I put the first coat of Timbermate filler on the Mars Lander balsa NC, also put it on the seams of the plastic 3" NC for the Guideline.
What did you do rocket wise today?
- Thread starter BeerorKid
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This is the approach I use for my Orbital Transports - call them my 'Fin Defenders'. 3D prints that break-away on impact.
Picture is a 1.67x OT upscale - photo by Rick Cornell - he takes GREAT shots at our club launches!
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Started making research motors for the NCR launch next month:
After I took this picture, I realized that there is a CTI L995 Red Lightning that I built for NSL West in there (second from left).
Last week I built most of the motors for the 18 rockets we plan to fly at NSL West, which is a week before the NCR launch.
Both of these launches are three days long.
Tweety bird is a scratch built five 54mm motor cluster rocket 7.5" in diameter, it has the 54mm M1378 Loki in the center hole, along with the two 54mm J250 Skidmarks, but we are picking up two 54mm J430 White Thunder loads at the launch from CRS. The smaller motors will be air started.
We have flown this configuration before at TRA/PHX, and it went to 8854 ft.
Ground elevation there is less than 1000 ft., NSL is at 7600 ft. so we should get a bit more.
After I took this picture, I realized that there is a CTI L995 Red Lightning that I built for NSL West in there (second from left).
Last week I built most of the motors for the 18 rockets we plan to fly at NSL West, which is a week before the NCR launch.
Both of these launches are three days long.
LAUNCH | LOAD | MANF. | ROCKET | SPEED | ALTITUDE | NOTES |
| NSL | I-180 | CTI SK | DARK JART | 66 | 3200 | |
| NSL | H-115 | AT SU DM | ARGENT | 64 | 2500 | |
| NSL | I-255 | CTI RL | BLACKSTAR JR | 64 | 4400 | |
| NSL | I-285 | CTI RL | ANOTHER JUAN | 60 | 3200 | |
| NSL | K-360 | CTI W | JIMBO JART | 63 | 6500 | |
| NSL | K-540 | AT MS | AVALANCHE | 77 | 9800 | |
| NSL | K-456 | AT DM | BLIZZARD | 58 | 6700 | |
| NSL | K-540 | AT MS | SHARON BLACKSTAR | 59 | 6000 | |
| NSL | K-540 | AT MS | BIG BAD JUAN | 63 | 5600 | |
| NSL | K-550 | AT WL | WAYNE BLACKSTAR | 79 | 7400 | |
| NSL | K-590 | AT DT | FAST FREDDY | 99 | 16,400 | |
| NSL | K-850 | AT SU DM | DRAGO | 67 | 6500 | |
| NSL | L-875 | AT SU DM | SLICK WILLY | 55 | 12,400 | |
| NSL | L-1250 | AT DM | DX3 | 72 | 10,000 | |
| NSL | L-995 | CTI RL | BIG BAD DOG | 78 | 14,300 | |
| NSL | M-1297 | AT W | CUDDLE MONSTER | 87 | 21,400 | |
| NSL | M-1550 | AT RL | EXTREME DARKSTAR | 88 | 15,000 | |
| NSL | M-1378 | LOKI | TWEETY BIRD | | |
Tweety bird is a scratch built five 54mm motor cluster rocket 7.5" in diameter, it has the 54mm M1378 Loki in the center hole, along with the two 54mm J250 Skidmarks, but we are picking up two 54mm J430 White Thunder loads at the launch from CRS. The smaller motors will be air started.
We have flown this configuration before at TRA/PHX, and it went to 8854 ft.
Ground elevation there is less than 1000 ft., NSL is at 7600 ft. so we should get a bit more.
ljwilley
I’m pretty sure it will work…
Finished my BT60 Sidewinder scratch build and finished putting the Lexan fins on my BT80 Delta IV Heavy-Orion. I plan to fly them at Tri Cities Rocketeers' "Missile Madness" Launch on may 4th and 5th.
Wish me luck!
Wish me luck!
rbelknap
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Ooh, welcome to the king kraken club! I did my L1 with mine, then converted it to a dual deploy
rbelknap
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Looks good so far. (May be further down in the thread, but…) what color scheme are you planning ?
n3tjm
Papa Elf
Red inside the tube fins. Black exterior. Already have the red applied.
Also got the white on my Argent but I do not like how the KRYLON 2IN1 GLOSSY White came out. It looks flat white and has to many shadows. Going redo it with Rust-Oleum white and hope for the best.
n3tjm
Papa Elf
Got the black applied to the Kraken. I am curious to see how well the poster board trick worked for masking off the red. I am not happy how the KRYLON 2 in 1 came out so later on I may sand it down and use something else, or if it looks ok just call it good enough. Also got the Rust-Oleum gloss white over the KRYLON. No adverse affects so far.
Spent time on OR for my L3 rocket
Sanded the filler on the Mars Lander NC
Sanded the filler on the Mars Lander NC
Working on my NCR motor list, (see above) I found that I was short for a couple of 54/2550 Not Your Wimpy Red loads. I worked up a mix for my 12 quart, and started it this morning.
After I started mixing, I noticed the mix was too dry, so I went back and checked my excel worksheet and found the error. Sharon re-worked the batch sheet and I went out and "adjusted" the mix. It immediately smoothed out and when we cast it later, it was back to it's normal easy to cast mix.
Time will tell....
Cast 13-4", 5-3" 54's, and 3-5" 75's
After I started mixing, I noticed the mix was too dry, so I went back and checked my excel worksheet and found the error. Sharon re-worked the batch sheet and I went out and "adjusted" the mix. It immediately smoothed out and when we cast it later, it was back to it's normal easy to cast mix.
Time will tell....
Cast 13-4", 5-3" 54's, and 3-5" 75's
n3tjm
Papa Elf
FEAR THE KRAKEN!
Almost had a disaster. I checked the weather report and it said 1% chance of rain for the rest of the evening. Well guess what, I sent my wife home from church because it started to rain to move the rockets inside, and I hoped she made it in time because it became a downpour. They were fine. The poster board in the in fin trick worked great.
I wanted to post this pic here earlier, but apparently it didn't post: I was right, the Aeropack Retainer looks so much better on the Argent than the Big Bulky Plastic stock retainer.
Can't believe I am saying this... But tomorrow I'm getting out the Pink paint.
Almost had a disaster. I checked the weather report and it said 1% chance of rain for the rest of the evening. Well guess what, I sent my wife home from church because it started to rain to move the rockets inside, and I hoped she made it in time because it became a downpour. They were fine. The poster board in the in fin trick worked great.
I wanted to post this pic here earlier, but apparently it didn't post: I was right, the Aeropack Retainer looks so much better on the Argent than the Big Bulky Plastic stock retainer.
Can't believe I am saying this... But tomorrow I'm getting out the Pink paint.
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Received my shipment of airframe tubing to repair my ASP D Region Tomahawk today. I cut off the upper 15" of the booster section that got crunched in the quasi lawn dart a couple of weeks ago, and I glued the coupler in place. Tomorrow I will attach the new length of BT and then prep the bird for paint.
Since I have an extra Doorknob kit laying around (one that got damaged in shipping) I decided to use the nosecone out of it as part of a science project to mock up various ideas I have for my 54mm extreme Doorknob idea... has anyone ever done HED on an Estes kit? lol.....
Im not happy with how this is turning out, so I will probably end up going with apogee deployment and a chute release on this hot rod... Now to order some custom centering rings and G10 fins for this build!
Since I have an extra Doorknob kit laying around (one that got damaged in shipping) I decided to use the nosecone out of it as part of a science project to mock up various ideas I have for my 54mm extreme Doorknob idea... has anyone ever done HED on an Estes kit? lol.....
Im not happy with how this is turning out, so I will probably end up going with apogee deployment and a chute release on this hot rod... Now to order some custom centering rings and G10 fins for this build!
miket6000
Well-Known Member
Sanded and tidied up the second flax-laminated plywood fin I made recently, then brushed about 25gms of bio-epoxy onto each side to start finishing them off.
Laid baking sheet on top of the brushed epoxy to aid the surface finish. First side took from 09:30 to 14:30 before I was happy to peel the baking sheet off. Second side is in progress with the epoxy & sheet applied at 17:30. Fin no.1 is on the LHS of the photo.
Laid baking sheet on top of the brushed epoxy to aid the surface finish. First side took from 09:30 to 14:30 before I was happy to peel the baking sheet off. Second side is in progress with the epoxy & sheet applied at 17:30. Fin no.1 is on the LHS of the photo.
redesigned a fin can
Finished a couple little guys yesterday and got in the first flights. Decided to go with florescent pink for visibility. Every corn stock piece looked like my yellow mosquito. I saw this one bounce off the ground. First time I ever just walked right over to my mosquito and picked it up.
Sooner Boomer
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Started a spreadsheet to compare different research motor formulations on my lunch break at work...
n3tjm
Papa Elf
Finished painting the Argent. My wife says I should call it "Hello Kitty"
Worked on OR changing things around to see the results.
Worked on a pretty cool and important document and PowerPoint 
miket6000
Well-Known Member
It was Tuesday. I'm a little behind. Yesterday was prep for todays Colonoscopy so I have been preoccupied. I finally flew the TRF Traveling Rocket and I was disappointed. I have had it for maybe 2 months. I had planned on flying it on an F44 to 1700'. The wind here has been blowing 10 to 15mph all year. Some days the low speed has been 24 with winds to 40mph. Rarely do we get a day with 8mph wind. Before Tuesday I have had 3 chances. The first time I turned on the FS at home and it worked. Got out to the field and it didn't. Changed the battery and waited for another low wind day. A couple of weeks later there was one. Checked the FS at home and it worked. When I got to the field it didn't. About 10 days ago I had another chance. When I got to the field the FS worked. I put the motor in and couldn't find the retainer. I thought are you stupid. That night when I emptied my pockets the retainer was in one. The 10 day forecast was once again for 10 to 15mph with gusts to 20mph. I ordered the two smallest motors that would work from BMS. The next day I went out to the field. The wind was steady at 10+. I waited until 7pm hoping the wind would slow. No luck. I put it up on a D12. When it left the rail it turned into the wind and flew straight. Thrust Curve said 460'. It made it to 360'. So because of the unrelenting wind I went from 1700' to 360'. Very disappointing. I hope to get it again and that the winds are not the same. It goes onto the next person either Friday or Saturday.
Made some thick wall custom cardboard tube to cut up as nozzle insulators for RattWorks I80.
Designed another rail button to test print this weekend.
n3tjm
Papa Elf
Done!
Yes. I cut the bottom out of a Big Daddy nose cone to do HED, because I had changed the MMT out to hold a CTI 29 mm three grain case.
Has anyone ever made a "Little Man" to go with "Fat Boy"?
Whatever motor it's designed around, you could put in a letter higher, short burn one and call it "Bye Bye Kitty".
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I picked up a piece of nice, hard balsa to use as the fins on a Mosquito upscale yesterday.
Definitely needs moar HK!
As for me, I'm growing increasingly frustrated by my brain's ability to churn out cool and interesting rocket build ideas at a pace orders of magnitude faster than I can actually build anything.
That is a link to the
Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority face book page
Without fb look here
https://airspaceportok.com/
At first glance, on the fb page, it looked like college students at a local launch. But then it quickly turned into politics.
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