Pdr K-21

eggtimer rocketry
madcow rocketry
Wildman Rocketry
The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Originally posted by Fishhead
Nothing in the Florence, KY Hobby Lobby, but I found something else to try. If it works, I'll be sure to post the details.
Click to expand...

The two Hobby Lobby's close to where I live don't have any;
went to the newer store this past Thursday and asked the
lady who's over the models area about the Ambroid Pro-Weld.
She knew what I was talking about, as she darted straight to
where they should be where the glues/paints, etc. are
located, but saw none. I then asked her how long it would take
if she could have some ordered, she snapped that she "can't"
order any!

So, I bought a product called GOOP, which is suppose to be like
contact cement, the packaging says it can fix "anything." Tried
it out today and it doesn't even hold the clear plastic at all. So,
I'll have to get another sheet of the thin clear plastic from PD
Rocketry and try again. Will go through the Houston area phone
book and call the hobby shops listed until I can find one that can
guarantee they have the Pro-Weld product. I should have time
to look for the Pro-Weld and the new clear plastic to arrive, as the
first projected launch date of my GT-3 has been pushed back to
mid February due to bad weather we're having in the Houston
area this weekend (STARS Section - 672 Texas Winter Regional
Meet @ JSC).
 
Originally posted by dtomko
I didn't realize how lucky I was to have a source of this stuff near me. You might be better trying to order it online. I found this source; Tower Hobbies is out of stock, but had it (more expensive than here). I paid $3.49 for it at the hobby shop.

https://docscaboose-online.stores.yahoo.net/amroidproweld.html


Drew
Click to expand...

Thanks for that info, Drew. That may be the best route for me to
go, as I'm not really in the mood to be driving all over the Houston
area around this time of the year (or any time of the year, for that
matter!). I need to see if they can take an order from me with
my paying by money order, as I don't deal with credit cards
anymore. I just hope I can get the Pro-Weld and another sheet
of the thin clear plastic in time to make the add on fin can. I've
already sent an e-mail to Eric earlier today about getting the clear
plastic sheet.
 
An update: I've ordered a bottle of the Ambroid Pro-Weld from
an online vendor (Doc's Caboose) that should arrive early next
week. Also found in my spare parts box a clear plastic tubing I
got from my good friend from DARS, Royce Frankum, who sent
me this about 15 months ago. Come to find that this plastic
tubing fits over the GT-3's BT-80 tubing perfectly ! In a
recent e-mail, I asked Royce where he got this tubing; his reply
was somewhat comical. Said it was a container that served as
packaging for some type of flowers (you can get at places such
as Hobby Lobby). Gee, I never would have thought of that!
So, by the end of next week, I should have all the bases covered
for the GT-3 model before the first test flight at JSC now
scheduled for February 18, 2007 (during the STARS Texas Winter
Regionals).

Now, the final question: Should I do the first test flight with
twin B6-4's or C6-5's? What do you guys think?
 
Originally posted by dwmzmm

Now, the final question: Should I do the first test flight with
twin B6-4's or C6-5's? What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

I would suggest the C6-5s. I first flew my clone on 2 B6-4s but the altitude was pretty low and these days I much prefer the C engines.
 
Originally posted by kurt_schachner
I would suggest the C6-5s. I first flew my clone on 2 B6-4s but the altitude was pretty low and these days I much prefer the C engines.
Click to expand...

That's one concern I have. Since I used quite a bit of chrome
(silver) monokote wrapons for much of the Titan's body, I'm sure
mine has a bit more weight than the kit specs calls for. Funny
that the original Estes GT-3 instructions say to use the two
A8-3's for the first flight!

Thanks for your insight...
 
Ok, I've just about completed the construction of my PDRocketry's
Gemini Titan - 3 kit. Many thanks to Drew for recommending my
getting the Ambroid Pro-Weld from Doc's Caboose. I sent the
Doc an e-mail shortly after Drew's post and got an immediate
response. Mailed my money order in and got the bottle of the
Pro-Weld less than a week later!

Wow, this stuff works like magic! The clear plastic fins were
attached to the clear BT tubing very quickly; I would guess I was
finished installing all four fins in less than 30 minutes. All that's
left is that first test flight, now scheduled for Sunday, February
18, 2007 at JSC. A product review of this kit will follow shortly
afterwards and appear on EMRR...
 
Good luck :) I am sure it will look great and fly better :)
Cheers
Fred
 
No problem, Dave. Ambroid is the only thing I'll use now for clear plastic fins.

Good luck with the flight and post pictures!

Drew
 
Thanks, guys. Now the "butterflies" are starting to set in... :)
 
Ok, gonna try to see if I can get this to work; my wife just got us
a digital camera and I tested it to see if I can get a picture of my
finished PDRocketry Gemini Titan - 3 posted here:
 
Yup, I'd say that camera works just fine - and a fantastic looking model too! Great job!! :cool:
 
Originally posted by Rocketcrab
Yup, I'd say that camera works just fine - and a fantastic looking model too! Great job!! :cool:
Click to expand...

Thanks, I have the camera's resolution on "low" (hence, the
rather grainy look, I think). It'll take me some time to figure out
how to play with this thing and the uploading/downloading on
the computer. Guess the learning process never stops, doesn't
it?!

Can't wait to try it next Sunday (February 18th) when this model
will have its first flight.
 
Don't feel bad, I cannot tell you how many times I've tried to post a photo on this forum, only to have it kicked back for being too big. I haven't figured this end of it out yet.

Anyway, again, a great looking model, and I hope your weather next week allows you to fly it! :cool:
 
Dave,

Fantastic work! That looks beautiful. Can't wait to see flgiht pics.

Drew
 
Originally posted by dtomko
Dave,

Fantastic work! That looks beautiful. Can't wait to see flgiht pics.

Drew
Click to expand...

Thanks, Drew! Believe it or not, you've actually been a mentor
to me on this thread! I learned a lot on what to do (and not do)
before starting on my build, and learned a few things more during the build (which I will get into when I submit my product review
to EMRR).

I feel pretty confident it will fly great. Just purchased a postal
weight scale today so I can once again start weighing the
important models before flight. This GT-3's empty weight is 3.5 oz. With the clear plastic fin can it's exactly 4.5 oz. With the
wadding, parachute, and two engines it should top out just about
7 oz or so. I don't want to send it too high up the first time around, so I'm debating to myself should I go with twin B6-4's,
B6-2's, or C6-5's? For comparison, my vintage Centuri Saturn 1-B
weighs just as much and flies great on twin B6-4's. Not too high,
not too low. The GT-3 is more narrower than the 1-B; what do you guys suggest?
 
Dave,

Thanks for the kind words!

I would send it up on B6-4s first. Yours is light enough so it should do fine on those.

Drew
 
Dave,

Whew! Sounds like a real disaster was averted...Your K-21 looks fantastic! Great pictures! Better luck next time.

Andy
 
I am glad that rocket was not destroyed. man it looks great in the sunshine :)
Cheers
fred
 
Dave,

You are very lucky! Too bad about the flight but more important is that beauty didn't get crunched.

Drew
 
Originally posted by dtomko
Dave,

You are very lucky! Too bad about the flight but more important is that beauty didn't get crunched.

Drew
Click to expand...

Yeah, I can honestly say that I lost about five pounds during those critical few seconds!!:rolleyes:
 
A great looking model and [for me] a timely review. I just started my PDR Gemini-Titan over the weekend.

I cloned the GT-3 back about 1992, using a copy of the original kit instructions I'd copied from a buddy, and a cast resin 1/72 scale Gemini capsule that I "made fit". :rolleyes: It flew fine the first three times I flew it on C5-3's, but the last time I flew it, I forgot to secure the fin can with tape.........and she flew right out of it. Survived the resulting cartwheel across the sky, but I retired it after that.

All that to say, I can relate to how you felt when only one B6-4 ignited! Glad to hear that the model survived, it sure is beautiful!!
 
Originally posted by Rocketcrab
A great looking model and [for me] a timely review. I just started my PDR Gemini-Titan over the weekend.

I cloned the GT-3 back about 1992, using a copy of the original kit instructions I'd copied from a buddy, and a cast resin 1/72 scale Gemini capsule that I "made fit". :rolleyes: It flew fine the first three times I flew it on C5-3's, but the last time I flew it, I forgot to secure the fin can with tape.........and she flew right out of it. Survived the resulting cartwheel across the sky, but I retired it after that.

All that to say, I can relate to how you felt when only one B6-4 ignited! Glad to hear that the model survived, it sure is beautiful!!
Click to expand...

Great report, Rocketcrab! Keep us posted on your build of your current PDRocketry GT-3 kit, as I know I certainly am interested.
Perhaps you can write your own 2nd Opinion piece for EMRR;
it wouldn't hurt to have some more writeups, would it?

BTW, do you still have any C5-3's in your inventory? I would love
to see mine fly with those!! Maybe Estes will come out with the
C5's again in the near future (at least, that's the clue we seem to
be getting from the new Estes blog website...).
 
Nope, I used my last C5-3 on my youngest son's Mercury-Redstone this past fall. Nice ride.

I installed the engine nozzles on my PDR GT-3 last night. I have an older kit, maybe in their first production run, and the paper used for all of the shrouds [including the nozzles] is of a kind I've never used before - glossy on one side and relatively heavy. I really had to finesse the cones and they actually appear a tad too big, as they are cramped together where they meet. No big deal, but as I plan to build a second one with several modifications, I think I will use a lighter paper on these.
 
Reviving this thread once again! Almost forgot, but I can now report that I
finally got the long awaited second launch attempt of my PDRocketry Gemini
Titan - 3 on August 4, 2007 at Rushing Park (Challenger 498's launch site)
near Katy, TX.

The event was the Scout Troop/Pack 941 launch that was hosted by our
Section. Troop/Pack 941 hails from Fushear, TX. The Scouts were launching
model rockets as part of their Space Exploration badge.

Four of our Challenger club members were present and launched some of their
models, too. The Gemini Titan - 3 was again powered by twin B6-4's using
the new Quest Q2 igniters. Both engines lit, and the GT-3 lifted cleanly and
smoothly into the air to about 400 feet, ejecting the parachute right at the
apex. I attempted to take a liftoff pic, but got only smoke :( . Otherwise, I
was very pleased to see this flight go as well as it did. Maybe next time, I'll
try using two C6-5's and see what it does...
 
dwmzmm said:
Reviving this thread once again! Almost forgot, but I can now report that I
finally got the long awaited second launch attempt of my PDRocketry Gemini
Titan - 3 on August 4, 2007 at Rushing Park (Challenger 498's launch site)
near Katy, TX.

The event was the Scout Troop/Pack 941 launch that was hosted by our
Section. Troop/Pack 941 hails from Fushear, TX. The Scouts were launching
model rockets as part of their Space Exploration badge.

Four of our Challenger club members were present and launched some of their
models, too. The Gemini Titan - 3 was again powered by twin B6-4's using
the new Quest Q2 igniters. Both engines lit, and the GT-3 lifted cleanly and
smoothly into the air to about 400 feet, ejecting the parachute right at the
apex. I attempted to take a liftoff pic, but got only smoke :( . Otherwise, I
was very pleased to see this flight go as well as it did. Maybe next time, I'll
try using two C6-5's and see what it does...
Click to expand...

Glad to hear it went well :) Mine goes like heck on two B4-4's :) Two C6-5's sounds like it might go :flybye:
Cheers
fred
 

Similar threads

ReynoldsSlumber
Old tractors, new tractors: Flying Pitchfork, Cluster F, TetraJet
Replies
16
Views
627
cwbullet
cwbullet
novahobbies
Saturn V Build thread / ESTES Customer Service is AWESOME
2
Replies
47
Views
4K
novahobbies
novahobbies
mtnmanak
LOC Bruiser EXP with MMAS and RNWS
2
Replies
31
Views
3K
mtnmanak
mtnmanak
OG1959
Back on the launch pad after 50 years
Replies
14
Views
1K
Stewman
Stewman
Switch
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Build 3.0 (1:90 Scale, BT-60 tubes)
Replies
6
Views
2K
Switch
Switch

Latest posts

Back
Top