Tau Zero Leonora Christine

[Daddyisabar]

Will fall away from rockets not completely straight or have clip whip catching, wobbly segments. High Power Top Men in background.


Will fall away on better designs, but only after a Top Man stamp of approval. No fins on the bottom of the rocket to get in the way! YIPPEE!

 

[Daddyisabar]

Found it. Actual shot of clip whip falling away!

 

[KenECoyote]

So far so good. In my experience, wrapping heavy cardstock (or posterboard, or whatever) into tight cones like that is challenging, and even more so when you need to make five of them come out very consistently, and without creasing.

Would also like to see the exact flavor of posterboard you're using.

I have previously pondered an all-conical design, and have been very uncertain how to construct it, which is why I'm so curious about the details. Thanks for the write-up so far, it's a beautiful rocket even if I do worry about the survivability of those fins.

There are techniques to handle that. In this case you can use the base of the 3D cone to help form the first smallest wrap and that should work well.

 

[BigMacDaddy]

I doubt if I'll ever post up any builds on here as I will be to embarrassed to share the company of guys like this who are "master modelers". I just wish I lived near you so that I could paint it for you as I like the painting part the best.

Thank you -- so many different modeling techniques and many people have something to add. I wish I had the skill and patience to paint my models like I have seen others do.

 

[KenECoyote]

I wish I had the skill and patience to paint my models like I have seen others do.

Kidding aside, I think I can speak for most of us when I say that your ability to turn these beautiful designs into rockets is amazing... on another level really!

 

[BigMacDaddy]

Ok - so finally glued the cardstock on the nosecone. Teamed up with the awesome design talent @Rob Caswell who provided SciFi designs to pre-print cardstock for the nosecone (and designs for radiators coming next). I printed on 110lb cardstock and glued to 3D printed ABS frame with Fabri-Tac. Glue is still drying so I have not cleaned things up yet (hoping to use sharpie to fill in lines between sections). I guess I should have painted the rest of the rocket to match this great looking nosecone.

 

[neil_w]

Dare I ask if you took any pictures of the card stocking process?

 

[mbeels]

Very cool rocket, I somehow totally missed this one. Super unique design, and great execution.

 

[BigMacDaddy]

Dare I ask if you took any pictures of the card stocking process?

Haha... I never know what I am going to do till I do it and not sure it will work till I see it (and change plans multiple times along the way).

But - I can simulate with a paper template and take pics. Here is what I did:

• I printed on cardstock
• Pre-rolled cardstock by putting in cups or water bottles
• Cut out the sections w/ hobby knife
• Cut away overlapping tabs where the support structure is (assumption that the overlapping tabs would create a bump there).
• Put glue on inside of section where tabs would connect (Fabri-Tac)
• Rolled individual sections putting tabs inside on glued inside (put painters tape on each section so they would hold their shape)
• Let dry (some)
• Put glue on support structure (Fabri-Tac)
• Slid sections down onto rocket and twisted, pushed them into place (bit tight) - lined up details

 

[jqavins]

(hoping to use sharpie to fill in lines between sections). I guess I should have painted the rest of the rocket to match this great looking nosecone.

I wouldn't. Those lines make it look like a vehicle that was built in the very sensible way that you built it. Leave them.

 

[BigMacDaddy]

Successful flight today on an E12-4 in main engine (did not try booster cluster yet). Model flew great as always. Huge nosecones + lots of tall fins are so stable... go figure... For some reason I have not had luck getting 2x parachutes opened. In this case I think it was that the 2nd parachute was brand new and I did not fluff it out enough times. Also it worked really well having multiple parts for the nosecone. Much better recovery and landing even with just 1 chutes open.



Looks great with the nosecone wrap @Rob Caswell designed...

 

[jqavins]

It looks like you were flying alone. She must be quite the head turner at club launches.

 

[Cape Byron]

Fantastic wraps.

 

[BigMacDaddy]

It looks like you were flying alone. She must be quite the head turner at club launches.

Yep, just me and the geese (at least for the 1st launch)...

I wonder if folks would want to do this with a 29mm engine -- this is currently setup for 24mm...

 

[BigMacDaddy]

Fantastic wraps.

Credit goes to @Rob Caswell

 

[jqavins]

I wonder if folks would want to do this with a 29mm engine -- this is currently setup for 24mm...

Yes, I guarantee some folks would. And some folks would want it smaller. I'm sure Estes and the other big players have their ways of determining market sweet spots. Wait, no, I'm not sure.

You could take the proven prototype to launches at two or three different clubs and ask around. I say again, I bet it's a real head turner; so ask those turned heads. If you're willing to invest the driving time, both Red Glare and NY Power are within long day trip distance for you. Yes, I know, going to big launch events is such a drag. But a small business man's got to do what a small business man's got to do.

 

[neil_w]

The size of that rocket seems appropriate for 24mm. What's the weight?

 

[Bill S]

So what did you get for approximate altitude on a D12 and E12 motors?

If you market the kit, sign me up sir. I'll take one.

 

[Cape Byron]

I'm sure Estes and the other big players have their ways of determining market sweet spots. Wait, no, I'm not sure.

Yep, and so they made 20,000 Mars Leapers…

 

[BigMacDaddy]

So what did you get for approximate altitude on a D12 and E12 motors?

If you market the kit, sign me up sir. I'll take one.

Cool -- thanks for the support!

OR says 128m on E12-4 and 74.1m on D12-3

 

[BigMacDaddy]

Yep, and so they made 20,000 Mars Leapers…

Just so they would have free rockets to give away in holiday sales...

 

[neil_w]

Cool -- thanks for the support!

OR says 128m on E12-4 and 74.1m on D12-3

View attachment 565099

Other motors to plug in there: Aerotech E15, Q-jet D22, Q-jet E26 (feel free to post the ORK file ). In my opinion this rocket is not well suited for more powerful motors due to those fins. Others may disagree. I suppose a 29mm F15 would be interesting.

 

[KenECoyote]

Successful flight today on an E12-4 in main engine (did not try booster cluster yet). Model flew great as always. Huge nosecones + lots of tall fins are so stable... go figure... For some reason I have not had luck getting 2x parachutes opened. In this case I think it was that the 2nd parachute was brand new and I did not fluff it out enough times. Also it worked really well having multiple parts for the nosecone. Much better recovery and landing even with just 1 chutes open.



Looks great with the nosecone wrap @Rob Caswell designed...

View attachment 564968
View attachment 564969

Great flight!

I believe that when you have two plastic chutes on the same line, it increases the chances of one of them not inflating because the first chute slows down the airflow that would've possibly opened the other... especially in cold weather with plastic chutes.

 

[Cape Byron]

Great flight!

I believe that when you have two plastic chutes on the same line, it increases the chances of one of them not inflating because the first chute slows down the airflow that would've possibly opened the other... especially in cold weather with plastic chutes.

Maybe a smaller and a standard size chute - kind of a semi-drogue system.

 

[Cape Byron]

Just so they would have free rockets to give away in holiday sales...

And they wouldn't be anything that people actually wanted.

 

[jqavins]

In my opinion this rocket is not well suited for more powerful motors due to those fins. Others may disagree. I suppose a 29mm F15 would be interesting.

Opinions are like ass- umptions. Test it.

 

[neil_w]

Opinions are like ass- umptions. Test it.

Easy to ask other people to do time-consuming and potentially destructive testing.

 

[jqavins]

Sorry, no offense meant, and I didn't mean to thrust work on you. I just mean that, regarding a question like will the fins stand up to higher thrust, there's no point in guessing. And I tried to be a little witty, but maybe I stepped over a line there.

 

[neil_w]

No offense taken.

It isn't I that would have to do the work, it's @BigMacDaddy. He'd have to build another model with 29mm mount and then test it with an assortment of 29mm motors. He asked for opinions on whether 24mm or 29mm would be better, so I gave mine.

I don't generally feel it is obligatory to always jam the largest possible motor mount into every rocket, particularly ones like this that are not designed for high performance. If this were my own rocket I wouldn't push it to its stress limits, or try to find out where those limits are.

 

[BigMacDaddy]

Maybe a smaller and a standard size chute - kind of a semi-drogue system.

They both came out of the BT-55 tube pretty readily (18" & 24" chutes) it is just that the brand new chute basically stayed factory fresh...

I had opened it up and flared it a bit around my house but when I crumpled it up again it must have settled back into the folds and packed up a bit too tight.

I just looked at it again and no charring or anything (melted chutes are a common issue for me) it just did not open (maybe I should not wrap the shroud lines around the chutes in this model since there is a lot going on with the two chutes to open).