Rookie Builder Blunder

[chuck5395]

Here's the story. I'm almost finished with my third rocket build (Apogee Aspire) and I discover I made a mistake on step 4. The thrust ring is not far enough into the tube. While it is supposed to measer 3-1/8 inches from the end of the tube, I find that I have glued it in at 2-3/4 inches.

So, before I do something stupid (the list of those things is very long), does anyone have any advice for me as to how to remove and replace the thrust ring?

Thanks
-Chuck

 

[jdbectec]

Here's the story. I'm almost finished with my third rocket build (Apogee Aspire) and I discover I made a mistake on step 4. The thrust ring is not far enough into the tube. While it is supposed to measer 3-1/8 inches from the end of the tube, I find that I have glued it in at 2-3/4 inches.

So, before I do something stupid (the list of those things is very long), does anyone have any advice for me as to how to remove and replace the thrust ring?

Thanks
-Chuck

My advice would be not to. Looking over their instructions it shouldn't matter unless you going to fly the 29mm motors,I would place the front centering ring on the 24mm adapter back 3/8" to compensate. Just my :2:

 

[kelltym88]

I don't think you need to worry. IIRC, there is no engine hook on this rocket, correct? If not, just wrap a little bit of tape around the motor to create a "friction fit", if the motor sticks out a little bit more(we're only talkin' 3/8" more) you should be fine. If there is an engine hook, don't use it, and do the above friction fit method.

 

[AKPilot]

I'd echo the two comments above, you'll be okay.

And don't be too hard on yourself, we've all done something similar at one point and time. I bet you learned more from this, than putting together one correctly. Live and learn, that's what it's all about . . .

 

[Pippen]

Agree, you should be fine with that distance. Also agree you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. If we had a thread of our rocket building mistakes it would be mighty long.

I had a student building a few years ago and the motor mount got stuck solid before she got it pushed in far enough. It was a long thin rocket so I just cut off that end and had her start over with another motor mount.

Now I always have them use plenty of white glue for that step.

 

[powderburner]

What will most likely happen is:
Every traffic light will turn red on you tomorrow
Your dog and cat will become un-naturally good friends
Microsoft Vista will install itself on your computer

But your rocket will be fine

If you are now losing sleep at night, and if you think your rocket is mocking you, and you really really really want to "fix" it, it will involve something along the lines of reaching inside the MMT with an Xacto (the fun part is doing this simultaneously with holding a flashlight to also point in there while trying to keep your eyeball where you can see anything) to slice and lift part of the inner surface of the thrust ring, then reaching in there with long tweezers to grab the slice and start turning. After you peel out as much of the thrust ring as you can, you get to finish up by running a rat-tail (round) file through there (also with the flashlight-and-eyeball thing) firmly but GENTLY until the inside of the motor tube is clean enough to install the next thrust ring.

Is it worth doing? Not if you asked me. Do what these other guys have suggested. And pay attention the next time you assemble the thrust ring.

 

[chuck5395]

Thank you all for your kind words and advice. I've decided to take it and here is the solution I have gone with. Not glamorous but it should work.

-Chuck

 

[gpoehlein]

Yeah, well - I don't think you're a real rocketeer until you get to the launch site and discover you've left the launch lugs off the rocket!

 

[Zeus-cat]

Hey, nobody's prefect.

 

[MarkII]

Or you have gone out to launch a bunch of your mini-engine rockets, and then discovered at the launch field that you had grabbed the wrong box and had only brought your 18mm and 24mm motors...

and that you had left all of your chutes at home....

and had brought your 3/16" dia. launch rod, even though all of the rockets that you brought had 1/8" lugs...

I could go on and on. There was a poll in either TRF ver. 1 or ver. 2 that asked just about what respondents had forgotten to bring to a launch (which is just a small subset of the potential category of "big blunders") and the posts for it went on for pages and pages.

We all make mistakes, even long after we stop being rookies. It happens. One of the things that you gain with building experience is the ability to call on several techniques to fix your mistakes.

MarkII

 

[talkin Monkey]

Just pop an F10 in it and take 'er down to the local park. Don't forget to put a couple international stamps and a return address on it!:roll:

 

[cjl]

Yeah, well - I don't think you're a real rocketeer until you get to the launch site and discover you've left the launch lugs off the rocket!

I don't know how many times I've done that one

From my experience though, the chance of leaving off the lug increases with the amount of time you've spent getting the perfect paintjob. Then it hurts that much more to sand into it to get the lug to stick properly

 

[AKPilot]

One thing I've started doing is developing a build checklist to remind me of things that I should be doing, so I don't end up with a building blunder at the launch site.

Things like:

1. Open bag, inventory kit
2. Determine what upgrades I want (kevlar shock cord, nomex protection, new centering rings, etc.)
3. Mark parts, if needed
4. Sand body tube, for better adhesion
5. Fill spirals
6. Apply sanding sealer to all balsa parts, before removing from surrounding materials

. . . . 11. Attach launch lug, or rail buttons.

etc.


Some may consider this anal, but it's something I do in other hobbies (r/c planes, private flying, etc.) and leads to better sucess - and, most importantly, fewer embarrasments.

 

[KDRaven]

Missing launch lugs is whay I built a tower. Now I dont have an excuse not to be able to launch it unless I forget to bring the battery for the launch controller.

 

[chanstevens]

Or you have gone out to launch a bunch of your mini-engine rockets, and then discovered at the launch field that you had grabbed the wrong box and had only brought your 18mm and 24mm motors...

Where do you think the idea of boosted darts came from? Just stick the rocket into the nozzle end of the 18 or 24mm motor and launch. The ejection charge will give the rocket that extra little kick of altitude at the end. That also eliminates the need for that chute you left behind, as there's no deployment charge IN the rocket.

Note to newbs--not a word of that was serious.

 

[chuck5395]

OK, well now that we have really strayed off topic, I want to thank those who offered kind words and solutions. We launch in a couple of weeks and I'll let you know how it all works out.
-Chuck

 

[chuck5395]

Thought I'd post a picture of the finished product.

 

[cjl]

Looks good

Throw in an F10 and watch it go

 

[MarkII]

That is one nice looking rocket that you have there, Chuck. I keep trying to make mine look that good. Great job! :clap:

MarkII

 

[kelltym88]

Looks good

Throw in an F10 and watch it go

Isn't this rocket known as: "Fire and Forget". Looks good by the way.

 

[powderburner]

Hi again Chuck,

Looks like you did a great job of building and finishing! Very nice--

Now, after you make enough "beginner" mistakes, you can join the rest of us who make "expert" mistakes. (They are usually much worse)

Ya know, you could also pass off your build as a "meant-to-do-that" thing. Your motor case sticks out the rear an extra half inch or so, right? That makes it perfect for taping on a CHAD stage booster. Before you try it, tho, you better re-check for proper stability if you add a booster to the rear.

 

[JRThro]

Hey, nobody's prefect.

Not unless they've been a Tripoli member for a while.

 

[JRThro]

Yeah, well - I don't think you're a real rocketeer until you get to the launch site and discover you've left the launch lugs off the rocket!

I just did that a week ago Saturday when I forgot to put the lug on my scratch 4x 18mm motor rocket that I planned to launch at our Cub Scout pack's annual rocket launch. It would have been the maiden flight, and the boys would have loved it.

 

[Mikus]

it will involve something along the lines of reaching inside the MMT with an Xacto (the fun part is doing this simultaneously with holding a flashlight to also point in there while trying to keep your eyeball where you can see anything)

Yikes. I don't think there is a rocketeer alive who cannot benefit from owning one of these. Mine even shines red for night flights.

 

[Mikus]

Thought I'd post a picture of the finished product.

Very nice. Are you going for Mach or Mile with it?