Our Children's Future: An LDRS34 Teen Group Project

[jimzcatz]

Rather than design around uni-strut, design around a 1/4-20 threaded hard point. Then you can install whatever fits the situation on the field.


P.S. URRG has 1515 on the towers.

I like this idea(hardpoint), and I THOUGHT 1515 was available on the towers!!

 

[conman13]

Ok so were planning on doing 3 rail buttons. We are putting a 1/4"X20 thread inserts in the aft ring, rear ring and forward bulkhead. This will all us to go with 1515 or Unistrut. We are planning on 1515 for LDRS unless the rail setup isn't compatible. Were emailing Bill Clune to get it figured out. The newest open rocket file is attached below.

Some more updates:

- Cody will be getting the plywood soon and he will be getting the fins cut out.

- We were able to order the first can of paint today.

- Once we start getting stuff we can actually post pictures!!!!

 

[H_Rocket]

- We were able to order the first can of paint today.

Whoa grasshopper...Focus on the build not on the paint. You guys are on a shoestring budget and that is frippery you need to think about later. Tell you what, you focus on building it to fly successfully and if you are ready by May 15th (Jim S. will tell me if you pass) and I'll pitch in a can of catalyzed auto paint and the clear coat. In fact you can bring it to my place and I'll help you paint it.

I like this idea(hardpoint), and I THOUGHT 1515 was available on the towers!!

Most people up in these parts think in terms of MDRA as far as towers go. The big hydraulic rigs all seem to have Unistrut. I think the URRG folk put both on their towers.

 

[H_Rocket]

If you think unistrut are huge, try https://www.mcmaster.com/#3626t23/=v744iq
my BFR will be flying on them, at the recommendation of Dan. Gonna need a little extra hold for it..

OK Rick, you finally outdid yourself for over the top excess. That has got to be the strangest idea I have ever seen. There is absolutely no practical reason for that kind of rail guidance (unless you plan for a three mile long rail and are bulding a rocket sled).

 

[codysmith]

OK Rick, you finally outdid yourself for over the top excess. That has got to be the strangest idea I have ever seen. There is absolutely no practical reason for that kind of rail guidance (unless you plan for a three mile long rail and are bulding a rocket sled).

That sounds like something Ky Michaelson would do...

 

[blackjack2564]

If you think unistrut are huge, try https://www.mcmaster.com/#3626t23/=v744iq
my BFR will be flying on them, at the recommendation of Dan. Gonna need a little extra hold for it..

Actually using a variant of those was my idea when Tim flew [attempted] the snowmobile. We used the ones for sliding barn doors, which also utilize Uni-strut track. Check a farm supply house. We got them for way less than that........40-- 50 bucks if memory serves. [or call Tim, he may remember where we got them]

 

[cbrarick]

OK Rick, you finally outdid yourself for over the top excess. That has got to be the strangest idea I have ever seen. There is absolutely no practical reason for that kind of rail guidance (unless you plan for a three mile long rail and are bulding a rocket sled).

No,not really. Three of them will keep my Mega Wildman tacked firmly to the tower, even when it suddenly stops when it finishes coming to vertical. at 510 pounds, I've only got 3 G's of deceleration. It sorta is a rocket sled, right up the rail for about a mile...

 

[conman13]

Whoa grasshopper...Focus on the build not on the paint. You guys are on a shoestring budget and that is frippery you need to think about later. Tell you what, you focus on building it to fly successfully and if you are ready by May 15th (Jim S. will tell me if you pass) and I'll pitch in a can of catalyzed auto paint and the clear coat. In fact you can bring it to my place and I'll help you paint it.

We pretty much have everything we need ordered:

- Airframe from ken who has also donated a 98mm aeropack

- Epoxy ordered from US Composites

- We have the fiberglass

- Jim's cutting rings and bulkheads, Cody's cutting fins soon

- Nosecone is going to be made by Python after we get him a 2" section of tubing

- Matt is doing AV-Bay soon after he's done with his Eagle project stuff

- Tube glassing date is the 17th

-All were left to get is hardware and paint. We are using Duple-Color automotive

 

[codysmith]

BTW... No, we did not forget about MMT... that is also on it's way

 

[conman13]

Ok here's the 10oz



And the 2.5oz

 

[REK]

I wonder where that glass is from. Most 8HS weaves are 9oz.

 

[conman13]

I wonder where that glass is from. Most 8HS weaves are 9oz.

I don't know but it's some really nice stuff.

 

[H_Rocket]

You are likely going to be filling & sanding with or without the 2.5oz. The 10oz - no question there. I think the 2.5oz will still have a significant print through unless you find some way to compress it while curing.

 

[conman13]

You are likely going to be filling & sanding with or without the 2.5oz. The 10oz - no question there. I think the 2.5oz will still have a significant print through unless you find some way to compress it while curing.

Ok we will most likely will be doing some sanding and filling.

 

[REK]

You guys aint going to use peel ply?

 

[H_Rocket]

Just make sure you add the materials needed to your budget. I think early on you mentioned some fumed silica which you can use to make up a reasonable filler. The longer cure time of the 2:1 is going to slow you down a bit, however it is workable. Optionally for $10 or so you can get a can of red Bondo for the weave fill. A bit messy, and you need to work fast, however it will do the job.

 

[conman13]

You guys aint going to use peel ply?

Nope no peel ply.

 

[conman13]

Just make sure you add the materials needed to your budget. I think early on you mentioned some fumed silica which you can use to make up a reasonable filler. The longer cure time of the 2:1 is going to slow you down a bit, however it is workable. Optionally for $10 or so you can get a can of red Bondo for the weave fill. A bit messy, and you need to work fast, however it will do the job.

Yes, we ordered the Silica along with the epoxy. I think we got like 2.5 quarts or something. Bond will be the best candidate for this. We will have to do it in a sections to avoid it drying on us before were done.

 

[3stoogesrocketry]

Hey guys , use your normal epoxy to bond the glass to the airframe . If you wanna easier way to fill the weave , buy some poly / Mek . A gallon is cheap , it dries quick and sands easy . Just use respirators .

Eric

 

[REK]

Nope no peel ply.

Looks like you guys will spend a lot of time doing the whole fill and sand method. Eh who am I kidding, I enjoy doing that. Especially when it comes to carbon fiber.

Enjoy

 

[conman13]

Hey guys , use your normal epoxy to bond the glass to the airframe . If you wanna easier way to fill the weave , buy some poly / Mek . A gallon is cheap , it dries quick and sands easy . Just use respirators .

Eric

Thats a good idea and better then messing around with a bunch of bondo

 

[conman13]

Looks like you guys will spend a lot of time doing the whole fill and sand method. Eh who am I kidding, I enjoy doing that. Especially when it comes to carbon fiber.

Enjoy

haha ya but with 3 people, each of us one have to cover around 2' of tube

 

[H_Rocket]

...If you wanna easier way to fill the weave , buy some poly / Mek . A gallon is cheap , it dries quick and sands easy

Eric -> new one on me, can you elaborate?

I mean I hate Bondo, but I was not going to suggest something as expensive as the Superfil that I use.

 

[conman13]

Eric -> new one on me, can you elaborate?

I mean I hate Bondo, but I was not going to suggest something as expensive as the Superfil that I use.

What I understood is, get some cheap polyester resin that we can use to fill the weave of the cloth and then it can be easily sanded to make it smooth. much like when you roll your own composite tube you sand and apply epoxy layers until all imperfections are filled and the tube is smooth.

 

[3stoogesrocketry]

Al , exactly what connor said . The poly resin is for fillinf the weave only and to smooth the surface .

Eric

 

[H_Rocket]

Ah, that explains the need for a respirator, same as Bondo -> the Polyester. Every time I use Polyester, I can just feel the brain cells swelling up and popping. Only redeeming quality I ever found was that you could tweak the cure time by adjusting the resin:catalyst ratio.

 

[REK]

haha ya but with 3 people, each of us one have to cover around 2' of tube

All right team work sanding and filling fun lol.

 

[conman13]

Epoxy, 2" brushes, mixing sticks and 2 quarts of Aerosil Cabosil.

 

[conman13]

I was able to cut the fiberglass into the length we need. I cut a 73" section for the fin can, 41" for the upper main body tube and a 31" section for the lower main body tube. I added an extra 2" to the length of each tube so we have an inch of extra material on each side. Gloves are coming today so we are just waiting on the tubes. I don't know if I mentioned this before but cody is picking up a 4'X4' sheet of 1/2" birch ply from Lowes to cut the fins out of. He will also be rounding them for us. This week I'm ordering the 4" MMT tube from LOC and 9oz of bob smith 5min epoxy for tacking the fins on.

 

[conman13]

Got the gloves, Threaded inserts and Deep Blue metallic paint. It's some really cool looking paint! It is a metallic but it has different shades swirls. (Yes I did shake/mix it thoroughly).