The Wanderer 2.0 build thread.

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Joined
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Location
Wichita, KS
Hello all. I will be building the Wanderer 2.0. I have not received the parts yet, but will keep you all informed as I progress. I only hope I can build as well as @MikeyDSlagle did on the first one. I consider myself a perfectionist when it comes to building rockets but I will also build in a timely manner.
I am a retired Avionics Technician. (I maintained F-4s, F-16s, B1bs, and KC135s as a civilian technician.) I have plenty of spare time so I can give it my all.
Stay tuned
 
Hello all. I will be building the Wanderer 2.0. I have not received the parts yet, but will keep you all informed as I progress. I only hope I can build as well as @MikeyDSlagle did on the first one. I consider myself a perfectionist when it comes to building rockets but I will also build in a timely manner.
I am a retired Avionics Technician. (I maintained F-4s, F-16s, B1bs, and KC135s as a civilian technician.) I have plenty of spare time so I can give it my all.
Stay tuned
Can't wait to get 2.0 going.
 
Good to hear that the project is in good hands. I'll look forward to flying it!
 
Looking forward to seeing/flying the build. Are you following the original plan?
 
rdrown, Here is what's on the way to you. Original Mach1 Spektor kit. The kit only had mulit piece mini-rail buttons. I don't like them so; I sent you 1-piece 1010 and mini buttons. Plus 3/16 & 1/4" lugs. Also. I added an Estes 24mm retainer, and LOC nylon parachute. I did test fit the centering rings. They fit motor tube and body tube great.
20210802_224416.jpg
There is one minor issue, the end of the 24mm motor mount tube will need a slight bit of sanding. The new 24mm Q-Jets, get tight the last 1/4" from the pressed in nozzle. (The 24mm Aerotech SU motors are fine, the 24/40 reload case is fine and Estes PB motors were fine, as was the Estes 18/24 adapter.)
20210803_112733.jpg
Have fun with the build. Remember we are all looking over your shoulder...:)
 
No pressure there! 🤞😳. All I can do is my best. I’m gonna weigh everything and measure everything and put into Rocksim so I can get some good starting data. Will most likely use the original fin design and size. (They look fabulous). I will keep you all up to date.
 
I have a question for all of you. I received the Mach1 kit today and have plugged in all the weights and dimensions. I used the dimensions of the original wanderer and the actual weights of the kit parts. My question is the cp. I assume that Open Rocket uses the Barrowman equations for figuring cp. I use Rocksim and it has Barrowman AND Rocksim method for cp calculations. The difference is Barrowman shows .85 stability. Rocksim shows 1.24 stability. I have been reading the difference between Barrowman and Rocksim method and it seems to me that the
Rocksim method is more accurate. Please read for yourself and give me some feedback.

https://apogeerockets.com/education/downloads/Newsletter238.pdf
 
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I received the Mach1 kit today and have plugged in all the weights and dimensions. I used the dimensions of the original wanderer and the actual weights of the kit parts.
I promised you the original design file converted to .RKT. Sorry it took a while, but those files are now (a few minutes ago) up on the original thread. I guess I should have posted them here (and sooner).

EDIT: Adding link HERE to the post with the files.
 
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I have been reading the difference between Barrowman and Rocksim method and it seems to me that the
Rocksim method is more accurate. Please read for yourself and give me some feedback.

I feel your choice of a word is less than ideal, and that choice leads me to answer this way... ALL of these are approximations of the CP. The math just has TOO MANY dynamic variables to get an exact answer. All of the ways to find CP are estimates. And all of them have assumptions, and limitations. So the word "accurate", gives me pause. The "simplified Barrowman equations" are more "conservative", the Rocksim method uses more in-depth equations and hence your numbers.
For a general purpose rocket with a basic shape used for sport flying I will stick with Barrowman. (More conservative, at the sacrifice of altitude, do to added nose weight that may not be NEEDED; and maybe a little bit more weathercocking.) If making a "record attempt", or shape outside the Barrowman's assumptions, use Rocksim, knowing there is less "built in" overstablity.

[ you asked for feedback, this is just MY $.02....YMMV 🤔 ]
 
The lost Wanderer was built using OpenRocket and whatever method they use to determine CP and she flew great. It could've used a full ounce in the nose cone but all the laundry stuffed into the nose cone brought the stability up even more.

I got to a point I was getting weird, opposite than expected, results. Such as:
Adding 1" to the airframe would cause the rocket to tumble.
Adding the full ounce in the nose cone would increase the speed off the rail.
There was for sure one more but I can't remember it... So I found the sweet spot.

There are SO MANY little changes that can be done to adjust stability, and feel free to do them, but. . . Why? It's been done, unless you feel it needs to change; and as my man Bobby says ....
It was perfect
😊
 
The lost Wanderer was built using OpenRocket and whatever method they use to determine CP and she flew great. It could've used a full ounce in the nose cone but all the laundry stuffed into the nose cone brought the stability up even more.

I got to a point I was getting weird, opposite than expected, results. Such as:
Adding 1" to the airframe would cause the rocket to tumble.
Adding the full ounce in the nose cone would increase the speed off the rail.
There was for sure one more but I can't remember it... So I found the sweet spot.

There are SO MANY little changes that can be done to adjust stability, and feel free to do them, but. . . Why? It's been done, unless you feel it needs to change; and as my man Bobby says ....

😊
I am adding the weights and measurements of the kit into YOUR sim and I am getting stability of .7. I don’t have a problem with that. I am planning on doing the rocket exactly as you had it. I was just worried that other people would have a problem of less than 1 stability, that’s all.
I will post pictures as I go. It will take a little time as I am using 30 minute BSI epoxy.

I am sorry that some of you think I am changing a proven design. I am NOT. Maybe my communication is bad, but believe me, Wanderer 2.0 will be exactly (except for paint) as the original.
 
The first pic.
I epoxied the Estes retainer ( JB Weld), the aft centering ring and the motor block into the motor mount. I used an Estes D12 to place the block into the right position. I will get the forward ring positioned after I cut down the ttw flange on the fin so the fins are locked into position.

Edit:
I have since removed a few inches off motor mount to just ahead of motor block. I also have attached the fwd centering ring to fwd most of mm.

433159F5-325F-47F5-978D-1238AFCAD587.jpeg
 
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Save weight by removing all of the MMT forward of the engine block. It serves no purpose. I also used a paper forward CR to shave a tad of weight as well.

You can also shave a bit by trimming the fin tabs to where they only contact the MMT in two places; a quarter inch tab near the aft ring and a quarter inch tab near the forward ring. I don't think the benefit warranted the effort though. External fillets will hold the fins in any case.

I was just ribbing ya. Do whatever ya need or please to get it satisfactory. I used US Composites thin epoxy and that stuff takes forever to set up, so you good. :cool:

And it is fairly easy to add a bit of mass to the nose if anyone needs a bit more stability.
 
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Have the motor mount installed in rocket. I attached the Kevlar to the motor mount. Also trimmed fins to match originals. After this stage of epoxy sets I will glue in fins using payload bay fin guide. I placed a small block of hardwood next to aft centering ring to mount 1010 rail button on. Not sure what I’m gonna do for forward button yet. I’m going to have 1/4 inch rod guide also. 1/4 inch guide will work on 3/16 rods as well. Getting closer.🙂

210051A9-4DD1-4C10-8E31-EC2957AE75DA.jpeg
 
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Next update.
I finished the fillets on the fins. I installed the rear launch button, then removed for paint. I cut three pieces of extra body tube to ½ by ½ inch and layered them over the forward position of the launch lug. The body tube is so thin that it would not hold any threads for the button. I epoxied them in place and covered with Rocketpoxy. After it cures, I will drill and tap the hole.
3292264F-BC55-4D59-BDFB-34E6410E5321.jpeg

For the nose cone, I inserted a brass rod near the tip to hold the shot and epoxy. I also looped a Kevlar cord over the rod to use as a shock cord mount. I have sawn off the very base of the nose cone so the flight sketch and parachute can live in the nose cone. Still have plenty of shoulder left. I added 15 grams of lead shot and some Rocketpoxy to cover the brass rod and insure all will stay put. This added about 30 grams total to the nose figuring the shock cord mount in also.

1673CD54-A251-46C3-B437-AC18522B9673.jpeg
Above is actually the inside of the nose cone. It is sitting in the body tube for the picture.
B7E184C9-D6CF-47E2-AF36-5E4A880E6A6D.jpeg

I am letting everything cure for 24 hours, sand it all down, and then hoping for a cooler day to start painting.

Cheers for now.
 
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I put a coat of adhesion promoter on the nose cone and then painted the whole rocket with white primer. Tomorrow I will sand it all down and hopefully start finish coats.🤞
The next three days are supposed to be storming with high humidity, so with any luck….
 
You said the colors would be different.
What colors are you planning?
Well, since the wanderer 2.0 will be traveling across a lot of the USA, I thought red nose blending into white body blending into blue fin area. I also have a TRF sticker that I will put on the body, just like the first one. Clear coat over all. I am also including a 16 inch hemispherical parachute in red, white, and blue. The hemispherical chute is actually lighter that a flat sheet chute of the same size.
 
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