Activity

Hey, Doug – no need to come to the meeting, we’ll mail you a check!The rules are essentially one shot on a J350, highest boost gets the loot. Very similar to the SSS except different motor and no tracking is…   Read more»

You can enter until the first shot goes up.Ends at the end of the year, prize will be awarded… at the annual meeting

That eliminates me from competing…Doug

$20 entry feeWinner gets the whole pot.You can enter until the first shot goes up.Ends at the end of the year, prize will be awarded to me at the annual meeting OK, maybe the last part isn’t true, but you…   Read more»

Could I get some clarification on the rules for SSSS. The site states- Highest altitude on a J350 motor.- One shot, one try.- Electronic tracking allowed.What is the entry fee?What is the prize?When does it run? (All year?, once per…   Read more»

You in yet JW? Cuz I’m starting to feel pretty confident about my design. You perennial all-stars may be in for a shock. OK, that was totally a joke, but I hope we do get some new blood into these…   Read more»

So, Warren – how many SSS and SSSS do we have? What is in the kitty?

Here’s an idea on attaching the fins. I’ve never tried this but it may work OK, but I’ll leave the analysis to the experts. Rather than mounting the fins directly to the airframe using a conventional surface mount, how ’bout…   Read more»

I second that: Aerosleeves are a great way to start–seamless finish in 30 minutes or less (plus the cure time). Soller Composites also has the sleeves in everything from CF to hybrids to basalt.JS

Batman, try Aerosleeves. They have carbon fabric for $3/ft.

Brilliant discussion guys. This is exactly what I was hoping to read, and getting a variety of ideas and experiences is perfect. Warren, be sure to put my name in the hat for SSSS, I’ll have my $20 at the…   Read more»

agreed, but sometimes it’s just plain fun playing amateur rocket scientist…Personally I think with tip to tip glassing you can do a lotta things wrong and live to tell the tale. If theres a take home message for Batman in…   Read more»

I have flown SkyScraper at BALLS many times, and it is a 3″ diameter rocket w/ 1/8″ fins, and the fins are big as elephant ears. Like my others, it is basic expoxy / surface mount fins / glass tip…   Read more»

I agree. But the fact that it happened on two subsequent weekends at nearly identical altitudes during nearly identical weather conditions, forces me to this otherwise implausible conclusion. I’ve seen it at North site but usually just deflects the rocket…   Read more»

That must be one helluva wind shear if it’s shredding rockets when they’re already at near mach or greater speeds 😯

I agree John, its way easy to get carried away with this stuff. the assumption that then perpetuates the overkill is that it was key to the success when less robust methods were never tried.In other words it is based…   Read more»

Here is my take. I’ve gone mach 2+ a few times on three separate rockets. I’ve personally never used carbon fiber, and my fillets are good ‘ol 30 minute epoxy (no fillers, no fancy expoxy, etc.) For tip to tip…   Read more»

Stiffness is good… no question (that almost sounds lewd) Ask Dan Stroud about the tapering method, that’s where I learned it. It is KEY to high mach flight survival no matter what the material. The change in thickness from root…   Read more»

I’m not saying anything you commented on is wrong. I have no experience with your tapering method, so I can’t comment on whether or not it works, and I will definitely have to try it sometime. If anything in that…   Read more»

When you’ve got an engineering degree and can back up your contention on the shape of fins with facts, figures and money… I’m there… until then, I’ll go with my anecdotal experience and what I’ve seen in rockets like JW…   Read more»

As far as resonance goes, I have to disagree with you about cf vs fg. The nice thing about CF is that it is FAR stiffer than FG, so the resonant frequency of the resulting plate goes way up. Although…   Read more»