One fin and a nose cone - Level One 1FNC/Finless

[ScrapDaddy]

This is where in my head K.I.S.S (Keep it simple stupid) and non-traditional rocket design reach their logical conclusion. This rocket will also be a testbed for doing a fiberglass lamination for the first time. I'll be using the parts left over from my Super flying umbrella build, a 24" 38mm blue tube, a couple centering rings and a 29mm MMT, and some scrap plywood. I'm imagining a Flying Umbrella sans the vertical fins, instead choosing to mount the horizontal panel directly with a double glue fillet, followed up with fiberglass lamination on the joints.


See the below diagram for a basic concept drawing:
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[ScrapDaddy]

So first order of business is cutting out the sole fin/[not a fin?]. Since I am limited to a dremel, cutting straight lines is way easier than curves, so I decided to go with one big square panel since I know I can make it symmetrical. I calculated the area of the Super Flying Umbrella's horizontal panels(120 inches^2) which means that the square panel/fin needs to be about 11 x 11 inches.


I then figured out the center of the square using math(another reason I chose the square, square math is easy), and marked the area that needed to be cut out for the body tube and launch lug.

 

[Nytrunner]

Uh oh, I guess I got behind on reading the umbrella thread.

What's your strategy for dealing with possible corner impacts?

 

[ScrapDaddy]

Uh oh, I guess I got behind on reading the umbrella thread.

What's your strategy for dealing with possible corner impacts?

Firstly I decided to use 1/4th 5 ply birch instead of the 1/8th 3 ply I used on the Umbrella(though it was the delamination of the plywood rather than a break in the plywood due to the surface mounting). I am also going to cover the entire square panel with 6 oz fiberglass and I'm hoping that will be sufficient. Lastly I'm going to used an over sized parachute as extra insurance (Probably 42", the rocket should end up being about 38-40 oz fully loaded with an I200).

 

[MClark]

Will this be a NAR cert?

 

[ScrapDaddy]

Will this be a NAR cert?

Yep.


Today I tried to proved my competence by cutting out a square...

 

[MClark]

NARCert, good. TRA has issues with non conventional rockets for cert flights.

M

 

[ScrapDaddy]

I used my dremel tool to sand out a hole for the body tube.



A double wood glue fillet was used to secure the flat plate to the body tube