What did you do rocket wise today?

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Started and finished Epoxy on the motor mount assembly for the
Madcow PAC3.....4 inch diameter

Also finished up the new case for electronics and motor casings ....
Iam sure I will add plenty more 3 or 4 grain casings to the underneath foam layer at some point lol but cash plays a factor lol
 

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More gluing on the Cobra tonight (build thread on LPR forum updated). Also ordered a Blast-Off Pack on Amazon as my usual supplier has ran into issues due to Brexit stupidity. Will be my first experience of Estes motors as I've always flown Klima up until now. Will be interesting to compare both. Nice to have a mix of As, Bs & C's as I've only flown B4s up til now.
 
Well, the point is that whether it's up or down, since it's further from Earth's CG, it's greater potential.

Kids: 'Why is it hotter at home than it is in town?'
Me: 'We're on top of the ridge. We're closer to the sun.'

Worked when they were younger.
 
More gluing on the Cobra tonight (build thread on LPR forum updated). Also ordered a Blast-Off Pack on Amazon as my usual supplier has ran into issues due to Brexit stupidity. Will be my first experience of Estes motors as I've always flown Klima up until now. Will be interesting to compare both. Nice to have a mix of As, Bs & C's as I've only flown B4s up til now.


Nice! Where are you that you have access to both klima and estes?
 
Don't believe everything you read on the internet...

Just Googled the business name to see what links had been created and guess what? Cape Byron Rocketry's Longreach Payloader is ranked 4th in the Top Ten Model Rocket Kits of January 2021 by Best Reviews Guide, Australia.

Well, that's just amazing news until you see that there have been no reviews of the kit.

Zilch.
Nada.
Nothing.

Not sure how we made 4th place ahead of Estes LEO Space Train and Super Big Bertha, but the internet is a weird place.

fine cotton.jpg
 
Yep, got some flights in...

Snitch to test the winds aloft(ish).

P1230191 (FILEminimizer).JPG

Proto Gooney Vostok, just 'cause I love it so much.

P1230204 (FILEminimizer).JPG

Wait... It's gone. Lots of wind at about 300ft. Drifted a long way... More on this later.

Lets go clustering. Great ignition, lousy focus. An 9V Estes R2D2 launch controller gives a good result. A3-4T is the sweet spot for the Two-up. Moved up the kitting queue...

P1230222 (FILEminimizer).JPG

Not all clustering attempts were successful... Seven out of eight attempts went well. This one is an igniter issue. Used old Estes black pyro igniters and the newer non-pyro, but obviously matched pairs. Non-pyro seems a little slower to ignite, but that's a seat of the pants feeling.

P1230237 (FILEminimizer).JPG

Good news - not much altitude but thrust is well over by the time it hit the ground. Flight was a very shallow parabola...

Last flight of the day. Estes Python 4. Up, up and away. Like... a long way away. Like... gone. :(

P1230251 (FILEminimizer).JPG

Well, poo. Four rockets - two lost. But wait, the neighbours (neighbours, you need a cut lunch to walk to their house) saw something in a tree. A rocket eating tree. You think you have rocket eating trees?

See the Gooney Vostok?

P1230256 (FILEminimizer).JPG

Nah, look up...

P1230257 (FILEminimizer).JPG

No... UP!

P1230258 (FILEminimizer).JPG

Annnnd again...

P1230260 (FILEminimizer).JPG

There we are. A good six storeys in the air. Well, tree.

Sure the wind will blow it out. And it will get caught in another branch, but I'll prolly get it back eventually. BTW, this tree is 300 metres from the launch site. This is a good flier. :D
 
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I did some more work on my Lil Thor to get ready for finishing. The instructions that came with my Thor 54 said to apply thinned epoxy to the 3D printed parts and the fin surface. It is probably overkill to do the same on the LPR one, but I did it anyway to get a feel for how much to apply and how much work it will be to sand it smooth before priming.

View attachment 446933View attachment 446934
Very cool kit. How much does it weigh built? I'm wondering if I should upgrade mine to a 24mm mount.
 
Mine is at 3.8oz before paint and decals. This kit shipped with a 24mm motor mount and I didn't see an option to choose an 18mm one.
 
Bought a tube from Staples for next build. 2"x36" Something cool and vintage is on my mind.

LG~

P.S. Yea I go cheap and low tech. 3D printed rings and leftover scraps of whatever. And LOTS of Imagination.
 
The card on mine says 18mm motor mount too, but a 24mm motor mount and CRs were in the bag. I wonder when the change was made?
 
The card on mine says 18mm motor mount too, but a 24mm motor mount and CRs were in the bag. I wonder when the change was made?
Mine has an 18mm mount. Same with the Li'l HoJo. Face cards say 18 mm.
I notice on the website it says now that the Li'l Thor has a 24mm mount, and the Li'l HoJo is no longer there.
Change must have been recent, since I ordered the kits only a month or two ago.
 
Painting today, trying to catch up on a few projects that have been sitting for (far) too long...

Primer and base coat on an Estes Saros clone:
1611433651551.png

First color on a 1/10 scale Semroc WAC (airbrushed):
1611433754001.png

About to do the metallic tones on the Nike fin can, and a bit of weathering/mottling on the olive drab booster:
1611433886167.png

Hope to have the Saros finished today except for decals (Will probably airbrush the roll patterns, still not sure about the lettering), and maybe the Nike as well. The paint on the WAC (Vallejo acrylic) will have to dry at least over night before it can be masked.
 
Bought a tube from Staples for next build. 2"x36" Something cool and vintage is on my mind.

LG~

P.S. Yea I go cheap and low tech. 3D printed rings and leftover scraps of whatever. And LOTS of Imagination.
You're not cheap. You're like me --- frugal. Make use of all sorts of inexpensive/free odds and ends when practical. And when not practical. ;)
 
I found my stock of eye bolts. That's significant because I need them to continue working on my Smurf rocket. And it was difficult because I spent the last weeks converting my rocket building room into a home office. I had to clean everything up but hopefully I'll find a spot somewhere to keep building soon.
 
Painting today, trying to catch up on a few projects that have been sitting for (far) too long...

Primer and base coat on an Estes Saros clone:
View attachment 447617

First color on a 1/10 scale Semroc WAC (airbrushed):
View attachment 447618

About to do the metallic tones on the Nike fin can, and a bit of weathering/mottling on the olive drab booster:
View attachment 447619

Hope to have the Saros finished today except for decals (Will probably airbrush the roll patterns, still not sure about the lettering), and maybe the Nike as well. The paint on the WAC (Vallejo acrylic) will have to dry at least over night before it can be masked.
I have the 18mm WAC by ASP with Tiny Tim booster. The one you show is it the 24 mm version by ASP? This is going to be a nice looking bird along with your other ones. The yellow version is nice.WAC 18mm w TT booster.jpgWAC 18mm w TT booster.jpg
 
Yep, got some flights in...

Snitch to test the winds aloft(ish).

View attachment 447554

Proto Gooney Vostok, just 'cause I love it so much.

View attachment 447555

Wait... It's gone. Lots of wind at about 300ft. Drifted a long way... More on this later.

Lets go clustering. Great ignition, lousy focus. An 9V Estes R2D2 launch controller gives a good result. A3-4T is the sweet spot for the Two-up. Moved up the kitting queue...

View attachment 447556

Not all clustering attempts were successful... Seven out of eight attempts went well. This one is an igniter issue. Used old Estes black pyro igniters and the newer non-pyro, but obviously matched pairs. Non-pyro seems a little slower to ignite, but that's a seat of the pants feeling.

View attachment 447557

Good news - not much altitude but thrust is well over by the time it hit the ground. Flight was a very shallow parabola...

Last flight of the day. Estes Python 4. Up, up and away. Like... a long way away. Like... gone. :(

View attachment 447558

Well, poo. Four rockets - two lost. But wait, the neighbours (neighbours, you need a cut lunch to walk to their house) saw something in a tree. A rocket eating tree. You think you have rocket eating trees?

See the Gooney Vostok?

View attachment 447559

Nah, look up...

View attachment 447560

No... UP!

View attachment 447561

Annnnd again...

View attachment 447562

There we are. A good six storeys in the air. Well, tree.

Sure the wind will blow it out. And it will get caught in another branch, but I'll prolly get it back eventually. BTW, this tree is 300 metres from the launch site. This is a good flier. :D
You have a very good chance of getting it back. ;)
 
Painting today, trying to catch up on a few projects that have been sitting for (far) too long...

Primer and base coat on an Estes Saros clone:
View attachment 447617

First color on a 1/10 scale Semroc WAC (airbrushed):
View attachment 447618

About to do the metallic tones on the Nike fin can, and a bit of weathering/mottling on the olive drab booster:
View attachment 447619

Hope to have the Saros finished today except for decals (Will probably airbrush the roll patterns, still not sure about the lettering), and maybe the Nike as well. The paint on the WAC (Vallejo acrylic) will have to dry at least over night before it can be masked.
The Saros is a nice sleek design. I been catching up too on some un finished birds too. The silver rocket is a scratch built 29mm and the unfinished is a Rocketarium "Viking 7 " 18mm double cluster.
 

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Finished printing and assembled custom avionics sled for 3” black fly. Just need to fab the switch harnesses and solder on. Have been super busy and haven’t been able to post on it’s construction as of late but it’s almost done. Need to design switchband drill jig for labrat pull pin and drill, fabricate a small chute nomex blanket , and ejection testing for the HED setup.

It’s a pretty awesome fly I can’t wait to launch it when the time comes. Wild man vk nose cone, aluminum tail cone retainer. Contacted Stickershock to design joker themed decals for a purple and green color scheme ...very rough concept art attached.

9CDF6042-D745-4508-9919-19956AC4EB05.jpeg864CC416-EA7B-4DC3-9C1F-4ECD4BF2D153.jpeg12C97D68-3F16-4AD2-BB3D-ACBCF9FD90AB.jpegF587005A-B6F2-4228-BBA1-902271238C88.jpeg55605488-B5AC-4D1D-9926-1A953A778A9E.jpeg57B1AE3E-1E8E-4462-89C6-BC1E2876EF33.jpeg5EB5618B-5305-4268-83A0-F8E705E8BC9C.jpeg
 

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Nothing today yet. Yesterday I made another disc for mounting my 500mW Tx on the VTS. I have decided to use PCB material this time, 1oz single-sided FR4. Having the ground-plane next to the Tx will give a good return path for the RF and reduce the amount getting into the other sensitive electronics in the VTS, improving EMC between everything.

The PCB was cut roughly with a jigsaw and then thrown into the lathe. My dental drill (480k rpm) with a diamond burr made a nice disc. The dental drill was clamped into the toolpost holder for this task. Add a few holes for functionality and it is mostly done. I still have to make a brass part that will solder onto this and mount the front end of the telemetry Tx. I will also add some more decoupling on the power supply lines to keep things clean.

GroundplaneResize.jpg
 
Machined and turned a little brass piece to mount the Tx to the PCB disc, for the VTS.

It was held in place on the PCB using a titanium bike spoke I had handy. That was clamped to the bench to hold the part down, then soldered.
Unsolderedresize.jpg
Solderingresize.jpg

Here it is mounted. I still need to strap the grounds to the ground plane and add some decoupling caps for EMC mitigation. Being a 500mW Tx I don't want any of the RF worms getting into the other electronics.
VTXMountedResize.jpg

Note the Tx has a 50ohm dummy load fitted. If I accidentally key up the Tx while I am mucking around with the assembly without an antenna, but having a dummy load, will not fry the final stage due to reflected power from not having a load.

Also wrote a script to disable the stabilise mode and switch to manual (fins centered) when a breakwire is broken. The breakwire is cut when the NC separates at apogee.
 
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Flew with a scout troop here and did some demo MPR flights. Launched 2.6 Quark upscale on a G79W7 and G80T7. Quark displayed it's quantum tree dodging ability and landed in an old railroad yard in a thornbush and next to a park pavilion. 1750' and 2100' by Rocksim and 500mph on the G80. With 80+ kids there, no long recovery walks - they raced to recovery! Started out at 14 degrees so chilly morning. VID_20210123_115109_exported_15999_1611439878399.jpgVID_20210123_135147_exported_13584_1611429415029.jpg
 
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