Not sure about the temperature, but keep in mind that it can't be sanded, unless you want your rocket to look like a sweater, that is.

Not sure about the temperature, but keep in mind that it can't be sanded, unless you want your rocket to look like a sweater, that is.

A Rocket sweater. Theres a man who loves his Rocket. Nit 1 pearl 2 😉

I was just browsing the soller sight again. Who cares what they are made out of!
Some of those hybrid fabrics just look cool!
Its a shame when men drool over fabrics. 🙂

I was just browsing the soller sight again. Who cares what they are made out of!
Some of those hybrid fabrics just look cool!
Its a shame when men drool over fabrics. 🙂

STOP IT, YOU ARE SCARING ME!!!!!

Furry rockets, now that's funny, I don't care who you are.

How about a sleeve of Thermeez 399? http://www.cotronics.com/vo/cotr/fc_sleeving.htm

Then coat it with this. Durapot™ 820 http://www.cotronics.com/vo/cotr/cm_potting.htm
It's brushable and appears to end up somewhat flexible.

I have used Kevlar in most of my composite projects - primarily for impact resistance, but on my latest - my L3 bird - also for heat resistance. The issue will be whether your epoxy can stand up to the temps that the Kevlar can.

Warren

I have used Kevlar in most of my composite projects - primarily for impact resistance, but on my latest - my L3 bird - also for heat resistance. The issue will be whether your epoxy can stand up to the temps that the Kevlar can.

Warren

I would agree.

I agree that the epoxy will be the limiting factor for any of these, but wouldn't carbon and glass both be more heat-resistant than Kevlar? Both are refractory materials, particularly carbon-carbon composites. Glass melts at 1400C. Carbon is nice for high-temperature work because it's great at conducting heat away from hot spots, as long as there are fibers running in that direction.

You're quite right Adrian - the key is the epoxy. Kevlar can take 1200 F before significant deterioration of the fabric. Carbon can take more and again the issue is the epoxy rather than the fabric. Some folks use a ceramic "paper" to wrap their motor cases in and insulate the airframe.

W

I want to know who's getting to 1200F first of all. Motors have to be kept under 392F (200C) and I'm having a hard time imagining a rocket going long enough that the entire body heats to 1200F. Something says that regular glass will do just fine.

Edward

For my part, I think much of my damage happened in the first two feet of my flight. The pix that Ray and Chris sent me showed a cooked fin as the rocket was leaving the tower. If you look at the two pictures on the NCR home page you see a white rocket on the pad and considerable charring on the same area in the adjoining photo.

There can often be quite a fireball on the pad, and if the rocket resides there very long, there is some opportunity for some pretty significant charring.

I'm a ditz and I can't figure out how to insert photos into a post...

Glass with high-temperature epoxy would do just fine for the fastest, hottest flights. The hobby store fiberglassing epoxy I used on Barack-it got noticably softer around 120 F. Aeropoxy is one of the higher-temperaure epoxies in common usage and it's supposed to be good to about 200F. The cotronics epoxy is rated up to about 500F. John's M rocket made the primer bubble and run. I wonder what temperature that indicates?

Even at primer bubbling...the heat doesn't penetrate. That is a very thin layer that is bonded on the best it can being an applied coating. Now if you powder coated something....then I'd be really afraid if you bubbled the paint. The heat soak even after bubbling primer isn't something that will heat an entire airframe to weaken the epoxy.

Edward

Indeed, I concur with that. Keep in mind I put the Kilz on with a spray can, wet sand a lot of it away, and call it good 😯

I think the initial "burning" you see is simply soot, I don't believe it was anything to intense or would have caused the deformation we saw.

wow - that's impressive (the boost and the picture)