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Model Rocketry Discussion Thread


ZodiaK

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google is yall's friend

The problem with that is that Google primarily turns up numerous building instructions for kids. Though I like to believe I am young at heart, I feel that is slightly below my capabilities.

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I had a random thought the other day and I was wondering if anyone in the Model Rocket thread might be able to answer it.

Would it be possible to use dehydrated fat powder instead of sugar with potassium nitrate?

I was thinking with fat's higher energy density it might be stronger, but chemical reactions aren't always that straightforward.

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Tommy off the top of my head maybe? but remember you also have to be able to oxidize it really fast...

In other news I finally got pics of my rocket under flight

Yes its oily nature might make it burn like a smoky road flare instead.

I wish I could experiment with it, but I live in California where the fire season lasts about 51 weeks out of 52.

Nice looking launch though.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I launched again this month... And had issues... One of my rail buttons that guide the rocket got jammed under the rail somehow which meant my rocket sat on the pad for longer than it should have ~3 secs ~.5 sec once the motor was ignited. The album below should show what happened. The rocket was successfully recovered, minus one rail button.

Javascript is disabled. View full album
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I launched again this month... And had issues... One of my rail buttons that guide the rocket got jammed under the rail somehow which meant my rocket sat on the pad for longer than it should have ~3 secs ~.5 sec once the motor was ignited. The album below should show what happened. The rocket was successfully recovered, minus one rail button.

http://imgur.com/a/y7rET

Live and learn?

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I launched again this month... And had issues... One of my rail buttons that guide the rocket got jammed under the rail somehow which meant my rocket sat on the pad for longer than it should have ~3 secs ~.5 sec once the motor was ignited. The album below should show what happened. The rocket was successfully recovered, minus one rail button.

http://imgur.com/a/y7rET

Was there any damage to the rocket?

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Bill Phill... Yep new line on my list says check rail alignment and buttons as last step

FishInferno... Lost a rail button so need to get a new pair, thrust ring on the bottom is nice and charred and burned, so I have to sand off the burned part and glue a new thrust plate on (with the access to tools i have less than 4 hrs of work)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Resurrecting the resurrection thread!

My level 2 rocket is being worked on actively again, the build is done and I'm working on paint at the moment. Here's a rough idea of what it'll look like. Don't worry about the stability info if it looks off to you, still configuring the rocket in OpenRocket. Going to fly it on an Aerotech J350:

KrWEHmQ.png

Edit:

So far the whole rocket is nice and white, the nosecone is bright red and the upper tube has its red coat done.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am now L2 certified! The guys at SRA, my local club, were really helpful in getting me my test and my paperwork done. It took a long time to set up, but the prep time was all worth it for a perfect flight. Pictures are forthcoming!

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What is a rail button? Is it one of the guiding loops/eyes through which the rail slides?

They are the black plastic things in this photo

CGRB02.JPG

They help guide the rocket along the rail until there is enough airflow over the fins to provide stability

Oh and Budgie, if the guys at the field did not say it... CONGRATS and welcome to the big spending leagues, get out your checkbook.

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They are the black plastic things in this photo

http://www.cdimodelrocketry.com/Misc/CGRB02.JPG

They help guide the rocket along the rail until there is enough airflow over the fins to provide stability

Ah, thanks. That was something like, but different from, what I was expecting. I do not know why I could not find anything on that last time, must have fat fingered the search terms.

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Oh, I know the costs already, B787! Mjolnir II was a fun project, but shipping it from Boston back to Florida for the launch wasn't fun. Next I plan to build a rocket from scratch. I'll probably look at a mid-power motor, maybe an F or G with motor ejection for the recovery systems.

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So I went to the Malvern show grounds today to wander through a giant flea and collectors fair. It was a great day for finding vintage space bits.

In addition to finding a excellent 1st edition of Von Braun's "The Exploration of Mars" (for £1!), I also found a mint original Estes Astrocam (ready to fly model). Since 110 film seems to be back in fashion due to the lomo movement, maybe I should fly it? Thoughts?

FYI- I had one of these back in the late 60's. The pics usually turn out like crap, but sometimes they worked - I can't even begin to think how many motors were spent trying to get a good pic. makes me laugh thinking about it now in retrospect.

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  • 1 month later...

sooooooooo if any of you know i place i can get a custom nosecone turned i would REALLLY appreciate it. I have some tubes that are 3 in ID and 3.325 in OD and all comercial nose cones I have found are 3.1 in OD... and that jump will drive me NUTS

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