Warren B. Musselman

The best vents are those that close as soon as the charge blows. Usually this is done with a 1/16″ hole through both airframe and coupler. When the charge blows and the airframe starts moving, the hole closes and the…   Read more»

The kitchen sink is a dangerous place for a married man with hobbies…W

If I don’t clean them onsite during a launch, I throw them into a tupperware with a mix of white vinegar, Zep de-greaser, Simple Green and water overnight. Next day I use a kind of bottle brush (I have sizes…   Read more»

No rambling at all Mike. That is a great idea. That’s the kind of thing I like to see posted. Ideas are the basis for everything and finding rocketry components mis-labeled as they are all over the spectrum of products,…   Read more»

Put the battery in with the wrong polarity and I guarantee you that will happen with an RRC series altimeter. Ask Jon Skuba sometime…Warren

No need to panic – I tend to be at the front of the panic curve so wait for me to go ballistic. I haven’t flown even once this year so I guarantee you I’ll fly off the handle first.Warren

If NCR needs another HP launch site, much better that it be further south rather than further north. The North Site is onerous for many club members to get to as it is. Unfortunately, a site where there are no…   Read more»

Only if you get it on the approved list from Tripoli and NAR. NAR doesn’t actually certify ANY altimeter for altitude record contests. Tripoli has a fairly short list that leaves a number of commercial altimeters off due to “issues”….   Read more»

It is readily possible to replace an old-style RRC2 or RRC2X on-board LED with a 2 pin header and then extend the LED to the airframe for external viewing. However, this will void the warranty. The new style RRC2X-mini cannot…   Read more»

There were 3 XB-70’s built, one went down in flames during a photo shoot when another aircraft got sucked into it’s vortex and clipped a wing.Warren

I believe at Offut you can sit down in an old retired missile control room with your finger on the button and the key in hand.Warren

I’m a committed PPG paint user… now if only I could get the time or space to actually paint one of my birds…Warren

I’d go 1/4″ ply with 2 or 3 layers of 6oz. glass. That way you could do a 54mm motor mount and feel reasonably confident with K’s and L’s.Warren

Use some of those cement coated 20d ring shank nails – that’ll hold ‘er. Maybe 3 or 4 of ’em. Probably be a good idea to put the motor in first though…

I can handle the machining John, you just need to get me an accurate drawing including the thickness, curvature, hole size and thread pitch.My thought is you’d do it easier by using a Pem Nut and some epoxy. The rocket…   Read more»

I was going to say that after all the tip to tip is done, drill it for a pem-nut, install the Pem nut with a bit of epoxy. Install the button and screw, then grind off the bit projecting through…   Read more»

When I’ve done Aerosleeve tubes (or hand lay-ups for that matter), I generally wrap with peel ply and then breather, then either vacuum bag it (big chance of wrinkles until you get the touch for doing the bag) or if…   Read more»

As long as you are flying Estes type stuff, no worries. If you want to fly HPR stuff, you’ll need to contact Joe Hinton and ask about activating the waiver.Warren

Gelcoat is a waste of time. So long as it’s dimensionally correct, I wouldn’t worry about it. You’re going to sand and fill it anyway or at least prime and sand it. Without gelcoat, it’s more likely to be pure…   Read more»

I bought 3 of them at the last NCR launch where Jim showed up – the John Wilke Good By launch in late July. Definitely a major improvement on the old RRC2 series.Warren