New to forum - question on build

[kevmk81]

Hello y’all! I’m fairly new at HPR builds and have a quick question. I am so used to using launch lugs but tonight I started my first HPR build - an apogee zephyr. I was so focused on doing the epoxying correctly for the internal fillets that I installed the rear bulkhead and totally forgot to epoxy the underside of the weld-nut for the rail button! :-(. How likely is that rail button to fail within the first one or two launches? I’m wanting to certify level 1 with this rocket. Ugh. Such a mistake. I watched one of apogees videos on how to fix a broken rail button so I suppose if worst comes to worst I can use their method of taking a drill bit to the bulkhead and using a dowel to go through the hole to apply epoxy. Should I just do that anyways?

Thanks everyone!!!

 

[Scott C]

It will be fine. I have yet to replace a button on any of my rockets that have flown several times. You could get some thin CA to hold the nut in place.

 

[Hobie1dog]

to the forum. it should be fine.

 

[John_461]

It will be completely fine until you decide to remove the button.

If, for any reason, you decide to remove it, loosen it CAREFULLY and put a drop or 2 of thin CA around the backer and let it cure fully before doing anything else with it.

 

[dhbarr]

It will be completely fine until you decide to remove the button.

If, for any reason, you decide to remove it, loosen it CAREFULLY and put a drop or 2 of thin CA around the backer and let it cure fully before doing anything else with it.

I would just leave it, and only wick some adhesive in it it backs itself out naturally.

Worst case scenario the button comes off, you jam some epoxy through the hole, and screw on another button. Now the jbweld is your new backing nut.

 

[Donnager]

I would just leave it, and only wick some adhesive in it it backs itself out naturally.

Worst case scenario the button comes off, you jam some epoxy through the hole, and screw on another button. Now the jbweld is your new backing nut.

I've actually made a drilled and tapped bulb/blob of JBWeld or Epoxy just for this purpose when I didn't have room for hardware, or couldn't reach the back side of a nut with a wrench/pliers. They held up (and are still holding up) fine.

 

[kevmk81]

Wow - great feedback - thanks everyone! The rocket is coming along nicely. I used too tacky of masking tape when I did the fillets on the fins with rocketpoxy and the surface of the tube got a little nasty :-( But after priming it I was able to sand it off. I think it should turn out fine - might have a little bit of roughness - but lesson learned on that as well.

 

[FlyBy01]

Hello y’all! I’m fairly new at HPR builds and have a quick question. I am so used to using launch lugs but tonight I started my first HPR build - an apogee zephyr. I was so focused on doing the epoxying correctly for the internal fillets that I installed the rear bulkhead and totally forgot to epoxy the underside of the weld-nut for the rail button! :-(. How likely is that rail button to fail within the first one or two launches? I’m wanting to certify level 1 with this rocket. Ugh. Such a mistake. I watched one of apogees videos on how to fix a broken rail button so I suppose if worst comes to worst I can use their method of taking a drill bit to the bulkhead and using a dowel to go through the hole to apply epoxy. Should I just do that anyways?

Thanks everyone!!!

• Carefully measure to where the aft centering ring is
• drill a small hole in the center of the ring
• put a small amount of CA in the hole and use a small wood screw to secure the rail button while the CA glue is still wet
• The centering ring may split a little but a little JB Weld or Rocket Poxy will reinforce that
• I recommend using a Jolly Logic Chute release on your cert flight

 

[KenECoyote]

I've added buttons to older cardboard rockets by drilling a hole, screw in and out to thread the hole, mixing a small dab of epoxy and feeding a few drips into the holes, screw into buttons, also add epoxy to the end of the screw, screw into the hole and keep everything upsidedown so the epoxy hardens around the other side and holds everything well in place. I have yet to have a button fail with this.

 

[David Schwantz]

You could also drill hole in rear bulkhead and apply epoxy through it. As long as forward bulkhead is intact, ejection charges will still work.

 

[MidOH]

Wow - great feedback - thanks everyone! The rocket is coming along nicely. I used too tacky of masking tape when I did the fillets on the fins with rocketpoxy and the surface of the tube got a little nasty :-( But after priming it I was able to sand it off. I think it should turn out fine - might have a little bit of roughness - but lesson learned on that as well.

That's normal. If the tube won't sand down and keeps getting fuzzy, CA it, or smear some epoxy on.