The patriot 4 flies.

[jinglesassy]

The patriot 4 will have either 2 or 3 more launches before retirement. Maybe a few more depending on how things go. Also its retirement plan involves toothpicks, glue, and tons of time for construction. Maybe a few tiny motors taken from a crashed rc helicopter too.

 

[RisingFury]

The patriot 4 will have either 2 or 3 more launches before retirement. Maybe a few more depending on how things go. Also its retirement plan involves toothpicks, glue, and tons of time for construction. Maybe a few tiny motors taken from a crashed rc helicopter too.

I'm assuming you mean those co-axial helis...

 

[jinglesassy]

One more addition to the fleet. A estes kit i got for christmas. The satelite interceptor.

---------- Post added at 09:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:25 PM ----------

I'm assuming you mean those co-axial helis...

I dont know what they are called but those motors are fairly powerful for there size.

 

[jinglesassy]

The capsule has been changed from a mercury to an apollo csm with no way to eject from liftoff. Payload Spysat-1 is being delayed. Manned flight:T minus 2 months and counting.

 

[Pyromaniac605]

No way to eject? Those poor, poor ants.

Edit: How far along is it? Only drawn up? Started constructrion?

 

[jinglesassy]

Construction has begun, has to wait a few days for the wood to conform to the right shape before i proceed. Also i am considering an even larger motor then the motor i said before. This balsa is about as thin as you can get so if it crashes again....Bringing home toothpicks ma!!


Also. If you have seen the following engine cap please send it straight to us!

 

[RisingFury]

Construction has begun, has to wait a few days for the wood to conform to the right shape before i proceed. Also i am considering an even larger motor then the motor i said before. This balsa is about as thin as you can get so if it crashes again....Bringing home toothpicks ma!!


Also. If you have seen the following engine cap please send it straight to us!

Why don't you build it out of fiberglass, kevlar or carbon fiber? You can take a plastic tube then just lay the fiber over it and spread epoxy over it. It can be only a few layers thin and will be about the same weight as balsa, but hundreds of times stronger.

 

[jinglesassy]

The reason i chose balsa was that it was easy to work with and one of the only building materials the joke of a crafts store carries.

 

[Wishbone]

Kevlar... carbon fiber... fiberglass... I do fiberglass molding and repairing from time to time, but would not recommend it to jinglesassy because the fumes are a health concern, fiber particles are mildly carcinogenic if inhaled and the components are skin irritants. Seriously, RisingFury, I envy your wide choice of materials, you might as well recommend a 3D woven ceramic composite...

one final nitpick - it's not fiber, but fiber fabric.

 

[jinglesassy]

2 Days until we see if it has conformed to the right shape and if not...Well lets just hope it does.

---------- Post added at 05:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:46 PM ----------

Also the engine cap is still missing. Yes that black is from the heat of launch. Also new engine the Estes d12-5 engine is being used. It is impossible to go any larger of an engine. Also epoxy has been applied to smooth the inside of the nosecone so it can slip out easier so less chance of less then nominal descent and delivering a rocket to the scrap yard. Weight is now around 4 ounces or .25 pounds. Estimated altitude on the d12-5 engine is around 2400 feet. So either this will be the crowning achievement of the patriot 4 launch vehicle. Or we shall be needing a dump truck and a funeral service for the brave ant that will be found for the mission here at mission fly.

 

[RisingFury]

Kevlar... carbon fiber... fiberglass... I do fiberglass molding and repairing from time to time, but would not recommend it to jinglesassy because the fumes are a health concern, fiber particles are mildly carcinogenic if inhaled and the components are skin irritants. Seriously, RisingFury, I envy your wide choice of materials, you might as well recommend a 3D woven ceramic composite...

one final nitpick - it's not fiber, but fiber fabric.

Well, when working with any of the fibers you need to follow some safety tips. Use latex gloves because the resin is very difficult to wash off your hands and when it hardens you can only get it off by pealing your skin off. Work outside or in a well ventilated room to get rid of fumes. Use a mask to cover your nose and mouth. Though both fumes and particles aren't a meaningful threat when exposure lasts minutes.

In case you do get some fiber fabric, get epoxy that takes 24 hours to harden. That gives you plenty of time to do your work before it starts to harden. Even so it's difficult to work with after an hour. Any epoxy resin that hardens faster than that will take some quick fingers when working.


@jinglesassy:
If you can't get any fiber fabrics, then at least try thin plywood. 1 mm thick plywood is soft enough to bend along the tree ring lines, but it won't bend across. 1 mm thick plywood is as difficult to break as about 10 mm thick balsa.

 

[jinglesassy]

I had tried plywood and i couldnt get it to the right shape. I tried everything from wetting it not soaking it just enough to loosen the fibers in it to increase the flexibility. To begging it to work. Anyway the balsa should be strong enough to survive a normal landing but not a crash landing.

 

[Wishbone]

A few more safety and technology tips, should you decide on fiberglass. Soap your hands well before putting on the gloves, this will alleviate the sticking problem RisingFury mentioned. Donning two sets of gloves is quite expedient, too.

Always consult the instruction on the volume ratio of the resin and hardener (also plastifier if used). Different types have quite widely varying ratios, and a mistake can be costly either way. Environment temperature that is way above 15-20 degrees Centigrade will make the allowed ratio error range smaller, by initiating a runaway polymerization reaction all too soon.

Re: your troubles with plywood - try using steam to bend it into shape. That's the way barrels are made.

 

[jinglesassy]

The takeoff of the nosecone from the mold is being delayed by one or 2 days due to toothache. :thumbsdown:

 

[jinglesassy]

Sorry, the toothache was an infected tooth so i had to take care of that. I will take it off when i can. Also would you like pictures of it or no?

 

[Ghostrider]

Sorry, the toothache was an infected tooth so i had to take care of that. I will take it off when i can. Also would you like pictures of it or no?

Pictures of an infected tooth? Hurm. Doubleplusungood.

 

[jinglesassy]

No of the rocket apollo command service module. No it will not carry a lunar lander.

 

[Pyromaniac605]

Ok, let's see it. :thumbup:

Also, why no lunar lander? (Joke)

 

[jinglesassy]

The engine cap is found the root canal is done and the mold failed. Time to go for plan b.

---------- Post added at 06:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:59 PM ----------

Also, why no lunar lander? (Joke)

Joke answer:

The grumman builders were late on delivery so they just delivered a paper model of the lunar module so we have to delay the flight by 7 years in order to redo the lunar lander.

 

[Pyromaniac605]

The engine cap is found the root canal is done and the mold failed. Time to go for plan b.

---------- Post added at 06:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:59 PM ----------



Joke answer:

The grumman builders were late on delivery so they just delivered a paper model of the lunar module so we have to delay the flight by 7 years in order to redo the lunar lander.

Joke Reply: Haha, then us Russians will built a mighty moon rocket and beat you there!

Sad to hear that the mould failed.