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  #1  
Old 03-05-2006, 07:23 PM
bikegod bikegod is offline
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Lightbulb My first post here

Ok, first post here.

I used to build smaller rockets in the 70's before my family moved to Japan.


3 years ago my Father in Law picked up an Estes Code Red Kit and some extra engines and gave it to me for Christmas. I have a small kid and at the time didn't have time for it, but like all things that fly, it began calling to me. I broke it out one day and had a fine launch and ended up using 11 engines (two in the kit and three additional packs that he had bought with it). My kid liked it just fine, but I wanted something that I could really build and the starter set only needed the parachute tied on.

Went to a craft store and bought the first of two Guardian Rocket kits. The first one took me five full days (days off and some snow days) to build to my liking. I made it match the picture on the package to a tee. Had some trouble with the spirals and filling them in (too bad I hadn't seen this forum yet). Only got one flight out of the first Guardian. A gust of wind took it away into the woods and I have yet to be able to spot it. Bought a few discontinued kits online but all of them were E2X and didn't take too long to assemble. The next Guardian I am finishing up on I painted RED wherever there was supposed to be black.

What I am finding is, though the flights are cool, I really like building them. I would like to build a bigger rocket (D or E powered). I like the BT-60 size. I would like to use 3 tubes at 15" but I am concerned about chute deployement (can the ejection charge fill up that much space) and structural integrity of the three tubes at that length.

Have so far found only 8 different nosecones. A payload section would be kind of cool too (send some of my daughter's toys into space just to keep her attention).

Thanks in advance for suggestions and advice.

bikegod (also in Kite forums)
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  #2  
Old 03-05-2006, 08:49 PM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bikegod
What I am finding is, though the flights are cool, I really like building them. I would like to build a bigger rocket (D or E powered). I like the BT-60 size. I would like to use 3 tubes at 15" but I am concerned about chute deployement (can the ejection charge fill up that much space) and structural integrity of the three tubes at that length.


Not to worry. The ejection charges these days can fill the space with oomph to spare.
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Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

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  #3  
Old 03-05-2006, 09:15 PM
stefanj stefanj is offline
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Sounds like a plan. The result will be a bit like the "Mean Machine."

Have you tried building a kit with "Through The Wall" fins? This technique would be appropriate for this size model.

You won't need an especially big parachute. Long models tend to "glide"on the way back.
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  #4  
Old 03-05-2006, 11:07 PM
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CPMcGraw CPMcGraw is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bikegod
Ok, first post here.

I used to build smaller rockets in the 70's before my family moved to Japan.


Welcome to the Land of the BARs...

Quote:
...I wanted something that I could really build and the starter set only needed the parachute tied on.

...What I am finding is, though the flights are cool, I really like building them.

...Have so far found only 8 different nosecones. A payload section would be kind of cool too


I'll be tooting a familiar horn here...

Be sure to check out SEMROC for some of the best in classic, traditional-style kits and parts -- beautiful, great-smelling, balsa parts. You'll feel like it's the '70s all over again when you look at his website www.semroc.com ...

For additional components (again, balsa...) add www.balsamachining.com to your FAVORITES list, too...

Catalogs from Centuri and Estes, old magazines, and other publications are located at http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/rockets.html . Keep a towel handy for your mouth...

For plans to the old Estes and Centuri (and other companies') kits, browse to plans.rocketshoppe.com and http://www.dars.org/jimz/rp00.htm .

Finally, for new plans which require scratch building (not from kits), check out barclone.rocketshoppe.com .

Welcome to our little insane asylum, and keep us posted...
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  #5  
Old 03-06-2006, 06:44 AM
bikegod bikegod is offline
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I've heard the term "thru the wall" but like most of my learning, I need to see how it's done.

I had seen some of those links, but the Balsa Machining one shows promise.

Thankfully, I read the topics about Empire already. I wasn't sure about Semroc since the site seems old. Wanted to check here if anyone was doing business with them currently.

How do you feel about the reloadable motor systems? Are they really cheaper per flight or only with the really big engines (F and G).

Thanks in advance
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  #6  
Old 03-06-2006, 11:41 AM
stefanj stefanj is offline
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Semroc is friendly, reliable, and run by aliens with a matter replicator. (That's the only explanation I can think of to explain their huge inventory.)

The best way to learn about "through the wall" construction is to buy a kit that uses it, like the Estes Fat Boy.

Briefly: The fins have a tab on the root edge that fits into a slot cut in the body tube. The root edge of the tab glues to the motor mount tube. More glue in and around the slot; modest fillets on the outer surface.
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  #7  
Old 03-06-2006, 01:48 PM
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JRThro JRThro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanj
Semroc is friendly, reliable, and run by aliens with a matter replicator. (That's the only explanation I can think of to explain their huge inventory.)

The best way to learn about "through the wall" construction is to buy a kit that uses it, like the Estes Fat Boy.

Briefly: The fins have a tab on the root edge that fits into a slot cut in the body tube. The root edge of the tab glues to the motor mount tube. More glue in and around the slot; modest fillets on the outer surface.

The Quest PayloaderONE also has through the wall fins, and I'm sure there are other kits that I don't know about.
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  #8  
Old 03-06-2006, 02:16 PM
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ghrocketman ghrocketman is offline
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The following kits from Semroc also use Through-The-Wall fin construction:
SLS Scorpion
SLS Jaguar
SLS Javelin
SLS Sky Hook

I have built and flown both the SLS Scorpion and the SLS Jaguar.
Both are excellent kits to build, and both fly great as well !
I have only flown mine on 24mm Engines (Estes C11-3, C11-5, D12-7, and Aerotech RMS 24 "D" engines for both, and Estes E9-8 for Scorpion only), never on 29mm engines.
I don't think you would have any hope of recovering either of them on a 29mm ANYTHING unless one flies them in an EXTREMELY large field.
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  #9  
Old 03-06-2006, 02:38 PM
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dwmzmm dwmzmm is offline
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The Estes StormCaster also has through the wall fin construction. The kit can usually be
found in most Hobby Lobby stores, and is a very handsome and good looking kit to have
in your fleet (but, be sure to modify it to accept the E9 motors). I built my daughter's
StormCaster, and it flies excellent on a D12-5.
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  #10  
Old 03-06-2006, 02:46 PM
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dwmzmm dwmzmm is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dwmzmm
The Estes StormCaster also has through the wall fin construction. The kit can usually be
found in most Hobby Lobby stores, and is a very handsome and good looking kit to have
in your fleet (but, be sure to modify it to accept the E9 motors). I built my daughter's
StormCaster, and it flies excellent on a D12-5.


Here's several photos of that flight (top three on page 11):

http://www.challenger498.org/gallery/album16?page=11

Same model also flew at the Ballunar Festival at JSC several months later.
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