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The Super DX3 is now in my possession. All of the parts seem to have made it. It's huge. But I realize that I didn't buy a retainer, but that's easily remedied while I start building this hunk of rocket. Apogee recommends the Aerotech 38 P, but what do I know? I'll probably go with that unless I find a reason not to. This may end up being the biggest thing I've ever built (no, I don't get out much).

IMG_9388.JPG
 
You could use Z clips to hold the motor in. Threaded inserts in the last centering ring. A pair of machine screws to hold the Z clips. They are a lot less than an Aeropack retainer. I use the Aeropack on rockets with boat tails or one I want that finished look of an aluminum retainer.
 
Ground testing.
The protective sleeve is three sets of pant's legs my lovely bride sewed together for me, from a suggestion by my ol' Prefect.
 

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Now that I have most of the parts, started building my (hopefully) L2 Shapeshifter in OR. Going to have to try the image import for the fins. If anyone has a better suggestion I am open to your thoughts.
 
I converted another rocket from single deploy to dual deploy. I built this one with speed and altitude in mind. it's a lightweight 2.2" tube. I got some 34" full length coupler stock from BMS and sleeved the BT. It made the tube stiff and stonger. It has a 38 mm mmt. I plan on using an I500 in it. Thrustcurve says 6100'. I also added a second set of fins to another rocket. I had built it 100 rockets ago. Now I know more and I could tell by looking at it wouldn't fly with the small fins it had. So add another set off fins. Problem solved. And if gets cool enough I have one to paint.
 
I replaced the LiPos in my three Jolly Logic devices. All were at least two years old. John built effective fail-safes into his designs in the event of low voltage. If your chute release comes open in the airframe on a warm day, that's a good clue that it's LiPo time.

Jim
 
A little experiment for the Solar Warrior's nozzle. I have another one available so if I screw up I can leave it as designed, but this might work. The original is just smooth plastic and supposed to be painted grey. I decided to coat it with Bondo then drug a 5/16" bolt around it. Sanded a few things to make it look a bit better then quick prime and paint flat black. Not perfect, but that end of the rocket protrudes beyond the fins, so it'll get beat up on landing anyways.
 

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Just got some videos from Sunday at the Sayre, OK airport (Tripoli OKla. launch).

First is my 7-motor Fat Boy. It's stock, built with yellow glue (OK, I did patch the fin roots with JBW). Seven C6-7 motors require a *bunch* of nose weight. In this case, I used just under 8 oz. Recovery was with "hanker-chute", a 3' sq piece of ripstop with lines tied at the corners. We tried to launch using igniters, but the ignition box wasn't up to it. We then tried a flash pan, which lit four of the seven. Fortunately, it was balanced enough for a "straight" flight.

fatboy-motor.jpg

fatboy-pad.jpg

video -

I also launched my Octiron. This rocket is (was) over 20 years old. I did my Level 1 cert flight with it last month (March 2021). The first flight was on an Aerotech G72 DM motor. I'm dissapointed at the lack of sparks from a supposedly sparky motor. Later in the day, I flew it on an E23 (29-40/120). I guess I got the delay wrong somehow. The ejection charge went off about a foot above the runway.

before -

octiron-last.jpg

video -

aftermath -

octiron-body.jpg
octiron-nose.jpg

It's rebuildable. I think I'll add on a couple of inches when I repair it.
 

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Last edited:
ewomack said:
Apogee recommends the Aerotech 38 P, but what do I know? I'll probably go with that unless I find a reason not to.
Click to expand...
Shhh! Don't say that out loud or you'll have ten people telling you 15 perfect ways that you should do motor retention. The Aeropack is fine, convenient, and only a little expensive. Z clips are fine. Two or three wood screws and fender washers are fine. Just keep quiet and pick something.
 
Sooner Boomer said:
Just got some videos from Sunday at the Sayre, OK airport (Tripoli OKla. launch).

First is my 7-motor Fat Boy. It's stock, built with yellow glue (OK, I did patch the fin roots with JBW). Seven C6-7 motors require a *bunch* of nose weight. In this case, I used just under 8 oz. Recovery was with "hanker-chute, a 3' sq piece of ripstop with lines tied at the corners. We tried to launch using igniters, but the ignition box wasn't up to it. We then tried a flash pan, which lit four of the seven. Fortunately, it was balanced enough for a "straight" flight.

View attachment 471015

View attachment 471016

video -

I also launched my Octiron. This rocket is (was) over 20 years old. I did my Level 1 cert flight with it last month (March 2021). The first flight was on an Aerotech G72 DM motor. I'm dissapointed at the lack of sparks from a supposedly sparky motor. Later in the day, I flew it on an E23 (29-40/120). I guess I got the delay wrong somehow. The ejection charge went off about a foot above the runway.

before -

View attachment 471018

video -

aftermath -

View attachment 471019
View attachment 471020

It's rebuildable. I think I'll add on a couple of inches when I repair it.
Click to expand...

Fat Boy didn't do to bad at all with just 4 motors firing. Sorry about Octiron. Definitely rebuildable. You have tons of room in that field. Wish we had one that size.
 
Importer got a new shipment in, so I stocked up on launch pads and controllers. Filling in gaps in the product line is the first step to World domination making Cape Byron successful.

Spent the rest of the morning doing EOFY books...
 
Sooner Boomer said:
The first flight was on an Aerotech G72 DM motor. I'm dissapointed at the lack of sparks from a supposedly sparky motor.
Click to expand...

I've thought the same thing with that motor. It's probably because it's just too small and burns too quickly to get much of a show out of it. The smallest sparkies that I've thought were decent were the H178DM and the similar-sized H170M, but if you really want a good sparky show, it seems you have to do 54mm or bigger.

Sorry about your rocket though. At least it's repairable.
 
jqavins said:
Shhh! Don't say that out loud or you'll have ten people telling you 15 perfect ways that you should do motor retention. The Aeropack is fine, convenient, and only a little expensive. Z clips are fine. Two or three wood screws and fender washers are fine. Just keep quiet and pick something.
Click to expand...

Agree except I feel the need to mention that trying to use wood screws and fender washers cost me a motor case once. It probably would have been fine if the motor didn't have an ejection charge, but I retrieved the rocket and was horrified to find the screws bent back and the motor case gone. Pretty much have stuck to Slimlines and the occasional Aeropack ever since.
 
Almost 2 years ago, I retired from the Air Force and we put most of our belongings into long term storage. We hit the road for almost a year in our travel trailer, I started a job at one airline, then moved to another airline. We rented a house for the last year to check out the Memphis area because it’s close to work.

We closed on our home last week and today we took delivery of that big pile of stuff in long term military storage. Here’s the rocketry part… I finally have all my rocketry stuff again!

Sadly, the lowest-bidder packers and storage facility did a horrible job of packing my rockets (and may other things). Quite a few of my rockets are damaged, including my last I-motor record rocket, a G record attempt rocket and a J record attempt rocket.

BUT, I have my rocket stuff! It’s time to get going full speed into rocketry again. Woohoo!
 
rklapp said:
Will it work for shock cord.
Click to expand...
Unsurprisingly, the description does not give either breaking strength or maximum safe working load. I mean, c'mon, it's sewing elastic. But then, so is the elastic used in plenty of LP and some MP kits.

Test it. Take a length matching what you'd use for a shock cord, or a little less. Tie one end to something with open space underneath. To the other end, attach a weight of at least four times the rocket's launch weight, and drop it from the top tie-off height. If the cord holds, you're probably OK.

Do it again with ten times the weight of the rocket, and if it survives that you're good.

(If it were not stretchy those weights would not be enough, because there's a shock when the line goes taught. Since elastic starts pulling back and decelerating the rocket parts before going fully taught, four to ten times launch weight should be fine.)
 
Placed an order with Balsa Machining for a coupler to repair my Standard ARM. Added a couple of cluster centering rings to maybe make a laundry shelf on the bottom of the coupling.
 

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