Hydra Sanhawk?

Ed Brown posted this picture on the Facebook Model Rocketry Fanatics page:


So . . .
Is it a HYDRA SANDHAWK or,
HYDRA SANHAWK?

To see the entire build from Finish to Start: CLICK HERE


Here's another face card misspelling:
The Fliskits MECURY REDSTONE

I'm not making fun of these mistakes. I worked in a print shop for years! These things happen. At a glance, it reads correctly. Your mind can fill in a missing letter.
If you've printed up one thousand full color face cards on heavy gloss stock, it'd be a shame to throw them away over a spelling error.

New Way MMX C-Thru Build, Finished

This is a great kit! Highly recommended.
3D printing has come a long way. The molding ridge layers are so much smoother now.
There is a clear payload section but you can't use it to carry a bug. All is glued up.
Normally I hate stickers but don't mind it on this one. They are thin and you can't see the edges.
At first glance, $11.00 may seem like a lot of money for a rocket this size. I feel it is worth it to see the advancements in 3D printing. A very well engineered model!

New Way MMX C-Thru Build, Part 5, Launch Lug Fit

The 3D launch lugs were too small a diameter to fit my Micro-Maxx launch rod.

Not a big deal, I've seen this before. Usually a small rat tail file is used to open them up but the side walls on the molded lugs were a bit thin.
The attached lugs were cut off.






I used one of the Dollar Store hollow Q-tip barrels for a new MMX lug.

The orange tube was colored, like the body and nose cone trim, with a wide point Sharpie marker.

The lug was cut down to a smaller size and glued into the fin root area.
TIP: The medium CA glue was transferred onto the fin root joint with a toothpick dipped into a drop of CA glue. I get better control over the amount of glue applied by doing it this way.

On the right is the new launch lug. The rocket is already prepped and ready to launch.

NARAM 2020 Manufacturer forum

The recent NARAM Virtual Manufacturer's Forum has been posted on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIt9u6sPh9E&feature=youtu.be

New Way MMX C-Thru Build, Part 4, Paint, Fins, Sticker & Streamer

The 3D molded ridges were sanded smooth so the marker ink wouldn't run into the layer cracks. If you use a pen, the surfaces must be smooth. Go light with the sanding.

A Sharpie marker was used for the black coloring. It's just easier on a model this size. On the left side picture I'm just outlining the edges.

Afterwards, a knife blade scraped and cleaned up anything that ran over the edge.

I squeezed a drop of medium CA onto a piece of scrap cardboard.

The fin tabs (Yep, through the wall fins on a Micro Max rocket) are dipped into the CA drop of glue. I have more control over how much glue is applied by using this method.

The fins are pressed into the fin slots.
When dry fitted without glue, they felt a bit loose. Glued in place, the joint is strong.

We'll see if any of the ejection charge blows out the back. There is no seal between the round engine mount tube and square rocket body.





These stickers worked very well.
Transfer onto the model using your knife blade, this keeps fingerprints off the sticky backside.

With this model name set vertically, it reminds me of some of the "Alien" fonts used by Centuri in the 1970s.





The adhesive streamer dot was trimmed a bit to allow for easier rolling and fit into the upper body.

NARAM Manufacturer Forum - New Products

I tried to get in on the virtual NARAM Manufacturer's Forum last night,
but the NARAM website wouldn't load!
Here's some of the comments from TRF this morning from some who did see it:


Scott650 started:

Couple or four interesting tidbits out of the Manufacturer’s Forum webinar popped up on TRF from forum members CWBullet and Afadeev - MDRM is returning! Along with the much rumored and discussed Saturn 1b and Falcon Heavy. 29mm motors will be back on the shelves soon along with, finally, improved initiators/starters!!

Blushing Mule (Bob) wrote:
That was a great session...
ASP is looking good.
Never heard of Eggtimer Rocketry, may have to plug in the soldering iron.
Estes is still kickin' butt.
E-Rockets-Semroc is planning new up-scales of a few classics.
New Way's Saturn IV... and the Steamliner. I hope they do that triangular tubed model.
Frank Burke's Red Max glider was neat, but his X-15 is just wonderful!
Many thanks to Ed LaCroix for running the show!
Bob
p.s. Gary Rosefield mentioned a new I-65 with ejection as opposed to plugged...

tbzep wrote:

Some of you are going to go nuts...
eRockets just announced a "pro" upscale of the Blue Bird Zero and the Orbital Transport!

Snaquin followed:
I asked Randy During the Q&A “Any plans for any future SEMROC SLS kit releases? And he replied with a flat out NO, but we will have more of the PRO kit releases and brought out the Blue Bird Zero and the Orbital Transport! Those kits are HUGE.

My take:
ESTES:
I've heard the Estes 1/100 scale Saturn 1B will be released around Black Friday (late November) The Estes Maxi Der Red Max will be a smaller 3" tube model, not a 4" diameter like before. The upgraded "Starters" won't have a sparking black pyrogen tip, but will be more "energetic".
NEW WAY:
The Saturn IV is a square body version of the Saturn V. I haven't seen the Steamliner yet.
SEMROC:
Semroc will now have three different sizes of the Blue Bird Zero and Orbital Transport. Micro Maxx, standard and the big upscale.

New Way MMX C-Thru Build, Part 3, "Tube" & Engine Mount

On the left you can see the subtle ridges from the 3D print layers.
They aren't bad, but I prefer things a little smoother.

The tube walls are thick enough to allow some smooth sanding.
Halfway through I realized the small launch lug extends beyond the outside of the tube. I sanded off a little of the rounded side!

A Kevlar line is knotted and locked between the engine block and motor mount tube.

this is slid into the body (only partway shown here) until it is even with the square tube end.
A drop of CA glue is applied into a few fin slots to lock the mount into place.

The square coupler (with shock cord attachment loop) had a tight fit in the main body and clear tubes.
This is mentioned in the instructions. a little sanding gave a good, slip fit with just the right amount of friction.





Here's the "payload" section.

The nose cone has a short shoulder and is glued into the tube.
This payload compartment is for looks only, with it all glued up you can't sneak in a bug or other small payload.

Sanded & Square Body Tube Ends TIP

From TRF, Hooked On Rockets Posted his tip for sanding the ends flat on a cut tube.

"So if you are talking about making true edges to match up with each other, you could do this:

Glue up some sandpaper to a FACTORY EDGE body tube with CA and then cut out the sand paper inside the tube with an exacto...
Then use a body tube coupler inserted in the rig to true up the cut edge.
And of course, since it looks like you have cut a BT shorter than factory, you should have a factory edge on your "cutoff"....that's the edge you wanna glue up to the sand paper."
______________________________________________________

Neil W got to work and put together this series of pictures to better explain the process:

OK, here we go.
I glued the tube to 220 grit sandpaper (seemed like a good choice for this) by applying a nice bead of medium CA around the joint. Pro tip: give it plenty of time to fully cure.





I then carved the hole out with a #11 Xacto. Turned out to be pretty easy job, only took a minute. The hardening of the tube/paper joint from the CA made it pretty easy to remove only sandpaper and not damage the tube (not that small nicks will make any difference).

Of course I had to test it out. Insert coupler halfway...





Then insert tube to be sanded...

Then twist the two tubes against each other. Worked great! Will need to knock the lip off the edge of the tube when finished, but that's super easy.

I made a BT55 and BT60 so far, with a BT50 in progress. Bonus: they nest nicely for storage!

I rate this as an A+ tip.

Now if only I had ordered a BT-70 coupler in my last order ...

Neil adds:
I have two followups:
1) It does really produce a lip on the tube that must be sanded off afterwards. I'm going to experiment further and see if wrapping the tube can prevent that.
2) It's *really* good for squaring off the shoulders of nose cones. When applying CWF to a balsa nose, it takes but a second to clean up the edge after it's dry, no need to do the tube twist while it's still wet.

Thanks to Hooked On Rockets and Neil W - 

I'll have to give this a try - 

New Way MMX C-Thru Build, Part 2, More Parts

Rick Randol must be a graphics designer.
All the fins are in the shape of the "C" in the C-Thru name font.

You are given four extra white fins.
If you didn't want to finish it in black and white, use the white fins and paint it another color!


As with the larger New Way kits,
Build extras are included. In the small bag are Q-tips, toothpicks and a emery board.






Stickers!
These worked very well.

You are supplied with two extra main body stickers.

Overbuilding?

I've been known to replace a standard BT-20 and BT-50 with heavier wall tubes. I also use a Kevlar line to an elastic shock cord from the engine mount. 
But I've go my reasons. Thin wall tubes can crimp, rubber band shock cords deteriorate. That's usually where I draw the line.

I saw this on Facebook:


"I can never leave anything stock ..
I thought this was only the case for my vehicles, but I see it’s transferred over to my rockets too!
Some g10 on the way for TTW fins... I’m thinking 1 wrap of glass for the supplied thin wall BT. Said bye bye 18mmt and paper centering rings . I think A 29mm BP or composite motor would get this guy movin nicely! ??  will also get rail buttons and wood centering rings to make this one mean little rocket!!"



To each his own. We all handle rocket building a little differently. 
The Baby Bertha retails for $14.99 now. With most parts being replaced it looks like you bought an expensive nose cone.

New Way MMX C-Thru Build, Part 1, Parts

This will be fun!
A New Way square tube Micro Maxx kit with a clear payload section.
This is a downscale of the regular sized New Way C-Thru rocket.

The square tubes, clear "payload" section, nose cone and fins are 3D printed.
3D printing has come a long way, these are some of the smoothest parts I have seen.

More parts in the next post - 

TAZZ / Gyroc Decal Available

If you'd like your Estes TAZZ to look more like the original Gyroc design, a home print decal PDF is now available!
The vertical bar roll pattern fits around the BT-50 body tube. There are plenty of extras on the sheet.
This offer is open to Patreon member suporters.
Email me at: oddlrocket@bellsouth.com
and ask for the Gyroc/TAZZ decal PDF.

Estes Tazz Follow-up

TIP: I already lost one of the rubber bands! The kit does give your four.
To retain the rubber band when it is loosened between flights -
Close off the open end with of the Part R Hooks a bead line of  white glue. It won't be permanent, you can pop out the glue bridge to replace the rubber band.



Bernard Cawley wrote on YORF:

"During the build I ran into a couple of little “gotchas”. The first one involves the fin-to-flap hinges.

The flaps are hinged on both sides with what amounts to thin clear sticker stock (shapes precut to fit). On one side, the hinge material just goes from the top of one part to the top of the other. On the bottom, however, the hinge material goes from the bottom of the fixed fin to the TE to the LE of the flap to the bottom of the flap. Those of you who have used tape hinges on small RC airplanes have probably seen something like this. However, if you haven’t (or if you forget, as I did) that some space between the surfaces needs to be left to make room for those two thicknesses of of hinge material, if you butt the two parts together and put the top hinge material on, you won’t be able to get the flaps all the way parallel with the fins after putting the bottom hinge material on.

(If you use both top and bottom hinge pieces)
Of course what one needs to do is leave about 1/32 of an inch gap between when putting the top portion on and then exercise a little care installing the bottom piece as it wraps from flap across the edges to the fin. Or, perhaps more simply, do the BOTTOM first instead of the top.

This is lots of words. The first attachment is a diagram I found with a quick search. If you imagine the “elevon” and the “wing” are both the same thickness and the “elevon” is not tapered, then you can see what I’ve clumsily tried to explain."

"The “gotcha” is that there is no standoff for the launch lug, so the launch rod rides on the the ring, takes advantage of the fact that Estes launch lugs are a fairly loose fit on a 1/8-inch rod, and then rides on the base of the nose cone. It doesn’t bind so much that the model wouldn’t get off the rod (though a rod that’s a full 1/8-inch diameter binds a bit more than an Estes rod). But still, that struck me as less than ideal.

Since my model was already built and painted, my solution was to grab a cordless Dremel tool, the small diameter sanding mandrel with a fine-grit drum attached and relieve the ring where the rod passes over it. See the picture to the right.

The obvious thing to do while building it is to cut a strip from the fin scraps the length of the launch lug and about 1/8 inch wide and use it as a standoff for the launch lug."

Estes Tazz #7282 Build, Finished

Compared to the original Gyroc, I like the larger size of the new Tazz.

The new plastic hinges are much more flexible and won't easily crack like the older paper ones.
The fin silhouette is almost identical to the original Gyroc, just larger. The leading edge outside corner on the Gyroc wing and vertical stabs were rounded.
The Tazz balsa is 3/32" thick, the Gyroc was 1/16".
The older Rocketeers will remember this color and decals from the old catalogs. I wasn't too hot about the new decals so I went old school.
The upper body and nose cone picture shows how well the wrap decal matched up. The start and finish of these tube wraps don't always end with equal spacing.

These decals will be available to Patreon members, give me a day or two to finish up the drawings.
Email me at: oddlrockets@bellsouth.net and ask for the Gyroc/Tazz decals PDF.

Estes Tazz #7282 Build, Part 10, Plastic Retainers

The guide ring is glued onto the rear of the tube, even with the end.
The notches on the ring are on the opposite side of the launch lug.
Be sure the notches are centered between the wing fins.

This shows how the ring tab extensions hold down the flaps.
Notice the engine hook, tabs and notches on the ring are on the other side of the launch lug.

The rubber band locks and hooks fit into the round holes in the wings and flaps.

These can rotate while you are setting the locks on the other side.
You can carefully straighten them with tweezers. Go light - you can scar the balsa.







After the locks and hooks are straight, you can set them with a drop of liquid cement.

Estes Tazz #7282 Build, Part 9, Engine Mount Trim TIP

Here's the engine mount, the streamer is taped to hold the end down.
The low end of the engine mount has 3/16" of bare tube exposed.
I didn't want to go through a tight masking job with the white lock ring in the way.






I sprayed some scrap peel and stick paper stock with gloss yellow.





A 3/16" wide strip was cut.
The engine hook was lifted and the strip end started under the hook.
Release the hook, continue the sticky strip around the bare tube.
Cut the end, hide it under the raised engine hook.






Here's the finished engine mount with a smooth yellow end.

Masks?

This post has nothing to do with the Corona Virus.
With the abundance of available masks, I hope you are wearing one when spray painting.
Years back there was a very well known luthier who had to give up guitar production after a few years of lacquer spraying without wearing a mask.
Rocket kit instructions always say to spray in a well ventilated area. I build and paint a lot of rockets and tend to spray outdoors.
If you can smell the paint, it's getting into your nasal passages and lungs! Play it safe - wear a mask.

Estes Tazz #7282 Build, Part 8, Overall Yellow Painting TIPS

This is a tough rocket to get an overall even spray. The four vertical stabilizers (small fins) block certain areas from getting a final wet coat.

Summertime painting in hot, humid weather is a crap shoot.The picture on the right shows some spatter "pebbling" after some between coat light sanding sanding. When I light sand, I only knock off the tops of the raised orange peel spatters before the next coat. There's no need to sand the paint completely to surface. The next spray coat will flow and and help level the surface.

Before spraying the entire rocket -
Spray the leading and trailing edges of the fins, the (tight) fillet areas of the launch lug and tip of the nose cone. Those initial areas are sometimes missed when trying to paint the overall model.

Look at the third picture below- Another area to hit first - A hard area to evenly cover  (behind the smaller vertical fins) is highlighted in gray.

To get better, smoother coverage on these complex surfaces, shoot the vertical stab fins first - then spray the larger main wings.

I spray horizontally with a painting wand (dowel and engine casing) in the back end or engine mount.

On the left - Follow the numbers and the directional arrows, try to get and even spray coat on the small vertical stab fins, do the wing "flats and main body after.

Enlarge the picture to better see the numbers and arrows.

Again, notice the gray areas behind the vertical stabs. Be sure to get spray coverage there. The vertical stabs can block the paint coverage.

Estes Tazz #7282 Build, Part 7, White Undercoats

Oh no!
I was using the Rustoleum Premium with great sucess - until today.
The gloss white sprayed out rough! I stopped immediately, only a small area got the rough spray. Luckily it easily sanded smooth.
I test sprayed about ten passes of the gloss white on scrap cardboard before hitting the rocket again.
This time the paint went down smooth.




After the first white coat, you could see some tube bulges at the front leading edge of the main fins.


These were sanded down a bit and shouldn't be as obvious by the time the final color is sprayed.






Here is both sides of the rocket showing the launch lug fillet and leading edge bulge after sanding.

The rocket got an additional shot of gloss white before the overall final color.