What did you do rocket wise today?

[Handeman]

That’s a bit more than I would have thought you could get from that size bowl!

It only really becomes an issue after the AP is added. I mix 90 minutes and scrape every 30 minutes before putting it under vacuum for another hour+. I usually feel the mixer motor to see if it's getting hot, but it doesn't get hot, just warm.

 

[NateB]

I recently ordered the Vanderburn upgraded fins for a Star Orbiter from Launch Lab Rocketry and added the mystery box. It came today and the mystery box was an asssortment of low power kits. Estes Taser Twin, Quest Totally Tubular, and Estes Converter. I'm sure my son will enjoy the Converter and it will be an easy kit for him to build. The Taser Twin will probably fly away, but that is half the fun. I was planning on maling some tube rockets in different sizes for testing sugar motors, so the Totally Tubular kit will be a perfect start. Good mail day!

 

[Tobor]

Preamble:
I've become fan of lacquer spray paint after using Tamiya's synthetic lacquer paint on my Wildman Eagle Claw Sport (Link). But, Tamiya lacquer is not cheap. So on my most recent build, a DBRM (Link), I tried Rust-Oleum spray lacquer and sadly it behaves like their enamel sprays, which is to say it loves to run and never holds a consistent spray pattern. I've had it with rusto, even though I must have close to $200 in stockpiled rusto enamel cans.....

And now to the point:
So yesterday I ordered a California Air Tools 8010A air compressor (Link). Thus begins my journey at becoming proficient using mini HVLP guns.

 

[Tobor]

Getting any type of wood for hobby work is difficult ATM. My previous attempts at making balsa ply aren’t up to the standards I’d expect to find in a kit.

There seems to be no shortage of fiberglass tree stock, as far as I can tell.....

 

[frogglicker]

I recently ordered the Vanderburn upgraded fins for a Star Orbiter from Launch Lab Rocketry and added the mystery box. It came today and the mystery box was an asssortment of low power kits. Estes Taser Twin, Quest Totally Tubular, and Estes Converter. I'm sure my son will enjoy the Converter and it will be an easy kit for him to build. The Taser Twin will probably fly away, but that is half the fun. I was planning on maling some tube rockets in different sizes for testing sugar motors, so the Totally Tubular kit will be a perfect start. Good mail day!

I love their mystery box. It's just something fun to indulge in every few months

 

[lakeroadster]

Slathered some CWF on the Razorback.... and created an Open Rocket simulation for a scratch built 3-1/4" diameter Mars Lander.


​

 

[Handeman]

I used the West Systems Six 10 to do the fillets on my 75mm Wildman Shape Shifter. It's really nice, used with a chalk gun. Has 42 minute working time, but doesn't run or sage. Minutes after I had the fillets in place and the guide tape off, I stood the rocket on the base and none of the epoxy moved during the first 3 - 4 hours of the 5 - 6 hour dry time. 24 hours before putting loads on it. This might be my new goto epoxy for fillets.

Also got another 1800g batch of propellant mixed and packed into 6 38mm 1/2 core, 2 38mm 5/8 core, 4 54mm grains and a 5" long 76mm with 1" core.
Should have the new 3/4" core 76mm caps from Tru-Cor by next week so I can do another four 5" grains of those. One more batch after that and I should be ready for LDRS.

 

[John Kemker]

Applied decals to DBRM:

 

[Cape Byron]

Managed to sneak in one flight today. Mar'rallang prototype #1 Flight #1.

The good: Stable under boost.
The bad: Unstable when boost stops. - Seriously, the whole thing relies entirely on base drag, so it's to be expected.

On a B6-4 the flight was ~30 metres, stable until the 0.9 sec burn time was over. Then we had a sharp left turn into a tree. Nice to see a tree with tracking smoke pluming from it. Recovery device deployed.

Recovered with the patented Cape Byron Rocketry horseshoe on a kite string™. No damage whatsoever to the cardstock airframe, which was surprising.

Plan:

• Try again with a C6-3 or 5. Maybe 1.6 seconds of stable flight will be more worthwhile.
• Proto #2 will be simpler internally and probably lighter.

Not giving up yet. The first second of flight was well worth the entry fee.

 

[teepot]

I brought the SI in from outside where it spent the night. Nice finish from the primer. Still had some filling to do. And I thought I had everything nice and smooth with no dents, dings or holes. Nothing like putting primer on a rocket to see what you missed. I put the first color coat on the Sci-Fi rocket. When the filler is dry on the SI I'll sand it and the rocket will be ready for color tomorrow.

 

[jqavins]

Preamble:
I've become fan of lacquer spray paint after using Tamiya's synthetic lacquer paint on my Wildman Eagle Claw Sport (Link). But, Tamiya lacquer is not cheap. So on my most recent build, a DBRM (Link), I tried Rust-Oleum spray lacquer and sadly it behaves like their enamel sprays, which is to say it loves to run and never holds a consistent spray pattern. I've had it with rusto, even though I must have close to $200 in stockpiled rusto enamel cans...

I use Rusto 2X paints without significant difficulty. So do a bunch of others here whose skills and standards are both higher than mine. And yet, lots of other people here hate Rusto and will never touch it again. I've been wondering what the difference is, and now I think I've figured it out.

I must never try using Tamiya or Duplicolor, lest I suddenly become dissatisfied with Rusto and swear it off forever. Only now and then, the adage is right: ignorance is bliss. If you don't know what you've got till it's gone, you also don't know what you're missing till it's there.

 

[Astronaut Cheeseball]

I decided to get back into rocketry on April 24th of this year. Went to the hobby store the next day and purchased an Estes Big Daddy.

Then I went down the rabbit hole of HPR and set my sights on becoming L1 certified.. ordered a Wildman kit and finished it in time for the May 21st launch, where it flew successfully.

Being both a widower and retired, I like to tinker with stuff on my workbench, and building rockets was evidently just what I needed to keep the boredom at bay.

Anyway, today I took a picture of what I've built in the last six weeks.

View attachment 584869

Very nice collection you have and better yet the original Phantasm movie poster!

 

[Voyhager3]

Did some light touch up work and such, and also ran a “very sound experiment” involving that flashing tape.
I placed it around the switch band, just because I thought it looked cool, then I thought about it, and wondered “Since it reflects light and heat, will the eBay be cooler than the normal darker “payload” and sustainer sections?”
So I let it sit in direct sun for half an hour, and just used a meat thermometer (which does work surprisingly well), and found that the eBay was at 95 deg F, and the upper “payload” area was 102 deg F. And the latter has a larger volume (but also larger area), so its hard to say that it appears to be effective, but it might be.
I was thinking this could be effective in very hot and sunny places and stuff.

 

[Pinetree]

Which rocket is that?

 

[Voyhager3]

Which rocket is that?

A scratch build, a 300% upscale version of the first rocket I designed. You can find the build thread in my signature, or look for Rocket 2 XXL L1 cert rocket, if you are referring to my post.

 

[Pinetree]

Your signature limits who can view it, but I shall do a search.. thanks.

 

[Voyhager3]

Your signature limits who can view it, but I shall do a search.. thanks.

Hmmm, I’ll have to fix that

 

[bad_idea]

In the meantime, here is the link: Rocket 2 XXL. It's a very attractive rocket with a very attractive paint scheme. @Voyhager3 has a good eye.

 

[Voyhager3]

In the meantime, here is the link: Rocket 2 XXL. It's a very attractive rocket with a very attractive paint scheme. @Voyhager3 has a good eye.

Thank you! And I changed some things around, let me if my signature still doesn’t work.

 

[Joekeyo]

Another dry fit. This time with paint.

 

[berlinetta]

I haven't done much lately due to the rain. However, before the rains started here in Massachusetts, I did get most of my 3" Black Brant X painted. I hope to finish it as soon as the weather gets better.

I'm also awaiting my reload order from BMS, which should be here on Monday.

 

[Handeman]

Not much today, beside pi--ing off some folks on TRF.

I did take my grains I packed yesterday off the mandrels, cleaned up the Tru-Cor caps and took the blue tape off. Only about two mixes of 2Kg yet to do to be ready for LDRS.

 

[Cape Byron]

Got the Irukandji ready for fin fillets and a belly scoop. And more greebling.

 

[Pinetree]

Mostly just piddled around.. put some snap swivels on my parachutes, and went through the range box.

Hopefully the kits from Hobby Lobby will be here soon.

 

[bad_idea]

Took the day off after working until 7:30 in the morning. Planned to get a lot done on rockets after I woke up. Turned out not to have a ton of energy for building, but I did get a lot of inventory work done. Turns out I need to build a SMEV (Spare Motor Elimination Vehicle).

 

[Hobie1dog]

Gathered up some stuff to make sure I take along to Saturdays launch

 

[AcadiaRockets]

Working on the tailcone of the 7.5 LOC V2.


Looking down the access holes you can see the epoxy pooled at the bottom adhering the 98mm motor mount to the tailcone.


Then I double dipped the root edge of the fins. I thought these pics catch both the pooled West Systems at the bottom and the thickened WS used for the fin to motor mount.


Next step I am going to mix up expanding foam in small batches and pour though the access holes till its filled up.

 

[John Kemker]

Gathered up some stuff to make sure I take along to Saturdays launch

You going to Dalzell? If so, then Donna and I will see you there! Take an HT and keep it on 146.52 and/or 446.00. As we get close, I'll probably call on 2m first, then 70cm.

 

[Hobie1dog]

You going to Dalzell? If so, then Donna and I will see you there! Take an HT and keep it on 146.52 and/or 446.00. As we get close, I'll probably call on 2m first, then 70cm.

Yeppie, going only Saturday: Wish I had an HT that worked. Mine fell off the speaker tower and broke off the antenna base and the volume control

 

[John Kemker]

Yeppie, going only Saturday: Wish I had an HT that worked. Mine fell off the speaker tower and broke off the antenna base and the volume control

Dang! That stinks!