Q Modeling Andromeda Build

[Dseter]

OK, it's decision time on my big Andromeda for the three different build options concerning transport and recovery. I'd really like to hear from those who have built, flown, and recovered this big bird and then either went into therapy after the disaster or were carried off the launch field on everyone's shoulders hearing your name chanted again and again after the perfect touchdown....or is that just my dream? Either way, would love to know what you would do differently or exactly the same based on actual flight experience with the giant Andromeda. Thanks!

 

[Rocket86]

I would like to hear that too, as I would love to see one of those in my future.

 

[fleafrier1]

Are we still able to purchase the kit? I've been periodically checking back. Qmodeling has been experiencing some trouble lately. Something about that ship, tho. I understand. I want one. Looks as tho 2013 is the soonest.

 

[Dseter]

Are we still able to purchase the kit? I've been periodically checking back. Qmodeling has been experiencing some trouble lately. Something about that ship, tho. I understand. I want one. Looks as tho 2013 is the soonest.

Not unless you can get it like I did from someone who purchased it before the disaster at Q Modeling(Thanks again Braden!).
I know one fella named Drake built his with Option 3 using a body tube block for the upper section, splitting the rocket in half at ejection and having the parachute in the smaller lower section. This is looking more and more like what I will do also.

I know Bob Cox and Geoff on these forums built theirs or were in process but would like to know which build option they went with and if it has flown yet. C'mon big Andromeda fliers, I'm actually asking you for your opinion, mind boggling!

 

[AfterBurners]

Good luck getting one...who knows if and when Q-Modeling will be back in business? Lets hope soon

 

[sodmeister]

I was fortunate to get one two years ago when they had a Christmas sale and free shipping......it`s a beautiful kit and BIG !

I plan on building it this Christmas !

I feel confident that Q Modeling will be back ,would be a terrible shame if they did not.

Paul t

 

[Dseter]

Alllrighty then....looks like those who built and flew the big bird are still in therapy so this might as well become my build thread...
First, let me say that although I'd love my Andromeda to be so visually stunning as to be selected for display at NASA headquarters, my main goal as always is for it to be functional and launchable(new word?) for a lonnnnnng time.
I've chosen a form of option 3 for the build, transport and recovery method. This means I will be blocking the upper half and having the rocket separate at mid point and chute deploying from the aft end. Of course, the downside of that is that the lower section body tube is smaller than the upper most. I'm ok with that as I have become quite comfortable with stuffing a giant chute into my Q Modeling Vega along with a half pound of baby powder and then assembling the usual mob of spectators into a circle to perform the standard prayer dance to the rocket Gods to deploy my chute perfectly at the top. So far so good with that.
I'm not too far along as I have only just finished the motor mount tube construction. Next will be deciding the final location for the kevlar cord. The instructs have you simply tying it around the end of the motor mount tube on the engine side of the last motor mount ring but I'm thinking of tying it down further with a hole through the thickest part of the last wooden piece of the motor mount fin guide thingy and around the tube there out of the way of the fin tabs of course. I'm planning to slide a 10" or so piece of kevlar sleeve down around the cord with dog barf above that when launching. Here's a couple pics so far.

 

[sodmeister]

I`m glad you took it upon yourself to do a build thread ,thankyou !

I shall happily follow along.

Cheers

Paul T

 

[cwbullet]

Great build thread. I have it my buy list if they reopen. You might trigger some business for them.

 

[Rocket86]

It's definitely on my list.

 

[Dseter]

OK, moving slowly here but finally got the kevlar thread tied and ready. The instructs have you just tying it around behind the very end ring furthest up but I felt a little better about it going through something like a bulk ring so I used a little drill to make a hole in the wood frame. Then I tied it around there and gave the knot some CA. There's quite a bit of room just above the fins through the wall tabs. I taped it at each ring just for a bit more assurance that it won't 'rise' above the rings while I glue the bigger tube over the rings and also to keep it from 'wandering' into the through the wall tabs for the upper fins. Seems like a lot of nonsense for a shock cord but it's either this or the old Estes shock cord mount paper card method...

 

[Rocket86]

I wouldn't call it nonsense at all. If it fails the rest of your work will be rubble, so detail away. Looking at the parts I have to say that I REALLY want one now.

 

[Dseter]

Thanks John, yeah I feel fairly comfortable with this setup, it's just an 'E' and 'F' bird anyway. Kinda like a Mean Machine with a few more fins, it shouldn't be under that much stress. I'm liking it so far, next is sealing the fins, though, blah!

 

[sodmeister]

I wouldn't call it nonsense at all. If it fails the rest of your work will be rubble, so detail away. Looking at the parts I have to say that I REALLY want one now.

I quite agree ,and would /will do the same thing myself !

Thanks for the build thread !!

Paul T

 

[Dseter]

Ok, good time to pause and talk about some critical stuff that had me guessing until I decided to cheat and read the instructions...
On both halves of the middle section tubes there is a big black 'X' on one end. I naturally assumed this would be the ends you would want to match up at your coupler as though that would be where the tubes were cut and so would fit best but it's actually just the opposite. I so convinced myself that I swore the illustration which showed the 'X' ends being at the farthest points of the rocket away from each other must be wrong! If you read the instructs and then actually put the tube coupler in and test fit the two ends together which do NOT have the 'X' you'll find they match closest together.
So with that in mind I did as the instructs command and glued in the motor mount to the first middle section tube with the 'X' nearest the bottom and then positioned the big O ring for the motor mount 1 to 2 inches from the bottom of the middle section tube and test fitted the big Fin Tube over both the motor mount and middle section tube then positioned the O Ring just inside the fin tube section and tacked in place with CA to the middle section tube then removed the fin tube. Is that a run-on sentence?
Anyway, after removing the fin tube I added a good fillet of glue on the bottom side of the big O ring and set it to dry.

 

[sodmeister]

That`s very good information ,another reason I love a good detailed build thread ! I dug mine out and have it on my "next to build" shelf ,so after a few projects are completed ,I`ll give the Andromeda a go.

Cheers

Paul T

 

[Rocket86]

Very good info. I am following this with great interest...thank you.

 

[Dseter]

Next step is to position the rings and tack them in place while keeping the fins removable for permanent gluing later. This kit has six rings so you have to glue two rings together to make one. I'm not sure if I should glue them together before putting them on but the instrux simply say put the rings on, then position them using the fins, then glue the rings together and onto the body tube. I'll likely do it that way so as to keep the rings perfectly round while gluing together.

 

[Dseter]

Ok, it's been awhile and a few rockets and models in between but I'm back to the Andromeda and the dreaded...blah...filling the fins...
I'm using some of the Elmers Carpenter's wood filler thinned with a bit of water. Now to sand and sand and sand, probably a few coats of this stuff for smoothness with finer sand paper each time...

 

[sodmeister]

Good to see you are back at her ,I missed your thread !

I have since finished mine ,but I`m afraid painting will have to wait untill spring.


Cheers

Paul T

 

[Dseter]

Not too much more action here, just finished gluing the rings together today, will try to do some more fin sanding and filling tomorrow and post some more pix...

 

[Rocket86]

I have since finished mine ,

I hope you will post some pics of yours too Paul. Maybe by spring they will be open for business again and I will have my own to build.

 

[new2hpr]

Before you get too far on the filling and sanding of the fins, you should add the aft part of the large elliptical fins. Looks like they were too large to make them 1-piece. Then you can fill the seam at the same time.
-Ken

 

[sodmeister]

I hope you will post some pics of yours too Paul. Maybe by spring they will be open for business again and I will have my own to build.

I`ll post some pics of mine in a seperate thread tonight ,just need to take some pics ,sure do wish it was painted though

Paul T

 

[chadrog]

I've heard the Q kits were nice, but I'd say they're exceptional! Hopefully they'll get back in the fold. Great job so far, keep it up!

 

[Dseter]

Before you get too far on the filling and sanding of the fins, you should add the aft part of the large elliptical fins. Looks like they were too large to make them 1-piece. Then you can fill the seam at the same time.
-Ken

Thanks everybody for tuning in and yes, that's definitely the plan to do a final filling and sanding with the fins all together. That's addressed in the instructions also but I'm not quite to that point yet as they have you use the main fin by itself to get the ring pieces glued together and tacked into their final place before assembling the main fins. I should mention then also it's very important if you decide like I did to sand and fill a little bit before putting the main fins together to keep track of the two main fin pieces which are marked with an 'X' so you can put the correct ones together! Also, not sure about every kit, but on those main fins where the smaller fin section has to be attached, the cut section was laser cut at a fairly steep angle so it doesn't meet up flush with the separate piece which was cut nice and flat so I'll have to correct that either with some sanding or filling or a little of both, thanks again!

 

[Dseter]

Again, not too much action here with the Winter weather, but I did put the big main fins pieces together. I'm in the same boat as Paul, waiting for warmer weather to paint.
Still commiserating over the three build options but am leaning towards Paul's plan of simply nailing the whole thing together, joining the long tubes via coupler and going with nose cone eject as I definitely will need the bigger tube to stuff the chute in.

 

[Madison Alum]

The Andromeda is looking great so far. I am waiting for Q modeling to get back into business, as they had a few really great looking kits.

 

[Dseter]

Yahoo! Fin sanding continues today and oh...what's that? How did that picture of my brand new North Coast Archer get in there? Hmmm, seems a good time to start filling those fins as well!

 

[sodmeister]

I thought those fins looked a little different.I just recieved my Lance Delta ,very nice kits !

Those are some big fins on that Andromeda aren`t they !

Are you going to round off the edges of the fins ?

Paul T