I got my little package in.

Work progresses. Finally putting epoxy on.



Almost forgot tonight's photos.
Tacked the fins on with loctite 5 min epoxy. Then I dropped some permatex 30 min into each chamber and left the rocket standing vertical while it setup. I had slight leaks out a couple slots, but it wiped up neatly. I went with 30 minute to get a good soak into things.
Ugly photo of internal fillets. Doesn't look nice, but it's solid. Again with the 30 minute epoxy.

I ordered rail buttons from Apogee. I found a spot where the weld nuts would be above the lower CR and marked it. I used a 3/16 bit to drill the hole with an 18v drill. Used some Permatex 4 minute metal epoxy on this. The stuff is thick and sets nice and hard. Also good to 300 degrees.


The rear CR was a pain. Could have been the heat getting to me. I had sanded and fit it all dry. Of course, the inner main tube, and exterior MMT were now coated in a thin layer of epoxy despite my best efforts to keep them dry. There would be no way to fit the CR, then remove it and add epoxy, so I had one shot at it. I mixed up some more 30 minute, and spread it around the tube, and on the internal fin edges. I pressed the CR in, and it got just onto the MMT and stopped dead. Getting my fingers in to press down in the tight space wasn't working. So, I ran out the the garage...grabbed the biggest flathead screwdriver we have, and a hammer. Blue Tube is stout. A few good wacks and the CR was seated. I mixed up a bunch of JB weld next for the Aeropack. I lined the inside ridged edge with JB, and tried to screw it onto the MMT. Being that it's set into the bodytube to be flush, I had issues with this. After several cross-threaded, sweat pouring into my eyes, failed attempts at this, I laid it over the back of the MMT, and hit it with the hammer. Perfect fit! I then used the rest of the JB weld on the rear CR. This CR is NEVER coming out.

The front Rail button hole is drilled, I just need to play with a stick and get the nut installed. The front dorsal fins need to be sanded and placed. Once that's done, I'll pull the Kevlar through the U bolt ( currently have paracord looped there) and install the chute and nosecone. Thinking of cutting open the NC and drilling out for an eye bolt. It'll help move the CG up a bit, and be solid.
Then it's just prime, paint, and decals.
edit: forgot to mention, after all the fuss about getting epoxy on the forward CR, I found a simple solution. After epoxying the front and mid CR's to the MMT, (aft removed at this time) and covering up the Ubolt nuts, I tied a 5 foot loop of paracord to the U bolt. I fed the cord through the main BT. Then i stood the MMT assembly on my desk, laying the main BT close by. I mixed up some 5 minute epoxy, and laid a generous amount on top of the front CR, up against the motor tube. I quickly grabbed the main BT, pulled the cord tight, lined it up over the front CR, and pushed it down. I had marked in my fin slots where I wanted the mid CR, and the epoxy was still pliable enough to push the MMT around until it lined up. I then turned the body vertical, and rolled it around until the epoxy spread evenly around. It sounds like a lot, but from putting epoxy down, to finish, it all probably took less than 20 seconds.
I wasn't gonna work on it tonight, but I got bored

First up the dorsal fins.

Then onto the front rail button. This should have been simple....but I didn't look at placement when I installed the mmt. So, the U bolt is sorta in the way. Took a couple different ideas and tries. First I tried a long thick coat hanger with some playdoh on the end. This would have worked, but was too thick to get past the U bolt.

Then I used a 1/4" rod, and taped an alligator to it. This got it close enough that I could drop the bolt in and catch the nut and pull it up. Before this I put a small bit of JB weld on the nut.

This shows the position of the U bolt, and I smeared some JB weld over the back of the nut.

A couple of the rocket together. Just a few finishing details here and there, installation of the recovery system, small external fillets on the fins, and then fill/prime/paint/fly.


Here's next week's project:

[edit 2015, this wound up in the 2.6" DS]
Structurally speaking.... she's finished. Just did the fillets tonight. everything else is just finishing and making it pretty.
