Neil_W's half-baked design thread

[Nytrunner]

The disc motif is great. It reminds me ~50s/60s rayguns from sci-fi and comics (Spaceman Spiff!).

It would be neat to see some of those up near the nose cone. May help your "boring front matter" issue?

 

[LithosphereRocketry]

The disc motif is great. It reminds me ~50s/60s rayguns from sci-fi and comics (Spaceman Spiff!).

It would be neat to see some of those up near the nose cone. May help your "boring front matter" issue?

Yeah, what about something along those lines w/ a different fin can to complement the Avalon's vertical strakes?

 

[neil_w]

Hmm, more interest here than I expected.

1: the rings as shown are 1/8" wide unobtainium. Procurement and/or fabrication details to be worried about later.

2: more discs will inevitably end up in the front. This was just a quick first try to see if it looked like it had any promise at all.

 

[neil_w]

I was considering building one... Then I saw that beautiful curve on the fins and decided to stick with straight lines for now. I have a hard enough time cutting those already.

Just takes a sharp knife and some practice. Go get a sacrificial sheet of balsa and start cutting! Or do like I did and scratch build an upscale Quinstar; once you're done with that you'll be a pro.

 

[Gary Byrum]

Hmm, more interest here than I expected.

1: the rings as shown are 1/8" wide unobtainium. Procurement and/or fabrication details to be worried about later.

Unobtanium is very much like Upsidasium. Found nowhere and must be fabricated. Sounds like a challenge that might have to be met using dual flat CR's spaced with a ring around them. Or just a stack of flat CR's that take up 1/8". Dasa spensive way ta use dem CR's man.

 

[neil_w]

I was mostly thinking laser cut 1/8" birch ply. But again, fabrication is not my concern yet.

 

[neil_w]

Hey Gary, send me an image of your plasma wrap (100dpi or higher) and I'll plug it into the OR sim. Should be fun.

 

[Gary Byrum]

In your inbox.

 

[neil_w]

This looks incredibly cool but IMHO it might be a bit too much plasma (although once it's your build it's totally up to you, obviously):

I'm gonna play around some more.

BTW: the plasma image doesn't wrap seemlessly, so on the forward section it'd need some fixing (I've hidden the seam on the far side). Where there are fins, the seam can be under a fin.

 

[Gary Byrum]

This looks incredibly cool but IMHO it might be a bit too much plasma (although once it's your build it's totally up to you, obviously):

I dunno.....It is, after all, a space dart/projectile loaded with plasma? I think it looks great. Serious eye catcher.

 

[Nytrunner]

If you limit the plasma wrap to the mid section (between those long bracing fins), it makes it look like a warp core!

 

[Gary Byrum]

If you limit the plasma wrap to the mid section (between those long bracing fins), it makes it look like a warp core!

True, but doesn't it loose something? Unless you improvise on the other tubes, kinda looks nekkid.

 

[Nytrunner]

True, but doesn't it loose something? Unless you improvise on the other tubes, kinda looks nekkid.

View attachment 327833

Nothing a little vinyl striping won't cure. Or leave it naked! Don't want to make it too busy.

This has been another episode of Nyt's opinion on ballistic aesthetics.

 

[K'Tesh]

True, but doesn't it loose something? Unless you improvise on the other tubes, kinda looks nekkid.

View attachment 327833

What's wrong with being nekked? So long as nobody can see what you're up to. :wink:

Of course you could always add pasties if needed...

 

[Gary Byrum]

Of course you could always add pasties if needed...

Nah......

 

[neil_w]

I'm gonna try to un-see that.

 

[LW Bercini]

As we say down here in the South Gary, "You ain't right!'

 

[Gary Byrum]

K'tesh, said it. Not Meeeee. I dint do ennything. It was him fault. Not mine. Blame it on him. He done it. I jus drew it.

 

[neil_w]

Just throwin' it out there.

Agreed that the last one especially, but maybe all of these, need a bit more decal work to really finish them off.

I do like the "warp core" look. I was actually trying for that in another design (not published here) but didn't think of using a cool wrap image like that.

 

[RCgothic]

The second of those looks really good, quite a lot like a Borg version of voyager's core! Just needs a bit more detailing to bring it to life.

 

[neil_w]

"Canards"?

 

[Gary Byrum]

"Canards"?

Canards are a nice touch. This is crazy!!! I got 3-4 models on the bench, 2-3 others I have plans ready to build, and here I go with another good possible candidate for the design pile.......:y:

 

[neil_w]

More fun with canards:

Apparently, as long as I have fins mounted to transitions then I am happy.

I was planning to move on from this design but it seems to be quite fun to fiddle with...

 

[LithosphereRocketry]

More fun with canards:

Apparently, as long as I have fins mounted to transitions then I am happy.

I was planning to move on from this design but it seems to be quite fun to fiddle with...

Here's what I would do...

Stretch the area between the two fore transitions to 2" or so.
Make the canards flush with said section and have 6 of them or so.

Just a thought...

 

[neil_w]

Stretch the area between the two fore transitions to 2" or so.
Make the canards flush with said section and have 6 of them or so.

Like this?

The previous scheme looks pretty good with 6 canards as well...

Gotta find a way to put this design down, looks like it's not gonna be easy.

 

[neil_w]

One day I will have an original thought and stop rehashing the same themes over and over.

Today is not that day.

 

[LithosphereRocketry]

Like this?

The previous scheme looks pretty good with 6 canards as well...

Gotta find a way to put this design down, looks like it's not gonna be easy.

I meant with the top of the canard flush with the OD of the rocket, like the "warp core" ribs... But that second one looks pretty nice, especially if the trailing slope matches the transition... Maybe shorten the cone/lengthen the canards so that matches as well?

 

[LithosphereRocketry]

I've caught the bug... I used to make sensible sport-scale stuff, but now all I can think about is crazy sci-fi rockets...

 

[neil_w]

I meant with the top of the canard flush with the OD of the rocket, like the "warp core" ribs... But that second one looks pretty nice, especially if the trailing slope matches the transition... Maybe shorten the cone/lengthen the canards so that matches as well?

I've caught the bug... I used to make sensible sport-scale stuff, but now all I can think about is crazy sci-fi rockets...

Heeeeeere ya go:
View attachment plasma_dart_canard2.ork
BTW: "sensible"??? Haven't heard that word used to describe a model rocket before. Plus points for creativity. :wink:

 

[Nytrunner]

Before we go getting excited, which one of these are you actually going to build?