What did you do rocket wise today?

[OverTheTop]

I love it when a plan comes together. Second time through this particular test plan (GSE telemetry link testing), but it all passed this time. Having sorted out a couple of minor issues as mentioned here, the plan was executed to completion. Found one thing that needs improvement (slightly below-par connector) but everything passed to my satisfaction.

 

[DigBaddy]

Sprayed clear on the Solar Warrior. Tried to get pics of the effect of using Testor's color shift paints over a blue base. Looks way better in person and in the sun. Looking forward to flying this one.

 

[neil_w]

Sprayed clear on the Solar Warrior. Tried to get pics of the effect of using Testor's color shift paints over a blue base. Looks way better in person and in the sun. Looking forward to flying this one.

Nice build!

That was my first BAR build. I still think it is a beautiful, generally under-appreciated design. Flies great, I have put it over 1000' on an Aerotech E20.

 

[DigBaddy]

Nice build!

That was my first BAR build. I still think it is a beautiful, generally under-appreciated design. Flies great, I have put it over 1000' on an Aerotech E20.

Yeah, she's beautiful. I can see an E20 in this as well; with a JLCR to be certain she doesn't drift away

 

[neil_w]

Yeah, she's beautiful. I can see an E20 in this as well; with a JLCR to be certain she doesn't drift away

I wish I had one back then... but I had a perfect and perfectly calm day.

 

[Adam3836]

A lot of work on the snarky rocket done today and also alittle something from madcow rocketry showed up Today from mr ups

 

[Zbench]

On Saturday my Daughter and I attended the local NOTRA launch in Amherst, OH. We sent up three rockets, a stock 1/4 scale PML Patriot on a H178DM, a 4" T-LOC on an H238T and the 29mm version of That Tube on a G76.

All were launched and successfully recovered. We loaded each rocket with Eggfinder GPS trackers, we actually needed it on one that went in the corn. Worked flawlessly, here is a screen shot I took when I found the rocket. The purple pin is the GPS location when it went in the corn, the blue line is my track:



A shot of my ground crew prior to sending up the Patriot:



On the way:



Beautiful Landing:



A great time was had by all, but it sure was hot!

 

[Cape Byron]

Spoke with my local Estes importer. Shipment is running a few weeks late and doesn't contain the Antars or DARC-1s I'm getting enquiries about. That's a bit of a poo.

Did some more work on the Brocket instructions and wraps. Two windy days have put paid to testing, so I'll be asking for a burn ban permit soon.

 

[OverTheTop]

alittle something from madcow rocketry showed up Today from mr ups

That's a serious quantity of LPR kits!

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Working on "The Berthas". Two are all assembled and have fin fillets drying. #3 is getting her motor mounts assembled. Did you know three BT20 motor tubes will fit inside a Baby Bertha body tube? I *was* going to go with 7 or 8 13mm motors, but the delays are all too short.

 

[OverTheTop]

I was thinking about how warm my flight computer in the Vertical Trajectory System runs the other day and figured I should do something about it. It can report up to 49degC just running on the bench. In an airframe sitting on the pad could be a lot hotter so time to do something about it.

I dragged the Micron thermal camera home from work and had a look around the FC.

I found the hotspot and it measured over 37degC in an ambient of 18degC, after a short time. Adding a small (30x30x10mm) tangential blower knocked over 10degC off the hot spot.

The power converters on the lower deck were running a little hotter but they don't have sensors with the attendant temperature drift problems, so I left them alone for now.

Now I have to figure out how to squeeze a blower or fan in and perhaps some air ducting. I am thinking something 3D printed makes sense currently.

 

[dhbarr]

I was thinking about how warm my flight computer in the Vertical Trajectory System runs the other day and figured I should do something about it. It can report up to 49degC just running on the bench. In an airframe sitting on the pad could be a lot hotter so time to do something about it.

I dragged the Micron thermal camera home from work and had a look around the FC.
View attachment 479954
I found the hotspot and it measured over 37degC in an ambient of 18degC, after a short time. Adding a small (30x30x10mm) tangential blower knocked over 10degC off the hot spot.

The power converters on the lower deck were running a little hotter but they don't have sensors with the attendant temperature drift problems, so I left them alone for now.

Now I have to figure out how to squeeze a blower or fan in and perhaps some air ducting. I am thinking something 3D printed makes sense currently.

15*15*4 mm fans are a thing -- what is the scale of whatever we're looking at?

 

[Old School Doug]

Ordered up a batch o parts for the next couple of builds. BT80/29mm Belarus 9M318 and a couple of "fun rocks" are the next builds on the block.

 

[kuririn]

Last night I fiddled around with the DARC that came in yesterday.
The hard part is done:

 

[Wally Ferrer]

Some testing...

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/my-wildman-3x-andromeda-carbon-fiber.161815/post-2176226

 

[OverTheTop]

15*15*4 mm fans are a thing -- what is the scale of whatever we're looking at?

Fits in a 4" airframe. Looks something like this:

 

[OverTheTop]

For today, I have just purchased a small fan to add to the VTS as suggested by dhbarr upthread. I hadn't thought they would be available easily that small.

That is 15x15x4mm, 5V, 42mA, 0.4cfm. Should do ok I think.

 

[Pappy]

ordered some balsa sheets and a gemini titan nose cone from the fine folks at Balsa Machining. also worked on the fins for an estes mercury redstone kit (1921) that's been in the build pile for too long.

 

[dhbarr]

For today, I have just purchased a small fan to add to the VTS as suggested by dhbarr upthread. I hadn't thought they would be available easily that small.
View attachment 480018
That is 15x15x4mm, 5V, 42mA, 0.4cfm. Should do ok I think.

It wouldn't be rocketry if I wasn't helping other people spend their money . Probably will double as a sonic beacon .

 

[rharshberger]

Primed a SBR mini-Fusion 24mm, slightly extended for a apogee only deployment flight on a AT G110T. Eggtimer Quark, 180mah 2S battery. Should cool and pull a vanishing act.

 

[BEC]

Yup, that looks like a first-version Nova Payloader. It's been released three times since the first version with the balsa nose block. All have a plastic nose cone bottom and paper spacer ring instead, and the latest version which is in bulk kit form and only available in a couple of places has a slightly longer nose cone. All the later versions also have a shorter launch lug, but when I build one I put the long one, as you have used, on it. My fifth one got its 70th, 71st and 72nd flights on it yesterday.

I have a bit of a thing for this model, I guess. Here's a liftoff frame grab from flight 72 on a Q-Jet C12-6:



This one is mostly from the latest version that AC Supply has, but with the longer launch lug and an old-style motor hook. And after four red ones, I painted this one orange. The latest version is back to waterslide decals, too, after the second and third releases had stickers.

Did a quick clone of the old Nova Payloader with some original payload bay parts I had left over. Short story, I built this rocket back when I was in my teens. Flew it countless times. Not the most ground breaking design but a nice looking rocket once finished and with the rather wide fins it was dead stable and just heavy enough to fly on a C and get back in the park we flew in back in the day.

After countless flights, 30-40-50 who knows, the body tube was getting a bit weak so the plan was to do one more flight then retire it. Flight day was dead calm so I sent it up on a C motor. The winds was left to right the entire day and all of the previous 20ish rockets landed in the open field. The wind direction literally changed direction during that flight and started blowing in the opposite direction.

At ejection the screw eye ripped itself from the balsa coupler. The payload section came falling back and landed about 10ft from the pad. The rocket body floated onto the nearby train tracks and a train came by before we could get the rocket back. It was literally run over by a 100+ car freight train. All we could find were bits and pieces of red body tube and balsa that had been smashed, sliced and just generally destroyed as you would expect by getting run over by a train for 10 mins.

I saved the payload section and threw it in a box. While consolidating some of the range boxes I have laying around I found that old payload section and decided it was time. So here we are 30ish years later.

Started with the left over parts. Basically I had the clear payload section and the nose cone. The balsa piece was scraped as I don't need a repeat of 30 yrs ago To this I added a 3 inch piece of coupler that was sourced from BMS along with a bulkhead and a screw eye to attach the recovery system. Note the lower half of the coupler has been soaked in CA and sanded to slide nicely in the body tube.

View attachment 479468

Used some BT50 heavy wall tubing for the main body. Cut 3 new fins based on templates I made back as a kid. Bodytube was marked and had the outer layer removed for fin attachment.

In this pic, the motor mount is already inserted. Nothing fancy. Just a piece of BT20 with a motor block. I did add Kevlar around the top ring for a leader for the shock cord.
View attachment 479467

Assembly of the coupler is completed.

View attachment 479469

Sorry no pics in primer. I hit everything with two coats of SEM high build primer and sanded with 400 grit then straight to paint.

View attachment 479471
View attachment 479470

Need to cut some vinyl decals but should have this one wrapped up tonight.

 

[NateB]

I placed the decals on my Indicator. It just needs a later of clear coat and the rail buttons installed now.

 

[H. Craig Miller]

Getting close…

 

[mjremijan]

I started a build of my 2nd Baby Bertha. The goal is to start learning good finishing techniques vs. just gluing the fins on and putting on a coat of paint. I spayed on my first layer of sandable primer.

 

[Wally Ferrer]

I started a build of my 2nd Baby Bertha. The goal is to start learning good finishing techniques vs. just gluing the fins on and putting on a coat of paint. I spayed on my first layer of sandable primer.

That's great- getting a smooth finish is very rewarding, and you get to enjoy our favorite pastime- sand, sand, sand...

 

[Pappy]

...I spayed on my first layer of sandable primer.

primer takes longer to dry than the other stuff. i give every coat a full day to dry before sanding. if i get antsy waiting, i open another kit. got six or seven going now.

 

[teepot]

Today I tried sanding my missile again. It has sat for a week and the Rusto primer still clogs up 400 grit sand paper. I've tried sanding 5 times now with the same results. This has never happened before. The other rocket I painted with the same can also clogged up the paper for the first couple tries. But has dried before the other rocket. I guess I got a bad can. I put the missile outside in the 90 to 95 heat. I hope that dries it out.
Yesterday I finished the seeker head for the missile. I also started a new build. It's a 3" BMS tube with a 15" x 38mm mmt. It is going to be a high flyer. It is as short as I can make it and still have room for the chute and a short 3" long av bay for an Eggfinder apogee. I expect it to come in at about 40 ounces.

 

[cfoster3448]

Put fins on my Aerobee 300 upscale (BT-80) - have to run to hobby shop for the balsa farings that run up the main body from fin to transition. Pics attached. Using kevlar shock cord tied to motor mount (24mm), running through centering ring and up to separation point/recovery section. I made a paper transition just to see if it looked to scale or not, and I'm pretty happy with it so far...

 

[DigBaddy]

I'll admit, I shopped Estes' labor day sale. Wanted a Little Joe 1 anyways and a Quinstar. So, why not? Also grabbed that Hex 3 thing. More fun backyard stuff is good. Cheap sunglasses and a Twin Factor rocket thrown in for free is good too.

I also needed a 24" and 30" chute and some 29mm retainers, so it was a good time to place an order.

 

[Old School Doug]

Cut the lower fins from 3/16 balsa, marked the bevel lines, and rough sanded 1 of the 4 for the Belarus 9M318 build.