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metlfreak
10-01-2009, 09:45 AM
Hey guys I saw on here where someone was going to make an upscale Ram Jet. I have also thought about this. Looks like I can get everything from semroc. however im having a little trouble getting the fin patterns (both inside and outside) just wondering if anyone has them. Also isnt there a computer program that makes it really easy for upscaling and designing rockets?
Sorry for all the questions ive been out of the loop for about 4 years. im just getting back into the hobby again. :chuckle:

metlfreak
10-01-2009, 10:04 AM
ooops I forgot, I have an original Ram Jet that needs repainting anyone know where to get decals for it?

DaveR
10-01-2009, 10:53 AM
Hey guys I saw on here where someone was going to make an upscale Ram Jet. I have also thought about this. Looks like I can get everything from semroc. however im having a little trouble getting the fin patterns (both inside and outside) just wondering if anyone has them. Also isnt there a computer program that makes it really easy for upscaling and designing rockets?
Sorry for all the questions ive been out of the loop for about 4 years. im just getting back into the hobby again. :chuckle:

That may have been me. I've finished a BT-80 upscale of the Ram Jet. It's been a little damp around here for the last month and I haven't been able to paint it yet. You can find the original kit plans, fin patterns, measurements, and decals here:

http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/est1994.htm

The decals are a little funky on this site but I redrew them to suit me, probably not the best, but they work for me. They are attached at the bottom of this post. They are original scale.

You can print your own decals, you can get waterslide decal paper from various sources on the internet or your local hobby shop may have some. I don't know if Gordon (sandman) has these decals on his site:

http://www.excelsiorrocketry.com/

but he can probably make them for you if he doesn't, if you want to go that route.

HTH

DaveR
10-01-2009, 10:59 AM
...snnip... Also isnt there a computer program that makes it really easy for upscaling and designing rockets?

Apogee offers some software called Rocksim that can do the job, but I don't have it. Who needs it when I have barone to check my math........... :o

STRMan
10-01-2009, 12:13 PM
ooops I forgot, I have an original Ram Jet that needs repainting anyone know where to get decals for it?


If you have an original ramjet, just get some graph paper and upscale the fins yourself. I did that on an upscale Centuri Stiletto I cloned. No big deal at all. Came out perfect.

sandman
10-01-2009, 12:52 PM
That may have been me. I've finished a BT-80 upscale of the Ram Jet. It's been a little damp around here for the last month and I haven't been able to paint it yet. You can find the original kit plans, fin patterns, measurements, and decals here:

http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/est1994.htm

The decals are a little funky on this site but I redrew them to suit me, probably not the best, but they work for me. They are attached at the bottom of this post. They are original scale.

You can print your own decals, you can get waterslide decal paper from various sources on the internet or your local hobby shop may have some. I don't know if Gordon (sandman) has these decals on his site:

http://www.excelsiorrocketry.com/

but he can probably make them for you if he doesn't, if you want to go that route.

HTH

I have them but they are not on my site yet.

$4 a set plus $5 shipping.

Thet would be easy to scale up.

DaveR
10-01-2009, 01:22 PM
I have them but they are not on my site yet.

$4 a set plus $5 shipping.

Thet would be easy to scale up.
I figured as much. :)
I seem to have the mindset that when it comes to model rocketry there's not much you can't do. :D :cool:

metlfreak
10-01-2009, 04:38 PM
I have them but they are not on my site yet.

$4 a set plus $5 shipping.

Thet would be easy to scale up.
Ok cool, I'll get back to you then.

metlfreak
10-01-2009, 04:40 PM
If you have an original ramjet, just get some graph paper and upscale the fins yourself. I did that on an upscale Centuri Stiletto I cloned. No big deal at all. Came out perfect.
Thanks for the idea man.

sandman
10-01-2009, 07:07 PM
Hey guys I saw on here where someone was going to make an upscale Ram Jet. I have also thought about this. Looks like I can get everything from semroc. however im having a little trouble getting the fin patterns (both inside and outside) just wondering if anyone has them. Also isnt there a computer program that makes it really easy for upscaling and designing rockets?
Sorry for all the questions ive been out of the loop for about 4 years. im just getting back into the hobby again. :chuckle:


No computer program for upscaling just use a little basic math.

First figure out what size body tube you want to use.

Go to Jimz's site and download the plans.

On the finset the balsa sheet is 3" wide so use that as your reference. Print out the fin sheet.

Us a copy machine going up or down enlarging or reducing until the sheet shows that it is 3" wide.

Now to upscale

Divide the body tbe size you will be using for the main body, for example a BT-70

2.217" O.D.

by the original body size which is a BT-55 1.325" O.D.

You get 2.217/1.325=1.6732 or in other words 167%.

Blow all the dimensions up by 167%. so the main body tube (there are 2 of them and they are 5.3" long each.

So 5.3 x 1.67=8.85" long each

Just continue on from there.

Just in case you don't know all of the body tube length are on the page on the plans with the caliper scale and compass.

OH, yea when you get the fin pattern right just hit 167% on the copy machine for your fins.

Ltvscout
10-02-2009, 08:06 AM
One can also use the handy-dandy up/down scaling chart I have online here:

http://www.rocketshoppe.com/info/BodyTubeRatios.pdf

It's located in the Building Tips section of the Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe site.

I had this credited to Jim Fackert, but he emailed me the other week to let me know it was actually put together by Doug Scobel.

The tube sizes listed in that chart are from Totally Tubular. I still have Jim's last retail price list online here:

http://www.wooshrocketry.org/misc/tt.htm

metlfreak
10-02-2009, 10:43 AM
No computer program for upscaling just use a little basic math.

First figure out what size body tube you want to use.

Go to Jimz's site and download the plans.

On the finset the balsa sheet is 3" wide so use that as your reference. Print out the fin sheet.

Us a copy machine going up or down enlarging or reducing until the sheet shows that it is 3" wide.

Now to upscale

Divide the body tbe size you will be using for the main body, for example a BT-70

2.217" O.D.

by the original body size which is a BT-55 1.325" O.D.

You get 2.217/1.325=1.6732 or in other words 167%.

Blow all the dimensions up by 167%. so the main body tube (there are 2 of them and they are 5.3" long each.

So 5.3 x 1.67=8.85" long each

Just continue on from there.

Just in case you don't know all of the body tube length are on the page on the plans with the caliper scale and compass.

OH, yea when you get the fin pattern right just hit 167% on the copy machine for your fins.
Wow thanks man... I usually dont upscale so I dont have much practice so this info is great thanks alot.

metlfreak
10-02-2009, 10:51 AM
you guys are very helpful. I hope to kick this little project off by the end of next week. I'll post pics as things start to come together. :D

sandman
10-02-2009, 10:59 AM
you guys are very helpful. I hope to kick this little project off by the end of next week. I'll post pics as things start to come together. :D

Try to keep some perspective on it.

This is not a scale model for competition. If some dimensions don't come out perfectly that's OK. You are the final judge.

Honestly, nobody would notice unless you tell them.

And if they do notice and tell you well, that's just rude. ;)

Me, I love upscales!

Here's a few of mine. :D

Well some of them are downscales but it's all good.

DaveR
10-02-2009, 01:31 PM
Try to keep some perspective on it.

This is not a scale model for competition. If some dimensions don't come out perfectly that's OK. You are the final judge.

Honestly, nobody would notice unless you tell them.

And if they do notice and tell you well, that's just rude. ;)

/snip

What he said....... :cool:

metlfreak
08-03-2019, 10:32 PM
So I did build this thing 10 years ago. I used BT-80 for the outer tube. It stands 3 feet tall.
I just started painting it today...With the spray paint I bought 10 years ago for it LOL!
Its STILL not finished but I hope to finish painting it tomorrow and decal it with the Decal set I still have from 10 years ago from Sandman :chuckle:
https://i.imgur.com/0saqPQ4.png

metlfreak
08-07-2019, 07:57 PM
I should have this one finished by tomorrow. Just have to paint the bottom silver then decal it and finally after 10 years she'll be completed.

metlfreak
08-08-2019, 06:56 PM
Finally finished painting it.
Its not perfect but its the first time I've painted a rocket in 10 years so I'll take it! https://i.imgur.com/sTdNj8L.png

tbzep
08-09-2019, 07:33 AM
Looks good to me. Now launch it to the music of Ram Jam. :cool:

LeeR
08-14-2019, 11:48 PM
Finally finished painting it.
Its not perfect but its the first time I've painted a rocket in 10 years so I'll take it! https://i.imgur.com/sTdNj8L.png

Congratulations on finishing it. Ten years! That’s about how long my scratch-built Orbital Transport sat, from completed assembly, to do all that sanding and filling and sanding and filling and ... well, it has a lot of balsa and basswood in it. It’s done and has been flown on an E18 reload using the 24/40 RMS. Next flight will be an F24.

I love upscales. I’ve got a monster Trident that’s been in the works since the 90s! It’s got 6 nose cones done, 3 more to go.

My upscale Astron Cobra is done. I’m ready to do the filling/sanding on two more — an Astron Sky Hook, and an Astron X-Ray.

metlfreak
08-19-2019, 09:22 AM
Congratulations on finishing it. Ten years! That’s about how long my scratch-built Orbital Transport sat, from completed assembly, to do all that sanding and filling and sanding and filling and ... well, it has a lot of balsa and basswood in it. It’s done and has been flown on an E18 reload using the 24/40 RMS. Next flight will be an F24.

I love upscales. I’ve got a monster Trident that’s been in the works since the 90s! It’s got 6 nose cones done, 3 more to go.

My upscale Astron Cobra is done. I’m ready to do the filling/sanding on two more — an Astron Sky Hook, and an Astron X-Ray.
Nice!
I built this one, had it sanded filled then moved out of state. Two of the three fins broke off during the move and one of the middle veins got damaged.
Filled/repaired the vein, and re-glued the fins and added eboxy fillets . Then we moved again out of state LOL. Then I primed it and it sat after that for the next 10 years until I finally got to finish painting it. Now I just need to decal it and its done. z
This one probably wont ever fly. Its had a lot of repair work done on it already from getting banged up in 2 cross country moves. However I still have the plans and even have a set of basswood fins already sanded and doped that I cut 10 years ago to make another upscale ramjet. So I might go ahead and make one that will fly....but MAAAAN I dont feel like cutting those 18 internal fins by hand...That took forever last time.