But I like your build better, as well as the great variety of propulsive options. It'll be nice seeing the paint. Thanks!
Semroc SLS Brighton: A clone build
- Thread starter kuririn
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I have gone an entire lifetime without knowing the Brighton exists and now you come along and force me to build another rocket 
As some on here know I have what some might refer to as a fetish for the Bertha style rocket. Over the years I've built, rebuilt, cloned and modified a number of them. In the fleet currently is an old school Yellow and Black from when I was a Kid. A black version with a 24mm mount. A pair of Baby bertha's, one 18mm the other 24mm. At one point I also threw together a clone of the Ranger with the 3 motor 18mm cluster. Following that I decided that a Baby Ranger was needed and scarficed a Baby Bertha kit. What came out of it was the Baby Ranger with a 3 motor, 13mm cluster. Somewhere along the way a pair of Super Bigh Bertha's appeared and would leave as well.
I see that Randy has the Nose Cone and Fin Strips in stock but the fins themselves are OOP. Can anyone tell me how similiar these are to the super big bertha?
As some on here know I have what some might refer to as a fetish for the Bertha style rocket. Over the years I've built, rebuilt, cloned and modified a number of them. In the fleet currently is an old school Yellow and Black from when I was a Kid. A black version with a 24mm mount. A pair of Baby bertha's, one 18mm the other 24mm. At one point I also threw together a clone of the Ranger with the 3 motor 18mm cluster. Following that I decided that a Baby Ranger was needed and scarficed a Baby Bertha kit. What came out of it was the Baby Ranger with a 3 motor, 13mm cluster. Somewhere along the way a pair of Super Bigh Bertha's appeared and would leave as well. I see that Randy has the Nose Cone and Fin Strips in stock but the fins themselves are OOP. Can anyone tell me how similiar these are to the super big bertha?
The Brighton has 1/8" basswood fins, the PS II SBB I believe has laminated fins. Balsa skins, basswood (?) core.
My SBB is a heavy duty clone of the original SBB (#2165), not the recently re-issued PS II version.
It has 1/8" ply fins, original had balsa fins.
You can download the Rocksim file for the Brighton here:
https://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/RocketKits.asp?SKU=KA-9And the plans and fin template for the SBB here:
https://plans.rocketshoppe.com/estes/est2165/est2165.htmYou can then print and compare the two fin templates.
To me just eyeballing it they look identical in size and shape.
Only difference is the composition and the original Estes SBB has gussets and is surface mounted.
If you download and print the instructions from the Semroc link above there is also a parts list you can use to clone this build.
Have fun!
Thanks for the info. I'm ordering the balsa strips and nose cone today. I printed off the pattern out of OR and they are an almost perfect match for the SBB with a different fin tab. Looking at the complexity of the interchangeable motor mounts, I'm thinking I’m simply going to build this one with either a cluster of 24mm or a single 29mm.
Thanks for your guidance on this one.
I built the Semroc a few years ago, I was going to say almost identical to the Super BB, but you beat me to it...
The current SBB fins have a balsa core and balsa skins, no basswood
Peeled off the top layer of paper on the motor mounts and painted with thin CA. Then sanded smooth. This will harden the couplers and prevent damage from the dual engine hook retainers when sliding them in and out.
![0801200557[1].jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/rocketryforum/data/attachments/343/343412-c3c1957b676370373e6f0fcb940959c1.jpg "0801200557[1].jpg")
Nose cone has been filled with CWF and sanded. May need a second coat.
Should have sanded the nose cone first since there were some lathe chatter marks.
Oh well.
![0801200557a[1].jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/rocketryforum/data/attachments/343/343413-0bc3e600aed8658bbda605e91d97b853.jpg "0801200557a[1].jpg")
Basswood fins have a tighter grain, will do sanding sealer on those.
TBC
Nose cone has been filled with CWF and sanded. May need a second coat.
Should have sanded the nose cone first since there were some lathe chatter marks.
Oh well.
Basswood fins have a tighter grain, will do sanding sealer on those.
TBC
GlenP
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The single engine and 4 engine clusters could possibly be grooved to slide in without having to pull open the two main hooks in the body, then you just have to twist them after fully inserted. With the 3 engine cluster, you could only get one groove in there, since the other opposite side has an engine there.
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I was considering doing a 3 inch version using the T-300 tubing and 3in BB nose cone from Balsa Machining. The interchangeable motor mount would be made using the BT80H tube and couplers. Only got to the planning stage.
Been following along on your build. This is a very interesting kit to see go together. I just received everything from ERockets to build my own clone. I understand what makes this rocket so unique and interesting is the interchangable mounts but I don't see myself flying clusters all that often so I'm going with a single 29mm setup.
Thanks for the doing the build. Looks great.
