For those of you that know me, you know that I've built many Arcases (Arcai?) in my rocketry career. Starting with the Aerotech kit, it's been a constant feature of my fleet, in both 2.6" and 4" versions. My AT version lost a fin to a rough lakebed landing (never to be found again), and my revamped 2.6" version with a 38mm mount shredded spectacularly on an I435T while I was trying to do a 7th grade science project (whaddya expect, it was LOC tubing!). I currently own a 4" model which has flown successfully seven times.
I've had some flexible phenolic sitting in my garage for a couple years, waiting to be made into a new 2.6" Arcas model. At long last, it is being assembled. One change, however: this one is to be staged with a 4.5" Sparrow booster. Oh, and one more: it has a 54mm motor mount.
I began construction by cutting to length the tubing, and laminating it with one layer of 6 oz. fiberglass. At 2.6" diameter, the tubing was already pretty strong. I know for a fact that 54mm cardboard tubing unreinforced can handle Mach, so phenolic laminated with glass should definitely be up to the task.
With such small clearance between the 54mm motor tube and the 2.56" ID of the body tubing, a Carbon/Kevlar laminated tube coupler is used as the stage coupler. Since the fins have (relatively) short root chords, I elected to simply surface mount them. They were tacked into place using 5 minute epoxy. I then added my traditional chopped carbon/fumed silica/Aeropoxy fillets for a base. This assembly was then laminated with a layer of Carbon/Kevlar cloth for super strength. At the moment, it is awaiting final trimming and a veil layer of tight weave glass cloth to make finishing easier.
All that's left for the sustainer at the moment is to build the electronics bay, install the motor mount, add rail buttons, and put on some paint. I am hoping to fly it at the ROC launch on the 14th on a J90W to give it a shakedown flight. On-board electronics will be a Loki Research ARTS, and a G-Wiz LC to control staging and back up deployment.
I can't wait to finish it!
A link to photos will be posted soon.
I've had some flexible phenolic sitting in my garage for a couple years, waiting to be made into a new 2.6" Arcas model. At long last, it is being assembled. One change, however: this one is to be staged with a 4.5" Sparrow booster. Oh, and one more: it has a 54mm motor mount.
I began construction by cutting to length the tubing, and laminating it with one layer of 6 oz. fiberglass. At 2.6" diameter, the tubing was already pretty strong. I know for a fact that 54mm cardboard tubing unreinforced can handle Mach, so phenolic laminated with glass should definitely be up to the task.
With such small clearance between the 54mm motor tube and the 2.56" ID of the body tubing, a Carbon/Kevlar laminated tube coupler is used as the stage coupler. Since the fins have (relatively) short root chords, I elected to simply surface mount them. They were tacked into place using 5 minute epoxy. I then added my traditional chopped carbon/fumed silica/Aeropoxy fillets for a base. This assembly was then laminated with a layer of Carbon/Kevlar cloth for super strength. At the moment, it is awaiting final trimming and a veil layer of tight weave glass cloth to make finishing easier.
All that's left for the sustainer at the moment is to build the electronics bay, install the motor mount, add rail buttons, and put on some paint. I am hoping to fly it at the ROC launch on the 14th on a J90W to give it a shakedown flight. On-board electronics will be a Loki Research ARTS, and a G-Wiz LC to control staging and back up deployment.
I can't wait to finish it!
A link to photos will be posted soon.