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- Nov 30, 2019
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Happy New Year Everyone,
One only needs to review this Forum for a short time to see just how much you don't know and how much there is to learn - lol!
I am a volunteer/mentor for a high school rocket club started in 2019. This year the Club has a Team entering it's third ARC. Through a lot of hard work, what I am sure was some luck, and the grace of God, two years ago the Team was a Finalist Alternate and last year a Finalist finishing 62nd!
It only took that one weekend at the National Finals for the Team to see how high "the bar" was set by the other teams and how much room there was for improvement. (And it did not go unnoticed that maybe the Team is hindered in part by the level of experience of it's Mentor and Advisor)
But from their experience the Team has already "upped" their game this year. For example, while still trying to keep things simple but to "get better". the Team has spent time incorporating 3D printed parts into this years rocket design and build. So in two years the Team has progressed from designs and builds that included balsa fins, metal washer mass ballast, and glued transitions to plywood fin designs, and 3D printed mass ballast and twist lock transitions. So the excitement continues.
Last year trying to remove as many variables from their test launches the Team focused on the steadiness and cleanliness of their launch pad and the 1010 rail. Their SOP's include anchoring the pad legs with sand bags and cleaning the rail before each launch. They have tried a number of household cleaners such as Simple Green and finished the process with different "cleaning" lubricants such as WD40 and spray teflon - Triflo, getting with mixed results along the way.
As a result the Team proved the flight results were effected by how dirty/clean the rail was but never found a solid procedure to provide consistent results. (The Team uses Apogees's urethane resin universal rail guides in their rocket builds.)
So the "long story" - "short question is" does anyone have any experience with how they keep, clean, maintain their 1010 rail to minimize it's impact on flight results, that they would like to share?
As always, the Club would like to thank anyone in advance for sharing their experience.
The Onteora Rocket Club
One only needs to review this Forum for a short time to see just how much you don't know and how much there is to learn - lol!
I am a volunteer/mentor for a high school rocket club started in 2019. This year the Club has a Team entering it's third ARC. Through a lot of hard work, what I am sure was some luck, and the grace of God, two years ago the Team was a Finalist Alternate and last year a Finalist finishing 62nd!
It only took that one weekend at the National Finals for the Team to see how high "the bar" was set by the other teams and how much room there was for improvement. (And it did not go unnoticed that maybe the Team is hindered in part by the level of experience of it's Mentor and Advisor)
But from their experience the Team has already "upped" their game this year. For example, while still trying to keep things simple but to "get better". the Team has spent time incorporating 3D printed parts into this years rocket design and build. So in two years the Team has progressed from designs and builds that included balsa fins, metal washer mass ballast, and glued transitions to plywood fin designs, and 3D printed mass ballast and twist lock transitions. So the excitement continues.
Last year trying to remove as many variables from their test launches the Team focused on the steadiness and cleanliness of their launch pad and the 1010 rail. Their SOP's include anchoring the pad legs with sand bags and cleaning the rail before each launch. They have tried a number of household cleaners such as Simple Green and finished the process with different "cleaning" lubricants such as WD40 and spray teflon - Triflo, getting with mixed results along the way.
As a result the Team proved the flight results were effected by how dirty/clean the rail was but never found a solid procedure to provide consistent results. (The Team uses Apogees's urethane resin universal rail guides in their rocket builds.)
So the "long story" - "short question is" does anyone have any experience with how they keep, clean, maintain their 1010 rail to minimize it's impact on flight results, that they would like to share?
As always, the Club would like to thank anyone in advance for sharing their experience.
The Onteora Rocket Club