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If you include the kinetic energy once up to velocity, the lead will hit harder. Velocity and weight being the same, should be about the same, but we know the lead is more dense, so the energy stored will be…   Read more»

Which hits harder – a pound of lead or a pound of steel?Edward

Mold it into the shape of your nose cone? Make a male model, make the female in plaster. Fill the new mold with lead, break the plaster off, unless you want to save it. You could even make the male…   Read more»

Lead is so sticky on the tooling. My one experiment with it chattered like crazy and I gave it up.

You could just buy a piece of lead and turn it in the shape of a nosecone :)Edward

Lead shot mixed with epoxy in the nose cone is the most common way. If you have space, then BBs are also an inexpensive solution (plus they are easy to find at any Walmart or sporting goods store).Mark makes a…   Read more»

You can get tungsten powder from Amazon, but it’s not all that cheap. People use it for weighting golf clubs. It’s about $15 for 1/2 lb if I recall correctly. It’s a pretty easy way to shave 1/2″ off of…   Read more»

I typically use lead shot, mixed with epoxy. This gets a lot of weight right near the tip, so the CG is affected more efficiently than with a less-dense weight.I like to do this in pretty small batches of a…   Read more»

As I recall Adrian Adamson purchased a few hundred grams of tungsten powder via ebay for very little money. My weighted nose cones have used the smalled fishing bb-shot or lead shotgun ammo mixed into a paste with 5-30 minute…   Read more»

The large fins of the Jumanji should work in your favor, pulling the CP back. Have you done any sims to determine what kind of margin you’re looking at? Just throw in a wide range of motors (light, heavy, long,…   Read more»

Thanx Bear. I’m thinking this is the easiest approach, even if it doesn’t readily allow one to dial in the weight at the launch – one can just set for worst case (largest) motor.

During the NFL playoffs I clean house and watch/listen to westerns.(Wife has been gone a month and comes home tomorrow, I am shampooiing carpets right now.)I use BB’s, lead shot from reloading shotgun shells, or fishing sinkers(# 7 or 7…   Read more»

Sonotube in 6’6″ diameter….Sounds like we have a plan for the full scale Mercury.Art, you still want to ride on top?

Yes, yes I do!

I went to the Newark factory once off I-225 and I-70, southwest corner. I walked right in, bought a couple sample tubes, walked out. Must have changed policy.Edward

If Tim’s source doesn’t work out, Rio Grande Supply in Denver carries the Newark tubes.These tubes are not always perfectly round or concentric, so I suggest that you draw your specified diameter on a piece of cardboard. The tubes are…   Read more»

8) You DOG! I will check it out Monday. Should be able to get the 6″ – 8″ for free, I will check on the 20″ Tim

I will stop by today and see what he has or can get. I have used them in 60″. More later… TimHey Tim! I’m starting to look at/plan the next big project and will need some 16″ or maybe 20″…   Read more»

I will stop by today and see what he has or can get. I have used them in 60″. More later… Tim

8) Guys, I have a pard, Greg Kuta, that owens a rebar and concrete specialties company. He deals in sona tubes. What size and how many feet? I can get them dirt cheap or free. Greg and his kids fly…   Read more»

8) Guys, I have a pard, Greg Kuta, that owens a rebar and concrete specialties company. He deals in sona tubes. What size and how many feet? I can get them dirt cheap or free. Greg and his kids fly…   Read more»