The Yellowjacket 2X upscale done with poster board

[Colorado John]

First I must say that my Yellowjacket build is 100% inspired by the Comanche 3 build thread in this gallery. After looking at this I got some ideas to do my own build. My idea/plans are to make a rocket that is nothing but poster board and cardboard with zero commercially made parts, I am going to make everything. To start with I rolled the poster board body tube on a plastic pipe. First I steamed the paper and then rolled it while using Titebond yellow wood glue, it is very strong! Started in on the fins using the same process as we do for any of the small cardstock rockets just ramped up. Started the nose cone this is just a first test and was too small. Did all of this last week and have made great progress, will be adding more to this thread.

 

[Colorado John]

Here are my fins. They are 4ply with two cereal box ones glued together with Titebond glue and then put inside the flap of the two poster board, glued down and heavy books put on top to make them dry flatter. This nose cone is much better and will get filled then coated with Titebond glue. This Yellowjacket is starting to come together!

 

[banjonate]

I will definitely be steaming the paper next time!

 

[GlenP]

With regular printer paper and cardstock there is a grain parallel along the long edge, and if you roll it along that edge it usually will not crease. I think poster board is like a plywood, i.e. a laminated paper with grains in different directions, so steaming it should help it to roll without creasing as much, but I am not sure if there is any preferred direction for rolling it. You could experiment with a smaller tube, like for the engine mount, cut two patterns from the poster at 90-deg angles to see if there is any difference in the amount of creasing you get without steaming.

 

[barn]

Can you explain your steaming process?

 

[barn]

When I have had paper nose cones that were too small to match the body tube width I just keep wrapping a new layer of paper over the "too-small" section of the nose cone. I do this with copy paper not card stock. Card stock may be too thick and then make your nose cone too large.

 

[Colorado John]

My Yellowjacket is really starting to come together.

 

[Colorado John]

Can you explain your steaming process?

Barn, What I did is this. I took a large pan of water and brought it to a good boil with the steam rolling off it. Next I took my poster board and held at each end and moved it across and back and forth over the steam getting it very close to the top of the pot. I did this to both sides. You want to get it kind of damp and not really dripping wet. Now you are ready to roll! The dampness of the paper will make the glue (I like Titebond!!) soak in much better . You might want to do a few tests and practice ones just to get the hang of it. This may not be the best or high tech way to do this, but it works for me. What Glen said about the poster board grain I found to be very true!!! I buy the 22x28 sheet and found it much easier to roll it the 22 in. way and got more lumps and creases rolling it the 28in direction. Test it out and see what works best for you.

 

[Colorado John]

Here it is! I really like the way this turned out. Not bad for two sheets of poster board, a cereal box and a little cardboard.

 

[GlenP]

What dia engine mount are you putting in there? 24mm ?

 

[Colorado John]

What dia engine mount are you putting in there? 24mm ?

Put in a 24mm. By the way thanks for your help and inspiration as well.

 

[barn]

Here it is! I really like the way this turned out. Not bad for two sheets of poster board, a cereal box and a little cardboard.
View attachment 442080

That looks Great!

 

[Colorado John]

A great big thanks goes out to both GlenP and banjonate!!! All three of my poster board rockets flew perfect on both a D and E!!! Thanks to both of you for your help and inspiration.

 

[GlenP]

Great to hear!

For motor retention do you just use friction-fit and tape? Do you know the trick about making your own motor hooks from the steel strip in old wiper blades?
FYI - https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/low-power-rocket-motor-retainer.60277/#post-632248

Also, what did you use for recovery: a streamer or home-made chute? You will never look at the recycling bin again without thinking about all the possible rocket parts in there waiting to be harvested! Here is one of my homemade chutes for a mini Der Red Max made from a shopping bag...


launch video:

 

[Colorado John]

Great to hear!

For motor retention do you just use friction-fit and tape? Do you know the trick about making your own motor hooks from the steel strip in old wiper blades?
FYI - https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/low-power-rocket-motor-retainer.60277/#post-632248

Also, what did you use for recovery: a streamer or home-made chute? You will never look at the recycling bin again without thinking about all the possible rocket parts in there waiting to be harvested! Here is one of my homemade chutes for a mini Der Red Max made from a shopping bag...
View attachment 465975

launch video:

GlenP, For motor retention I just used friction fit with tape and it had a home made chute. There was not one commercially made rocket part on any of my three poster board rockets.

 

[banjonate]

A great big thanks goes out to both GlenP and banjonate!!! All three of my poster board rockets flew perfect on both a D and E!!! Thanks to both of you for your help and inspiration.

That’s awesome! You have video?