What did you do rocket wise today?

[bobbyg23]

Started a custom size Goblin. Should be interesting.

 

[Joekeyo]

Glued LLs on Tube stack. Installed Kevlar/shock cord and mount.

Hit dead-end retrofiting baffle on Dagger, SCM is in the way. The motivation was to beef up a dented body tube.

Discovered that I was dangerously low on all paint except grey primer. Now I have plenty of time to think about what colors I want to paint my rockets. Played with OR color schemes for Tube Stack




Thinking about building an ( inspired by) Goblin.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Got the screws in my battery box/launch console. Will bevel the lid down 10°. Can't get much time to work on this between my day job and spring yard work. Still rough finished...


Now my son is anxious to finish this up, but I'm thinking how many bells & whistles can you put on it? Grandkids, you know... individual motor continuity LED's, flashing led at console and pad when safety key is removed, digital countdown timer... criminee if I could start a water deluge at T-3 I'd do it - anything to get them captivated! I've even considered a panel mount voltage meter for battery status and all that... Trouble is, I'm not a whiz at electronics. V=I/R I can get, I've done some house wiring, but diodes and resistors and so on... Well that's a different forum, I've chatted about it before over there...

 

[jqavins]

Um, sorry to tell you, but V=I×R, not I÷R.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

SEE WHAT I MEAN?!?!?!?

Of course you are correct. Well, I was in a hurry...

 

[Joekeyo]

Added kevlar loop to NC, centering rings for baffle, and built MMT for scratch-built Goblin knock-off. This rocket will use 18mm engines.

 

[o1d_dude]

Fitted an Estes 29mm motor retainer to the motor tube of my Madcow/RW Formula 54. Tedious but simple with a lot of sand/fit/repeat until it was right. Put the fuselage into shape for installing the motor mount, taped fin slots to prevent epoxy leaks, cleaned all surfaces with alcohol, etc.

Sanded down the LaserLoc “bare” tube surface where bare means the area where I stripped off the glassine for T2T fiberglassing. It’s sometimes refreshing to work on a simple cardboard high power rocket...but adding a bit of ’glass never hurt.

Also sorted out a baggie full of Aeropack retainer bodies (’L’ and ‘P’) that somehow got mixed together. Actually broke out the digital mike and sorted them easily. Then I noticed the difference in the wall thickness which would have made the sort a simple matter that required no measuring at all.

OTOH if a thing is worth doing at all, it’s worth using as many tools/toys as possible, amirite?

 

[NateB]

I finally got the last layer of white on my son's mini. Once that dries, a few layers of color on the fins and the decals can be applied. Hopefully we will launch it sometime this year.

I'm still waiting on epoxy and some 24mm reloads from Wildman. They shipped immediately, USPS is 5 days late from their initial estimate and the package is "in transit.."

We were also hoping to launch my Exiter with the FlightSketch altimeter today. We arrived at the park for find 100 people playing soccer on the fields which kinda surprised me. We drove around a little find another suitable park with no luck before it would be getting too dark. Maybe tomorrow morning or Sunday we can try again.

 

[les]

Completed the Odd'l Rockets F-104 Starfighter

 

[rbelknap]

I ran the first of 3 “virtual build sessions” for my son’s 6th grade class today, hosted by his teachers on zoom.

Here is a photo of my work area used to test field of view my “buildcam” setup. (Just out of frame is the laptop with the the zoom meeting.)



And here is one showing the aftermath of the first session with a view of my camera stand.


“BuildCam” is basically a few bits of pvc and a bicycle handlebar phone mount to hold my phone over the work area. The phone joined the meeting as “BuildCam” and the students were encouraged to pin the video feed from it so they could see what I was doing.


Not shown: the zoom meeting itself due to privacy concerns with kiddo names and faces on screen.


Steeley-eyed missle-men may recognize some previous projects that have been mostly retired from flight and are now used as visual aids during my build classes. (I do this class every year at the elementary school, and will keep doing so. No shelter-in-place can stop me, although we can’t actually hold a class launch right now.)

 

[o1d_dude]

Message base weirdness...second time today.

I’d delete this post if I could.

 

[o1d_dude]

Glad to see you returning to the fold, Robert.

Hope to see you out on ”the ranch” when launch season resumes in the fall.

 

[rbelknap]

My work schedule the last couple of years has been incompatible with weekend launches, but that has changed somewhat. I should be able to get back out to snow ranch next season.

 

[rbelknap]

After the classes, I got the yellow accents added to the BatRock:


I had a slight masking issue down around the launch lug, and there *might* be a small yellow fingerprint on the silver airframe now, but I’ll never admit to it...

I’m pretty happy with how this turned out. (And I think I still have one more in my “to be built” storage tote.)

 

[Ez2cDave]

Um, sorry to tell you, but V=I×R, not I÷R.

We may as well solve for all variables . . .

V = I x R or V = IR
R = V / I
I = V / T

Dave F.

 

[Joekeyo]

Watched this great rocket flick. Not politically correct not scientifically correct but tons of fun.

On the Goblinoid: Did everything you need to do to get from Jim Z rocket plans to cut out fins with rounded edges Glued MMT and marked BT. Planning on papering fins tomorrow.

 

[o1d_dude]

Built and painted a set of plywood fly away rail guides from Apogee.

Once they were painted, I fitted them to my Micro Mamba so they pop off reliably when I release them. The tool I used was a 5/8” diameter PermaGrit sanding tube. It worked perfectly.

Can’t recommend the PermaGrit line highly enough. Spendy but they are lifetime tools, and they don’t clog. A brushing with a wire brush and you’re back on the job.

Here‘s the link... https://www.permagrit.com/

UK based company but I was able to buy mine from the LHS that specializes in R/C related gear. Amazon carries the line as well.

 

[Jay Dub 4009]

Put the first coat of clear on loc 2.6” amraam . Sanded MRDM fins and centering rings. Cut first set of fin skins on mitre saw and glued to
First fin

 

[Nytrunner]

This is a bit of a mashup betweek John Coker's wedding rocket, and Ari's Bluefin Tuba (who was very helpful when this idea popped in mind) to add a little personal flair to upcoming wedding reception plans.
-Why sign a guest book when you can sign a rocket?
-Tube fins have a circular ring-like quality to them.
-My last name starts with "O", and I have a big motor case
The idea really came up with itself

 

[hermannj]

I finally finished the Planet Express.

 

[rharshberger]

Anybody guess whats coming up for a build....

 

[jqavins]

Also sorted out a baggie full of Aeropack retainer bodies (’L’ and ‘P’) that somehow got mixed together...
OTOH if a thing is worth doing at all, it’s worth using as many tools/toys as possible, amirite?

More tools/toys. Use a brush to put little dots of paint on the flanges to color code them in case it happens again.

My last name starts with "O", and I have a big motor case.

Does that mean it's going on an O motor?

 

[markjos]

I don't really remember how long it's been since I last worked on a rocket of my own, but between isolation and curiosity, I was motivated to order and start building a Mach 1 Trivecta 324. Good therapy.

 

[jd2cylman]

Waiting for glue to dry... So exciting
Internal and external fin fillets on my MAC Performance Archer XL, and coupler w/bulkplate into the nosecone on my WM Ultimate Interceptor.

 

[NateB]

I was motivated to order and start building a Mach 1 Trivecta 324.

Let us know how you like it. I've been thinking about ordering the same kit.

 

[Charles_McG]

Got my Talos booster painted. Just needs a little decals work.
I present The Tater - Talos Terrier Recruit.


and just for fun, a sounding rocket NASA hasn’t flown yet: a Talos Terrier Improved Malemute.


At this scale, a Black Brant 11a would be 9” taller, not counting a longer payload.

 

[Nytrunner]

Does that mean it's going on an O motor?

The possibilities are O-ver the top!

 

[Jeff Curtis]

Put decals on a Custom Aztec, Estes Space Eagle and Estes Checkmate. The Aztec decals took at least 10 minutes to loosen up and the wraparound decal broke into 10+ pieces and was a total loss. Made me really appreciate the Estes decals.

 

[NateB]

We flew my Mach 1 Exiter on an A8-3. It went 124 ft and landed about 10 feet from the pad to cheers from my son. Low flight, perfect for a park and no walk for recovery.

 

[o1d_dude]

Starting the young rocketeer off right. Looks like he had a good time.

Really nice launch pad. Commercial? Looks like a Knight Mfg FLP-36.

I’ll be needing one for my incoming MakerBeam rail and my Mach 1 Micro Mamba.