What did you do rocket wise today?

[gdjsky01]

Yeah I Flew Some Rockets Last Saturday IX.
24mm Sport Cam on a Quest C6-5, approximately 500 feet.
Red Baron Rocket hand rolled out of frozen pizza boxes on a D12-3, approximately 400 feet.
41mm Dual Cam on an Aerotech E30-4, approximately 1000 feet.
"Piano and Strings" by ShotokuTech on SoundCloud.
#Rocket #Eclipse #Tucson #SARA

Who knew that ShotokuTech was a Jeff? Not this Jeff

 

[bad_idea]

Today I turned those into these:
View attachment 609969
View attachment 609970
The cut edges, henceforth known as the root edges, need some sanding to even up. The saw slipped pretty far off the line once, but I'll burry that in the fillets.

Rocket name suggestions: Broken Hearts Club or Heartbreaker

Didn't get to the sim work today, but I did get the errant rail guide epoxied back on.

Started repair of a rocket I lawndarted a few months ago when I packed it too tight. The tube was glassed cardboard and didn't actually lose any length, but the glass had delaminated in two bands had lost much of its strength. I cut away the damaged tube, cut some coupler to join the base of the rocket to a new tube, then cut and glassed replacement tube. That's curing now and will be attached maybe tomorrow if I have time.

The nose cone of the crashed rocket was cracked but intact. I pried out the mounting ring I use for my tracker sled and washed the cone well with soap and water and then with isopropanol. Letting it dry completely then will start epoxying and glassing it back together.

Lost time this evening on a wild goose chase after stuff that my local Harbor Freight said they had in stock but in fact did not. So I still didn't get back to the simming and CADing, nor did I get the nosecone epoxied, nor the repair-tube joined. I did get a ballast weight capsule for this rocket made though.

 

[jqavins]

Rocket name suggestions: Broken Hearts Club or Heartbreaker

I've already (since posting earlier) got a very rough RS design called Heart Break.

 

[86mustang408w]

Did some skins, and finished up the rail buttons, well drilled the holes. I wanted the extra width to help with the gap from the horrible 1/4" slots(this is when I realized 10 years ago this wasn't the best design for 29mm) I cut to the 1/8" recently. I want to see also how much it adds to the strength of them and one already makes a difference.

 

[jqavins]

I took my EZI-65 out of the closet.
View attachment 604647
It's supposed to be my L2 rocket. It's been about 75% done for about 10 years. I've learned a lot in the last ten years, so I'll probably take it down to 50% in order to correct foolish mistakes, which will be a whole lot harder than doing it right the first time. And it's picked up (at least) one very small dent in the airframe in the course of moving twice. It's past high time that I took a deep breath and got to work.

Note that I have already begun painting, quite prematurely, which will be the easiest of the foolish mistakes to deal with.

Bought some fin material.
View attachment 609342
I've been reading about folks getting sheets of fin material at one of the dollar store chains, and I was with my wife when she went into Dollar Tree for something, so I decided to have a look. Nope, no sheets, but there were these plywood hearts, 3/16" or so thick and about 10" across (I'll measure later). Two pieces to make four fins, 122 grams together (that I've already measured). My first thought was to make a valentine themed rocket, but now I'm thinking that half hearts, upsidedown, would make for good swepts fin with curved trailing edges.

Thought about a new design. So, basically nothing. I had planned a little, but then the boring and necessary non-rocketry stuff took too long.

Today I turned those into these:
View attachment 609969
View attachment 609970
The cut edges, henceforth known as the root edges, need some sanding to even up. The saw slipped pretty far off the line once, but I'll burry that in the fillets.

I've already (since posting earlier) got a very rough RS design called Heart Break.

And now, to pull all the threads together.

Once I bought those hearts, I realized that when they were cut in half, they'd make four big fins, worthy of a big rocket. Then thought about how much work there'll be in fixing the errors on that EZI-65, and that a rocket using the half heart fins could be designed to take J motors (or bigger) and I could cert on that. I'll fix up the EZI eventually, but won't have to delay the cert for it.

So, what did I do today? I told the forum of my master plan, so now I'm committed. LDRS is local to me next year, so I'll aim to fly it then. (Wait, can one do a NAR cert at LDRS?)

 

[bad_idea]

So, what did I do today? I told the forum of my master plan, so now I'm committed. LDRS is local to me next year, so I'll aim to fly it then. (Wait, can one do a NAR cert at LDRS?)

Yes. Since the changeover of NAR to the electronic forms, I am unsure if the old rule that could have seen any NAR L3 certify you L2 still holds, but there will almost certainly be an L3CC or two at LDRS who can do a NAR L2 cert. You should probably specifically ask on the LDRS thread (if/when there is one) and/or the high-power forum though, just to get everything lined up in advance, including the written test.

Looking forward to your rocket and your flight!

 

[gdjsky01]

And now, to pull all the threads together.

Once I bought those hearts, I realized that when they were cut in half, they'd make four big fins, worthy of a big rocket. Then thought about how much work there'll be in fixing the errors on that EZI-65, and that a rocket using the half heart fins could be designed to take J motors (or bigger) and I could cert on that. I'll fix up the EZI eventually, but won't have to delay the cert for it.

So, what did I do today? I told the forum of my master plan, so now I'm committed. LDRS is local to me next year, so I'll aim to fly it then. (Wait, can one do a NAR cert at LDRS?)

If you name it broken hearts, send it to me. and

 

[DragonRocketry]

Spent the day wrapping tubes.

 

[chrisudy]

I think this counts…. Moved most of the LPR fleet 16 miles to the new house…

 

[cwbullet]

Designing a new kit and 3d printed nose cone.

 

[prfesser]

So, what did I do today? I told the forum of my master plan, so now I'm committed. LDRS is local to me next year, so I'll aim to fly it then. (Wait, can one do a NAR cert at LDRS?)

Yes...but...why would you want to? <ducking and running away simultaneously>

(And for the record I'm a NAR member too)

 

[86mustang408w]

Trimmed down the one side of poster board after getting out a new knife blade of fins 1 & 3, then did the other side with skins/watered down glue/brush. I'll keep pressure on them, then let then them out in the air 2morrow like usual to dry for a day or so. Number 2 fin I may keep weight on or even clamp for a day or so. Well see how it goes, permanent assembly will start soon. Bed for now.

 

[berlinetta]

I went to start installing the fins on the 5.5" Bullet and found that the fins are not touching the motor tube by a very small amount. Dummy me, forgotbthat adding carbon fiber added a little thickness to the body tube. Back to sanding the fins a little more. The internal fillet on the firward centering ring cured wonderfully. Once the fins are in, I'll do the internal fillet for the mid centering ring.

 

[MikeT]

Zoom meeting to discuss preparation for NASA Student Launch 2024 presentation.

 

[PaddyDaddy]

Started papering and attaching the fins to my most 'spook'tacular rocket.

 

[jqavins]

Evened up the root chords of the half heart fins. Traced them on graph paper then read off points then entered them into RS. The result looks right, it computes the CP without complaint, but the flight results are all NaN.

I copied the .rkt file, then (in the copy) removed the fins and replaced them with simple ones; that simulates fine. So I know the problem is in how I entered the points. Then I went to bed. Just now while typing I think I figured it out, so I'll try to correct it tonight.

There's still a design detail to be worked out; do I place the heart halves with the curves down, like regularish swept fins with rounded bottoms; or with the curves forward, so the heart motif stands out? Once I get the technical difficulties worked out I'll make two RS designs to consider side by side.

 

[Astronaut Cheeseball]

I flew two rockets yesterday my vintage Honest John #2166 (silver bullet) on a 12D-3 & Executioner 1st edition on a 12D-5 respectively. The HJ is completely stock with vacuum form fins went slightly over 400ft. The elastic shock cord gave way on the main body tube due to its 46-year-old hibernation but still managed to land safely without damaging the fins. The Executioner was perfect to approximately 600 ft. The classic orange/white Estes parachute on the HJ is resting safely in a pine tree for my ongoing viewing enjoyment.

 

[Jeff Curtis]

Finished mt The Launch Pad ASM-1. Stickershock23 vinyl decal. Added a clear coat to finish it up/

 

[86mustang408w]

Found this, gonna make a build stand for the rockets. And put CA on the forward bulkhead in the L1 nosecone, and did a skin on fin 2.

 

[bad_idea]

So I still didn't get back to the simming and CADing, nor did I get the nosecone epoxied, nor the repair-tube joined. I did get a ballast weight capsule for this rocket made though.

After a day without progress, I got back to the repair work. Epoxied the nosecone (with a bit of fiberglass thrown in), epoxied the body parts together with the coupler, added a replacement rail guide and cleaned up the weight capsule. The body and - especially - the nosecone will need significant cosmetic work before painting, but I should be able to get it back in the air this weekend, which was the immediate goal.

Also named three rockets:

• Triffid - a 3 x 24mm cluster in BT-70
• Tetraheathen - a 4 x 24mm cluster in BT-80
• Questor - 29mm using Quest 50mm nosecone and body tube

 

[86mustang408w]

Just printed these out, knew I forgot something.

 

[86mustang408w]

Fins look really good, fin # 2(its straight now)needs the skins trimmed down yet. I know they are covered up I'll get pics later on. Because of the warp/bow fin #2 had going on, I did both skins back to back so they dried together with weight that was on a checked level surface. And they all need to be sanded in a few ways. But I'm warming some epoxy up, gonna hit the forward bulkhead in the nosecone hopefully before my Dr appt. But checked some websites and cried a little for the last time.

 

[86mustang408w]

After a day without progress, I got back to the repair work. Epoxied the nosecone (with a bit of fiberglass thrown in), epoxied the body parts together with the coupler, added a replacement rail guide and cleaned up the weight capsule. The body and - especially - the nosecone will need significant cosmetic work before painting, but I should be able to get it back in the air this weekend, which was the immediate goal.

Also named three rockets:

• Triffid - a 3 x 24mm cluster in BT-70
• Tetraheathen - a 4 x 24mm cluster in BT-80
• Questor - 29mm using Quest 50mm nosecone and body tube

I just had to fix a nosecone too with a coupler. I had to cut some out of it then put it all together with epoxy. The Tetraheathen sounds interesting..

 

[RocketTree]

Still working on the Estes Centuri modified into a 2 stage (24 to 18mm). Wood glue internal fillets and ready for rear centering ring. Im pleased to see this kit came with fin slots and tabbed fins on the booster!




Received the AT Barracuda and Wart-Hog, which were on sale and free shipping.





Got a couple Wildman kits from Everdon Hobbies. Vindicator for me and Wildthang for my wife.





Found some Aerotech motors on sale, so got a bunch of them. $29 CDN for a G80!!!!! There was only 1 left...

 

[dmaaero]

Learned a lot from this video today.

 

[Antares JS]

Built up the core of a Fliskits UFFO.

 

[Hobie1dog]

I read 2 back issues of HPR magazine 1996 and 1999

 

[Wally Ferrer]

Ordered some body tubes for some Radical Rocketry kits along with a pair of Great Goblins…

 

[cwbullet]

Started designing a new build that is 3D printed.

 

[les]

Been making progress on my Radical Rocketry TB3. A bit more painting, some touch up, and more decals