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I learn from observation. Keep up the pictures. I really enjoy them.

Thanks Warren,I used 1 1/4″ for this. Did a 29mm also, used 3/4″ for that one.

Very nicely done. I never thought of using EMT as a mandrel. I’ve always used paper or phenolic tubing except for the 38mm mandrel I had one of my machinist buddies make from schedule 80 aluminum pipe.

So, were they flying under NAR guidelines and is THIS a case where you call in the for the insurance coverage… j/k :))

My guess is that when a large chunk of fuel hits the ground, it cracks or fragments, substantially increasing the burn surface area and dispersing burning chunks.

Good point about the explosions. They’re probably referring to the explosion-like bursts you can see when a large chunk hits the ground, but I’m not sure of what exactly is going on.Perhaps when a large chunk, engulfed in flames, hit…   Read more»

Interesting how the casing split grew from 71″ to 254″ BEFORE the motor failed. Sound pretty robust to me.Odd that the propellant fragments released caused explosions. Seems that once they were out of the casing (no longer any chamber pressure),…   Read more»

I had a series of business trips to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (to work with some folks on an upcoming Titan-IV launch) starting about 5 months after this failure. The craters and burned-out cars were still there — the…   Read more»

I didn’t end up fixing any of the flaws I mentioned above, and the possible slight cock of the coupler probably contributed to some coning I saw during the burn today. I prepped it on Friday, and let the av-bay…   Read more»

I got the F10 casing out, so the nosecone is just about ready to go. There are a few surface flaws from bubbles that I may try to fix before I fly it, or I may not, since it has…   Read more»

Very nice Adrian. You should try spincasting them. I’m sure a chopped carbon fiber layup would be as strong and smooth. Tungsten is used to weight golf club heads – you know, the new space ship flying saucer drivers.EdwardSPACE SHIP…   Read more»

I think it would be fine with the mass involved. I’ll just hold it between centers and spin slowly to start.Edward

Adrian,I have some old resins, I’ll dig them out. Maybe at a launch we could do a transfer and I could spin one and see how it works.EdwardThat would be cool. Can you use my eyeballed-center silicone/acrylic mold, or would…   Read more»

That is amazing! I just hope I can get that good in the future.Remember, if the women don’t find you handsome, at least they will find you handy!The nice Aluminum plug was made in a CNC lathe, by the guys…   Read more»

Adrian,I have some old resins, I’ll dig them out. Maybe at a launch we could do a transfer and I could spin one and see how it works.Edward

That is amazing! I just hope I can get that good in the future.Remember, if the women don’t find you handsome, at least they will find you handy!

If you do not have a lathe, you could use a drill press. Keeps it all vertical unless you have to turn it on it’s side. I have used a drill press before for spinning things and if made strong…   Read more»

Wow, and that resin has 90 second pot life, with 5-8 minute demold time. If you work out the spinning, you could crank out 10 cones in an afternoon with that stuff.

If you do not have a lathe, you could use a drill press. Keeps it all vertical unless you have to turn it on it’s side. I have used a drill press before for spinning things and if made strong…   Read more»

Adrian,I think it would be as strong. You could put some epoxy in the nosecone, then add the sleeve and spin. The nice thing is that it keeps it all against the edges. You can go as thick as a…   Read more»