I Waters Rocket Club

[Andy Greene]

Gotta break some eggs right ??

 

[Andy Greene]

Passed my TRA Level II Advanced Cert written test yesterday -
1 Cert flight to complete and I get to play with some really cool stuff
And NO Rrray - I went be a passenger

 

[Andy Greene]

All dressed and ready to dance 4 days before my L-2 flight , both national orgs shut down all launches. I get it - but sooo much work and effort + finally getting the written test over with only to get put on indefinite hold - sigh .......... Hope everyone is staying safe, somehow as a field tech for a major cable network- they could care less how many homes we go in or who we are around because its business as usual for us. Be safe everyone .

 

[Brad Christy]

Andy,

Not to get off topic...

Don't feel too bad. My wife is an RN at one of the major hospitals in Dayton. They have one confirmed case in house. She said it looks like a scene from the movie E.T. It is very much like our fire fighters do every day: Running into the fire while everybody else is running out. I've already come to grips with the fact that I and the rest of the immediate family will most likely get the bug, and it will be Tammy that brings it home. I am not really concerned, as, statistically, we will undoubtedly feel like crap, we will get better, and then we will move on.

The best we can all do is keep to our normal routine as best as possible (I work for myself, and intend on continuing to go to my shop every day until the order comes down that I can't), while limiting our exposure as much as possible (so far, I have been to exactly three places since life as we know it halted: Home, work and the grocery). I know your job might seem less important than that of a nurse, and therefore an unnecessary risk for you, but communication is absolutely essential if we are all to keep up with an ever evolving situation. You are just as important a public servant as our medical community and first responders are.

As for the launches... I feel ya. The wife and I had a trip to Vegas planned for spring break (without the kids) and a vacation to Ft. Myers in June. I kinda feel a bit selfish to be holding out hope this thing blows over by Labor Day and the Lake Cumberland Poker Run the weekend after, but I am going to keep holding on to that hope. Life sucks for just about everybody except the introverts who are now laughing at us for "suffering" though what they call normal . Just keep building rockets, boats, whatever, and looking forward to life after the apocalypse. It will get better.

Thanks. Brad.
Titan Racing Components
BlackJack Hydros
Model Machine and Precision LLC

 

[Andy Greene]

Finally a couple days off , so time to build. Just about ready for paint and build the AV Bay for the Amraam . 4 inch diam - D/D - 54mm Power

 

[Andy Greene]

Got the color and matte clear done- needs like 10 million of the nomenclature decals - but they can come after it earns it first flight. Still need to create the hard mounts on the upper section for the electronics /av bay and put on the rail buttons / finish the recovery gear , small details really. The tricky part becomes- this av/bay will be shared between 2 rockets- nailing the mounting points on the 1st one is easy- its doing a mirror on the 2nd ones av bay mounting points to perfectly match the first one that becomes the trick., I am open to suggestions , thinking maybe a paper template after I do the first one. that will get me pretty close.

Btw , if you walk out by the street to get good light for a picture, with a little over a 1/2 scale missile that is still actively used my the military - 3 blocks from the gate of the base that houses Central Command - You might get a few odd looks

 

[Andy Greene]

Passed my Level II Advanced Cert yesterday , a long time coming between the build / the paper test/ and finally being allowed to fly again due to the shut down. PERFECT flight on a CTI J360 Skidmark to 2741 ft - nice and easy shake down flight for a brand new rocket. Flew it a 2nd time on a Gorilla research motor to 2681 ft . Its a consistent bird and worth all the effort.

 

[Andy Greene]

Pulled the LOC Minnie Mag 5.5 inch / 38mm powered rocket out for a coat of paint - Still pondering trim colors and decals , but I have some funky ideas

 

[Andy Greene]

Well, I went and did exactly what I swore I wouldnt do once I got my L2 Cert -
Purchased my L3 kit -
I couldnt pass , 98mm pre colored glass tube - with a 75mm motor mount and all glass and G10 components . I couldnt have bought the upper and lower tubes for what I paid for the entire kit shipped.......
Here it sits after its standard soap and water bath to remove tooling gel and what not .
8ft tall / 4inch diam - 15lbs dry. Sims to 15k on the proper M-Motor
I HAVE LOST MY MIND , But its a fun **** ride....................
**** Mike Z

 

[James E Beasley]

Well, I went and did exactly what I swore I wouldnt do once I got my L2 Cert -
Purchased my L3 kit -
I couldnt pass , 98mm pre colored glass tube - with a 75mm motor mount and all glass and G10 components . I couldnt have bought the upper and lower tubes for what I paid for the entire kit shipped.......
Here it sits after its standard soap and water bath to remove tooling gel and what not .
8ft tall / 4inch diam - 15lbs dry. Sims to 15k on the proper M-Motor
I HAVE LOST MY MIND , But its a fun **** ride....................
**** Mike Z

 

[James E Beasley]

Make some smoke! You'll have fun for sure. James

 

[Andy Greene]

Been quiet for a bit so ----
I built a new workhorse rocket for our testbed 38mm motor burner , the last MadCow Sport X managed 13 or 14 i -Impulse 3 and 4 grain flights before it needed to be retired. A simple cardboard and plywood design DD consistent flyer.
EVERY 3 grain Gorilla motor we flew (7 or 8 total) went within 250ft of the other
The Awesome gain was 3 gr to 4 gr - It picket up 1300 ft - consistently
So this one got a tick more love on the finish, but not much-
and it goes back to work testing 4 to 5 grain changes. I would be happy at 4k +

 

[Ray Sametz]

If you drink from THE CUP tonight, shoot them bad boys off. Go Lightning.

 

[Grimracer]

Looking good Andy!

 

[RobertDoak]

I just came across this portion of I.W...
And a lot of awesome stuff....i have always been an Estes rocket guy up to "D" size....
But on Friday the 2nd of this month..i was blessed to witness a launch from Wallops space flight Center...i was just at the 3 mile mark and a nite launch at that.....WOW...what a event....
4 hour drive....2 hour wait.....3.5 hour drive home.... = one hell of an experience...all for 22 seconds....now I'm trying to get the 30th off to do a road trip to Cape Canaveral for a Space X launch at 2am on the 31st......i think i have issues...

 

[Grimracer]

Robert.. DO NOT LET THIS thread influence your WALLET...

wait

TOOOOOO LATEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE... sorry.. you are going to venture off into the abyss.

 

[RobertDoak]

HahHahaha.....too late...i have come to the conclusion that I will be hobby poor the rest of my life....its either hobbys or sex....oh...i gotta go to the hobby shop....hahhahaaa

 

[RobertDoak]

Holy smoke...these rockets are huge...im looking at all the pics and am imagining my self saying.....honey would you mind picking up the other end of the rocket and giving me a hand....thats when I get the "eye" roll....

 

[Grimracer]

Here is the part that's NOT COOL.. carry that dam thing out of a corn field on your shoulder 1/2 mile from the launch pad.... sure.. its only 25 or 40 or 60 lbs.. LOL...

My L2 flight landed 1.5 miles from the pad.. it was a 20 lb rocket.. no big deal right... it was a cut corn field.. don't trip!

Grim

 

[Andy Greene]

Welcome to the Dark Side Robert -
I highly suggest to find a local TRA Club (Tripoli Rocketry Association -http://www.tripoli.org/ )
in your area and attend a launch, You wont regret it.
Plus we will then have you totally hooked
Welcome to the madness , its ALL Grims fault btw