Indeed. Way better than mine, that’s for sure.
Plasma Dart II Upscale (a neil_w design)
- Thread starter mbeels
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Indeed. Way better than mine, that’s for sure.
Thanks! But I definitely picked the best sides for the photo, it didn't all come out that well. And masking / painting is surely another thing that is easier in a larger size. When scaling up, the blemishes remain the same, but the blemish to rocket ratio improves.
I’m gonna have to use that in the future.
When in doubt, add more rocket. It usually improves the equation. Maybe that is applicable in other life situations as well.
I'd like that to be so.
... I forgot the canards ...
I noticed that, but only in the fully painted shots (too late to say anything). Figured it was intentional...
Could still add them, if careful. Cut around fin root outlines, peel up paint + glassine layer. Glue on fins, touch-up paint.
Or just leave 'em off.
Maybe I should have taken a huuuuge nap. I had center lines marked for alignment on the body tube, but was too gung-ho about painting. Anyway, I think I have a plan. I'm going to leave them off for now, and eventually replace the top BT-60 section with an av-bay and dual deploy electronics. I'll take the opportunity to add the canards to a new section of slightly longer BT-60.
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The only acronym that comes to mind is "Intensive Care Unit", and I can only imagine anything involving "tubes" and "orifices" is NOT a good thing.
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you got it.
Nytrunner
Pop lugs, not drugs
The original Plasma Dart is in need of realization
That is true. At this point there are at least two "Plasma Dart II" rockets (actually, I don't know if mine is a PDII, since I went with an earlier design iteration. What to call it?? PD1.9? PDIIa?) and no (that I know of) original Plasma Darts. Are you interested?
I'll offer one of my extra Plasma wraps (free), as long as the recipient posts a build thread. It is just over 8" square, enough to wrap a BT-80. For a smaller body tube, it could be cut width wise and used twice for the length of the original Plasma Dart. The texture lines up with itself.
Nytrunner
Pop lugs, not drugs
My project pile is maxed out at 5, and I've got at least a couple designs that I'll start on after them, so it's on you now
As far as I’m concerned it’s a PDII.
As for the original PD (of which I published so many variations I don’t even know which is the “real” one) I’ve been wanting to go back and finish the paint scheme. Can’t seem to get around to it. Also would love to build it but it would be years out if at all. So it’s still totally up for grabs.
Alright, PDII it is.
After nytrunner pointed out that the original PD is in need of realization, I went back and looked at the drawings and mock-ups from your design thread. It is interesting to see how the PD morphed into the PDII, there are many things from the intermediate design iterations that I like, such as #1 in this post (just before it turns into PDII). This type of rocket suits itself very well in many variations, too many possibilities!
I do have several other projects to finish up before I tackle a new one, first I need to get my current fleet completed to the point that each one has been launched at least once, before winter sets in. Then perhaps something Flis inspired, or an original design. I'll see what percolates. Winter will be a good time for something time consuming.
But I still have those plasma wraps....
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Yeah.... I think something like that would work. I was mulling over "Plasma Dart 2x", or "Plasma Dart II 2x", or "Plasma Dart IIx". The double twos to connote twice the size are just 2 too much. And "Plasma Dart 2x" sounds like a double sized PDI. But "Plasma Dart IIXL" reads like a large PDII, what it should be.
After some time away, I had a few minutes tonight to work on the Plasma cage. Last weekend I painted some 13mm tubes gloss black with Rustoleum 2x. Actually, I got impatient and skipped the priming step, and the results were not good. So I wet sanded them down with 600 to level the first coat, and then a second coat came out much better.
I used a spent 13mm motor (something I remembered from neil_w's build) as a backing, and that made cutting a small notch out of half the tube much easier. It seems to fit pretty well, but will require some touch up paint.
I used a spent 13mm motor (something I remembered from neil_w's build) as a backing, and that made cutting a small notch out of half the tube much easier. It seems to fit pretty well, but will require some touch up paint.
Well I thought that would take longer, but the cage pieces are on. I'm quite pleased with that method, it worked well. Cutting and trimming the tubes took a bit of time, but it was straightforward, just two plain cuts. And they slid on with a satisfying fit. If I built another, I'd do it again the same way.
But I see now one glaring goof. I don't know if I marked something wrong, or something slipped during gluing, but one rail button is not in the right place! Also, that cage piece between the buttons is not parallel to the rest. ARgh. I can move the rail button (fill hole with epoxy and redrill), but I'm not sure about the cage piece. Perhaps I can trim one 13mm bulkhead off and replace it. I'll take another look at it later....
But I see now one glaring goof. I don't know if I marked something wrong, or something slipped during gluing, but one rail button is not in the right place! Also, that cage piece between the buttons is not parallel to the rest. ARgh. I can move the rail button (fill hole with epoxy and redrill), but I'm not sure about the cage piece. Perhaps I can trim one 13mm bulkhead off and replace it. I'll take another look at it later....
That looks fantastic. Great technique there.
I sympathize with regard to the buttons... getting all the cage pieces aligned correctly proved to be my downfall in this build. Good luck with the fix.
I sympathize with regard to the buttons... getting all the cage pieces aligned correctly proved to be my downfall in this build. Good luck with the fix.
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hmmm. 13 mm cage pieces. If these are glued in well, any chance you can drill appropriate holes in the fore and aft transitions and Zammo! instant quarter inch launch lug?
Certainly doable. The plywood centering rings that they are mounted to would be pretty robust, it'd make a nice internally hidden launch lug. Cutting the cardboard transitions would probably best be done with template and a sharp xacto.
I can generate a cut template for you if you decide to go that way. 
I can generate a cut template for you if you decide to go that way.
Thanks, I think it is pretty unlikely I'll add lugs, I could only foresee launching this on a rail.
BTW, what font did you use for "Plasma Dart II"? I'm looking at Ethnocentric. (what a strange name)
I like Ethnocentric, but that's not it. I used SF Outer Limits. "P", "D", and "II" are capitalized, which gives the little orbital ring around it the letter. I'm not sure exactly which variation I used, will check tomorrow.
What's more fun than browsing 1001fonts, eh?
like Ethnocentric, but that's not it. I used SF Outer Limits. "P", "D", and "II" are capitalized, which gives the little orbital ring around it the letter. I'm not sure exactly which variation I used, will check tomorrow.
What's more fun than browsing 1001fonts, eh?
Ah nice, thanks. I could see that Ethnocentric wasn't quite right. And yes, I've spent far more time looking at fonts than I ever would have imagined reasonable.
Egh, upon closer inspection today, the tubes are not as well aligned as I thought. It really is a trick to get them aligned well! I did fix the rail button and worst offender, though.
I moved one rail button over about 1/8" (filled hole with epoxy and redrilled), and sliced off one bulkhead. I had not glued that tube yet. It's better, nothing a little touch up won't cover.
Blah! Totally crooked! (rail button has been moved)
I moved one rail button over about 1/8" (filled hole with epoxy and redrilled), and sliced off one bulkhead. I had not glued that tube yet. It's better, nothing a little touch up won't cover.
Blah! Totally crooked! (rail button has been moved)
Well, now it truly is a Plasma Dart II.
Honestly, this makes me feel a little better. I couldn't believe how much of a struggle it was to get those darn things on straight. The good news is that, like mine, your crookedest piece is the one on the bottom where it will be seen the least, and hidden by the rail.
Honestly, this makes me feel a little better. I couldn't believe how much of a struggle it was to get those darn things on straight. The good news is that, like mine, your crookedest piece is the one on the bottom where it will be seen the least, and hidden by the rail.
OK, in hindsight, here's how to prevent this, and what should be done when the design is made into a kit.
Make the rings at the ends of the cage with holes precisely positioned for the bars. The holes should be drilled with the two rings stacked, or cut with a CNC machine (router, laser, or otherwise). Add very short dowels to fill the holes and stand just a little proud; the proud portion is like the disks Marten glued on but with the positioning forced. Glue one ring in place. Once that glue is cured, place the bars and the other ring in place with a glue that gives a little time for positioning. Rotate the second ring so that the bars are are square, then leave it for all that to cure. And Bob's your uncle. (Where the hell does that saying come from? What has some guy named Bob have to do with it?)
Make the rings at the ends of the cage with holes precisely positioned for the bars. The holes should be drilled with the two rings stacked, or cut with a CNC machine (router, laser, or otherwise). Add very short dowels to fill the holes and stand just a little proud; the proud portion is like the disks Marten glued on but with the positioning forced. Glue one ring in place. Once that glue is cured, place the bars and the other ring in place with a glue that gives a little time for positioning. Rotate the second ring so that the bars are are square, then leave it for all that to cure. And Bob's your uncle. (Where the hell does that saying come from? What has some guy named Bob have to do with it?)
