Vander-Burn Big Daddy to Leviathan conversion

[novahobbies]

Had this big boy for about a month. I bought it when I was starting to get serious about this hobby again and I wanted something a little bigger, but then I chickened out about making this my first TTW fin model. Easy enough fix, I just bought and built and OG Big Daddy to get the basics down!
Anyway, I pulled it out last night and started the basics. Built most of the motor mount last night and left it to dry. Today I seated the motor mount and glued the fins in. I'm leaving the lower centering ring off at the moment so I can get down there and add glue filets to the fin/motor mount joint.




Now, question for the group: I'm going to add the included rail buttons on this on one side and the launch lug on the other so I can launch it either way. I've never used rail buttons before. Should I mark and locate the lower button HERE down low in the fin can before I put the centering ring in place? Or is it a bad idea to have the bottom button this low?

 

[David_Stack]

More links to more threads about rail button placement than you'd likely care to wade through...

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/how-far-apart-should-rail-buttons-be.172063/#post-2265454

 

[novahobbies]

Moved forward a bit more on this one. Trimmed some glue drips (plastic model side nippers are GREAT for that) which would have impeded my installation of the lower centering ring. Drilled and installed rail buttons on one side. I BARELY nicked the motor tube when I was drilling the rail guide hole. Not all the way or even deep, but....I smeared a little epoxy over the nicked cardboard, and then I decided to drill a vent hole through middle centering ring and upper ring. If something catos, which I hope never happens, my hope is that the vent will keep from pressurizing and blowing out the whole fin can there. But let's not test that.
So, did that, got the lower CR done, started the first side of the outer fin filets, and.....probably going to epoxy the retainer ring in place tonight. Maybe even might get to join the fin can to the main body tube!

 

[novahobbies]

Been ignoring this thread! We're into painting now, but had a question.....does a 30" chute feel like overkill? Want it to land soft but it's a pretty light rocket as is.

 

[waltr]

What is the final weight?

 

[deangelo54]

I have a Leviathan that weights around 22 ounces. I use a 30 inch chute/

 

[novahobbies]

What is the final weight?

I've 473 grams, or 16.6 ounces of final weight not including a spent motor.

 

[novahobbies]

Decided my glue fillets on the outer hull weren't good enough, so I hit them with JB Weld fillets tonight.



So, this is actually my first time building epoxy fillets. This model actually has a lot of firsts for me. Got a little more sanding to do now.

 

[waltr]

I've 473 grams, or 16.6 ounces of final weight not including a spent motor.

Yes, a 30" chute is a bit big but will give soft landing. It will also drift further if there is any wind.
A 24" should be fine if a grass landing.

 

[astronwolf]

Decided my glue fillets on the outer hull weren't good enough, so I hit them with JB Weld fillets tonight.
View attachment 543203

Weren't good enough? Looks like they weren't there at all! JB Weld fillets seem like the expensive route - ordinary wood glue fillets would have been adequate for this kind of rockets. But as long as you're having fun with this OK!

 

[novahobbies]

Weren't good enough? Looks like they weren't there at all! JB Weld fillets seem like the expensive route - ordinary wood glue fillets would have been adequate for this kind of rockets. But as long as you're having fun with this OK!

There were wood glue fillets on there using tightbond II but just not what I wanted to risk with an F motor. JB isn't that expensive - I filleted all 4 sides and still had some left over in the tube. And I like the look of the epoxy fillets more than wood glue, but that's just me.

 

[astronwolf]

There were wood glue fillets on there using tightbond II but just not what I wanted to risk with an F motor. JB isn't that expensive - I filleted all 4 sides and still had some left over in the tube. And I like the look of the epoxy fillets more than wood glue, but that's just me.

The epoxy fillets do look very nice. Interesting project.

 

[wsume99]

There were wood glue fillets on there using tightbond II but just not what I wanted to risk with an F motor. JB isn't that expensive - I filleted all 4 sides and still had some left over in the tube. And I like the look of the epoxy fillets more than wood glue, but that's just me.

Check out titebond trim and molding glue. You can form much better fillets with it compared to the other titebond formulas. I normally lay down a fillet, let that dry and then do another. It comes out looking pretty good IMO.

 

[novahobbies]

Check out titebond trim and molding glue. You can form much better fillets with it compared to the other titebond formulas. I normally lay down a fillet, let that dry and then do another. It comes out looking pretty good IMO.

Thanks, I'll look into that for when I do my Patriot conversion!

 

[novahobbies]

Not much to report on this one other than the fact that I ordered the Kraken tentacles vinyl today. Paint scheme on this will be a 3-tone fade from black / dark blue / light blue and the tentacles will be reaching up from the black and wrap around the BT as they climb. Tentacles and "Leviathan" name in green vinyl. Should look pretty, guess we'll see!

 

[Hobie1dog]

 

[Kai]

Weren't good enough? Looks like they weren't there at all! JB Weld fillets seem like the expensive route - ordinary wood glue fillets would have been adequate for this kind of rockets. But as long as you're having fun with this OK!

 

[novahobbies]

Getting closer. Need to give it a better fade. The tentacle vinyl is in the back.

 

[techrat]

The extra crap in the above photo is really interesting. A very busy workbench for sure.

 

[novahobbies]

A very MESSY workbench. On occasion I even find what I need.

 

[novahobbies]

Got the tentacles on and the paint blended. Waiting on the vinyl name to arrive now, and that's about it!

 

[4regt4]

How do you do the paint blending? I'm wanting to replicate the paint on the cover of the current Big Daddy. I can't even get a solid color right, not sure how I can do a reasonably decent blend job.

Hans.

 

[novahobbies]

How do you do the paint blending? I'm wanting to replicate the paint on the cover of the current Big Daddy. I can't even get a solid color right, not sure how I can do a reasonably decent blend job.

Hans.

It takes a little finesse but I wouldn't say it's hard. It's easier with airbrush but I just used spray cans for this project. Start by just spraying the colors you want in the areas you want them to be. In this case, black, dark blue, medium blue, and light blue. Don't worry about blending, just paint them where you want them. It will look a little funny at first, like stripes. Then, when that's dry, pick one of the colors to blend at a time, don't try and do them all at once. In this case I grabbed the lightest blue so I could blend it down into the medium blue. Hold the spray can fairly far away from the model, but not so far that the paint would dry and flock before landing on the model. About 24 inches, give or take. Start spraying ABOVE the model, then bring your hand down swiping the path of the spray over the model. Turn the model and repeat as needed. You'll see the blending develop as you go. It takes a little practice but it's really not too hard at all, and I'm sure there are plenty of people who can do it a LOT better than this! But the rocket looks pretty decent so I'm happy. Just waiting on the name decal now!

 

[novahobbies]

Yesterday I packed and loaded up a large assortment of rockets to take to the field for a great Black Friday afternoon launch with the kiddo while she was visiting! 18 rockets were prepped with wadding, chutes checked, etc.

Unfortunately, fate stepped in. And so did my poor bride.....who got out of the car on arrival and put her foot down into a huge ant pile that I'd just driven over, so they were already swarming. Needless to say she had a really lousy moment trying to get the biting little jerks off. THANKFULLY they weren't fire ants. But even "regular" ants can hurt like a devil so we knew right away that our trip was going to be a lot shorter. (And yes.....I did offer to just go straight home but she didn't want to waste the trip!)

All in all we launched 6 rockets, and had a beautiful day doing it. Besides maiden flights for the Saturn V, the Leviathan, and the Phoenix, we also sent my Explorer Aquarius and my niece's Mean Machine & "Shimmer and Shine" rocket up for repeat performances. All models recovered with no damage. And even though we didn't launch the other 12, at least they're already pre-packed and ready to go for next time.

Anyway. Here's the Leviathan launch, wound up being a beautiful shot!

 

[Raptor 2]

Nice flight. Noticed the rocket again resting on the pad. Should be supported with a flag of masking tape on the rod so the model is about 6” above the pad surface.This eliminates burn marks and back splash on the rocket fins and lower tube.

 

[4regt4]

Just wondering... From the build photos, I couldn't tell.

Did you glue the 2 body tubes together before inserting the motor mount and fins?

I'm building one, and I'm going to leave them separate until the last moment. It's real handy to work with the smaller size tube, and I'm seriously thinking of cutting the tubes into 2 pieces on future builds of larger rockets.

I also ended up lining most of the body tube with couplers. There is one on top of the center motor mount ring, then the top centering ring is on top of that, and then another coupler. So the top ring is sandwiched. Then I put a baffle roughly midway up the upper body tube and lined it with couplers up to the baffle. Not going further up with them, though. Why line the tube? I've had other large Estes rockets slightly crush the tube right above the fins if the landing is a bit harsh.

Hans.

 

[pdooley]

Nice job with this. I have a Big Daddy kit, but not a fan of stubby rockets. I'll get a 3in tube and make a Levi conversion

 

[deangelo54]

I do not glue the upper body tubes in most of my rockets. I put painter's tape on the upper part of the coupler. That way I can replace the top body tube when it gets damaged. I have done that a lot.

I like the liberal use of couplers to strengthen the rocket. I always wanted to try that.

 

[SolarYellow]

Just wondering... From the build photos, I couldn't tell.

Did you glue the 2 body tubes together before inserting the motor mount and fins?

I'm building one, and I'm going to leave them separate until the last moment. It's real handy to work with the smaller size tube, and I'm seriously thinking of cutting the tubes into 2 pieces on future builds of larger rockets.

I also ended up lining most of the body tube with couplers. There is one on top of the center motor mount ring, then the top centering ring is on top of that, and then another coupler. So the top ring is sandwiched. Then I put a baffle roughly midway up the upper body tube and lined it with couplers up to the baffle. Not going further up with them, though. Why line the tube? I've had other large Estes rockets slightly crush the tube right above the fins if the landing is a bit harsh.

Hans.

BMS sells 3-inch tube the same specs as Estes. They also sell 34-inch long sections of coupler for that tubing.

 

[4regt4]

I do not glue the upper body tubes in most of my rockets. I put painter's tape on the upper part of the coupler. That way I can replace the top body tube when it gets damaged. I have done that a lot.

I like the liberal use of couplers to strengthen the rocket. I always wanted to try that.

I'm not sure I would trust a friction fit in the main body tube, but you give me an idea. I could friction fit, and add a couple of rivets....

Hans.

PS: Or could go full Steam Punk and add a lot of rivets.