What did you do rocket wise today?

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Put some shelfing up in an attempt 🚀 to organize the hobby room.

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Replaced the door gasket on the refrigerator and got half the mowing done. If I can figure out what is going on with the porch light (looking like mice ate a wire nut somewhere in the attic) I might get to go play with rockets next weekend.
 
How'd you like that motor?
It's a great motor, the only thing to keep in mind is that you will have to remove the aerospike to get the igniter in. I left the aft closure only screwed in a couple of turns until I installed the igniter and then the motor on the rail before going vertical.

The assembly is also a little different from other 54/852 reloads. It uses spacer o-rings between the propellant grains and aerospike and the seal disc, so be careful to follow the instructions. It was the first time in a while I sweat a bit making sure a reload was assembled correctly.

Before & After for the aerospike.

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The assembly is also a little different from other 54/852 reloads. It uses spacer o-rings between the propellant grains and aerospike and the seal disc, so be careful to follow the instructions. It was the first time in a while I sweat a bit making sure a reload was assembled correctly.

Thanks for the details, John.

Sounds like it would be a good idea to open it and look things over before a L2 cert flight day.
 
The weather was better than yesterday. 30 degrees yesterday at 7am. Made it to 64. Today no wind and 70. I put primmer on the bottom half of the rubber chicken rocket. Need the BT for the top half. I'll get my BMS order on Monday and then build the top half. Repainted another rocket that I wasn't happy the way the paint came out the first time. Cut slots in the Easter eggs that will be fin tip pods on the Christmas ornament rocket. Will be finished tomorrow.

And now as they say. Here is something completely different.
This story was so secret even I was kept in the dark. Then I remembered to turn on a light.
Here is mild mannered Mr. Plunger outside the building he works in. He works for the Daily Butt. The newspaper for your Throne Room.

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But when someone calls for help {in a child's voice}. Help, Daddy went to an all you can eat chili place. Mr. Plunger becomes.. Da da da daaa .Super Plunger. Sent to us from the planet Clog to save us from the dreaded back up. { Ladies voice} Oh no don't come back up! And how does Super Plunger get around to do his doody. Because he has rocket like exhaust. He has seen both sides of people. Nothing makes him sweat. He has seen it all. The morning after the night before. When you had hot peppers for the first time or the day after Indian curry. There is no clog he can't un-clog with his rocket like exhaust. And why does he do his doody. Because he stands for Truth, Justice and the American way.
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Started prepping the new prototypes for testing later in the week. Just minor things like parachutes and launch lugs. Streamers and such.

Looking at what I can do with these little Up Aerospace EX2 kits. I think a kitbash (or two) is in order before I start giving them away. I really don't like pre-coloured body tubes, so I'll dig around in the CBR 'parts-o-tubes' box and see what calls to me.
 
Launched Blunt Instrument.

Based on a Minie Maag-----ish.
162 mm hand-wound spiral paper tube. 6 layers. 3d printed nosecone.3D printed half fins laminated with a single layer of fibreglass woven cloth in centre of fins. CNC cut centring rings. 24" chute. 1.2Kg ready to fly weight including motor. They said it couldn't be done. Launched on a single G64 to 600ft.
So, Just to be clear... that's a 6 1/2 " diameter rocket being launched on a G............ Ok it's a G64....... :)
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That's the Australian flag flying off the body...... Launched at Mullaley NSW 1st April 2023.
 
Started my Estes Super Big Bertha. Got the fin "skins" titebonded together. This week at some point,I'll get them CA'ed to the Vanderburn upgraded frames. I also may start my other acquisition, a LOC Aura.
 
Launched Blunt Instrument.

Based on a Minie Maag-----ish.
162 mm hand-wound spiral paper tube. 6 layers. 3d printed nosecone.3D printed half fins laminated with a single layer of fibreglass woven cloth in centre of fins. CNC cut centring rings. 24" chute. 1.2Kg ready to fly weight including motor. They said it couldn't be done. Launched on a single G64 to 600ft.
So, Just to be clear... that's a 6 1/2 " diameter rocket being launched on a G............ Ok it's a G64....... :)
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That's the Australian flag flying off the body...... Launched at Mullaley NSW 1st April 2023.

Very cool. What were the centering rings made from?
 
Looks like nice flights on the Yalga and the Aster.
Was that a booster motor CATO on another rocket?
The Vector Force was a B6-4 from the 70s... again Provenance unknown (meaning no idea how it was stored). Another eBay gamble. I sometime it all works. Like the B14-0s I got work great. And the A5-4S' worked great. But sometimes... ya pays yer money, ya takes yer chances.

The Aster is my friend Ryan's. Not sure he is on TRF. Flew and staged great.

Ya want to talk about eBay crap. I bought some F40s and G64s on eBay. Got them. They were swelled up. I did what I could to open them up by hand with a drill bit. The White lightning propellent was sort of crumbly. Could not get any one them to light. Not with multiple different starters. Not with putting a few cuts/slices at the top of the slot. Not with painting a little pyrogen on the slots. Nothing wrong with the starters. They all burned. None of the three lit. Not the G64 nor two F40s. The only thing I did not try was a sliver of Blue Thunder at the top next to the starter. Bought them home, and threw them away. Oh well. Life's a Sunny Beach.
 
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