What I did today -instead- of Rocketry.

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I just got back from the TAGS Championship swim meet in Houston. 3 days of the boys swimming and me sitting in the parking lot, at least they live stream it. This was little dude’s (9yo) first time qualifying for this meet, but he did really well handling his nerves and dropped time in both events swam. He puts in the work, so it was cool to see him put up his best performance at his first TX championship meet.
 
After a fun weekend flying indoor RC, my venerable Honda Odyssey van had an alternator go out in the middle of nowhere yesterday evening. Almost made it to Eastland, TX, but the battery gave out about 8 miles west. Was luckily able to get a tow quickly on a Sunday evening and after a night at the local LaQuinta and a morning to get an alternator to the shop, they are bolting it on, now.

Really can’t complain. This is the very first time I have ever had a vehicle break down more than 20 minutes from home. Meanwhile, sitting in the waiting room and reading TRF.
 
Cut off the old vise mount someone put on the rocket recovery vehicle and made a new removable mount.

2 things:

1: I like the installation. It is both high quality and shows a well thought out plan. You are obviously someone who knows their trade as well as the trades of many others. A good guy to have around in a pinch.
2: What does the rest of the RRV look like?

Sandy.
 
After a fun weekend flying indoor RC, my venerable Honda Odyssey van had an alternator go out in the middle of nowhere yesterday evening. Almost made it to Eastland, TX, but the battery gave out about 8 miles west. Was luckily able to get a tow quickly on a Sunday evening and after a night at the local LaQuinta and a morning to get an alternator to the shop, they are bolting it on, now.

Really can’t complain. This is the very first time I have ever had a vehicle break down more than 20 minutes from home. Meanwhile, sitting in the waiting room and reading TRF.
How many miles on it? What year. Crap does occur.
 
Second and likely last day of pseudo quarantine. My wife is a contact of a kid in one of the classroms she works in who was positive. So she was sentenced to 10 days of quarantine by the contact tracer, who made it clear that the state and conty don't say that I have to quarantine unless she developes symptoms. My employer said the same, until my wife got an official order of quarantine from the county. Now, the state and county don't say anything's changed for me, but my employer does. So I can go out all I want, just not to work until I show them a negative test.

I got the test yesterday and am expecting the result today, and a return to work tomorrow. Working from home really doesn't work for me, so I'm burning a couple of vacation days.

After getting the test yesterday and completing a bunch of other errands, while finally heading home with a week's groceries, the transmission died. It'll out of action until next week, and cost nearly $4000 that I don't have.
 
How many miles on it? What year. Crap does occur.
2009 Odyssey Touring, with 158,000 miles on it. First breakdown with it, ever. No complaints.

An excellent RC airplane and rocket hauler! Was nice to be retired and not stressing about having to be at work on a Monday after a weekend away at a model event.
 
Got to design & work with gears: gear ratios & beveled gears to do an adjustment mechanism.. And trying to fit a 1:5 into a 3.5" space is next to impossible!! yes, 1:5.. not 5:1.. (I want to turn my knob 1 turn. That should equal a nut (5/8-18 UNF) to rise/lower about 1/4" [±1/8" from center]; about 5 turns) Next option is to look at a thread of 12 or 8 TPI, on a 3/4" or 1" shaft..

Playing with Lego gears is one thing. McMaster* gears are another world completely!

* just about every mechanical designer's, starting point!
 
Got to design & work with gears: gear ratios & beveled gears to do an adjustment mechanism.. And trying to fit a 1:5 into a 3.5" space is next to impossible!! yes, 1:5.. not 5:1.. (I want to turn my knob 1 turn. That should equal a nut (5/8-18 UNF) to rise/lower about 1/4" [±1/8" from center]; about 5 turns) Next option is to look at a thread of 12 or 8 TPI, on a 3/4" or 1" shaft..

Playing with Lego gears is one thing. McMaster* gears are another world completely!

* just about every mechanical designer's, starting point!

Not sure if you're familiar with SDP-SI.com, but they have a lot of small gearing and related components.

http://www.ascentgear.com/ is a nice mom-n-pop company I've used for small run customs (special zero-backlash gears for a measurement instrument - I think that was a 1:150 gearbox, also in a tiny area). Not cheap, but they were good people. They may have stock items as well, but what I needed was custom.

Sandy.
 
2009 Odyssey Touring, with 158,000 miles on it. First breakdown with it, ever. No complaints.

An excellent RC airplane and rocket hauler! Was nice to be retired and not stressing about having to be at work on a Monday after a weekend away at a model event.
@tab28682 That is a very good track record. I own a 205 VW Golf TDI diesel and have 250,000 miles on it. I've needed to do some repairs/maintenance which is expected. So far it has never failed me on the road. Cross fingers & toes. Knock on wood.
 
Sold my full-height drillpress to a work colleague. He dropped in after work and took it off my hands. That freed up space in my workshop. I have been dancing around that piece of equipment for years. It really was getting in the way. I have a full-size knee mill now, so I will use that whenever I need to drill now. The extra floor space, although only small, makes a world of difference for accessing my storage shelves. Should have done this years ago.
 
Not sure if you're familiar with SDP-SI.com, but they have a lot of small gearing and related components.

http://www.ascentgear.com/ is a nice mom-n-pop company I've used for small run customs (special zero-backlash gears for a measurement instrument - I think that was a 1:150 gearbox, also in a tiny area). Not cheap, but they were good people. They may have stock items as well, but what I needed was custom.

Sandy.
super! yes, thank you!
 
Got to design & work with gears: gear ratios & beveled gears to do an adjustment mechanism.. And trying to fit a 1:5 into a 3.5" space is next to impossible!! yes, 1:5.. not 5:1.. (I want to turn my knob 1 turn. That should equal a nut (5/8-18 UNF) to rise/lower about 1/4" [±1/8" from center]; about 5 turns) Next option is to look at a thread of 12 or 8 TPI, on a 3/4" or 1" shaft..

Playing with Lego gears is one thing. McMaster* gears are another world completely!

* just about every mechanical designer's, starting point!
@dr wogz Check this out. I bought this a few years ago just to learning more about gears & gear ratios.

https://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/M4550.html
 
took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather (+8°C!!) and started to chip ice out of teh driveway. Snow packs / condenses into ice when you repeatedly drive over it, and toss in some 'winter rain & sleet' a few weeks ago..) this is a years spring time 'right of passage'.. (no pun intended)

it is also somewhat satisfying too!! and I get to ply 'hydraulasist' and make channels & paths for the water to drain away..
 
A mere 230 miles south (and 170 miles west) of Montreal, here it's 68° F, and I'm stuck at work instead of home painting rockets. (The packed snow/ice partly melted away in the brief warmup a couple of weeks ago, and with more melt in the last couple of days there's almost none left.) I won't believe winter weather is really over for another month.
 
Decided on my goal race: Dallas Marathon and time: 3:59:59.

I was looking for a fall race, but until they just moved this one I thought I was going to have to travel for a good sized one. My best half marathon distance run so far is 1:59:33, so I have a lot of work to do to extend that pace. Fortunately I have 9 months to do it...If my knees hold out that is.
 
Last edited:
Decided on my goal race: Dallas Marathon and time: 3:59:59.

I was looking for a fall race, but until they just moved this one I thought I was going to have to travel for a good sized one. My best half marathon distance run so far is 1:59:33, so I have a lot of work to do to extend that pace. Fortunately I have 9 months to do it...If my knees hold out that is.
The Las Vegas Marathon is in November.
 
2 things:

1: I like the installation. It is both high quality and shows a well thought out plan. You are obviously someone who knows their trade as well as the trades of many others. A good guy to have around in a pinch.
2: What does the rest of the RRV look like?

Sandy.
Thanks!!! The truck is my sons, who thought it was a good idea to get a vintage diesel flatbed with a welder and leave it at our house. Seems he knew I would tinker with it!!!

IMG_1544.jpgIMG_E0432.JPG
 
Last edited:
Back
Top