build thread

I've been wanting to do a build thread, if for no reason other than to better document my build process. Any feedback for improvements I get will be icing on the cake. I happened to be in Colorado Springs last year on my trip to launch rockets for my niece in Oklahoma who has CP (sorry, not her...

This thread is just to document the build for L1. Nothing special about the build, but I already know I will deviate from instructions in one or two places. Nothing major. Kit arrived yesterday.. I'm excited to jump in. When I decided to L1, I wanted a 38mm and I had a couple of kits in mind...

Normally I prefer to properly finish one build thread before starting another, but at this point the Skywriter is just sitting around waiting for paint, so it's time. I will be building this (~30", 24mm powered, BT60): Thanks to @BABAR for the name. John Boren once remarked that coming up...

I had a sudden urge to build a rocket (that happens to me on occasion) and I wanted it to look like a jet. I especially like designs by Shrox and borrowed some inspiration from him while perusing this thread. The result was this: For a starting point, I used the BT-80 body tube with 29mm...

If you've perused the Scratch Built forum, you've probably seen one of neil_w's build threads. He has a real eye for design and his rockets are unique and interesting. His meticulous attention to detail and techniques make for quality build threads. When I saw his Plasma Dart II, I wanted...

The AGM-33 Pike is one kit I've wanted for quite some time. And now, thanks to Papa Elf & my 2019 CIJ Secret Santa, I have one. Just to start things off, here is the OR file, updated with the measured weights for all the parts and a few things that I will be adding to the mix. More to come.

This is going to be a single-post build thread. Maybe two if the forum software won't take all 6 photos at one go. We got a tube of badminton birdies at Big 5 yesterday to replenish our supply...of course I liberated one for nefarious purposes. I actually had an ulterior motive - to check out...

I've been holding off starting this one, but now seems to be the time. Let's kick it off with this, which was a jolly good bit of fun to make:

I decided I'll attempt air starting motors for my next rocket. A 29mm motor in the center would be ignited on the pad, and the two outboard canted motors would be air started. Skunk by mbeels posted May 20, 2019 at 11:28 PM I also wanted to do oblique nose cones. I couldn't find any for...

Hey all, this will be my first post on TRF! I decided I wanted to go for my HPR certifications after building rockets with my school’s rocketry program this past semester. So, I bought myself a LOC 4” Black Brant X to certify L1 and L2 with. I figured going with the biggest kit I could find...

After considering many options for my Level 1 rocket (Zephyr? Super DX3?) I chose the King Kraken. Besides being a really great looking rocket, I liked the tube fins and it could fly on Gs at non-HP fields. But mostly it is a great looking rocket. My plan is to do my Level 1 flight at Red...

Hi! I have been doing low-power rocketry for years, but I recently got interested in doing high-power rocketry, so after reading a book and talking to very helpful people on the forum I think I have a pretty good and detailed idea of what I need to do to build my level 1 rocket. It will be my...

I'm often asked how to build these fiberglass rocket kits that come with just the fiberglass parts and no instructions. So I decided to do a video tutorial on how I build them. This kit is a 3" Bomb Pop purchased from Chris' Rocket Supply. This rocket build is suitable for an advanced Level 1 or...

OK, let's get it started. I shall be building this guy: Here is the obligatory Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive. Credit to @dhbarr for originally suggesting the name. This build is considerably simpler than my last one, and I expect this build thread to be...

How did I get here? It's all Nytrunner's fault. And maybe Steven's, a little. I'm not normally a scale modeler. Although I admire a lot of the typical scale modeling subjects, I've never had the slightest interest in building any of them. Then Nytrunner mentioned his interest in this missile...

Greetings. This is a build of the Accur8 (aka John Pursley) Indigo Ragnarok Orbital Interceptor. John calls it a "short kit" which basically means it's a kitbash, in this case of the Estes Cosmic Interceptor. Here is what the finished model is supposed to look like: I say "supposed to"...

K'Tesh mentioned upscaling a Quinstar. I thought "ha ha that's crazy" but the idea seems to have wedged itself in my brain. It is highly unlikely I'd ever actually do this but it's fun to consider anyway. I would design it for 29mm black powder motors, probably with a BT60 body tube, which...

OK, let's get this party started. Background (even though no one cares) First time I laid eyes on Gary Byrum's (first) APRO Lander I fell in love with the design, and decided to build my own version of it, despite my trepidation at dealing with those gigantic transitions (prior to this build I...

Contents This thread started as a design exploration, but evolved into a real build. For those who want to skip the preliminaries, here's where things happen: Design exploration starts here (this post) Build preparation officially started at post 91 (although I also did some fabrication...

Time to get this build thread started. I debated whether to post it in the LPR or the Scratch Built forums: I think there's more participation in the LPR forum (it's just generally busier there), but I've decided give this one a shot here and see how it goes. I'm hoping I'll get this build...