Star Orbiter Build

[neil_w]

I always check the secondary groove with my fingernail… if I can’t feel it (which is almost always on low-power tubes) then I don’t fill it. High-build primer takes care of it just fine.

 

[4regt4]

True, but those 8 grams are at the worst part.

As I alluded, it was 8 grams total. I'd imagine that wood glue would have been maybe 4 grams, so it's only perhaps 4 grams additional. The rocket is stable, no harm done. As for performance, that additional 4g is only about 10% more. No biggie.

Hans.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I'm looking forward to the painted product.

 

[neil_w]

Now that is a point Never papering fins I never even thought of that...

With my label-papering technique I only CA the edges, and always keep the CA away from the root edge so I can safely use TBII for fin attachment and fillets.

 

[neil_w]

TRF Member @DAllen has made extensive use of this site to 'rearrange' rocket names into something else: https://www.thewordfinder.com/multiple-word-anagram-solver/

Hey that's fun, although it doesn't have a function to just find shorter words within the available letters.

In any case, I think my favorites are "BOAT STIRRER" and "RIB TOASTER".

 

[mbeels]

Also: I'm open to any great names I can make with the letters I have (A, B, E, I, O, R, R, R, S, T, T) in the decal set.

What a great idea, I love it! This is so fun. Some of my favorites:

"BRIAR OTTERS" or "BRIAR OTTER"
"ORBITS TERRA" (I like how this one flips around the meaning)
"ROASTER"
"RARE BIT"
"BRO TRAITS"
"BOAR TITS"

 

[UsernameGoesHere]

I'm looking forward to the painted product.

Me too. I need to wait on a day that's a bit warmer and dry so I can paint outside (inside isn't really an option). It might be a few weeks at least.

 

[UsernameGoesHere]

What a great idea, I love it! This is so fun. Some of my favorites:

"BRIAR OTTERS" or "BRIAR OTTER"
"ORBITS TERRA" (I like how this one flips around the meaning)
"ROASTER"
"RARE BIT"
"BRO TRAITS"
"BOAR ****"

This give me ... ideas. You've got a name here.

 

[UsernameGoesHere]

While I'm waiting on a good day for paint, I went and fine-tuned my models in Open Rocket. I had a bunch of measurements from the build:

Motor Mount (w/out Retention Ring)	15.2g
Retention Ring	13.4g
Shock Cord	1.2g
Nose Cone	27.2g
Body Tubes (w/out Fins, Paint, etc)	46.7g
Assembled Rocket (w/out Engine, Parachute)	117.5g

It took a few small overrides to get within about 2g of that in Open Rocket. Awesome. The numbers in the screenshot below have a parachute, so they're a little higher.



The ones that stand out to me are:
- D15 - Possible motor for a small field launch?
- E30 - Might be the first flight for this (at a club launch).
- G75 - It's big, but the max acceleration is far less than on an F67. I suspect this could work.

Of course, that's also over 3,500 ft. So we're probably not going to be launching on a G anytime soon.

 

[Scott_650]

One of my favorite motors for the SO is an Estes E12-6 in the 29/24 adapter - it does top out around 1200 feet so plan accordingly. I use to use my big nylon streamer until the vile Soybeans of Doom swallowed up the last Orbiter I built - replacing it would be a good project this winter...

 

[UsernameGoesHere]

One of my favorite motors for the SO is an Estes E12-6 in the 29/24 adapter - it does top out around 1200 feet so plan accordingly. I use to use my big nylon streamer until the vile Soybeans of Doom swallowed up the last Orbiter I built - replacing it would be a good project this winter...

Shows 1260ft at 229mph. Delay is perfect at 6s. Velocity off the rod is 33.8mph. It's also a 100cm rod in the sim, which is shorter than reality (probably).

Looks good.

 

[neil_w]

While I'm waiting on a good day for paint, I went and fine-tuned my models in Open Rocket. I had a bunch of measurements from the build:

Motor Mount (w/out Retention Ring)	15.2g
Retention Ring	13.4g
Shock Cord	1.2g
Nose Cone	27.2g
Body Tubes (w/out Fins, Paint, etc)	46.7g
Assembled Rocket (w/out Engine, Parachute)	117.5g

It took a few small overrides to get within about 2g of that in Open Rocket. Awesome.

In the future, for an already-built rocket, it is easier and more accurate to just weigh the finished rocket and measure CG, and override the whole thing, rather than dealing with each part like that.

 

[Scott_650]

In the future, for an already-built rocket, it is easier and more accurate to just weigh the finished rocket and measure CG, and override the whole thing, rather than dealing with each part like that.

I do both when I remember to weigh the components/subassemblies - fun to see if the detailed sim jives with the override version and with the actual flight data. But definitely easier to do the override and typically as or more accurate than the detailed sim.

 

[neil_w]

I do both when I remember to weigh the components/subassemblies - fun to see if the detailed sim jives with the override version and with the actual flight data. But definitely easier to do the override and typically as or more accurate than the detailed sim.

Doing part-by-part is *very* useful when planning a scratch build, or significantly modifying a kit. But for kits I don't waste my time with it, generally; I just use whatever numbers OR puts in, and then I correct it all in one shot at the end.

 

[SolarYellow]

One of my favorite motors for the SO is an Estes E12-6 in the 29/24 adapter - it does top out around 1200 feet so plan accordingly. I use to use my big nylon streamer until the vile Soybeans of Doom swallowed up the last Orbiter I built - replacing it would be a good project this winter...

AKA a High Flier XL with the fins unfrickerated.

 

[dpower]

This is a great kit, I bought 3, built 2, lost one on an F15-8, the other is still going. It's been flown on E16, E24, F15, F20, F27, F50, G40. Built more or less stock (wood glue, no papering or glass) except it splits in the middle. This makes for easier transport and place for a tracker. Not sure the balsa fins would hold up to a G80, but might try a CTI H54, if they become available again. The Estes F15 is probably the most fun, though. Papering the fins is a good call if you intend to use high-thrust motors like the G80. I expect it would fly fine on a D12-3, mine weighs just 6.2 oz.

 

[UsernameGoesHere]

I expect it would fly fine on a D12-3, mine weighs just 6.2 oz.

Mine is around there. I think E30 will be the first launch, and I'll do some smaller park flights after that with D motors. I have the D15 and D22 around 900 ft in the screenshot above.

I did some primer today. Overall, it looks pretty good. One fin (in the picture) has some texture still showing from the papering. There's some visible grooves, but it's not too bad. I'll hit it with some 1000 grit and then paint ... maybe this weekend.

 

[Raythain]

This is a great kit, I bought 3, built 2, lost one on an F15-8, the other is still going. It's been flown on E16, E24, F15, F20, F27, F50, G40. Built more or less stock (wood glue, no papering or glass) except it splits in the middle. This makes for easier transport and place for a tracker. Not sure the balsa fins would hold up to a G80, but might try a CTI H54, if they become available again. The Estes F15 is probably the most fun, though. Papering the fins is a good call if you intend to use high-thrust motors like the G80. I expect it would fly fine on a D12-3, mine weighs just 6.2 oz.

I’ve got a second one on the build pile, waiting until I’m comfortable with my tracker. Will likely split in the middle for dual deploy, and we’ll see how it holds up to an H15.

 

[UsernameGoesHere]

The photos aren't quite as good as I'd like due to the poor lighting, but I wanted to update anyways. It's blue! Yes, I'm aware that I'm not going to be able to see this thing too well, and it might prove a little hard to find. The blue paint was just calling to me.

It'll probably be a few months, but I'll update this thread when it goes up for a maiden flight.

 

[Peter Kay]

The photos aren't quite as good as I'd like due to the poor lighting, but I wanted to update anyways. It's blue! Yes, I'm aware that I'm not going to be able to see this thing too well, and it might prove a little hard to find. The blue paint was just calling to me.

It'll probably be a few months, but I'll update this thread when it goes up for a maiden flight.

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A few pieces of higher visibility Vinyl/Stickers will fix that. My lightweight Star Orbiter clone is Satin black which really helped with seeing it in the sky on an F-15-8, I figured I'd lose it so didn't obsess with paint/stickers, etc. I sanded down the retainer to get the ribs out of the wind on my "Super" version and shed 4 grams at the same time.