TRF Tips and Techniques Comments Thread.

cwbullet

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That wire wrap tool in my photo is about 30 years old.
Yup. I use two—one from Radioshack and one from Ok Industries. Both are over 20-30 years old. I used them on electronic projects before I joined the military. Someone told me they old work with square pegs also. I have found them quite reliable on the round wire.
 

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Yup. I use two—one from Radioshack and one from Ok Industries. Both are over 20-30 years old. I used them on electronic projects before I joined the military. Someone told me they old work with square pegs also. I have found them quite reliable on the round wire.
Square pegs were the standard for wire-wrap backplanes (we produced them commercially at Linkabit in the 1980s) and more recently on standard headers. Wire will not unwrap as easily from square pegs but round ones do work fine in low-vibe environments. I'm pretty sure I got my tool from Radio Shack.
 

OverTheTop

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Wire wrap on square pegs is reliable due to 28 cold-welded connections caused by seven wraps of the 1" of wire around the post. Yes, the wrapping creates enough pressure to form cold welds.

Wire-wrapping onto a round wire is relying on luck. You are essentially creating a spring that slightly unwinds when you complete the wrap. Contact points are just glancing contact, with no significant pressure. There are recommended ways of splicing conductors, but none of them have a single straight wire with the other coiled around. I will check the wire harness standard IPC-620 next week and post their requirements if I can.
 

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Ever get annoyed with losing some wing nut or washer while opening or closing your dd bay (especially in the field)?

Try epoxying a magnet to the bay lid they go onto.
20230412_180628.jpg

This is also a visual reminder that the nuts aren't on.

Note that magnets should not be too close to electronics.
 

prfesser

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Ever get annoyed with losing some wing nut or washer while opening or closing your dd bay (especially in the field)?

Try epoxying a magnet to the bay lid they go onto.

This is also a visual reminder that the nuts aren't on.

Note that magnets should not be too close to electronics.
Great idea! Note: if you use stainless steel nuts, check to be sure they're actually magnetic. Some alloys aren't.
 

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Wire wrap on square pegs is reliable due to 28 cold-welded connections caused by seven wraps of the 1" of wire around the post. Yes, the wrapping creates enough pressure to form cold welds.

Wire-wrapping onto a round wire is relying on luck. You are essentially creating a spring that slightly unwinds when you complete the wrap. Contact points are just glancing contact, with no significant pressure. There are recommended ways of splicing conductors, but none of them have a single straight wire with the other coiled around. I will check the wire harness standard IPC-620 next week and post their requirements if I can.
I am not that lucky and I have made 1000s of connections with only handful of fails. I can live with that in my book. The fails were all picked up prior to use and replaced. Maybe my success is due to me locking my connections in place with epoxy. Either way, it quite simply works.
 

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Ever get annoyed with losing some wing nut or washer while opening or closing your dd bay (especially in the field)?

Try epoxying a magnet to the bay lid they go onto.
View attachment 575068

This is also a visual reminder that the nuts aren't on.

Note that magnets should not be too close to electronics.

Very neat idea. I have used the magnetic bowl, but this is build in. Added today.
 

KenECoyote

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If you are testing an altimeter with a piezo speaker (little round black ones like those on SLCF & Eggtimers) and don't want to disturb or alarm others, simply put a small piece of masking tape over it and it cuts the sound down considerably.

View attachment 20230417_205351.mp4
Just remember to remove it before launching!
 

cwbullet

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If you are testing an altimeter with a piezo speaker (little round black ones like those on SLCF & Eggtimers) and don't want to disturb or alarm others, simply put a small piece of masking tape over it and it cuts the sound down considerably.

View attachment 575802
Just remember to remove it before launching!
Posted
 

DabCat

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Does anyone have another tip?
Not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to suggest it - Write your name on your rocket
Putting your name and phone number/contact details on your rocket. In more than one place as well in case of separation, motor getting ejected unintentionally, etc. I write my name on my altimeter sled or av bay bulkheads and on motor casings. Often I'll run a thin strip of masking tape along a motor casing with my name and phone number. For rockets without av sleds or motor casings, I'll write it somewhere else such as the nosecone shoulder, coupler shoulder, parachute, streamer, etc. Acts as extra insurance in multiple scenarios, and never hurts to add. This last ROCstock I was able to return 2 rockets to their owners because the owners had written their names on them.

Another potential idea - Label your motors with masking tape after you build them
I like to build a bunch of motor before a launch, so to avoid mixing them up, or forgetting what's loaded in casings if I don't end up launching them, I like to write on a piece of masking tape what the motor is, what the delay is cut to, and what rocket it was intended for. Sometimes I'll also write the date on it in case it ends up being a while before I fly it.
 
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KenECoyote

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Not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to suggest it - Write your name on your rocket
Putting your name and phone number/contact details on your rocket. In more than one place as well in case of separation, motor getting ejected unintentionally, etc. I write my name on my altimeter sled or av bay bulkheads and on motor casings. Often I'll run a thin strip of masking tape along a motor casing with my name and phone number. For rockets without av sleds or motor casings, I'll write it somewhere else such as the nosecone shoulder, coupler shoulder, parachute, streamer, etc. Acts as extra insurance in multiple scenarios, and never hurts to add. This last ROCstock I was able to return 2 rockets to their owners because the owners had written their names on them.

Another potential idea - Label your motors with masking tape after you build them
I like to build a bunch of motor before a launch, so to avoid mixing them up, or forgetting what's loaded in casings if I don't end up launching them, I like to write on a piece of masking tape what the motor is, what the delay is cut to, and what rocket it was intended for.
Yes! On a rocket I launched last season I did that and also added "REWARD IF FOUND" and I lost it! Luckily I found it the next day, but if someone else on the farm had found it, I would've been covered. :)
 

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The Adam Savage theory of tool organization - "drawers are where tools go to die" - he likes vertical slanted racks with holes in them that you can drop your tools into so they are always instantly accessible.



I haven't gotten serious about this, having made a bunch of custom drawer racks, but I have a bunch of skinny pointy stuff, pliers, etc. that could benefit.
 

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Use a whetstone to sharpen the *back* of a #11 Xacto blade to a point. I've noticed that a number of them don't come to a sharp point. Having a sharp point makes it easier to make a piercing cut. I also use the knife tip to mark or start a hole in soft materiel. Having a fine point makes this more accurate.
 

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I use ribbon cables from old computers to make extensions for Estes ignitors. Cut the connectors off, split the ribbon into pairs of wires, then strip 1/2" or so from each end. Twist the ignitor leads to one end of the pair of wires.
 

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Use a whetstone to sharpen the *back* of a #11 Xacto blade to a point. I've noticed that a number of them don't come to a sharp point. Having a sharp point makes it easier to make a piercing cut. I also use the knife tip to mark or start a hole in soft materiel. Having a fine point makes this more accurate.
It was posted today!
 

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The Adam Savage theory of tool organization - "drawers are where tools go to die" - he likes vertical slanted racks with holes in them that you can drop your tools into so they are always instantly accessible.



I haven't gotten serious about this, having made a bunch of custom drawer racks, but I have a bunch of skinny pointy stuff, pliers, etc. that could benefit.

Added in yesterday's slot.
 

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When doing glue-ups, especially epoxy, I borrow a technique from cooking. Merriam Webster: mise en place - a culinary process in which ingredients are prepared and organized before cooking. Have an organized workspace, free of clutter. Lay out the parts/pieces to be glued. Have ready the glue(s), the mixing container (and scales if used), stirring stick, applicator, clamps or tape (if used), several loose paper towels, and a trash can. This way you don't get half-way through and realize you need another tool (or something to clean up the big blob that just fell out). Have loose paper towels ready so you don't have to pull them off of a roll.
 

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Adjunct to the reload motor labeling tip: If you have a bag sealer and the motor may have to wait a while before use, seal the motor in a bag with minimal air and some desiccant. This is really important for hygroscopic propellants like WL.
 

KenECoyote

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Tip: Some stores such as Target have free umbrella bags at the entrance when it rains. Use them to protect your rockets in storage and transportation!

The Target ones are good for up to 4" diameter...
20230428_202449.jpg

If you have a rocket longer than the bag, just cut the bottom off a second bag and tape them together! Two bags were perfect for the full length of this 4" diameter Patriot (up to where the fins start).

20230428_215227.jpg
Cost: Free
 

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Re: storing motors. Horrible Fright has both metal and plastic ammo cans, brand new with good rubber seals. And 'crystal cat litter' is inexpensive silica gel, a very good desiccant. I drill a bunch of small holes in a peanut butter jar and fill it with the litter. Easy to remove and replace, neater than just scattering desiccant in the bottom of the ammo can. Got one in each of my buckets of AP, to keep them nice and free-flowing.
 

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Re: storing motors. Horrible Fright has both metal and plastic ammo cans, brand new with good rubber seals. And 'crystal cat litter' is inexpensive silica gel, a very good desiccant. I drill a bunch of small holes in a peanut butter jar and fill it with the litter. Easy to remove and replace, neater than just scattering desiccant in the bottom of the ammo can. Got one in each of my buckets of AP, to keep them nice and free-flowing.
Thanks - added to the post.
 

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Adjunct to the reload motor labeling tip: If you have a bag sealer and the motor may have to wait a while before use, seal the motor in a bag with minimal air and some desiccant. This is really important for hygroscopic propellants like WL.
Used for a post that I missed yesterday.
I keep all my motors in waterproof ammo boxes with dessicant packs.
Ditto
You can also keep motors in your 3D printing filament dry box, or in the gasket-sealed Sterilite bins generally.
Ditto
 

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90th tip post today. Wow, three months went by fast. Thanks for helping everyone. I wanted to list tips to give folks a place to find them.

If anyone has a great thread that they feel should be added to the list, please post a link.
 
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