What did you do rocket wise today?

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I moved the 1/4 scale Viking 7 from one side of the garage to the other. I did pick up a AT L1000w motor for the test flight.

I was torn on the test flight being on a K motor to 1000'. This DMS was on the shelf at the local launch and will move this project to 1500'.

I was going more in depth in OR simulations and playing with rail length, winds, launch rod angle and seeing a lot more data then just the basic stuff.

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Test fit the AT L1000w in my 4" Frenzy. Sims to 9000' and 1500fps. I think after 1.75-2 seconds it would be going supersonic and shortly after yardsale and come down in pieces with the motor burning for another second or so.

~John
 
Added a boost circuit to my MAWD so I can use 2S 50C battery and it doesn't complain because it wants 9v. Now I don't have to use 9v for anything anymore.
 
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Glued the fins on my Estes Astron XL.

Examined the partially assembled boost glider kit that has been sitting on my workbench for 10-12 years now. I cant even remember who made the kit or its name.

It’s a flying wing, V swept wings, vertical tip fins, motor tube appears to mount on top of the wing in the dihedral “valley”.

A Holverson kit, perhaps?

Edit: EMRR says it’s a Starlight kit, named “Sparrow”.

Moved into the build queue.
 
Working on this tower, slowly.
I’m liking the rigidity. The 3/4 Alum is .125 thick wall.
It is for LPR, maybe MPR. Only 4 foot length though.
There are two bolts underneath. It’s ridgid without the side plate screwed down. The sideplate will also get marked along with lower extrusion, as an approximate dimensions to the different BT.
3/4 birch ply base with sheet steel top
Later will excitement with placing of the 45 degree side joiner plates, then cut off the excess length of the upper and lower extrusions. Openbuild brand of extrusions , 20mm.
A design goal here is no upper or middle halos.
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Nearing completion on the rocket workbench project.

Made the top from 17mm Formply and kept it at 1200mm wide for glassing and chute cutting/sewing projects.
Final step is to router/slot the perimeter edges and cap them with PVC edging so F/Glass and chute material doesn't get caught up on it.
Also started the fin replacement on my SCR Firestorm after a hard landing last launch in early August.


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Semroc Orbital Transport has a ton of balsa. One build primed laser cut fins prior to removal from balsa stock. Poor fitting parts arose later due to overspray on edges of balsa parts. I like the idea of priming prior to removal but I had to do something about the overspray. So...
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I traded a day of fiddling with a bunch of little parts for cutting tape into small pieces. I think it's a wash.
 
Gotta make this work.
Fighting the elements so to say
Time to cut off the excess horizontal parts. Take it all apart , see where there may be any burrs etc.
Have gotten both good and bad results from adjustments.
Learning process. If it doesn’t pan out, that’s a learning thing as well.
Need to make at least a temporary leg system or holder. Two bolts underneath for each horizontal bottom section that I need to get to without moving it back and forth to workbench.
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Mounted the fins on my Astron Sprint XL and have been using TNMT glue to build up the fin fillets...still in progress.

Sanded down the primer on my VanderBurn Estes Panavia clone.

Ordered two Semroc kits from Sirius Rocketry: A Swift boost glider and an Estes/Semroc Omega clone...Have always wanted the Omega and now I have one on the way.

Pulled down my bin of unbuilt rocketry kits... An Estes Tercel boost glider, my Semroc Hawk kit, a Quest Flat Cat boost glider, my Starlight Sparrow kit, an unbuilt Fat Boy, TWO Estes C-Express kits I was going to convert to a two stage Cherokee D, and more.

Now I’m questioning my decision to buy more kits...

OH! For ONE WEEK ONLY Scott Binder has his 4” Thor on sale for the same price as the 3” Thor I bought a few months ago. Price has already been posted on SBR website FusionRocket.biz

Must...resist...4” Thor for $150...must...resist...

Who am I kidding? I’ve wanted one for almost 20 years now.
 

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Bit more design work on the NikeAeroBee2K fantasy scale two stager, reworked the ISC shell that gets 3D printed. Getting better with Solidworks everytime I use it, still not good enough to use it in a professional production environment but getting there. My background in Drafting (you know the OLD pencil, t-square,drafting machine, and blueprinting machines) from high school and college help a lot.

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My buddy asked if I could take on a project for him. Jumped on that ASAP! He had a 16’ Church Pew and wanted it cut down to fit 2 big guys.. lol aka Bench for Dude Room...
So here are pics as it came to me during the redesign and pics as I’m sending it back to him!
This has been a fun project not rocket related.. Now it’s time to finish a Rocket as I’m jonesing to Launch!!!
 

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Having fun playing with the Semroc Orbital Transport jigs. Glued BT halves together, glued LL on. I really like the jigs. It's bound to make construction better and easier than it was 40+ years ago. Wing balsa had a gouge, but I think I can fix it with CWF.
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Not much. But I did have some modest nostalgic kicks after knocking loose 1/8" and 3/16" brazing rods that were used as launch rods from my first time around in this hobby in the middle '70s. The 3/16" one has a tip dipped in Persian Orange as an attempted safety measure. Of course, I picked this up from down at Grandpa's....
 
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