Traffic Cone Odd-Roc for LDRS

[RocketBrew]

After reading about all the great projects being built for LDRS, I had to figure out something to bring other than a PML kit rocket (and my mass launch Squat.) I have been looking at this traffic cone that I acquired a year or so ago from where I work, and been thinking it wanted to be a rocket - so at the last minute I decided to give it a shot!

The tricky part turned out to be how pliable the material is (guess that is why it can survive being run over by a truck.) That made slotting for the fins a lot more work than I planned on.

The final weight ended up at 18 lbs., so I will be launching it on an old K550 reload I bought at a Turkey Shoot launch in Vegas about 12 years ago. Now to get the 60" Fruity Chute into the 54mm motor tube in a way that the ejection charge will still get it deployed!

Photo 1: The start
Photo 2: Custom work jig
Photo 3: Motor/ejection tube, centering rings, recovery harness and launch rod tube mocked up
Photo 4 & 5: First fin installed

 

[kramer714]

looks pretty cool, nice build.

Did you bond the cone to the 'inner structure' or is it just locked in place?

 

[RocketBrew]

Did you bond the cone to the 'inner structure' or is it just locked in place?

The centering rings are epoxied (Loctite Hysol E-20HP) to the cone.

 

[RocketBrew]

The traffic cone flew on day 3 at LDRS with the 12 year old K550, lit with a QuickBurst Fat Boy Igniter and "recovered" with a Fruity Chutes 60" Ellipsoid design parachute.

There are folks with all kinds of knowledge at LDRS, including those with a lot of traffic cone launching experience!! What I learned is that the fins on a cone actually end up providing no help with the CP, and the holes cut out of the base reduced weight, but hurt the aerodynamics.

The launch started well, as shown in the attached photo by Dianne Brewer, after the old motor took a few moments to come up to pressure. But it quickly became unstable and did a few loops before heading back to the lake bed. The six second motor delay (the shortest recommended onsite by Aerotech) popped the chute in time for it to inflate as the cone "landed". The chute was then re-inflated by the winds and the cone was dragged quite a ways toward the flight line before I could run out and stop it.

With my new knowledge of Traffic Cone Technology, it will fly again with some modifications...

 

[stickershock23]

I was out on the field when she flew... all I can say... way high on the cool factor!

 

[kramer714]

Craig,

We chatted after your launch (im the guy with the Beer Bottle, Football, and Pizza odd-rocs).

First of all, bad flight? Heck no, sure was cool to watch, last time I saw a cone do something like that a Buick hit it!!

Second, since you already drilled the holes in the base, try putting a plate above and below the base, using the base a 'core'. I'm thinking plywood, or kydex. Also, if you make it an octagon, still looks 'cone-ish' while giving you better base drag.

Keep trying,

Mike