NSL Thor Build

[Pantherjon]

Well, in order to remember what a great event NSL '08 was I HAD to get the NSL Commemorative Thor rocket! And my decision was re-enforced after the stellar performance my 38mm Thor gave me..So here we go!

The bag and the instruction booklet

All the high quality parts laid out

Funny how the nose cone looks so much like the nose cone on my LOC Aura...hmmm

Now to the build...Next post...

 

[Pantherjon]

First things first..And that is the motor tube..First I set the tube over the fin placement guide in the back of the instructions and marked the locations for the fin tabs.Then, using 15 minute epoxy I epoxied the aft centering ring on..Then after the epoxy had cured I held one of the aft fins to the aft centering ring and slid the middle ring down snug..I then took the other 2 aft fins and did the same, on their corresponding lines..I adjusted the middle CR so it snug tight to all 3 aft fins and tacked it in place with CA..I did the same routine for the fore fins..We all know that even tho the fins APPEAR the same size there are some minute differences and this procedure will ensure a nice tight securement of the fins to the rocket..I marked both the fins and location with their corresponding number so I know into which slot which fin goes..I also marked the main body tube for fins and launch lug..

Fin #3 goes in this space

I then held the fins up to the lines drawn on the main tube and traced their shape to cut the fin slots-making sure I stayed to the left of the line for all the fins..Here the fin slots have been cut out..

And the first dry fit! I had cut a couple of the fin slots a tad short but that was easily corrected..See, I even have the aft fins on in the correct orientation now!:lol:

Well, that's all for now..Will be going up to Blackjack's place later today to glass the main tube..Why? Ummm, just cuz? And well, we just want to!:rotflol:

More later!

 

[flight4]

Very nice! You had to be the first one to start irate:. I'll get to mine in a year or two :rotflol:

I was good. It was the only kit I bought at NSL.

Dave

 

[Gym_Class_Hero]

John, you know you want to, I600.

It's got a 38mm MMT, use it or lose it.

 

[flight4]

Alas, just a 29mm MMT in this baby. Maybe an I200

 

[Gym_Class_Hero]

Oh. Looked like one, though. Thought it just had a smaller diameter BT.

 

[Green Arrow]

Did it come with a 38mm or 29mm mount?

I want one!!!!:cry::cry:

 

[flight4]

It's a great looking kit. BT is 38mm. MMT is 29mm. Length 33.5". Recommended motors D thru H :surprised:. Or in other words, now you see it, now you don't.

 

[Handeman]

I'll bet a H97J would be a really cool motor for that.

 

[wolfstar]

Did it come with a 38mm or 29mm mount?

I want one!!!!:cry::cry:

They only come with a 29mm motor mount, 8" long. The Airframe is 38mm and we need something for Thruwall fins. Watch out, I launched this on a H250G and dam near never saw it again. over 1 mile up!

by the way , Nice meeting you Jon and the build looks good!!

 

[wolfstar]

AND, I'm working on a DD version for myself, Easy just a little longer:surprised:

 

[blackjack2564]

Same here Don....DD, I just swapped out the tube for a 36in mm I had. Just got done with 2 wraps of 2oz, cause it will get beat up traveling.

I'm thinking cut 14in for the upper, how you doing it? Show me your alt bay also.

Gonna be a trick getting that perfect flight and a 9v in there!

I entertained the thought of surface mounting the fins and making it 38mm,[for about a minute] but heck, will be hard enough keeping up with 29mm ,small as it is.
This should be a hoot. I see some racing in the future!

 

[wolfstar]

Same here Don....DD, I just swapped out the tube for a 36in mm I had. Just got done with 2 wraps of 2oz, cause it will get beat up traveling.

I'm thinking cut 14in for the upper, how you doing it? Show me your alt bay also.

Gonna be a trick getting that perfect flight and a 9v in there!

I entertained the thought of surface mounting the fins and making it 38mm,[for about a minute] but heck, will be hard enough keeping up with 29mm ,small as it is.
This should be a hoot. I see some racing in the future!

I left the airframe alone on the lower end and added a 17" piece for the upper. I not glassing it, because I'm using a Hawk Mountain tubing that I got from Ken at NSL.

avoinics fit in a 8" long coupler and fastened to the upper airframe, with a bulkhead installed in the upper to stop and plug the end. The mounting board just slides in the coupler. I'll take a couple of pictures to show want it looks like in a day or so! I'm going drougeless!

I also thought about dropping the 29mm mount , but if I did that, I know I'd go for a BIG "I" and never see it again!!

RACE, did I hear Race??? Ten paces and fire on H250G's, your ON!:rock:

 

[Pantherjon]

Working on making this baby dual deploy! Was at Blackjack's pad Saturday and glassed the tube plus added a 14" tube for the dual deployment aspect making it a Thor Plus?:lol: Will take a couple of pictures later of the tubes to show off the glassing job I did..BTW, it was the first time I ever laid fiberglass and using Jim's method I found it to be a cake walk!

Setting up for a(hopefully) 'knock your socks off' paint job on this little guy too!

 

[Pantherjon]

Promised picture of the glassed tubes..This is after quite a bit of sanding to smooth them down some..

Now in primer..Will need to do a little more sanding and then to do a bit of fill work followed by even more sanding..

 

[blackjack2564]

Hey Jon, got the fins on and the first coat of primer. ready for the first sanding!

 

[DaveCombs]

They're already racing, and neither has left the ground!!!

 

[Gym_Class_Hero]

Oh Jim, do you ever stop racing?

 

[Race58]

You cheated!!!
You have arrows pointing the way.

See, I even have the aft fins on in the correct orientation now!:lol:

 

[blackjack2564]

Oh Jim, do you ever stop racing?

"As long as men inhabit the blue planet, known as earth, and there are vehicles that have wheels, float or fly.
Can be pushed, pulled, or are mechanized.
One of them will want to race the other. It is by nature, inevitable! We are adrenaline junkies, and I am the instigator! "

.......................Crazy Jim....................... from the planet Krypton

I drive a truck, but my other vehicle goes 800mph!

 

[just rockets]

Well, in order to remember what a great event NSL '08 was I HAD to get the NSL Commemorative Thor rocket! And my decision was re-enforced after the stellar performance my 38mm Thor gave me..So here we go!

The bag and the instruction booklet

All the high quality parts laid out

Funny how the nose cone looks so much like the nose cone on my LOC Aura...hmmm

Now to the build...Next post...

That's cause we buy them from Barry at LOC, much cheaper than having a mold made at the tune of $14,000+ Scott


Funny how the nose cone looks so much like the nose cone on my LOC Aura...hmmm

Now to the build...Next post...
__________________
Aim high, fly straight!
Jon
BAR 02/07
NAR 86940
L1 05/03/08
KF4GUL

 

[Pantherjon]

You cheated!!!
You have arrows pointing the way.

Ooops! Those weren't supposed to show up in the photo! Ya caught me! ..:lol:

 

[Pantherjon]

These next 2 pictures are out of sequence and are from the start of the build..

Here Jim(Blackjack) is peeling the glassine off the tube so the resin will soak in when we fiberglass it

And here are the tubes basking in the south Georgia sun helping the the epoxy set up quicker..The black box has been edited out for security purposes.One unauthorized picture has already leaked out of BoP project, can't have any more leaks!

Well got some ore work done on my NSL Thor tonight! Mainly filling the f/g weave and copious amounts of sanding..Also got the motor mount mounted..So all that is left is mounting and sealing the fins then getting the e-bay fixed up and then painting..Yep, plain ol' Fill 'n' Finish mixed with water, painted on, then attacked with sandpaper:80, 150, 240, 280 then 400 grit..They are as smooth as a baby's bottom!

 

[Pantherjon]

That's cause we buy them from Barry at LOC, much cheaper than having a mold made at the tune of $14,000+ Scott

Don't blame ya one bit for doing that!

 

[wolfstar]

Don't blame ya one bit for doing that!

BUT, don't like the plactic shock cord loop, that's why we include a Metal Eyeblot for the nose cone, the plastic loop is worthless for tying the shock cord too!

 

[Pantherjon]

BUT, don't like the plactic shock cord loop, that's why we include a Metal Eyeblot for the nose cone, the plastic loop is worthless for tying the shock cord too!

Yep, those loops are pretty useless to tie the shock cord to(unless it is real small cord)..Glad there was an eye bolt in the kit!

 

[Pantherjon]

Made a little more progress on my NSL Thor tonight..I shot the base coat(primer if you will) for the upper section..Doesn't look like much being black but once I start laying the color coats on it will come alive! If anyone cares to dig for the Reaver thread I did, I am using the same color for the upper section here as I did for the main BT then..Duplicolor color changing paint..Why not, I was able to pick up a kit from the local Autozone Saturday for a penny!YES, a PENNY! They had another kit there I should have grabbed , went by there today to see if it was still there, nope..Oh well, a $16 kit for a penny, gotta love that!

 

[wolfstar]

Yep, those loops are pretty useless to tie the shock cord to(unless it is real small cord)..Glad there was an eye bolt in the kit!

and the fact that the first day I tested the Thor 38, on motors like F22, F52 and the G64 , I lost 3 nose cones. And YES I was using the plastic Loop, at that point a eyebolt were included for dependablity. This rocket had to be Strong and easy to assembled.

just love the Glassing, it shows a alot of love and care going into the assembly
May they fly fast and always be recovered.

just have a bad Idea, what if she could hold a J350 :rotflol:
The phase would be " Gone in 3 seconds "
kinda like Daffy Duck performing his last great act with the gun powered and gasoline, Boom gone, but a site to behold!

Could be worst, how about a J500G:surprised: well I'm done with the insane part!

Some how I feel like I may be tempting someone " under breath" "Jim" and a race would be somewhere out there too!

 

[bguff]

I was able to pick up a kit from the local Autozone Saturday for a penny!YES, a PENNY! They had another kit there I should have grabbed , went by there today to see if it was still there, nope..Oh well, a $16 kit for a penny, gotta love that!


If you picked up the Duplicolor Mirage system, i had the same thing happen almost 2 years ago. They "sold" me the Gold/Magenta kit for a penny. I had to pay full price for the Ice and Red/Blue kits though.

After spraying the Gold/Magenta kit i knew why they were getting rid of that color combination. It looked more like Puke/Magenta.

The Red/Blue kit is pretty cool. The Ice kit is kinda cool (up close looks good, but 8' feet away i can't notice the affect). Have yet to try purple/green or silver/green.

 

[blackjack2564]

Some how I feel like I may be tempting someone " under breath" "Jim" and a race would be somewhere out there too![/QUOTE]

I think you, me and Jon should inaugurate these with a three way on greens![ hobbyline] Then move up to the green 250's