Scratch Built Gemini Titan

[Airoski]

My first thread Anyway, I'm working on a Gemini Titan scratch build project. Its going to go up on a single estes C6-5 and based around a BT70 body tube. As for the capsule, my old magic trick set from when I was a little kid had a plastic cup. Strangely, it was exactly the right shape and size, plus it was very light. The white service and instrumentation sections below the capsule are being made of carved bulsar. For decoration, the paper wrap method and the metalic sections shall be shiny wrapping paper. There is still lots to do. For instance, shock cord mounting, finishing the engine mount and cutting fins (boy, plexiglass is hard to cut. Any tips on that?) Hopefully its maiden flight should be in the near future. I have provided pics of the rocket so far in the attachments. Sorry for the horrible quality, had to use my webcam because the familys digital camara is in use.

BTW This is not going to be scale. Just meant to look like a Gemini Titan. I'm not good enough to scratch-build something scale

-Airoski

 

[Peartree]

That's looking pretty good so far. One word of caution though, Plexiglas can be pretty brittle and tends to shatter when it hist the ground hard. Lexan (I think?) is a bit more expensive but doesn't shatter (in fact, it flexes).

 

[bguffer]

Not sure if you want to scratch build everything yourself...

If not, you might be able to order a nose cone:
https://www.semroc.com/Store/Scripts/ClassicParts.asp?ID=23

Bob

 

[Dr.Zooch]

And you may want to check out this thread...

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=755&highlight=zooch+mark

 

[Airoski]

That's looking pretty good so far. One word of caution though, Plexiglas can be pretty brittle and tends to shatter when it hist the ground hard. Lexan (I think?) is a bit more expensive but doesn't shatter (in fact, it flexes).

Thanks. I might try that Lexan stuff instead, seeing as it took my 40 minutes to cut one fin with the plexiglass

Not sure if you want to scratch build everything yourself...

If not, you might be able to order a nose cone:
https://www.semroc.com/Store/Scripts/ClassicParts.asp?ID=23

Bob

Thanks for that. Although, I have had quite some practice (pedantic and downright annoying DT teachers...) at cutting bulsar wood to shape so I think I'll be OK.

And you may want to check out this thread...

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=755&highlight=zooch+mark

Looks useful. I'll take some of those methods into consideration.

 

[mkadams001]

An easy way to cut plexiglas is to score it several times with an awl or something sharp and pointy and snap it over an edge of the work table. It should work on lexan too.

 

[Airoski]

An easy way to cut plexiglas is to score it several times with an awl or something sharp and pointy and snap it over an edge of the work table. It should work on lexan too.

Thanks. It wasn't at all easy but the fins are at last cut. One of them has a crack though...

 

[Airoski]

All righty, I launched it yesterday! Estes C6-3s were used. The first launch was a perfect no-arc flight and the parachute deployed beautifully and the rocket landed only a few meters away from the pad! Nothing was broken or even scratched! Launched it again, it wasn't quite as good. It did arc slightly but hardly by much and it recovered fine. The third launch was much the same as the second, except the parachute didn't unfold very well. One of the fins came loose from the impact. But that was easy to glue back into place. All in all, great day of launching!

I also launched my scratch-built MR4 (a rocket very loosely based on a Mercury Redstone) and that flew amazingly!

Here are the launch pics:

Note: That launch tower isn't meant to look like the Gemini one. Its just there to look cool