What did you do rocket wise today?

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Funkworks said:
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Why is Astrosmurf hanging by his feet next to a Saturn V poster?
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Years ago I had an astronaut Smurf - I could never get him to stand on his own. Someone didn't do a great balancing engineering job on him, because he always had to lean against something otherwise he just plopped to the ground. Mine would not have made the cut for the Mercury program.
 
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I read yet another chapter in "Handbook of Model Rocketry, Seventh Edition" by the Stines. This one involved "Model Rocket Ranges" and claimed that most of the organization and setup of today's model rocket ranges originated in the White Sands during the 1950s. The book has also proclaimed the year 1957 as the year of model rocketry's birth. For anyone who has attended a launch, this chapter will seem very familiar, except for the part where you set up your own launch pad and push your own ignition button. Apparently things have changed at launches over the years, because the chapter suggests that everyone brought their own launchers and launched their own rockets when their turn arrived. Once again, the book shows its age with this and with multiple references to the now sadly mostly defunct Radio Shack. Only 2 more chapters and a very short epilogue to go.
 
Wayco said:
...
We also need to start setting up some of our smaller rockets for the SSS GHS Memorial launch coming up the third weekend of October. Might need to start a list....
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That GHS launch can draw out some real doosies .. you never know who you will run into there...
 
Primed Astron Sprint XL, Lil Ivan airframe and nosecone

Worked on Omega balsa transition and nosecone, ready for primer next.

More work on LOC Blaster motor mount, ready to epoxy into airframe, stack sanded fins, trimmed flashing off nose cone.

CA’d several airframes in nose cone area to improve longevity.

Checked on my Amazon order placed five days ago for a six pack of Sterilite small clip fastened boxes model no. 19618606 that were due to arrive today but still haven’t shipped yet.

C’mon, man! The thing! Amazon, not Amazon marketplace vendor, either.
 
Got a bit more work done on the Maverick Restoration.

- Attached 200# Kevlar around the upper centering ring as a leader for a solid place to attach the shock cord. Worth mentioning that I have also started using heat shrink wrap on the first few inches of the Kevlar. Really just want to protect those first couple inches below where the wadding would sit as it takes the brunt of the flame.
- Cut strips and removed the outer layer of paper where the fins attach.
- Rounded leading edge of fins and attached the fins using TB2 and let dry.
- Removed Strip of outer layer of tube and attached lunch lug.
- Applied first fillets to fins and launch lug using thick and quick.
- Sanded nose cone, then sanded some more, and some more. I don't know what paint the kid used but he should have used it to hold the rocket together as it held on better than whatever glue he used. :)

Going to do one more round of fillets then its time for sanding sealer on the fins and off to primer.

Does anyone know what Font was used for the Maverick name on the decals? I cut my own vinyl for smaller projects but i'm having a hard time finding the correct font for this one.
 

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I started building my first medium power rocket, a LOC Graduator on Sunday. It's the first rocket I've touched since building Estes rockets for my kids decades ago. I've had the kit for at least 6 weeks. I've been studying it :D The Graduator is the first step toward HP / L1.

After test fitting the centering rings to the motor tube so many times that I was worried about wearing out the motor tube I finally epoxied the forward centering ring to the tube on Sunday afternoon then installed the motor tube into the rocket that evening. I was able to epoxy the aft side of the centering ring with not much problem. Epoxying the front was a pita and I'm grateful that part is out of sight. I left the aft centering ring off so I could epoxy the fins to the motor tube. That's probably not necessary but I'm trying to build as if it was an HP rocket for practice. That's why there was so much agonizing and test fitting before I committed to building. I went through a lot of preplanning and over thinking to get to this stage. Yesterday evening I test fit the fins and realized that I need to sand a bevel, more like round over, the back of the fins (already sanded the front), so I postponed installing those. Then I remembered the rail buttons... I need to install the aft rail button before I put the aft centering ring on. Then... I noticed the first, and I hope only, mistake. Bob Ross called them "Happy accidents". :/

I didn't install the hardware for the shock cord or the shock cord on the forward centering ring :goodjob: I should receive my long drill bits in a few days... All that planning and agonizing... and I still screwed it up. It's not a deal breaker. I'll 3D print a widget to hold the eyebolt (my idea is to make something that will hold the eyebolt on one end and slip over a 1/4" dowel or something long enough to reach the centering ring) on the other. Then I'll use a socket to put the nut on (and cuss words to make the washer magically fly down to the bolt), then dab some epoxy on the threads to lock it down. By the time the drill bits get here I should have a better, simpler idea. :) All that happens after I tie the shock cord to the eyebolt... <--- kind of important...
 
Michael L said:
I didn't install the hardware for the shock cord or the shock cord on the forward centering ring :goodjob: I should receive my long drill bits in a few days... All that planning and agonizing... and I still screwed it up. It's not a deal breaker.
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Fixable, all part of the learning experience, forgetting details like that is so easy to do. Apogee just had a video on replacing the shock cord on an internal eyebolt, but it assumes that the eyebolt is there. You might consider an alternative: drill a hole through each centering ring, run the shock cord through both holes, and tie it around the motor mount below the lower ring. This also makes it easier to replace if you need to do so in the future.
 
Got home from work this morning and worked on repairing some "negative results" I got when attempting to paper the fins on an Apogee Diamondback. Totally my fault for getting in a hurry. The fins really didn't need papered, but as John Kennedy said about going to the moon--we don't do it because it's easy, we do it because it's hard. :D

Fin.jpg
 
mbeels said:
Fixable, all part of the learning experience, forgetting details like that is so easy to do. Apogee just had a video on replacing the shock cord on an internal eyebolt, but it assumes that the eyebolt is there. You might consider an alternative: drill a hole through each centering ring, run the shock cord through both holes, and tie it around the motor mount below the lower ring. This also makes it easier to replace if you need to do so in the future.
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That's a great idea!.
 
dripped some west systems epoxy to strengthen the fore side of the fore centering ring on the motor tube of my Fusion. Painted excess on the remainder of the main body tube and had enough to paint on the ebay coupler while I was at it. One of the benefits of working in my basement is getting this done while watching software install. A fringe benefit of being a remote IT guy.
 
The Rising Star night flyer is mostly done- I was going to skip paint because I'll use drops of hot glue to attach the external lights, and that sticks better to the paper tube than to paint. As I look at it now, I might need to 'chrome' the fins... I'll need to think about it a bit... Here's the rail buttons on, and a quick preview, not the final prep for flight, as I probably don't need all of those ball lights- it will depend on the total weight, and what 24mm motors might handle the load that I can get my hands on... ;)


IMG_9074.JPGIMG_9078.JPGIMG_9080.JPGIMG_9081.JPGIMG_9082.JPGIMG_9083.JPGIMG_9084.JPGIMG_9087.JPGIMG_9088.JPGIMG_9090.JPG
 
GrouchoDuke said:
A KitchenAid mixer showed up at our house. Sadly, it wasn’t for me to mix propellant. So, I started shopping for my own. Bigger, of course.

View attachment 434633
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These are excellent!
I have used mine to make shredded chicken and meatloaf.
cook the chicken in skillet first.
the meatloaf is just add all the ingredients and “mix” at lower speeds.
 
Received a package from a rocketry vendor.

Epoxied a motor block ring into the LOC Blaster motor mount.

Opened the Estes Gryphon kit and examined the instructions and examined the balsa sheet wood: Nice pink/brown A-grain wood in the 12-16 lb range. Great wood for the project.
 

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