Activity

Excess in Moderation is a LOC Fantom EXL with G10 fins. I don’t know how it hit hard enough (it appeared to be coming in quite gently) to tear through the core and 6 layers of glass (3 t-t on…   Read more»

I think the root of the issue — no pun intended — is wooden fins. PML is a great, low-cost resource for cutting G10 fins. The fins are a bit more expensive up front, but when you calculate all the…   Read more»

to name a few have really undersized chutes for us.I’ve given up using chutes supplied with the kits. I like the Skyangle chutes.Grind out your fins with a dremel all the way to the motor mount and glue in new…   Read more»

I’ll probably get overruled, but I’d recommend cutting the fin completely out and putting in a new one by the original method. I’ve had similar damage happen with my L1 (also LOC), and repaired with more glass and epoxy each…   Read more»

Glass em tip to tip.But you might want a little heavier glass.20 min. epoxy is fine, but is an expensive way if your doing a lot.

Hey Tony, that’s a great shot of you and Steve! We need to get you guys to come this way for a launch sometime… Our ground is a bit harder so you won’t have to dig as deep 8OWould love…   Read more»

I’ve been using .125″ G-10 for the base of my fins and then go 1/3 – 2/3- then tip to tip. I’ve not had any problems with this, on 75mm, 98mm or 5″ min dia rockets, on the way up…   Read more»

His CF construction is an absolute art. The amount of preparation and design of jigs/mandrels is ridiculous. The biggest construction design that shocked me was the amount of layers he used to laminate his fins, talk about rigidness. I’m almost…   Read more»

Great article! I’ve been doing similar projects for the last 5 years, but have never taken the time and trouble that he does on edge fraying and lining up the weave. Particularly the way he deals with the seam alignment…   Read more»

One of the rockets I found this year at Balls…while looking for the hole mine made…was a 3″ min dia rocket that lawn darted into the playa. I knew just from the craftmanship who’s it was. I’d never met Jim…   Read more»

Great find. Had to read several times to absorb all the details of information.Awesome finish indeed.David

He does Nice Work.All the harder though, when it gets destroyed.

That was super interesting – learned a lot of things about construction even if I don’t do CF. Thanks for posting the link.

I’ve been looking at this issue for a still camera setup. Vern Knowles has some good guidance on his site (http://vernk.com/). His Starfire project has what I think is a very nice method. His Wildfire project uses a somewhat less…   Read more»

Yeah, that’s it. I could just have an arial shell pop out at apogee. The boss would want to be there for that one though, he would love it….. It would just take a 1.5″ mortar, shell and igniter and…   Read more»

Nice Scott… See, I knew if I didn’t say ignore the fire bomb someone would run with it. I should have known you couldn’t resist. Heck, let’s just put a ballon in there with oxy/accetalene and blow the bugger to…   Read more»

Nice Scott… See, I knew if I didn’t say ignore the fire bomb someone would run with it. I should have known you couldn’t resist. Heck, let’s just put a ballon in there with oxy/accetalene and blow the bugger to…   Read more»

Hey, I think you could see that fire bomb in the sky!

This all started with an “I wonder if it would work” thought one day after talking to Bdale back on the Friday of O-fest. Man, I need to quit talking to people. The whole idea of a main coming…   Read more»

Carpenter’s chalk or tempra paint makes for a splash spot in the sky at deployment of the dust, but it also makes for a really messy cleanup of the rocket and shock cords and parachutes. I’ve tried to confine the…   Read more»