I've had the Mini-Magg built for a while, but I kind of wanted to roll my own for the actual cert and fly the Magg with a large motor afterward. Here are some Renegade build pics:
Fins are 3/16" TEN PLY (overbuilding tendency) - I got two sheets of Sig 3/32 5 ply and laminated them together with Titebond II, cut fins out with a jigsaw, etc. Laminating a lighter wood with 1/32" ply would probably have been as good and lighter, but I've hit a doorframe carrying it around w/o a dent (it dinged the doorframe) so OK!
Good day that bevel jigs are easy to make, no way are you sanding a bevel into that stuff w/o a lot of sweat. Tube is standard 75mm LOC cardboard, 29mm motor mount. With DMS that lets me go to app. an I-200 and roughly 2700 ft. Good enough! I built an ejection baffle into the rocket - 3 in. dia. 6" long LOC coupler with centering ring on the bottom, #3 steel wool inside, and a bulkhead vent plate on top. No light shows through and no resistance to air so I think I got that right. No way to trap a motor ejection plug either, it will just shake out. Seemed like the best way. Onto the nose cone...
I got a 4" x 4" block of balsa and was CERTAIN I could turn a 75mm Estes "AH" profile nose cone. I have a bit of turning experience but Balsa isn't the same. Got it near perfect - see pic. However, since balsa is sawn from a tree just like a hardwood plank, the grain got me. I got it shaped in and was sneaking it down with sandpaper. Because of the plank cut, longitudinally some of the grain was harder than other parts,. Turned out a little bit elliptical with the harder grain standing out. Sigh. You could do it if you used a metal lathe with a vernier rest for the cutting head. There would be no tendency to go deeper on the softer bits. Well, the inexpensive fiberglass cone I had that needed much work was used. I knocked off some of the tip to give it a little bit of Renegade profile, but overall went with it. Maybe a spruce cone next time???
Overall she came out app. 38-40oz, and I will use the 3' chute I got with the Magg for this rocket. It is sadly purple and green, should have a Shrek face on it. They are too expensive to not use though. I have a set of stickers ready, they will go on after gloss coat on the black portion. Nicely enough, just like the original kit, easy to paint. Take it apart and paint sections separately
I will probably have some questions shortly and may post in thread if that's OK... Whew - homebuilt turned out OK!
Cheers / Robert
Fins are 3/16" TEN PLY (overbuilding tendency) - I got two sheets of Sig 3/32 5 ply and laminated them together with Titebond II, cut fins out with a jigsaw, etc. Laminating a lighter wood with 1/32" ply would probably have been as good and lighter, but I've hit a doorframe carrying it around w/o a dent (it dinged the doorframe) so OK!
Good day that bevel jigs are easy to make, no way are you sanding a bevel into that stuff w/o a lot of sweat. Tube is standard 75mm LOC cardboard, 29mm motor mount. With DMS that lets me go to app. an I-200 and roughly 2700 ft. Good enough! I built an ejection baffle into the rocket - 3 in. dia. 6" long LOC coupler with centering ring on the bottom, #3 steel wool inside, and a bulkhead vent plate on top. No light shows through and no resistance to air so I think I got that right. No way to trap a motor ejection plug either, it will just shake out. Seemed like the best way. Onto the nose cone...
I got a 4" x 4" block of balsa and was CERTAIN I could turn a 75mm Estes "AH" profile nose cone. I have a bit of turning experience but Balsa isn't the same. Got it near perfect - see pic. However, since balsa is sawn from a tree just like a hardwood plank, the grain got me. I got it shaped in and was sneaking it down with sandpaper. Because of the plank cut, longitudinally some of the grain was harder than other parts,. Turned out a little bit elliptical with the harder grain standing out. Sigh. You could do it if you used a metal lathe with a vernier rest for the cutting head. There would be no tendency to go deeper on the softer bits. Well, the inexpensive fiberglass cone I had that needed much work was used. I knocked off some of the tip to give it a little bit of Renegade profile, but overall went with it. Maybe a spruce cone next time???
Overall she came out app. 38-40oz, and I will use the 3' chute I got with the Magg for this rocket. It is sadly purple and green, should have a Shrek face on it. They are too expensive to not use though. I have a set of stickers ready, they will go on after gloss coat on the black portion. Nicely enough, just like the original kit, easy to paint. Take it apart and paint sections separately
I will probably have some questions shortly and may post in thread if that's OK... Whew - homebuilt turned out OK!Cheers / Robert
