Carded Orbital Transport

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hcmbanjo

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I hadn't built a carded model in a while. A few years ago I'd built this downsized Orbital Transport but wasn't happy with the results. It was an early attempt at carded rockets and I really hadn't learned how to build them.

I was time for another try.
I first found the model on Wayne Hill's Rocketry Blog at:
https://rocketry.wordpress.com/ultimate-paper-rocket-guide/paper-rocket-partial-builds/
Scroll down about halfway and look for the pictures.

Everything was printed up on 110 lb. cardstock.
The longer Booster is based on a BT-5 and is only 12.5" long. The Orbiter is smaller at 4.75" long. I re-used the balsa cone from the original Booster build.
The Orbiter nose cone was carved and sanded down from a spare 5 size balsa cone to fit the smaller rolled body tube.
There are a lot of laminations in this build! Most all flat fins were a "sandwich" of 110# cardstock, cereal box cardboard and 110# cardstock.
While the instructions said to make the Nacelles 2 ply, I didn't laminate them. They were just rolled over the glue tab.
The only thing missing on the printouts were the canopy for the booster nose cone. I drew one up on Corel Draw. Both canopies were printed on 20 lb copy paper, cut out and glued to the finished nose cones with white glue.
Recovery of the Booster is a 18" crepe paper streamer.

I have flown the first version before using A10-3T engines. The Orbiter actually glides pretty well with a little clay nose weight.

I'm curious who took the time to downsize and draw this one up - there is no name to give credit to. Whoever it was did a great job!

Orbital Transport 1.jpg

Orbital Transport 2.jpg

Orbital Transport 3.jpg

Orbital Transport 4.jpg
 
I hadn't built a carded model in a while. A few years ago I'd built this downsized Orbital Transport but wasn't happy with the results. It was an early attempt at carded rockets and I really hadn't learned how to build them.

I was time for another try.
I first found the model on Wayne Hill's Rocketry Blog at:
https://rocketry.wordpress.com/ultimate-paper-rocket-guide/paper-rocket-partial-builds/
Scroll down about halfway and look for the pictures.

Everything was printed up on 110 lb. cardstock.
The longer Booster is based on a BT-5 and is only 12.5" long. The Orbiter is smaller at 4.75" long. I re-used the balsa cone from the original Booster build.
The Orbiter nose cone was carved and sanded down from a spare 5 size balsa cone to fit the smaller rolled body tube.
There are a lot of laminations in this build! Most all flat fins were a "sandwich" of 110# cardstock, cereal box cardboard and 110# cardstock.
While the instructions said to make the Nacelles 2 ply, I didn't laminate them. They were just rolled over the glue tab.
The only thing missing on the printouts were the canopy for the booster nose cone. I drew one up on Corel Draw. Both canopies were printed on 20 lb copy paper, cut out and glued to the finished nose cones with white glue.
Recovery of the Booster is a 18" crepe paper streamer.

I have flown the first version before using A10-3T engines. The Orbiter actually glides pretty well with a little clay nose weight.

I'm curious who took the time to downsize and draw this one up - there is no name to give credit to. Whoever it was did a great job!
That was me. Thanks for the compliment. I originally just made it for myself but everyone kept asking for the files and when Wayne offered to host them, I sent them off so anyone could make one. And yes, the orbiter does glide fairly well even at that size.

I made mine with 65# paper and the fins were a sandwich of three ply 65# paper and it has stood up pretty well.

I use either 1/2A3-4T or A3-4T engines in mine.

I colored in the canopy on mine with a Sharpie

OT_1.JPG
 
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I'm curious who took the time to downsize and draw this one up - there is no name to give credit to. Whoever it was did a great job!

All but one of those on that page are Bob's.

That why it says "Bob Harrington’s Mini Rocket Clones" :)
 
Well then - Thank you Bob Harrington!

I guess I didn't associate your name with the models way down the page.
I stand corrected and kudos to you for all your work!
 
I got a little more time to look at the pictures of your build.. Nice job!

I was noticing with the cereal box laminate that the fins have actual thickness. When using light 65 lb paper like I did, the fins are very thin.

What kind of a glide did you get? On mine, the first flight was on an A3-4T and the glider went straight for the trees but I was able to find it about 10 ft inside the tree line. Since then I have flown it on 1/2A3-4T's most of the time.
 
Using the 110 lb. stock for the outside layers and cereal box card on the inside, it's close to 3/64" thick or just under 1/16" thickness. The disadavantage is you see the three layers, with the brown middle layer when looking at the edges. On your model I only see the white edge.

I prefer using the 110 lb. cardstock, it's stronger especially when rolling tubing.

Regarding glide times, the first flight didn't have a chance to glide. Boost was straight up, at ejection the orbiter got tangled in the shock cord at ejection.

On the second flight the glider separated as it should. The glide wasn't timed, but I would guess it was about 7 or 8 seconds. It was a fast glide. Everybody was surprised it did so well, including me. I didn't do any real test glides, I guessed at the amount of nose weight. The clay, when rolled into a ball, is about the size of a pea.
This time, I'll put the clay inside the body, behind the nose cone. On the first model, I pressed the clay around the "hold down pin" and standoff. Some of the the clay touched the nose cone. I tried to reuse the nose cone from the first model but the oil in the clay had gotten into the white paint of the nose cone and into the balsa. Even after sanding off the paint the oil wouldn't let any paint stick to that area on the balsa.
 
Using the 110 lb. stock for the outside layers and cereal box card on the inside, it's close to 3/64" thick or just under 1/16" thickness. The disadavantage is you see the three layers, with the brown middle layer when looking at the edges. On your model I only see the white edge.
What I have been doing lately is gluing both fin halves to extra stock and then cutting them out and gluing together making them 4 ply.

Since paper has a grain, make sure and glue the parts 90 degrees so the grains run perpendicular for less warpage.

I also only cut out 3 sides of the fins before the final lamination and cut the root edge after everything is glued together to make a nice flat root edge for gluing.

I prefer using the 110 lb. cardstock, it's stronger especially when rolling tubing.
Yes 110 lb. stock is stronger but this was designed with a full width tab so the body tube is actually double thick. Did you have trouble with the seam lining up with the thicker paper? On some of my designs, I let the color extend into the tab a bit so the seam won't show as easily.

I didn't do any real test glides, I guessed at the amount of nose weight. The clay, when rolled into a ball, is about the size of a pea.
Sounds about right. I used about the same amount. I test glided with the rear disc off and jammed the clay into the nose with a dowel until I got a good glide. I then glued the disc on and the slight extra weight made the glide flatter but still without stalling.

Oh, and do you prefer to be called Hans or Chris
 
What I have been doing lately is gluing both fin halves to extra stock and then cutting them out and gluing together making them 4 ply.

Since paper has a grain, make sure and glue the parts 90 degrees so the grains run perpendicular for less warpage.

I also only cut out 3 sides of the fins before the final lamination and cut the root edge after everything is glued together to make a nice flat root edge for gluing.

Yeah, I'm using a very similar technique for my 4 ply parts, with the addition that I added a cutout line for the actual making of the ply's, outside the actual part, then the final cutting out of the parts can be done after they are all glued up.

I've done the 90' turn layered style of ply, and also just slapping em together, and havn't seen any warpage or loss of strength worth noting.:confused2:

One thing 'I' personally do, that I feel makes the parts a bit stronger, and I really have to test this, is heat iron the parts after they have thoroughly dried. The Heat bends them upward, then I quickly flip the part, and iron again. I repeat this in quick succession until the part stops bending, meaning all layers at are about the same temp...and whatever else. Then lay them on a cake style cooling rack until they return to room temp.

Eric:)
 
To Bob H and Eric,
I've been just "slapping" these together without paying attention to the cardstock grain direction, I probably should. With the three ply of 110 cardstock, cereal box, 110 cardstock they are plenty strong.
But, if I were doing three plys of just the 110 cardstock, it'd be a better idea to glue with the 90 degree turns of the cardstock.

I flew the carded Orbital Transport today at our monthly R.O.C.K. launch.
I loaded it up with an A10-3t engine.

I told everyone to watch for the glider. Boost was great, good altitude and the streamer deployed. I was looking for the glider - nothing!
Someone said: "It's still on the booster!"
Both landed without damage. Afterwards, the glider slid easily off the hold down lug, no binding at all.
Go figure!

Thanks to Roger Smith for the pictures!

Carded Orbital Transport A10 3t ROCK June 4 2010.jpg

Carded Orbital Transport Launch A10-3t ROCK June 4 2010.jpg
 
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You all have inspired me to try a cardstock rocket build. I have an upscale of the Orbital Transport under construction, an old standard OT (with green decals instead of red), so a small one is obviously needed in my fleet.
 
Hi Lee,
Get ready - this carded OT is quite the project but worthwhile! I forgot how many pieces and parts went into the whole build. You can actually use the old Estes instructions to put it together.

Let us know how it goes.
 
To Bob H and Eric,
I've been just "slapping" these together without paying attention to the cardstock grain direction, I probably should. With the three ply of 110 cardstock, cereal box, 110 cardstock they are plenty strong.
But, if I were doing three plys of just the 110 cardstock, it'd be a better idea to glue with the 90 degree turns of the cardstock.

I usually go one step further, and turn some of the layers 45 degrees as well. So, if I have a 4 layer fin, the two outside layers will usually be at a 45 degree grain (put them on the page so the leading edge fold line is at 45 degrees) and then two 90 degree layers for the inside. Putting the grain in four directions helps control the curl even more.
 
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