Old NARAM 24 Picture

Chas Russell sent me a picture from NARAM 24.
On the NAR website the location was listed as Orlando, but the flying field was actually in Kissimmee on East Highway 192.

I had just moved to Orlando a few months before and was entertaining at the Sea World Florida Festival complex. In walks Jeff Flygare and Bob DelPrincipe of Centuri. Jeff was the "Consumer Relations Manager", Bob was a designer and artist for Centuri. While I didn't fly anything at this NARAM, I stopped by the field to visit.
From left to right: Jeff Flygare, Bob DelPrincipe, Al Porzio and me.

I knew there were big changes going on with the Damon owned companies. While catching up with Bob he said under his breath: "You probably made the right choice by going with music over a rocketry career."
Around this time, Centuri operations were downsizing and may have already moved to Estes. If you mailed an order to Phoenix AZ, the box may have been sent from Penrose!

Handling Flat Finishes?

From the Facebook Model Rocketry Fanatics page, Matt Steele posted this:

"Chas Russel brings up the Pod Bay Door's "Uprated Saturn 1B" for its first flight."

TIPS: This shows why I rarely paint sport models with a white flat finish - Sweat, skin oils and dirt stick to flat (matte) paint. Notice the gloves worn to keep the finish clean and white.

Picture Dowel - TIP

Anytime I take a finished picture of a rocket, I've just used a painting dowel in the engine mount. The dowel always had a coat of paint from the last model I painted.
I decided to make a dedicated photo dowel used only for the finished pictures.

A 1/2" dowel fits a standard used engine casing pretty well. The dowel might need a wrap of tape for a friction fit.

In the picture at the right, the upper 2 3/8" of the dowel was masked off.
The dowel got  a shot of primer/filler and was sanded smooth.

These are the same colors is use on the Dr. Zooch flame fins. Look up any launch pictures online. You'll find the colors go from a bright white to yellow to gray.
In the upper picture I marked the tape for a visual reference showing where the back end of the engine mount would be.

White was sprayed first. Yellow was applied second and gray third.
Hold the stick vertically when spraying and allow the colors to evenly blend.

Before the casing was set in place, the nozzle was knocked out and 1/4" was cut off the end.
With the casing now at 2 1/2" long it will sit in the mount farther and out of view for the pictures.

The edges were rounded off for an easier slip fit in the mount.







This looks much better!
Now if I could figure out a way to make smoke.

Using the "Burst Mode" for Launch Shots TIPS

 For more launch pictures to choose from I'm finally using the burst feature on my camera.
My camera "Burst" mode (or Continuous Shooting Mode) takes six pictures per second. You have to rotate the shooting mode wheel to the continuous shooting Mode.
Hold the shutter down halfway down and it starts taking continuous pictures like short movie stills. It will only start saving "stills" after the shutter is fully pressed down. (Note: there will be a few images saved immediately before the shutter is fully depressed)

For the fast launch pictures the ISO shutter speed was changed to 800.
Roger Smith takes great launch pictures and gave me the shutter speed suggestion.

It's a two handed operation and hard to coordinate at first.
In the left hand, is the controller. The continuity key is inserted and pressed down with the left index finger until it lights.
In the right hand the camera shutter is held halfway down which starts the burst mode of six pictures per second. (In the burst mode the camera won't start to record until the shutter is fully depressed and held. Your camera will save a picture or two from right before you fully pressed down the shutter.)

After counting down, the launch button is pressed with the left thumb.
When I hear the engine just start to hiss the shutter is fully depressed and held down. This starts the six frame per second "record". Don't let up the pressure on the shutter button. Hold it down for a full second.
After you get used to it, it's great to have some sequential launch pictures. 

This launch controller is unusual. 
It's a test unit from Estes given to me by John Bishop, one of the few old style controllers with the first factory installed LED continuity light.
The LED is very bright in comparison to the older style filament bulbs. 
TIP: It didn't come with the red launch button and black trim on the sides. That's just colored electrical tape I cut and stuck on. I just think a launch button should be red.

Bunnell Blast Pictures Link

That's Oscar the Rocket Dog (and me) last Saturday at the Bunnell Blast.
You gotta' love a good dawg!
It was a two day event with night launches Saturday evening.

Oscar is owned by Bracha and Roger Smith of JonRocket.com and RocketReviews.com.

Roger took this shot and has posted the Bunnell Blast pictures!
http://www.rocketreviews.com/bunnell-blast-2013.html
The BIG Akavish and night launch pics are amazing.

Image Watermarks?

A few online vendors are using photos of my finished builds for their website sales.
In a way I'm flattered, but I'm never given credit for the builds or picture.
This blog is a business. Some finished rockets are sold to vendors and collectors.
If I post a build, what gives others the right to sell their product using those images?

I always email and ask before posting someone else's work.
There are a few blog posts in draft form that can't be used until I get permission.

As soon as I can figure out how to add a watermark, anyone who copies blog pictures will have my name on it. Others have used my build images, but they simply asked before doing so.

My personal images have been copied and pasted before.
My favorite was a phone call I got from a angry woman.
"How dare you tell me you love me! I don't even who you are anymore!"  
Apparently a guitar playing Casanova copied a picture of me playing the guitar and used it to meet women online! She did a web search and somehow got my home phone.
After we talked on the phone she did more detective work and found his real identity and address. A carefully worded registered letter (with a threat to contact his wife!) stopped him.

Just because you can right click and "copy" doesn't give you ownership of another person's work.
Every picture you find on a search has the origin address. Do the right thing and ask before you copy and paste.

Taking Pictures - Lone Wolf Launching

In an Email, I was asked how I take launch pictures.
In my case - it's a lot of luck.

I don't take launch pictures at the monthly section launches. I can't get close enough and my camera only has a 4X zoom.
I leave those lift-off pictures to the guys with the good cameras with faster shutter speeds.

When launching at the nearby soccer field, I'm usually alone or "Lone Wolf Launching". But, I am closer to the launcher and might get a shot right after ignition.

I had to develop a coordination of the left hand launch controller and right hand camera.
The picture shows how I would position my left hand. This is a newer Estes Controller.

1. Set your shutter speed for a fast setting and turn your camera 90 degrees for a "portrait" frame. This'll give you a taller picture and a better chance of capturing the rocket going up the long rod.


2. My left hand index finger is pressing down the Safety Key to get a Continuity Light.


3. My right hand holds the camera. My digital camera requires you to press the shutter button down halfway so the camera can lock on the desired object.


4. Keep holding the camera shutter button halfway down.


5. Countdown and press the launch button on the controller with your left hand thumb.


6. When you hear that first "hiss" of the motor ignition, press the shutter button down all the way and you'll hear the click of the exposure.

It's not easy to coordinate this the first few times.
I guess all those years of accordion lessons are finally paying off.