Nose cone retention

[Jeff Curtis]

Moving up to building bigger rockets and am considering how to keep the nose cone attached to a payload section. I know there are rivets or screws. Any pros or cons to those? I'm not doing dual deploy but don't want to glue in the nose cone.

 

[Pinetree]

I used these things.

https://locprecision.com/products/reusable-plastic-rivets

 

[Jeff Curtis]

I used these things.

https://locprecision.com/products/reusable-plastic-rivets

How many would you put in a 3" nose cone?

 

[David Schwantz]

First question is why keep NC attached to payload? Where do you plan to deploy chute from?

 

[SolarYellow]

Adhesive tape also works if you don't plan to separate it.

 

[Pinetree]

I used 4 on my LOC Iris 3.1

Just lined them up with the fins. The chute attaches at the bottom of the payload section.

 

[Art Upton]

I use self tapping sheet metal screws that are size appropriate on the size of the rocket. Even very small ones for RC airplanes. I use one on each side on large rockets and one only on smaller rockets.

 

[tg08]

First question is why keep NC attached to payload? Where do you plan to deploy chute from?

My guess is eject the whole payload bay from the e-bay, NC and payload bay come off together. That's how I did one of my DD rockets. However, I've decided against that in the future as the charge blew the main up into the payload bay, causing it to get stuck. No damage, but unsafe if I knowingly continue launching like that.

 

[Jeff Curtis]

Adhesive tape also works if you don't plan to separate it.

I always us tape on the low power stuff, but a bit unsightly.

 

[Jeff Curtis]

First question is why keep NC attached to payload? Where do you plan to deploy chute from?

This isn't dual deploy so the chute will be below the payload section. Payload and nose cone will eject together.

 

[Art Upton]

This isn't dual deploy so the chute will be below the payload section. Payload and nose cone will eject together.

Screw

 

[SolarYellow]

You can also get very-flat head screws.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832395456300.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.11.42c7M5jEM5jEV9
I like little and metric. On a head that thin, I'll only use a "Phillips" head (likely actually JIS, since China generally uses that for it's cross-point screws). The Torx or hex cavities are likely to make the remaining cross section too thin at the bottom of the cavity and risk popping the head off. You can also surf around and find tee-nuts in similar small sizes that could be epoxied to the inner surface.

 

[rcktnut]

How many would you put in a 3" nose cone?

Make it a tight fit with tape and 1 will work just fine. I use 2 on my 4 in.

 

[StreuB1]

I use #4-40 FHMS's with the outer airframe/NC countersunk for said screw, and the inner FG airframe tapped for said screw. I then epoxy a hex nut on the inside so the FG is backed up by an actual metal nut.

For a normal 3" rocket, I would use (2) oriented 180° apart from each other and 1" up from the joint edge.

 

[bjphoenix]

I use self tapping sheet metal screws that are size appropriate on the size of the rocket. Even very small ones for RC airplanes. I use one on each side on large rockets and one only on smaller rockets.

My L1 rocket has bulkhead and payload section although I used motor ejection for my launches. It is built from 4" diameter LOC parts. I put 2 screws like these through the body tube into the nose cone shoulder, about #8 screw size.

I always us tape on the low power stuff, but a bit unsightly.

At our launch today someone had an egg lofter. His mentor used black electrical tape to hold the clear payload tubing to the coupler and to hold the nose cone to the payload tube. If wrapped neatly this just becomes another design element on the rocket.

 

[cerving]

Duck makes small rolls of reinforced tape in many colors and patterns... it looks a lot nicer than plain black electrical tape. It WILL take off any paint, however, except for automotive epoxies.

 

[teepot]

I used to use rivets. I got tired of pulling them off. I use either #6x1/2 or #8x1/2 pan head screws depending on the size of the rocket. The number of screws depends on the number of fins.

 

[Old School Doug]

My vote goes with those recommending small pan head or sheet metal screws. I've used them on several high power rockets and have never had a problem.

 

[SolarYellow]

Duck makes small rolls of reinforced tape in many colors and patterns... it looks a lot nicer than plain black electrical tape. It WILL take off any paint, however, except for automotive epoxies.

For Texas residents and visitors:

https://www.heb.com/product-detail/duck-hello-kitty-duck-tape-1-88-inch-x-10-yd/1656647
For a more conventional look:

https://www.amazon.com/Duck-280410-Printed-Checker-Inches/dp/B0058DV71A