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JAL3...Very nice build thread...keep going.


Thanks.

I'm going to keep working and actually laid down some more filleting on the fins tonight but a pastoral call interuppeted any more progress than that.

Mostly I'm marking time waiting to sort out some issues that Layne is helping with. Remember, I'm just working from a bunch of photos, not instructions at this point.
 
The tail ring assembly dried for a few days before I took it back up again. When I did, I could not just "go at it" because I had earlier lost one of the hangers from the balls and all four were needed at this stage. I considered spacing three evenly around the back and that would of looked fine but the rest of the rocket features items in "4 packs". I went against my nature and decided to wait for Layne to come through.

What I did do was to use the hangers I had to mark the places on the bulkhead of the ring assembly and get them spaced evenly. I then used a razor knife to open up a small slot to accomodate the slot in the hangers. They were purposely left small so that I could whittle away as needed. Eventually, it was big enough to accomodate the hanger and it was test fitted. I went ahead and cut the rest of the slots and then put this assembly away to wait.

BS-aft-ring-4.jpg

BS-aft-ring-5.jpg

BS-aft-ring-6.jpg

BS-aft-ring-7.jpg
 
I could get back to work on the fins. I measured a distance 3" from the BT on each fin and then measured a tick mark 1/2" long from the trailing edge. The fins were then notched to a depth of 1/2", parallel to the BT, about 1/16" wide in order to accomdate the rudders.

BS-rudders-1.jpg

BS-rudders-2.jpg

BS-rudders-3.jpg
 
I had long noticed in the bag of parts a piece of laser cut balsa with the rudders on them. About this point, though, I finally fished the balsa out only to find that I had been deceived. It was plywood. The outlines of the rudders had been drawn on and I had to cut the things out. There are three probably reasons for this:

1. Layne doesn't like me very much
2. Layne gets a kickback from the sale of X-acto blades
3. The plywood will stand up to the stresses of flight at the extremities of the wings better than balsa.

In reality, its probably a combination of all three.

In any event, I started tracing of the outlines with fresh X-acto blades and eventually had the things cut out.

BS-rudders-4.jpg

BS-rudders-5.jpg
 
The rudders were test fitted and some last minute trimming was done and then they were glued into place with yellow glue.

BS-rudders-6.jpg

BS-rudders-7.jpg
 
I had long noticed in the bag of parts a piece of laser cut balsa with the rudders on them. About this point, though, I finally fished the balsa out only to find that I had been deceived. It was plywood. The outlines of the rudders had been drawn on and I had to cut the things out. There are three probably reasons for this:

1. Layne doesn't like me very much
2. Layne gets a kickback from the sale of X-acto blades
3. The plywood will stand up to the stresses of flight at the extremities of the wings better than balsa.

In reality, its probably a combination of all three.

In any event, I started tracing of the outlines with fresh X-acto blades and eventually had the things cut out.

or
4. Layne thinks you're OK, has no deal with blade producers, has discovered ply is the only way to go and has to be sure this setup works before having the laser cutting done.

:D

Looking good so far. Your new Ball and decals will go out Monday.
 
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or
4. Layne thinks your OK, has no deal with blade producers, has discovered ply is the only way to go and has to be sure this setup works before having the laser cutting done.

:D

Looking good so far. Your new Ball and decals will go out Monday.

My explanation had more panache.:neener:

Seriously, I do appreciate it and was just giving you a hard time.

I look forward to trying to finish this one up when I get back from Corpus. I'll have a week to get it ready.
 
My explanation had more panache.:neener:

Seriously, I do appreciate it and was just giving you a hard time.

I look forward to trying to finish this one up when I get back from Corpus. I'll have a week to get it ready.


Yes, your explaination did have more pancakes....
:rolleyes:

Your decals and Ball Nipple are on the way!
 
I challenge someone to Goonify a Bonestell, using ping-pong balls . . .

Heck, Layne, make this an LPR using them.
 
Yes, your explaination did have more pancakes....
:rolleyes:

Your decals and Ball Nipple are on the way!


Great:(

I arrive at my hotel.

Connectivity is lousy.

I get comfortable but not too comfortable.

After a few calls to tech support, I manage to get online.

I pull up TRF and wait for it to load.

There is a knock at the door and I admit my DS, (like an auxilliary bishop or suffragan) and go back to change out of my shorts and back into the long pants.

Then I hear, "John, what't this about nipples on your screen?!:y:


Just what I needed, another story to get back to the board of ordained ministry.


Thanks Layne!!! I'll be on the lookout when I get home. I'm going to need some relaxation then.
 
Great:(

I arrive at my hotel.

Connectivity is lousy.

I get comfortable but not too comfortable.

After a few calls to tech support, I manage to get online.

I pull up TRF and wait for it to load.

There is a knock at the door and I admit my DS, (like an auxilliary bishop or suffragan) and go back to change out of my shorts and back into the long pants.

Then I hear, "John, what't this about nipples on your screen?!:y:


Just what I needed, another story to get back to the board of ordained ministry.


Thanks Layne!!! I'll be on the lookout when I get home. I'm going to need some relaxation then.


Ahhhh..
Uhhhhhhh..
:blush:
Well ya see.....


At least you will have another good story.
;)

Be proud of your Ball Nipples!
 
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I got home and found my...ornamental hanging device...waiting for me along with the decals.

Thanks,
 
When I got back to town, I test fitted the three original ball hangers on the aft bulkhead without gluing them. I then added in the replacement. The new one was just a slight bit different than the rest, having a slightly smaller diameter. One of the originals had a slightly lighter color as well. The paint job would take care of the color issue and the diameter was not enough to be a real issue to me.

BS-hangers-1.jpg

BS-hangers-2.jpg

BS-hangers-3.jpg
 
I checked on the forward side of the bulkhead to see how much of the hanger protruded through. Not much did.

BS-hangers-4.jpg
 
At this point, I resisted the impulse to glue the hangers in place. Instead, I test fitted the entire assumbly onto the protruding motor tube. I was forwarned that I would need to notch the wings to accomodate the ring but that was not really a problem. The problem I had was that my placement of the hangers was a bit too far towards the center. Where the hangers protruded through the forward side interfered with the body tube of the rocket. To make things work with their current placement, I would have to notch not only the wings but the BT as well.

BS-aft-ring-8.jpg

BS-aft-ring-9.jpg
 
This was going to need some modification before proceding further.
 
Will the exhaust/hangers go further out radially toward the edge of the aft bulkhead?
Notching the BT would be a pain....

Absolutely. In fact, that's already done. I just hadn't gotten that far in my writeup.

Jetlag, dontcha know. I was 150 miles south of here for a week.:rolleyes:
 
Layne,

What kind of tubes are those white one from which the 4 tanks are cut. They seem to almost be BT5 but are thicker. My BT5 mandrell does not fit in them.

I want to make up a new mandrell and want to know what label to put on it.

I did get more progress done today but have to attend to SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED for a little bit before I can think about sitting down at the computer some more.
 
I did get more progress done today but have to attend to SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED for a little bit before I can think about sitting down at the computer some more.

She decided that my efforts were pathetic and that life would be easier if I just stayed out of the way!!!:eyepop: I didn't even plan it that way this time.
 
The fix was not all that difficult. I just lengthened the slots through which the hangers were put and slid them out a bit. About the time that was done, I heard from Layne Pemberton that such was his recommended procedure as well. As Uncle Louie used to say, "even the blind pig finds a truffle every now and again." I placed the hangers back in the aft bulkhead and everything fit right so I used CA to fix the hangers into place and then glued on the aft ring with yellow glue.

BS-aft-ring-10.jpg

BS-aft-ring-11.jpg

BS-aft-ring-12.jpg
 
Layne,

What kind of tubes are those white one from which the 4 tanks are cut. They seem to almost be BT5 but are thicker. My BT5 mandrell does not fit in them.

I want to make up a new mandrell and want to know what label to put on it.

I did get more progress done today but have to attend to SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED for a little bit before I can think about sitting down at the computer some more.

John,
Those are BT-5's I purchased from Rocktrike when he went out of business, so I can't attest to their qualities.
:confused2:
 
John,
Those are BT-5's I purchased from Rocktrike when he went out of business, so I can't attest to their qualities.
:confused2:

Not a problem. I have no reason to think there is any problem. I just noticed my mandrell would not fit without removing some material. I'm going to try and know those out tomorrow.
 
I found one more photo showing that I actually did get the hangers outside of the critical circle.

BS-aft-ring-13.jpg
 
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