What did you do rocket wise today?

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eggtimer rocketry
Onebadhawk
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I have a lot to learn, apparently.

Right now, I'm trying to walk the line between "I want to make this thing look as good as possible" and "I don't want to get carried away in case I never see it again".
 
KenECoyote said:
Tried a new paint scheme... wife approves!

View attachment 579616
It's Duplicolor Metalcast Red Anodized, but it needs a chrome or silver base. My bt test piece actually looks like anodized metal!
Click to expand...
I've used this, also the blue and the purple. The nose cone and some trim on the fins of 58-MASE will be that purple; airframe will be citrus green (later today, I hope).

The only difficulty I've had with the anodized colors is getting an even coat. I always seem to have one part darker than the other.
 
prfesser said:
I've used this, also the blue and the purple. The nose cone and some trim on the fins of 58-MASE will be that purple; airframe will be citrus green (later today, I hope).

The only difficulty I've had with the anodized colors is getting an even coat. I always seem to have one part darker than the other.
Click to expand...
What do you use as a base before the Metalcast color?
 
Craig said:
Agree on the BS Estes altimeter. Mine failed to be accurate this past weekend.....now in the trash. Any suggestions out there for A good one?
Click to expand...
Here's a wacky idea. If you can solder, consider an Egg timer Apogee. Yes, it's an ejection altimeter, but it also records the apogee. Cost for the kit and battery is $20.
 
Pinetree said:
I have a lot to learn, apparently.

Right now, I'm trying to walk the line between "I want to make this thing look as good as possible" and "I don't want to get carried away in case I never see it again".
Click to expand...
In that case, you have learned much. There is another factor; in addition to "in case I never see it again" there's "or I'll never get it out to be launched." Most of us go through the same thing. Some people don't paint at all. Some don't paint until after the first flight, when a rocket has "earned its paint". I sometimes don't paint until after the first flight because I haven't got around to painting and launch day is here, so screw it. Many a rocket I've flown with primer or base coat only.
 
It's after the first of the month, so I get to spend a little bit of money (very little...). I got a tube of Bondo Spot putty, a can of high build sandable primer, and some green metallic paint. I have an experiment to try out.

Here's part 1 of the experiment. Three different color shifting paints on three different backgrounds. It's supposed to be applied over a black base coat, but I wanted to see how it looks over white and grey primer. The iridescence of the paint doesn't really show up well in these photos. The colors are (L to R), Blue Cosmos, Iridescence, and Pink Champagne.

paint.jpg


[edit] Looks like my experiment Part 2 was a success. I wanted a greener color than the Blue Cosmos (a very nice color!). I started with a black base coat, followed by Iridescent, then a light coat of Jade Green Metallic. I think this is what I will go with on the Dragon Rocketry Fat Boy XL. More pics later.
 
Last edited:
(as of Sunday evening), placed another order with BMS, this time an actual order of non pre-order things. But I do have a question for those who have ordered with them before, how do you know your order has been shipped? they don't really have an account system in-place, and obviously I put in my email, phone #, but am I supposed to be looking out for an email or something? I just want to know just so I don't miss it, or send it to spam. And to add to that, what's their average turn-around time to getting a small order out? Just so I know for the future and whatnot.
 
I put together an Eggfinder Mini TX C3. This is the first time I've done a newer Mini, with the premounted GPS module. The capacitors next to the GPS module gave me a bit of a hassle. I seem to be more out of eggSoldering practice than I thought.

But, Oh, Boy, did it get a fix fast! And more satellites that I'm used to seeing, too. I might hve to re-evaluate which Mini goes in the sustainer, and which goes in the booster.
 
Voyhager3 said:
(as of Sunday evening), placed another order with BMS, this time an actual order of non pre-order things. But I do have a question for those who have ordered with them before, how do you know your order has been shipped? they don't really have an account system in-place, and obviously I put in my email, phone #, but am I supposed to be looking out for an email or something? I just want to know just so I don't miss it, or send it to spam. And to add to that, what's their average turn-around time to getting a small order out? Just so I know for the future and whatnot.
Click to expand...
If he has it in stock, it's been shipped. You will probably get an email tomorrow.
 
Finished the paint job on the Battle Axe, the side project I've been playing around with between HPR builds. I wanted to try importing a fin design from an image in OpenRocket. While perusing pics on the interweb thingy, I came across the pic on the left that I thought would be a good test subject. I still need to do a weigh in when fully prepped and double check the CG. I added an ounce of weight to the motor mount to push it back from being over-stable but I may need to add a bit more before I permanently install it. May also want to tweak the "tip of the spear" a little more.

Axe Test.jpgBattle Axe_050923.jpg
 
Did some more CAD work, trying to fit two Eggtimer Minis and two batteries on a 2D plywood nose cone sled into the Estes Big Daddy/Doorknob cone. Would generally fly with only one, but the second space is so I could test new Eggtimers whilst having a known-good example on board to find the rocket.
Charles_McG said:
I put together an Eggfinder Mini TX C3. This is the first time I've done a newer Mini, with the premounted GPS module. The capacitors next to the GPS module gave me a bit of a hassle. I seem to be more out of eggSoldering practice than I thought.

But, Oh, Boy, did it get a fix fast! And more satellites that I'm used to seeing, too. I might hve to re-evaluate which Mini goes in the sustainer, and which goes in the booster.
Click to expand...
My pre-C3 was soldered by someone braver than I. Although I too had some fumbles with those caps by the GPS when I soldered a C3, I was very grateful not to have to solder the GPS itself. And I too was impressed with the speed of the fix.
 
KenECoyote said:
Tried a new paint scheme... wife approves!

View attachment 579616
It's Duplicolor Metalcast Red Anodized, but it needs a chrome or silver base. My bt test piece actually looks like anodized metal!
Click to expand...
I have been using Duplicolor almost exclusively now...I tried the anodized purple on a test piece, and I still need some practice...the base coat went well enough, but getting the top coat (anodized purple) will take a little more practice to get a nice even consistent color...
The metallic black is really nice to work with...
and most of the duplicolor spray cans come with the flat spray nozzle that you can orient to match your style of approach, vertically or horizontally...
 
I finished the missile. It's a 3" LOC BT with a 54mm mmt. It is 74" long and weighs 74 ounces with the chutes. DD. Fins are 1/4 ply. The lateral thruster wrap, the bolt heads and screw heads are from StickerShock. I emailed Mark a picture and he did a great job of turning the picture into a wrap. The wrap must have been one color on top of another because there is an edge I can feel. The wrap went on dry. I had some bubbles. I cut slits in the bubbles with an Exacto and smoothed them out. Once the glue hit the BT I was committed. Was real close to perfect when I got the ends together. Any overlap I cut around the nozzle and lifted the excess away. The QR sticker is from a price tag. I sprayed glue on it and stuck it on. I got the warning stickers from StickerShock too. Maybe I'll remember to turn on the altimeter before I get half way back to the flight line now. The idea for the rocket was from a You Tube video about a new Ukrainian missile. I have seen the thrusters on different missiles before too. The number after the word SAM should be read as a date. 2/24/22. The name WASP was from a memory of something when I was a kid. Late 60's early 70's. A friend of mine's father worked for Williams Research. At the time I didn't know who they were. It was many years later it clicked. One day the father gave me a patch. It is called a moral patch. Signifies some event or craft. The patch had a wasp and what looked like a small jet engine. Williams Research made the engines for the first cruise missile. I would bet that like other military acronyms the letters stand for something. In my mind it is Williams Aerospace Special Projects. That is a wild guess. IIRC my friend ended up there too. If I see him at our 50th reunion I hope I remember to ask him. I have no idea what happened to the patch. Oh, and I'm sure one of you guys will see if my memory is close to reality.20230509_175341[2411].jpg20230509_175411[2412].jpg20230509_175421[2413].jpg20230509_175431[2414].jpg
 
Yesterday I sanded the flat white base coat and gave 85MASE four coats of Citrus Green. It runs very easily so the first three coats were 'dusted' on, with the final coat being semi-wet. Came out pretty nice, smooth and glossy with no pimples nor orange peel. Also gave the nose cone its base coat of aluminum.

This will take a long time...when the green has cured I'll mask and add a clearcoat to seal the edges of the tape. Let that cure, then base-coat with aluminum, let that cure, then the anodized purple trim and nose cone. And when that cures, a couple coats of clear.

The bottom photo is my answer to the Estes SoLong; 29mm MD two-stage. I threw it together with a tube and fin stock I already had, and a nose cone that Tim printed for me. It still needs to be masked and some blue trim added here and there; haven't decided on a pattern yet.

1683718127406.png
 
Sooner Boomer said:
It's after the first of the month, so I get to spend a little bit of money (very little...). I got a tube of Bondo Spot putty, a can of high build sandable primer, and some green metallic paint. I have an experiment to try out.

Here's part 1 of the experiment. Three different color shifting paints on three different backgrounds. It's supposed to be applied over a black base coat, but I wanted to see how it looks over white and grey primer. The iridescence of the paint doesn't really show up well in these photos. The colors are (L to R), Blue Cosmos, Iridescence, and Pink Champagne.

View attachment 579667


[edit] Looks like my experiment Part 2 was a success. I wanted a greener color than the Blue Cosmos (a very nice color!). I started with a black base coat, followed by Iridescent, then a light coat of Jade Green Metallic. I think this is what I will go with on the Dragon Rocketry Fat Boy XL. More pics later.
Click to expand...
Cheers for conducting the experiment. Also, I like the Iridescence over grey (bottom middle).
 

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