morning and you had it done later that same day.

I took a couple days building the prototype

It was raining. I just got new ink for my printer.Great project for a rainy Sunday afternoon

 

[BobH48]

It was raining. I just got new ink for my printer.Great project for a rainy Sunday afternoon

So, it looks like I picked the perfect time to send it.

Well, I finally ran out BT-5 nose cones for these so it looks like I need to order a few more packs.

 

[BobH48]

I had terrible luck with my first few paper rockets. I've built a couple from your Partial Paper Rocket Page (the Goblin and the old Star Blazer) and they're starting to look a lot more like actual rockets now. I even made my very own MMX --> 13mm adapter. irate:

This one just became next in my paper rocket build queue. Have you tried it on MMX? I've heard 15 grams is about the limit and this looks pretty dang close to that (.4 ounces = 11.34 grams without the motor).

I figure it's too big for MMX but give it a try if you want and let us know how it performs.

 

[DexterLB]

How do you stick the paper stuff on the rocket (glue type?)

 

[lessgravity]

How do you stick the paper stuff on the rocket (glue type?)

You can use a basic white glue. Elmers or Aileens work great. These are not wraps. The printed templates are the rocket. I suggest rolling the paper tubes over a 1/2 inch dowel. This process works well for me.

 

[gpoehlein]

You can use a basic white glue. Elmers or Aileens work great. These are not wraps. The printed templates are the rocket. I suggest rolling the paper tubes over a 1/2 inch dowel. This process works well for me.

I found an even better method. I bought some CT-5 (coupler stock) from BMS, and cut a length of that to use as a mandrel. Now, whenever I want to make a cardstock BT-5, I just wrap it around the CT-5. It is instantly the right size and provides a solid enough surface to burnish down the seam.

 

[DexterLB]

You can use a basic white glue. Elmers or Aileens work great. These are not wraps. The printed templates are the rocket. I suggest rolling the paper tubes over a 1/2 inch dowel. This process works well for me.

I got it! Thesame as I did in my TUX S

 

[BobH48]

I found an even better method. I bought some CT-5 (coupler stock) from BMS, and cut a length of that to use as a mandrel. Now, whenever I want to make a cardstock BT-5, I just wrap it around the CT-5. It is instantly the right size and provides a solid enough surface to burnish down the seam.

What a great idea!

I made a mandrel by gluing used 13mm motors onto a dowel. I had to put masking tape on the dowel until the motors were a snug fit but even so, it's not the greatest. It has little gaps where the motors come together.

 

[lessgravity]

FYI - I/2 inch dowel is the diameter of a 13mm motor (.511 inches is exact) . Makes a solid mandrel and can be found at any hardware store.
That's why I use it to roll paper tubes. I've also made some great tubes for standard rockets with this method.

 

[BobH48]

FYI - I/2 inch dowel is the diameter of a 13mm motor (.511 inches is exact) . Makes a solid mandrel and can be found at any hardware store.
That's why I use it to roll paper tubes. I've also made some great tubes for standard rockets with this method.

I wonder what the tolerance is on 1/2 inch wood dowels? Not real small, I'll bet.

I have a 1/2 inch dowel and if I try to use it for rolling 13mm body tubes, they come out too small. Thats why I went to using expended motors.

So, if you got one that's on the high side of the tolerance, then that's good.

Is it time to take a micrometer with me when shopping for wood dowels?

 

[lessgravity]

I wonder what the tolerance is on 1/2 inch wood dowels? Not real small, I'll bet.

I have a 1/2 inch dowel and if I try to use it for rolling 13mm body tubes, they come out too small. Thats why I went to using expended motors.

So, if you got one that's on the high side of the tolerance, then that's good.

Is it time to take a micrometer with me when shopping for wood dowels?

Good question. 13mm = .511 inches --- the couple 1/2 inch dowels I have measure .51 with my micrometer. Mine are a perfect fit however a simple wound of tape should correct those with tolerances under 13mm. I prefer the dowels because they are solid and easy to work with. I use a 12 inch section for my 13mm builds.

 

[dr wogz]

OK, just donwloaded & printed mine up..

Gonna try my printer at home. Seems I've lost teh last 1/4" or so..

I also printed up the Sentinel. Loved that kit when it came out! sweet!!

If you print one out, reverse the paper, and you can get a 2nd on the other half..

And they look about right for a 1/7 - 1/9 (.60 sized) scale R/C warbird!!


now, how would you get a motor in this?

https://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/global/entertainment/papercraft/realistic/yzr-m1/index.html

(There are others too..)

 

[Micromeister]

Good question. 13mm = .511 inches --- the couple 1/2 inch dowels I have measure .51 with my micrometer. Mine are a perfect fit however a simple wound of tape should correct those with tolerances under 13mm. I prefer the dowels because they are solid and easy to work with. I use a 12 inch section for my 13mm builds.

While 1/2" wooden dowels come out pretty close most of the time in the .51" range generally I've found we can't really get closer on most other sizes. I use 20,30 and 36 inch long sections as tube cutting mandrels as well as body forms for paper tiger and other paper models. Of 18 and 24mm motor models I drive a 1/2 and 3/4" dowel thru a series of spent motor casings, CA soak the lenth, then sand to fit. Once done, and it does take a little time they last for years and years. as the CA soak stabilizes the paper preventing much expansion/contraction due to temp and humidity

I also found added a single wrap of tracing vellum to 1/2" hardwood dowels allows sleeving of a body warp over a paper "Motor mount".

 

[lessgravity]

OK, just donwloaded & printed mine up..

Gonna try my printer at home. Seems I've lost teh last 1/4" or so..

In Adobe Reader from the print properties (File-print ....under the print scaling options try "Fit to printer margins")

 

[BobH48]

In Adobe Reader from the print properties (File-print ....under the print scaling options try "Fit to printer margins")

I hope that doesn't change the size. I have a tendency to draw things right up to the margins. I'll have to be more carefull in the future to leave more space around the edges.

 

[dr wogz]

Yeah, that's what I was trying to avoid (Keep?) the 1:1 scale ratio.

Different printers have different margins, and that will obviously scale the print-out.. I left it set to 'none' in the "printer set up margin / fit to paper" thingy.

My printer at home will print right to the edge of the sheet.. And I'll print on photo paper so it's all shiny & glossy!!



One personal beef, is that many images are in Tiff, JPG, BMP, EPS, etc.. and never have a scale indicator. These file types scale themselves to fit whatever, and if it is scale sencitive, you really don't know if you're out..

I guess I'm too used to engineering and drafting with Autocad, where as I can get true 1:1 plotting on my old HP pen plotter..


No offence meant Bob, I have the same issue with some plans & scans from JimZ's site and a few others out there too.. (Like, printing out 47 pages to make a plan for an R/C plane, only to find out it scaled up or down by 3% or 5%. You'll never notice unitll you try to fit something 'in'. It's off not enough to notice, but enough to utter words..)

 

[gpoehlein]

I hope that doesn't change the size. I have a tendency to draw things right up to the margins. I'll have to be more carefull in the future to leave more space around the edges.

For what it's worth, I usually do most of my design work on a 7-1/2" x 10" page - the half inch margin may seem excessive, but it will print on most all printers without a problem. Of course, I use Adobe Illustrator to do most all my design work, and I export the files to Acrobat (pdf) format, so keeping the scale right isn't a problem. You definitely don't want to click on the scale to page feature - if you do I guarantee that your body tubes will be too small for a motor to fit into!

 

[cliveroonie]

Wow. Paper rockets, small motors, and the Blue Bird Zero! This is the coolest thing since sliced bread.

 

[dr wogz]

BBZ AND a Sentinel!!

That's sliced bread AND Bologna!!

Thanks again Bob for the link!