Sparkytfl
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- May 11, 2012
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Memorial day was traditionally a day spent at the park with my family launching rockets when I was a teen back in the 90s, so with it coming up, I had an urge to build a new one. I dont know why this year and not any other year though, it's been probably ten years.
I picked one that was big, wouldnt fly too high, and would likely come back, Big Bertha. Painted it the black I was used to seeing them (never had one though), but decided to make it a little more interesting with a sparkle black. I thought enough primer and sanding would fill the grain and the lines (the tube lines seem to be prefilled much better these days though), but some is still visible. Fins nice and straight, clearcoat looks great, no runs. Definitely the best one I've ever made. Here's a closeup of the finish.
Here it is next to my Estes Venom, the last and only remaining airworthy member of my original fleet made in maybe 99ish, and whats left of my Sidewinder from 96. The sidewinder lost the nose half in the late 90s, then got smashed in the garage, it's pretty obvious that I made it when I was 13 with how poorly finished it was.
I couldnt wait until memorial day to try out my new rocket, so I headed to the park with something old and something new. Had to open and clean all the contacts in my controller, and buy a new rod from lowes to replace the bent old one. Found a 24 engine variety box at Michaels and used a 40% coupon (still cost more than they did when I used to do this). Ready at the park:
Started with the Venom, with A8-3. A little low, not bad. Another, same thing.
B6-4 then another. About what I remembered. The second one sent it over some trees and a fence. Climbed under the fence, got it back, but dropped and broke my new $100 camera, so no pictures of Bertha launching. Managed not to swear in front of some kids. Decided not to risk a C.
The Bertha didnt seem to like b6-4s. Maybe 200 feet up, the parachute didnt unfold until under 100 feet above the parking lot, got a little worried. Same thing with another. Tried some c6-3 and c6-5. The 3 seemed about right, the 5 maybe a little late. The thing steered into the wind BAD. Like it went almost farther sideways than up, but returned to about where it started with the wind blowing the parachute. Until the sixth launch...
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!......."
Well I did plan on it being the last one, to save some engines for next time. It's always that last one... Wind carried it hundreds of feet, landed 25 feet up in a pine tree. Nothing I could do, packed up and went home to look for a way to get it down. $25 plus another 10 in paint and hours of time building it, I'm not going to abandon it when it's right there for me to see. Back to the park, tried a huge wrench tied to some rope. Ripped the parachute from the shroud lines, got that back. Failed to get the rocket, and messed up my hand blocking a 25mm wrench from falling on my head. It was hanging there by the shock cord. I knew if I could hook something into the body tube I could pull it down. Duct taped a hook-shaped stick to an extendable golf-ball-grabber taped to a piece of ten food wire conduit. It wobbled like crazy but I managed to snag the body and bring it down, the shock cord snapping just inside the body, leaving the nose and most of the cord in the tree. A few tries got that back. Two hours and I got it all back. Small ding and paint chip at the top from the stick pulling at it, and a small ding on the bottom of a fin from the fall (lucky none broke off).
Definitely an interesting return to the hobby, though a big reminder of why I stopped in the first place. Wish I had gotten up early enough to go to the club launch, much bigger field there I bet. I do plan to keep doing this, hopefully build something big once I find a good park. I miss some of the o.o.p. kits from the 90s so I might make an upscale version of one. The Yellow Jacket was beautiful.
So does anybody have any tips to get an elmers-glued-in paper shock cord mount out of the tube so I can replace it?
I picked one that was big, wouldnt fly too high, and would likely come back, Big Bertha. Painted it the black I was used to seeing them (never had one though), but decided to make it a little more interesting with a sparkle black. I thought enough primer and sanding would fill the grain and the lines (the tube lines seem to be prefilled much better these days though), but some is still visible. Fins nice and straight, clearcoat looks great, no runs. Definitely the best one I've ever made. Here's a closeup of the finish.
Here it is next to my Estes Venom, the last and only remaining airworthy member of my original fleet made in maybe 99ish, and whats left of my Sidewinder from 96. The sidewinder lost the nose half in the late 90s, then got smashed in the garage, it's pretty obvious that I made it when I was 13 with how poorly finished it was.
I couldnt wait until memorial day to try out my new rocket, so I headed to the park with something old and something new. Had to open and clean all the contacts in my controller, and buy a new rod from lowes to replace the bent old one. Found a 24 engine variety box at Michaels and used a 40% coupon (still cost more than they did when I used to do this). Ready at the park:
Started with the Venom, with A8-3. A little low, not bad. Another, same thing.
B6-4 then another. About what I remembered. The second one sent it over some trees and a fence. Climbed under the fence, got it back, but dropped and broke my new $100 camera, so no pictures of Bertha launching. Managed not to swear in front of some kids. Decided not to risk a C.
The Bertha didnt seem to like b6-4s. Maybe 200 feet up, the parachute didnt unfold until under 100 feet above the parking lot, got a little worried. Same thing with another. Tried some c6-3 and c6-5. The 3 seemed about right, the 5 maybe a little late. The thing steered into the wind BAD. Like it went almost farther sideways than up, but returned to about where it started with the wind blowing the parachute. Until the sixth launch...
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!......."
Well I did plan on it being the last one, to save some engines for next time. It's always that last one... Wind carried it hundreds of feet, landed 25 feet up in a pine tree. Nothing I could do, packed up and went home to look for a way to get it down. $25 plus another 10 in paint and hours of time building it, I'm not going to abandon it when it's right there for me to see. Back to the park, tried a huge wrench tied to some rope. Ripped the parachute from the shroud lines, got that back. Failed to get the rocket, and messed up my hand blocking a 25mm wrench from falling on my head. It was hanging there by the shock cord. I knew if I could hook something into the body tube I could pull it down. Duct taped a hook-shaped stick to an extendable golf-ball-grabber taped to a piece of ten food wire conduit. It wobbled like crazy but I managed to snag the body and bring it down, the shock cord snapping just inside the body, leaving the nose and most of the cord in the tree. A few tries got that back. Two hours and I got it all back. Small ding and paint chip at the top from the stick pulling at it, and a small ding on the bottom of a fin from the fall (lucky none broke off).
Definitely an interesting return to the hobby, though a big reminder of why I stopped in the first place. Wish I had gotten up early enough to go to the club launch, much bigger field there I bet. I do plan to keep doing this, hopefully build something big once I find a good park. I miss some of the o.o.p. kits from the 90s so I might make an upscale version of one. The Yellow Jacket was beautiful.
So does anybody have any tips to get an elmers-glued-in paper shock cord mount out of the tube so I can replace it?
.
