Saturn 1b 1:156 Scale 3d Printed

[timorley]

Besides the Pershing 1A, I have another 3D printed rocket project underway, a Saturn 1B. The main body is constructed around a BT-60 sized body tube. The scale will be about 1:156. The 3D files were created by scottdee (who frequents YORF as scott_mills) and I downloaded them from https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2958861. I upscaled the fin unit to 103% so the inside diameter matched the inside diameter of a BT-60. By chance, 8 BT-4 Semroc tubes from eRockets seem to fit perfectly inside the BT-60 and the fin can now that I slightly upscaled it. Unfortunately a BT-20 for the engine mount is a tiny bit too big to fit inside the BT-4s without deforming them, but no worries, I'll trim a tiny bit out of the BT-4s the length of the engine mount. Unfortunately the vendor shipped the wrong length of BT-4s, they made it right with no hassle, as soon as the replacement tubes arrive I can start assembly this coming weekend, along with starting to assemble the Pershing too!

[timorley]

And while the BT-4s I got were too short, they were long enough for me to verify BT-4s will work just fine for the 8 tanks.

[Earl]

That's an interesting scale size for a 1b. That would be good for demos in small fields.

If you can, post photos of the Pershing and this 1b as you go along on your build.


Earl

[scott_mills]

Nice can't wait to see it finished

[timorley]

The replacement BT-4 body tubes arrived today. Dang Post Office, I fear the worst......

[timorley]

Miracles of miracles, nothing was crushed. The top of the box was crushed, but the tubes were in the bottom, safe and sound.

[Earl]

Whew! That was a close one!

Yeah, that's a sinking feeling when one gets a rocketry related package in the mail looking like that. I've gotten lucky a few times and not had any damage, like this one.

Once however I received a flattened package in the mail. It was really squashed. Sad thing was the package contained a mint (really truly mint) Centuri Saturn 1b kit, the version in the nice color box. EVERY tube was crushed. Some plastic parts, wrappers and chutes were salvagable, but the rest was pretty much toast.

Post some photos once you get it assembled and/or painted.

Earl

[timorley]

To Engine Mount or Not to Engine Mount? That is the question.

I have a dilemma. An 18mm BT-20 engine mount will not fit in the space left from the BT-4 tank tubes. The math doesn't work and I tried anyway, it is so frustratingly close. I was planning on cutting out a small strip down the length of each BT-4 to accommodate the engine mount. However, the diameter remaining within the BT-4s happens to be almost exactly, the interior diameter of the BT-20, this means an 18mm rocket motor fits snug as a bug nestled within the BT-4s. So, I could use the BT-4s as the engine mount. I can still glue an engine block in, it would only have 8 touch pints for glue, versus the entire circumference, I could even put in a longer engine block for more glue surface. I plan on using epoxy to fill triangular gaps to prevent ejection gases from flowing backwards anyway, so that will further strengthen the engine block attachment. I am capping off the BT-4 ends with a BT-60 to BT-20 centering ring for the same reason. I can also still have an engine retaining hook, by placing it inside one of the BT-4s , it would still be pushed through a slit in the BT-4 at the engine block. It would further be secured with a piece of BT-4 pushed up inside the BT-4 tube and glued to keep the retaining hook in place. All the BT-4s would be glued together as well. I am sure this will work, it just feels odd to not have a traditional engine mount. I'm including a picture where I mocked it up with the previous too short BT-4s. Obviously the easy way out, but I still may go the hard way.

Anybody have any options one way or another?

[Earl]

Actually, that looks like a pretty good solution.

If you get good surface contact on the BT-4s with the engine block and have some good 'blobs' of glue on the 'north' side of the engine block, I think it would be quite secure without any real worry of letting loose under thrust.

Earl

[timorley]

Here is a dry fit of the BT-4s with proper length. I also had the idea to use one of the Estes engine spacer tubes as the core tube for the ejection gases to blow up through inside the upper portion of the 1B tanks. The picture with the space tube, engine block and engine stacked should give an idea of what it will look like internally.

[the mole]

Timorley, have been following this thread and all the 3D threads. I have a great like for the Saturn 1B. I just received a 3D printer of my own and have already started printing Scott Mills BT-60 Saturn V. His Saturn 1B will be next. I was wondering if you could let me know what size body tubes you have been using and their lengths to build with? I would like to build a series or the Saturn 1B.

I wish I had the skills to draw the different nose cones for all the Saturn 1b in this scale but I don't. I'm hoping Scott will find the time to do these nose cones. Please keep this thread updated as much as you can Timorley. Thanks.

[yaciel1993]

You've based it off a BT-60? :)
Isn't that same size of the Dr. Zooch Saturn IB?
Thats awesome!
Any chance you'd sell a copy?

[the mole]

You're right yaciel1993 it's using a BT-60 for the mane body tube. Scotts Saturn V and Saturn 1B download parts are at a 1/156 scale. Dr. Zooch is more an eyeball scale. You can see Scott download here. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3541389 and https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2958861

I'm sorry it's Scott design I can't sell a copy. You might contact Scott he might sell you a copy.

[yaciel1993]

Would happen to have his email by any chance?

[the mole]

yacial1993 Scott Mills is a member of this forum you could privet message him here.

[scott_mills]

Well I've come back around to rockets again, and I've now finished another piece for this set. I made the lower wrap as a printable that goes around the bt60. Just need a couple of drops of super glue to hold it in place. It includes a launch lug printed onto it. Ialso redid the fin can add I was unhappy how the driving printed out. TIM I'm very curious how the bt4 and conglomerate body tube worked out. As for me I'm planning on doing a sort of hybrid between dr zooch and printed carsd0stock body tube wraps glued together in half pipes in a cloverleaf around a bt20 core. Tim i was thinking that maybe a length of bt19 would work as an upper glue core i will have to see the fit in cad to see if it works. For pieces yacial1993 never messaged me, but I am open to sending a set at a Very reasonable price. If you are in the western US this summer I will be attending LDRS, I AM planning to offer advice and education to anyone interested in 3d P.

[the mole]

Glad to see you back Scott. Your talent is needed in the Saturn 1B area. The scale of your 3D parts for this Saturn 1B is in the same scale neighborhood of the old Dr. Zooch Saturn 1Bs. With your skill at 3D drawing, it would be neet if you drew the STL file for the whole Saturn Family in this same scale. Now that the Dr.Zooch Saturns are gone this would be great for the flying rocket community. All you would have to draw would be a Fin Can with the square fins and the shorter transition and a few different nose cones and the whole Saturn 1B family could be built. I know if I had your talent this is what I would like to do.

What do you say? Will you give it a thought?

[scott_mills]

Yeah that seems pretty easy to do, do you have any more pics other than this one. I can do it off these, but I would prefer a little more detail if possible. Do you know of they are in "rockets of the world", I haven't looked yet.

[the mole]

Hi Scott,

If you could do this it would be great.
Yes, these rockets are in Rocket of The World. They are on pages 274 through 285.
Just having the fin can with the square fins for the SA-6 and7 be great. I haven't seen one of these for 3D printing. If you put them up on Thingiverse I'll be glad to tip you. :)

Thanks in advance.