Neil_W's half-baked design thread

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I'm a fan of his original plasma dart design, and if he isn't going to build it, I'll enthusiastically encourage him to give someone else what they need to work on it!

Yes, I agree, I also encourage someone to build the original plasma dart design. Otherwise there are two PDIIs and no PDI!
 
By the way, what PD1 really needs (in addition to just being built at all) is a better paint scheme. I think the plasma core in my various renderings (and the ORK files) is good, as originally put there by Gary Byrum, but the rest needs work. I had it on my TODO list to work on that, but if @Co-leader of the LRP is gonna build it then it's now his problem, and another item I can check off. I'm still happy to offer opinions though (seriously, just try and stop me :D).

I shall eagerly look forward to seeing how it comes out, if it actually happens.
 
I think the plasma core in my various renderings (and the ORK files) is good, as originally put there by Gary Byrum, but the rest needs work.

I do like the plasma core. Just a general reminder that my offer of plasma core wraps (sized for BT-80 body tube) as printed by Mark of Stickershock23.com for anyone interested in building a PDI or PDII still stands.
 
Neil... Just catching up with your latest threads here. I noticed that your eraser sure does have nice square edges on it. ;) No drips, no runs, no erasures?
Neil.png

To help minimize damage to the rocket when it arrives back at terra firma...

Have you considered a design that ejects the motor and it's mount? The motor/mount is tied to a lanyard that deploys it's own chute and the rockets own chute. That way the rockets mass is decreased and it is less likely to damage itself.
 
Last edited:
I had it on my TODO list to work on that, but if @Co-leader of the LRP is gonna build it then it's now his problem, and another item I can check off

I may eventually build it, (if so, not for a few years) but I just wanted to keep the design for possible future building, and some now testing, because I really like it. I'm quite new to model rocketry, only just lost my first rocket (Estes crossfire isx) to a tree after <10 launches. Keep it on you to-do list, @neil_w! I'll support a build thread!
 
Ah, fair enough. Don't be too intimidated by that one, though; it's pretty straightforward other than needing a few transitions. When the time comes if you need any guidance just holler.
 
I like the Plasma Dart also but just can't picture a paint scheme. That's why my Lockheed Defender is still in overall dark blue :(

-Bob
 
I really like the Plasma Dart as well, and may build it one of these days. There looks to be one technically challenging area: the long ribs between the transitions; cutting exactly to length and attaching them exactly straight. The length should help with the second part, since even "exactly" has some small tolerance, and the large length means that a small positional error yields a tiny angular error. If I ever take it on I'll laser cut the pieces and work out a nearly fool proof way of marking (which I may have just worked out while typing.)
 
The good news on those long ribs is that
a) They have a long root edge glued on to the BT. That edge is easily pencil-marked in advance.
b) Perfect fit at each transition end is not required due to (a). Any gaps there can be cleaned up with fillets or CWF or something
c) If I were building it, I'd mark the transition shrouds at each end with alignment lines for the ribs (I can generate the template files if anyone wants me to)

So, ultimately, you need the pieces cut for "decent" but not "perfect" fit, and then just glue to the alignment lines.

Certainly requires care, but nothing crazy. I think. ;)

The canards on the Diamond Cutter had none of the above benefits, and getting them both fitted and straight was borderline impossible; they ended up with pretty good fit but only straight-ish. Of course, that was my first scratch build and I know a lot more techniques now.
 
What I thought of while typing was similar:
  • Mark both transitions with computer generated precision;
  • Place one long line on the tube using a piece of angle;
  • Line up a mark on each transition with the line;
  • Use the marks on the transitions to align the ribs.
That way I don't have to try to get evenly spaced lines on the tube.
 
If I were to build it, I'd want that central tube underneath the ribs to be the plasma core. In order to do the plasma core texture with a vinyl wrap, it would either have to be three separate pieces (separated by the ribs), or a single piece of vinyl and glue on the ribs after finishing the rocket. I think though, with the right paint scheme, small misalignments of the ribs would be hard to notice. I'm not sure which would be better.
 
3 pieces all the way.

Although now that I think about it, getting them fit in there perfectly would be... fun. :) Decals or vinyl would be a bit of an adventure. But that has to be the plasma core.

That is a very kittable design. I might be making a mistake by not building it. (Previous two sentences are not really related). Will need to ponder.
 
Aw **** it, Plasma Dart is going on the build queue. It just needs to be done, maybe even this winter, right after the Skywriter. I will not make the mistake I made with PDII of building too small. This one will be sized for D/E/F44. Still need to do some work in OR to see how that'll come out exactly.

I'm pretty happy with the design as-is (other than paint scheme which needs work) but I'm gonna still gonna take this opportunity to fiddle with it a bit and see if I can make it better. Youse guys can let me know if you think I'm going in the wrong direction. I don't yet have any concrete ideas about what I'm gonna do though.

Note: Although the plasma core is a sci-fi-like element, this will be pure sport rocket. That could mean anything for the decor, including plasma stripes on the fins (just for you @Nytrunner. ;))
 
Pencil first, and then... well, we'll see. Launcher-X is half built, but I might still put it aside and do PD first if the mood strikes. @BABAR is *supposed* to be doing the stop sign. :)
 
Pencil first, and then... well, we'll see. Launcher-X is half built, but I might still put it aside and do PD first if the mood strikes. @BABAR is *supposed* to be doing the stop sign. :)
Hey, I am working on “the Stripper”, a CATO recovery rocket on D motor. I was going to go for a Double-D, but couldn’t get a way for it to work. It will launch off a pole.....er, I mean rod.
 
You greatly, greatly exaggerate. That's not bad at all, though there is room for improvement. One suggestion: thin black stripes between the fins, i.e. where the roots of the other three fins would be if you had six. Shorter than the roots of the actual fins. This might actually suck.

I'm often a fan of metallics. Perhaps try replacing the plasma pattern bits on the nose with gold? And change my stripes described above to gold as well? And maybe change all the white (except the lettering) to silver?

I assume that is shown without and engine. If that's the launch configuration then you've got about 5.6 calibers of static stability, and it'll weathercock into the merest whisper of a breeze.
 
I think I really don't like the fin can treatment, need to clean that up before I can think clearly about the rest.

Silver base color might be nice, although challenging to work with in OR (could just use grey for now I guess). Challenging to work with the paint IRL as well...

I do like the lettering on the strakes. Is it good on the bottom like that? Somewhat non-traditional, but it lets the lettering be facing the viewer when the dorsal fin is vertical (due to 60 degree offset between strakes and fins).
 
I do like the lettering on the strakes as well. Are there 3 fins and 6 strakes?

I also like the faded/blended decal on the nose, and the use of triangular elements throughout. Maybe simple triangles on the fin can would look alright.
 
I do like the lettering on the strakes as well. Are there 3 fins and 6 strakes?
Only 3 strakes, 60 degree offset from fins.

By the way, I upscaled one click from the original: currently the plasma core is BT55, payload section is BT60, and fin can is BT70. 24mm Mount. Comes out to 32” and probably around 5 oz. Interior construction with the various tube sizes is almost comical. Also considering splitting between the two transitions in front; could leave room for an altimeter up there.
 
I suspect that this one will be easier than PDII, especially in that upscaled size. And a 24mm motor mount will perfect for that size/weight.

Splitting between the two transitions sounds like a good idea, it would hide the seam, you'd have a smooth nose cone to body tube transition and no decals to try and line up when attaching the nose cone. And altimeters are fun.
 
Something about the original green and battleship grey was really good.

The purple triangles make it look like diamond cutter, and the white background is just similar to PDII
 
Back
Top