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

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

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

David

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 before but knew it was his. It was still a thing of beauty.
Tony

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 at the fin leading and trailing edges on the airframe. My next tip to tip project is going to go for perfect carbon alignment.

I'd read an article or long post on RP or somewhere a couple years ago where he talked about just the finishing steps - wiping epoxy on and then off to fill pinholes, etc. This article really fleshes out his process.

I also like the beveling jig he set up, though I'd prefer something that adapted to power tools.

Warren

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 curious to know if five layers is overkill. In my opinion (which has little credit) more layers should be laid tip-to-tip.

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 or on their way down.. : (

I cut the bad part off and flew this fin can again. I think that positive G's are the same as negative G's. I cut the bad part off this fin can and flew it again. It's gonna go up next year on a 7600 N/s motor and if I get it back I'll send it up on a 10,500 N/s motor.

Tony

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 😯

Would love to hear more about the 10,500NS x 75mm load - Will that be the Swamp Gas formulation?

Tell Steve I said howdy and I'll see you on the playa next year for sure.