Y'know, it's OK to say you made some motors, and even the name of the propellent, size, and stuff like that. Just nothing about the chemistry or techniques.
So, tiny motors? I've often thought about trying to make a minimotor (13 by 40 mm) B.
What did you do rocket wise today?
- Thread starter BeerorKid
- Start date
Help Support The Rocketry Forum:
So, tiny motors? I've often thought about trying to make a minimotor (13 by 40 mm) B.
Attended my local club's (SEVRA) launch down at the field in Elizabeth City, NC (my first launch of 2024). Winds less than forecast until mid-afternoon when the weather-guessers were redeemed.
ARC Team from Norfolk Academy put up what must have been almost a dozen flights, and a goodly number of others launched a variety of rockets as well.
For me; my 1.8x upscale Gyroc on a C6-5, an Estes Long Tom on C6-0 to A8-5, my 'Pulpstar' (a 2.6" Darkstar clone using Estes PS II parts) on a G76 (the Pulpstar is my dual-deployment 'trainer', with a Stratologger CF on board). Attachment is the download from the SLCF. Finished up the day with my Loc Onyx (with fins styled like the Magg) on a G64W. Alas a non-optimal flight profile, skywriting at 50' off the deck, abrupt arrival which broke one of the 1/8" plywood fins just above the fillet, and then ejection sending the nose cone, JLCR, and Flightsketch mini into the rain-filled drainage ditch! After time in the sun the FS Mini seems to be operational, but the JLCR was not responding to button inputs.
Only made it to two launches last year, so hopefully this year sees me exceed last year's total.
ARC Team from Norfolk Academy put up what must have been almost a dozen flights, and a goodly number of others launched a variety of rockets as well.
For me; my 1.8x upscale Gyroc on a C6-5, an Estes Long Tom on C6-0 to A8-5, my 'Pulpstar' (a 2.6" Darkstar clone using Estes PS II parts) on a G76 (the Pulpstar is my dual-deployment 'trainer', with a Stratologger CF on board). Attachment is the download from the SLCF. Finished up the day with my Loc Onyx (with fins styled like the Magg) on a G64W. Alas a non-optimal flight profile, skywriting at 50' off the deck, abrupt arrival which broke one of the 1/8" plywood fins just above the fillet, and then ejection sending the nose cone, JLCR, and Flightsketch mini into the rain-filled drainage ditch! After time in the sun the FS Mini seems to be operational, but the JLCR was not responding to button inputs.
Only made it to two launches last year, so hopefully this year sees me exceed last year's total.
lr64
Well-Known Member
These Jetex pellets I'm making are about that diameter, but shorter. You can put more than one in a motor. But I guess a 13mm motor is a lot smaller than that on the inside. Next stop, MicroMaxx refills.
These are sugar (i.e. rocket candy) and/or epoxy motors, with a side trip into wax. Last night's results were wicked crumbly. Also burned better outside the motor than inside! It's not supposed to work like that.
Built up the back end of the BOSS. I'm thankful to Estes for including the little jig for the pods.
Lots of calculations and trades on my next project, as well as printing test pieces for it. Plan is for a modular motor mount, but I've been hemming and hawing for weeks how long to make the motor section of the rocket. Think I have a plan now.
Also updated my rocketry inventory with a recently arrived holiday sale order from @WILDMANRS . Hat doffed to Tim and company not only for the great prices but also for keeping track of all 100+ items in the order and getting every single one right. I have a hard time being that accurate with my own stuff.
Also updated my rocketry inventory with a recently arrived holiday sale order from @WILDMANRS . Hat doffed to Tim and company not only for the great prices but also for keeping track of all 100+ items in the order and getting every single one right. I have a hard time being that accurate with my own stuff.
Cape Byron
Rocket kits from the Land of Oz
There was a SpaceX launch from Vandenberg at 11pm PST. Cloud cover was solid and didn't see anything. That's two launches from Vandenberg in 2 weeks. I wonder what the payloads were.
I had a Jetex motor for my balsa/tissue free flight aircraft back in about 1972 I think.
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Last edited:
Last night's Vandenberg launch was scrubbed for weather:
This one is a Starlink launch. The last one was also for Starlink, but it additionally carried two undisclosed US government payloads that journalists believed were likely Starshield sats.
It's a pity weather intervened. After two successful launches from the Cape earlier in the day, I was looking forward to them pulling off three launches in a single day.
I looked over my 29SS that I flew at the cup launch last weekend, and everything looks to be fine!
(yoinked this screenshot from the rocketvlogs vid that just went up!, better than my phone video!)
(yoinked this screenshot from the rocketvlogs vid that just went up!, better than my phone video!)
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2022
- Messages
- 3,348
- Reaction score
- 3,061
I have these bottles with isopropyl alcohol. Unfortunately, this. In the heat around here (Houston), it pressurizes and pushes the liquid out the tube. I still find the bottles useful when cleaning certain things, but I have to unscrew the tops enough to vent them when I'm not actually using them to dispense liquid, and empty them back into the storage container when a job is done.
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2022
- Messages
- 3,348
- Reaction score
- 3,061
Working on a Cosmo theme?
If the Midwest wood was flat and you left it there, you goofed up. All the Midwest stuff I've seen in the last year and a half has been as badly warped in general as any of the cheep stuff.
There's an architectural model shop across the parking lot from me. In the past few years, all the modeler builders there have either left for other jobs or changed roles in the company. One of them has become a 3D printing goonru and still knocks out most of the models they do. Most of the traditional model making equipment is mothballed or sold.
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2022
- Messages
- 3,348
- Reaction score
- 3,061
Yesterday, took the family to launch at JSC. Sent my Estes Challenger-ish sized kitbash up on a D12. Sim said it would go to ~1150 ft. Watched it slow its descent repeatedly as it caught thermals on the way down. Ended up ~2600 ft from the launch point, according to the Google Earth tape measure. Got lucky it wasn't on a roof, as there were several of those all around it. Helped several of the ARC guys find their rockets along the way, and found an old, waterlooged Generic E2X that had been left behind in the middle of the field.
Next up: Get my DD and tracker working, even for "low and slow" LPR flights.
Next up: Get my DD and tracker working, even for "low and slow" LPR flights.
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2019
- Messages
- 6,200
- Reaction score
- 4,390
Funny thing growing up in Houston: Never flew with the NAR section there. Only flew out at the Bayou Rifles Addicks Dam shooting range or off the middle of the track at Bellaire Sr. High, which was one street over from where we lived.
ljwilley
I’m pretty sure it will work…
Today I was going through some of my grandpa's old stuff (he used to make model trains) in hopes of finding something useful for rocketry. I found some old circuit board thingies and realized they were basically just 1/16" fiberglass with a cool design on one side. I am planning to make a minimum diameter 54mm rocket with fins cut from the circuit boards. The fins will have carbon fiber cloth on the side that doesn't have the circuit board pattern and leave the side with the pattern uncovered. Should make a cool looking "hi tech" rocket.
Rocketjunkie
Addicted to APCP
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2009
- Messages
- 5,555
- Reaction score
- 1,946
I made some reloadable 13 mm C and D motors. Currently making 18 mm motors up to 10" of propellant (full F). They are D grains and need tiny igniters which I've posted before. Full details on the motors and igniters are in the research forum. This is the 13 mm D:
Those are single-sided printed circuit boards that haven't been drilled for the component leads yet. I wonder if he etched them himself, they look nice.
ljwilley
I’m pretty sure it will work…
I think he at least designed them himself- not sure what they were for though. He built all sorts of random things. They seem to be old, but in very good condition; they are very nice, and will make really good rocket fins.
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2019
- Messages
- 6,200
- Reaction score
- 4,390
They remind me of old Digital Equipment Corp. "Flip-Chip" boards.
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2019
- Messages
- 6,200
- Reaction score
- 4,390
Try a wet-tile saw. Harbor Freight has them for about $60-$70, depending on if you are a member of the Inside Track Club.
I wasn't aware that the epoxy would make a toxic gas when cut with a laser?
At 1/16" thick, you might be able to score it a couple times on each side with a razor knife and snap it.
You can cut it with a hacksaw. You can cut it with a jigsaw. Fine-tooth metal blades will work, may dull. Watch the teeth to see.
You can also get carbide blades for either that will cut it easily. The carbide jigsaw blades cut it like butter.
https://www.acehardware.com/departm...id=a080dc2c36f319033d73ba25f7a45ec8&gclsrc=ds
https://www.acehardware.com/departm...id=978f48aeaa3616d53a482ea76bf27e62&gclsrc=ds
ljwilley
I’m pretty sure it will work…
According to google, fiberglass/carbon/ anything with epoxy will create toxic gas when cut with a laser cutter. It will cut ok, but if you don't have proper ventilation it can be bad. It smells like burning wood when we cut wood on the school laser cutter, so it the wood fibers can escape, toxic gas molecules will have no problem coming out in the room. The stem teacher wouldn't let me cut the fiberglass even if we did have proper ventilation. Thanks for the suggestions!
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2019
- Messages
- 6,200
- Reaction score
- 4,390
After I posted my reply, I googled it. Turns out there are some nasty by-products of burning epoxy. TIL
- Joined
- May 9, 2018
- Messages
- 97
- Reaction score
- 106
Finished the real paint job.
Attachments
Fillets on BOSS. Figured some of these spots might be tough to reach once the disk is installed, so I got it done now.
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2022
- Messages
- 3,348
- Reaction score
- 3,061
Old School Doug
Unwilling participant in the idiocracy.
The last of the winter builds is finished. The Helios Solar Probe is pictured next to its baby brother. I may opt to change out the nose cone down the road to match the original profile. Meh....maybe.
Figured I'd post a "family photo" of the entire group too. The Cyclotron, Argent and Magnum were kits. All the rest are scratch. I'm taking my time on the 4" LOC Nike Zeus for my L2, figuring that I probably won't get to cert until May.
Figured I'd post a "family photo" of the entire group too. The Cyclotron, Argent and Magnum were kits. All the rest are scratch. I'm taking my time on the 4" LOC Nike Zeus for my L2, figuring that I probably won't get to cert until May.
Similar threads
