From building your own nosecone, to whole rocket frm recyclables

[garmtn]

Built my first "recyled" rocket frm "pringles" cans, and pepsi bottle. Came out pretty good if I say so myself. Pringles can houses the "pepsi bottle " nosecone perfectly! Will post an update after launch. (built as an "egglofter").
Wanted to try some different materials for nosecone instead of balsa. Using a regular wood alleviates having to add xtra weight in nose. Any recommendations?
I even built the "motor mount" frm scratch by re-rolling paper towel tube and taping and gluing. :rolleyes:

[barone]

Built my first "recyled" rocket frm "pringles" cans, and pepsi bottle. Came out pretty good if I say so myself. Pringles can houses the "pepsi bottle " nosecone perfectly! Will post an update after launch. (built as an "egglofter").
Wanted to try some different materials for nosecone instead of balsa. Using a regular wood alleviates having to add xtra weight in nose. Any recommendations?
I even built the "motor mount" frm scratch by re-rolling paper towel tube and taping and gluing. :rolleyes:
Got any pictures? I wish I had a picture from a Texas club (at least I think that's where it was from). All soda bottle rocket taped together with duct tape.

[garmtn]

You Bet! ;)

[Ltvscout]

You Bet! ;)
It probably flew a little lopsided with that clamp on there, hey? :D

[garmtn]

wise guy ey? :p . We have ways of dealing with people like u.

[Rocket Doctor]

wise guy ey? :p . We have ways of dealing with people like u.

Use a clamp on Scott !!!

[tbzep]

Wanted to try some different materials for nosecone instead of balsa. Using a regular wood alleviates having to add xtra weight in nose. Any recommendations?


Use whatever you like. If you want it "kinda light" use pine or whatever your local 2x4's are made of. If you want it really heavy, oak and hickory are nice and dense along with more exotic woods like mohogony (Gibson Les Paul bodies are mohogony with a hard maple cap). Pine is easier to turn than balsa for me, but Sandman's got a lot more experience than me and may know all the tricks....like how to get his tools razor sharp and keep them that way. ;)

If you want it pretty, red cedar and walnut come to mind. I've got a nice red cedar upscale nosecone for a 3" diameter Cherokee D. I'll likely never use it because I quit doing HPR and the NC is too pretty to paint.

I turned several nosecones out of whatever scrap I had laying around when I first got my lathe. I had a bunch of leftover bits of 2x4's from when I built my house that was nice and dry and super easy to turn. Even the pine is pretty heavy. Unless you plan to fly with larger composite motors or cluster, I imagine you'll eventually want to drill out as much of the insides as you can.

[garmtn]

Thanks for the tips. Came to the same conclusion. I believe I read on EMRR site a good way to do it is drill a small hole in it first and glue a "dowel" in it for a handle. once complete just saw it off. my next one is going to be about the size of a big bertha, so I'll have to "drill out "to eliminate some weight. as far as engines go, most of these "scratch builts " will be using "C"'s and "D's." I have access to a postage scale when I get done with first one , if I think it's excessively heavy. Also, looking at "small bottles caps" as nose cones. type that almost look like they belong on a rocket.
see any "household items" to make an engine mount frm to hold a, b, or c motors? mini mm's bottle is close. thanks :D

[tbzep]

Thanks for the tips. Came to the same conclusion. I believe I read on EMRR site a good way to do it is drill a small hole in it first and glue a "dowel" in it for a handle. once complete just saw it off. my next one is going to be about the size of a big bertha, so I'll have to "drill out "to eliminate some weight. as far as engines go, most of these "scratch builts " will be using "C"'s and "D's." I have access to a postage scale when I get done with first one , if I think it's excessively heavy. Also, looking at "small bottles caps" as nose cones. type that almost look like they belong on a rocket.
see any "household items" to make an engine mount frm to hold a, b, or c motors? mini mm's bottle is close. thanks :D

If you are turning it using a drill, you will glue in the dowel like you said. Some people take a large piece of plywood or a 2x12 and rig up something to hold the drill. I think I've read where a few people lock the drill into a vise. Some of the modern drills don't have trigger locks, so you'd have to tape the trigger down and use the plug to turn it on/off if yours is like that. Spin it up as fast as the drill will take it. I almost forgot. Make sure your cutting tool is nice and sharp. A dull tool will make a mess of things.

I know it isn't a way to save money, but if you enjoy turning small nosecones, you might look into a cheap lathe. Harbor Freight has one on sale for $85. It won't be worth a plugged nickel for large projects because it's just too flimsy, but it should be good for small balsa and pine nosecones. HF Lathe, $85. (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=45276) HF has some decent tools for beginners too. It's just as important to get good at sharpening the tools as it is to use them, so it doesn't make a lot of sense to spend $100 on a single tool as a beginner. Again, the research I conducted said the HF tools are good for learning, and if you never do much more than turning nosecones, they are probably all you would ever want anyway. They might be cheaper if you can catch them on sale. HF lathe tools $36. (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47066) If you want to see some good quality stuff, get Sandman to tell you about his equipment. ;)

[garmtn]

TB: thanks for the tips. I'm a woodworker too. Have two tablesaws, scrollsaw, bandsaw, drillpress, benchsander, etc.
basically, saving a few "sheckles" is only part of it. Love wrking with wood. assembly of kits kind of "passe" @ my age. Just finished nosecone and looks pretty good. recycled paper towel tube for body and place engine mount on inside, including hook. sleeker finish. all thats' left is shock cord and fins. whole thing from "household items."
yeh nosecone took better part of 2 hours but did it. first time making a "scratch b uilt, except the "soda bottle one." Thanks :D

[tbzep]

Cool... Did you chuck it up in the drill press? At those small diameters, a variable speed press would be handy to get the RPM's up beyond what a hand drill could do.

BTW, your next nosecone will take less than half the time, and the next will only take a few minutes. ;)

[garmtn]

TB: little more involved than just gluing in a dowel into a a block of wood. First I cut two 3/4 x2x2" blocks and glued together. Then I had to draw circle on one end same diameter of body tube. Then I made a pattern and folded paper in half and drew it again. unfolded and taped to side of block. cut profile on one side, then the other. now I had roughed out nose cone. drilled hole in it for a dowel handle and finished sandind on a bench sander, dremel, and drill press sander. time consuming but, was able to do it. TTY :rolleyes:

[tbzep]

TB: little more involved than just gluing in a dowel into a a block of wood. First I cut two 3/4 x2x2" blocks and glued together. Then I had to draw circle on one end same diameter of body tube. Then I made a pattern and folded paper in half and drew it again. unfolded and taped to side of block. cut profile on one side, then the other. now I had roughed out nose cone. drilled hole in it for a dowel handle and finished sandind on a bench sander, dremel, and drill press sander. time consuming but, was able to do it. TTY :rolleyes:

You didn't use the drill press as a lathe...talk about doing it the hard way! I can see it would take a long time that way. I doubt I could have ever made it symmetrical.

[garmtn]

tb: wasn't that bad. cut it on my 12" bandsaw, then took it down some on a bench sander then my hand held dremel tool with a "flex shaft" and a very agressive drum.
maybe I'll try the drillpress idea on my next one, that will be about the size of a "big bertha" nose cone. tty :o