What did you do rocket wise today?

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Went to the Steel City Shootout at PSC today.

4 launches, 4 chutes out, 3 rockets landed on the road, 1 broken fin, a surprisingly long walk to retrieve my Big Bertha (C6-5), met a few guys from the forum, had some pizza, drank every drop of water I took with me and will remember to bring twice as much next time, watched some impressive K motor flights, and enjoyed the day.
 
It's sanding and priming day on the King Kraken and AZT, again. Not worthy of pictures at this point. But I did manage to finish up the ork work for a couple more "just for fun" projects. Wood Crawler and Don't Drink & Paint are soon to be in the parts gathering phase.
 
Did some extensive grinding and sanding on the Razorback. Also bored the hole for the launch lug. I really enjoy building these bigger scratch build odd-rocs. You can drop this one onto the concrete floor... and it doesn't affect it at all. And it doesn't even squeal.

006.JPG017.JPG010.JPG013.JPG015.JPG​
 
Flew with AARG today. Great bunch of friendly and skilled rocketeers. Saw some especially outstandingly finished rockets too, unsurprising considering it's the home club of @James Duffy (whom it was great to meet in person). Had to leave before teardown this time; will try to plan better next time.
 
Tried out my homemade Arduino chute release. I think it worked? Maybe triggered a little early, so I’ll try again in a couple weeks with an F engine so that there will be more altitude between apogee and the intended release. Also launched my Goblin with streamer recovery. A fin popped, but still fun; a little glue and a small chute and he’ll fly again!
 

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Wet sanded cardboard and balsa for the first time. Thought I was starting to get it figured out on the fins, but had about four breakthrough spots on the body tube. One that was a high point where glassine bridged the spiral under it, one at the end of the tube, and two I am still surprised and don't quite know why they broke through. Still, Acryli-Quik non-filler primer is really good at locking fibers raised by sanding when filling spirals, so I'm hoping that with a coat of that and some 400, it'll be good to go.

Starting to really not like sanding. I just keep thinking of what else I could be directing that kind of effort/labor toward, and it makes rockets seem counterproductive toward life overall. Contemplating building everything in composite instead of cardboard. The tubes come super smooth so no filling; the less sanding can be done wet with a lot less fiddly care. It would basically be cleanup of fillets and filler-primer to fill sanding scratches I didn't get out before priming.
 
It's been raining here in Denver almost every day for a week which means builds. Earlier this week, I finished my Der Red Max. Since my 3D printer is busy working on SpiderMax fin (the last one), I pulled out the parts I created to upgrade an ESAM-58 from 18mm to 24mm. It's gonna scoot! I still have a lot to do, so it won't be joining me for tomorrow's launch. If the rain lets up, the sun shines a ray upon my melon, I will be making my L1 attempt.

The fins on the ESAM turned out super nice. I really want to put pointy things on the ends of them. Toothpicks? Maybe some balsa strips and shape them. Maybe I'll just leave it alone.

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ESAM-58.jpg

ESAM-58_Fin_Detail.jpg
 
Made a 'dress ring' for a BT-60 based rocket. A bit of BT-55, A centering ring, a couple of paper straws and a temporary BT-20 spacer.

Coat the inside of the tube with white glue and throw in the straw sections. Pull out the spacer tube.

IMG_2612.JPGIMG_2615.JPGIMG_2616.JPG

Should end up a bit like this:

Dress ring.jpg
Not more than 5 minutes invested.

Pat self on back. Open beer.
 
That is great. What a cool idea.
Today I put the launch lugs on stand offs on the current project. Epoxied the Easter egg to a coupler. Put an ounce and a half of weight in the nose. It's ready for primer.
Last night I put white paint on20230603_215854[2634].jpg, the now identified, Satellite Interceptor. Used a whole can of Rusto 2X. Fortunately no runs. It needs sanded and repainted.
 
Built a new router table for my mini trim router used for cutting centering rings and airfoiling fins. Needed something a bit better for my project for Balls this year.

Measured up a damaged 75/5120 Rousetech casing that experienced a nozzle seal failure. Going to cut it down and rethread it as a 3-grain case likely next weekend.

Worked on my design for Balls.
 
teepot said:
That is great. What a cool idea.
Today I put the launch lugs on stand offs on the current project. Epoxied the Easter egg to a coupler. Put an ounce and a half of weight in the nose. It's ready for primer.
Last night I put white paint onView attachment 584303, the now identified, Satellite Interceptor. Used a whole can of Rusto 2X. Fortunately no runs. It needs sanded and repainted.
Click to expand...

Nicely organized hobby corner!!!
 
It occurred to me last night that I've never had to repair a rocket before.

Usually things either go to plan, or they go off into orbit and are never heard from again.

Fortunately, I'm an old RC guy with a lifetime supply of Balsa.
 

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Put some white Duplicolor Sandable Primer on the DBRM after first mistaking Plastic Adhesion Promoter for primer. /sigh Wet sanded after 30 minutes, then let dry for another 30 minutes and shot Duplicolor Cherry Red. Waiting a couple of days before shooting the black on the nosecone. Will most likely use Createx Opaque Black, followed up by UVLS Clear Gloss on top.

Working on the av-bay for the Nuke Pro Maxx.

Anybody know what vendors will be present at the June ROSCO launch in SC?
 

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