Scratch built Disco Bird

[Bone Daddy]

Finally a nice day to fly. Light breeze and no rain for two whole days. Pulled out Disco Bird for her maiden voyage.

This is my second rocket using CDs for fins. My first was a BT60, 3 engine cluster using full size CDs. This one uses the small size CDs. The epoxy work is a tad rough, still learning how to get good looking fillet.

Flew beautifully on a B6-4. 12"chute with a large spill hole. I'm flirting with the idea of a C6-3, but the B6-4 was perfect. Sure a C6-3 would drive her higher, but does it really matter? Would you stuff a C6-3 into her just so she would fly higher? Just curious.

 

[Peartree]

Depends on how bad you want to get it back.

 

[Bone Daddy]

That's always the question.

I used to wonder why rocket companies list a first flight engine and usually a low power one to boot. Hmmm I Thought, surely you don't need to break these things in so what gives? Then it hit me. They want you to get your rocket back - at least after the first flight.

What's the point of launching a rocket and then never seeing it again until it manisfests itself as a tiny puff of smoke? (contests, reasearch etc. aside)

With this rocket on a B6-4 you can watch the whole flight. You can watch it shoot skywards, hit apogee, fall over and then eject the chute.

 

[RocketMonkey]

My motto is if a B is cool a D-21 will be really cool!!!!

 

[accooper]

Did you have any problem getting paint to stick to those disks?

Andrew From Texas

 

[PemTech's Squeeze]

Just imagine the amount of shineif you didn't paint the cds!! :eyepop:

Shineiness for miles and miles!!! Ooo Oooooooo

Trudy
Pemberton Technologies Art Department and lover of shiney things

 

[H_Rocket]

Would you stuff a C6-3 into her just so she would fly higher? Just curious.

Nope, I'd stuff a D21 SU in it and let her rip. (I would do a D24, but I do like getting my hardware back).

Remember, if you love your rocket set it free. If it comes back stuff a bigger motor in it.

 

[Mikus]

Remember, if you love your rocket set it free. If it comes back stuff a bigger motor in it.

ROFLOL!!! :roll:

 

[tbzep]

After reading the title, I was disappointed not to find a rocket launched in center field at Comiskey Park....with dynamite.

 

[Bone Daddy]

Actually, these CDs are covered with aluminum tape.

I have painted CDs before with no problem. Flat black (a few different paints), satin red (rustoleum) and Kilz blue. It's a nice tough finish to boot.

The black ones are the 3 motor cluster bird. The red ones are just itching to be used somewhere. The blue one (annd the bottom disk is flat black) is a small robot I built after a bunch of us were having Christmas dinner and wondering what to do with all those AOL disks we kept getting in the mail. The result was Viper Bot. (and yes it and I are old enough that we remember the never ending stream of AOL disks that clogged our mailboxes)

I think I'm starting to see the positive side of stuffing larger and larger motors into a rocket - it's a cost saving strategy. One D flight, lots of thunder and you never see it again about $8 or so? Six B6-4 flights and you're up to $17.00. You still have the darn thing so you know you'll fly it again. Kaching there's another $8 or so. It's like a darn boat - it's a money pit! I need to reconsider my philosophy. I can actually save money by losing rockets. Now that is rocket science.

 

[El Cheapo]

Being that I love building Recycled/Trash rockets, I'm going to have to stop throwing those unlabled discs away and use them. Great Idea.

 

[nukemmcssret]

I would put a C-6 in it and let her fly. I have lost a few since getting back into the hobby and it is heart breaking. I get over it and build a new one. Also good idea with the Used cds. I have been using them for glue and epoxy pallets. SO let it fly.:clap: