"Scaredy Cat" - A 54mm Minimum Diameter Project

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It'll be hard to miss!

Picture does it extreme justice, but the idea is to wet sand and polish to a mirror finish.

I've had luck spotting shiny metallic paint jobs on the way down. The shinier the better, right?


Braden

 

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Well!

Today I learned that you can not spray clear over "chrome" paint. You just get metallic silver.

In other news, though, these are pretty high up on my fillet finesse list.


Braden

 

[Tim51]

The silver still looks cool. The one time I used 'chrome' paint (on a switchband) it dulled pretty quickly anyway. Colourwise, 3+ years later it's somewhere between aluminium and primer grey - apart from the bits where it's scratched off completely, that is. YMMV of course.
Those are beautiful fillets.

 

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The silver still looks cool. The one time I used 'chrome' paint (on a switchband) it dulled pretty quickly anyway. Colourwise, 3+ years later it's somewhere between aluminium and primer grey - apart from the bits where it's scratched off completely, that is. YMMV of course.
Those are beautiful fillets.

It is what it is! I don't feel like sanding it all off and adding more paint on top of it isn't exactly efficient in the weight savings category. So, I might just paint the NC a different color and call it a day.

Still waiting on a package from Additive and/or a response to emails in getting my 54mm e-bay and fly away guide. Here's hoping it makes a timely appearance before this and my big daddy get shipped down to Kansas City.

Braden

 

[Tim51]

Still waiting on a package from Additive and/or a response to emails in getting my 54mm e-bay and fly away guide. Here's hoping it makes a timely appearance before this and my big daddy get shipped down to Kansas City.

Braden

Here's hoping everything comes together for you. I'm looking forward to reading the flight reports. Re your Bigger Daddy build, I also have a K740 ready to fly next week at IRW in Scotland. It's an outstanding motor - the last time I flew one it took a 4" dia to just shy of 8000'.

 

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It'll do.

Still waiting on my additive aerospace sled and fly away guide. Haven't been able to get in contact with them and we're cuttin it a little close!


Braden

 

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Just need to situate the electronics bay and we're off to the races!


Braden

 

[Tim51]

Just need to situate the electronics bay and we're off to the races!


Braden

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What are you using for retention? (Couldn't see any mention in your earlier posts - apologies if I missed it)

 

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What are you using for retention? (Couldn't see any mention in your earlier posts - apologies if I missed it)

The ol' spiral masking tape "thread in" motor case and maybe a bit of aluminum tape where the closure meets the airframe. Shock cord will be attached to the top of the motor in case things get a little too hairy and it tries to kick the case out the back, but it's unlikely!

Braden

 

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Final touches and it's ready to go in the mail! Cutting it close, as usual.



Braden

 

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Well!
Scaredy Cat had a great boost, but unfortunately, that was the last we saw of it. We tracked it for several minutes until the signal was gone. Thinking it hit the ground, we set off. After over 5 miles of hiking and many more driving the following day, we never got a tracker signal again. I have a couple of theories.

I had to rush to shorten my coupler due to a bit of a measurement error (turns out shock cord and a drogue chute take up space, silly me). I think I may have reversed my ejection charges and put the main out at 20,000 feet for the wind to take into the abyss. '

Unfortunately due to clouds, we couldn't see the last half of the burn, either, so perhaps it shredded towards the end or maybe even had a burn-through as I've been told some K300s will do and left the main chute out with a tracker and the freedom to go with the wind. I'm not totally sure!

You can't win em all. I've been flying high power for over well over ten years now and this is my first lost rocket. I can't be mad at that success rate!

I might just have to try again, though.

Braden

 

[mikekebert]

Count me in as one of the people who would love to see another try, when it works for you to make it happen.

 

[3stoogesrocketry]

"Unfortunately due to clouds, we couldn't see the last half of the burn, either, so perhaps it shredded towards the end or maybe even had a burn-through as I've been told some K300s will do and left the main chute out with a tracker and the freedom to go with the wind. I'm not totally sure!"


Good attempt , it was a nice looking bird.

 

[mrwalsh85]

Did you at least tag your rocket with your contact information for folks who find it?

 

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Did you at least tag your rocket with your contact information for folks who find it?

Unfortunately not. I know the farmers around Argonia know where to take rockets that they find, so here's hoping it'll wind up in the lost and found by next year.


Braden