Peter Alway Saturn IV Build, Part 5, Parts and Tubes!

I had already started making the small details (last picture below) and fins using parts I had on hand.

After I received my order from BMS, here's the remaining parts needed.

There are seven BT-5 tubes, six outer tank tubes cut to 6" long.
The central vent tube is cut to 6 1/2" long.

In total, there are six centering rings:
Two 55-60 rings, two 5-60 rings and two 20-60 rings for the engine mount.






On the upper end,
The PNC-55AC nose cone, A 4 1/2" length of BT-55, Two 55-60 rings, The printed adapter and A 2" length of BT-60.






These smaller details were made in the preceding blog posts.
Three ullage rockets,
Two turbine exhausts,
Four interstage rockets
Four antennas and antenna panels and
the longer conduit.

808 Camera Directions, Part 2

In these pictures, the lens and microphone hole are facing up.

To turn on the video recorder - 
Press and hold down the ON/OFF button until the light comes on.
Release the button.

Press and hold down the RECord button until it flashes three times.
Release the REC button.
The camera is now recording video.

To stop recording, press and release the REC button once.

To turn off the camera, press and hold down the ON/OFF button until the light goes out.

Practice the button pressing sequence at home before using the camera on a rocket. Record a few seconds and remove the Micro SD card. Slide it into the SD Adapter and try it in your computer to see what you've recorded.
Be sure everything works to your satisfaction before mounting the camera on a rocket.

808 Camera Directions, Part 1

The instructions that came with my 808 Micro Camera were written in China by somebody who didn't have a grasp of English.
"Thank you for choosing our company designed and developed series of security products, hope it can help your life safe and happiness."
The directions are even harder to follow.

I'll run you through the steps in a way that might be easier to understand.

Here's how most of the 808 key chain cameras look.
My Micro SD card slot is where the reset button is.

You will only be concerned with the two buttons at the top - the ON/OFF and REC buttons.
The buttons toward the rear are just cosmetic, they don't do anything.

The 808 camera uses Micro SD cards. The Micro cards are very small and easy to lose. Keep them in the 808 camera or in the adapter between flights.
I use the smaller and cheaper 4 and 8 GB cards. These smaller 4 and 8 GB cards will have enough memory for most flights.

On this camera, the Micro SD slot is on the left side.

TIP: Look closely at the slot. The Micro SD card slides in to the top of the metal "shelf". On one of my cameras it can go in below the actual "contact" slot. Be sure to slide it in to the top.

On this camera, the SD card is slid in with the contacts facing up.
You might have to use your fingernail to press it all the way in and "lock" the card in the slot. Don't let the card slip, the spring loaded lock can shoot the tiny card across the room!

Peter Alway Saturn IV Build, Part 4, Details and Fins

The Antenna Panels (Part T) are cut from thin cardboard.
I doubled over some 110 lb. card stock to make it thicker.
Glued stick was used.

Two Antenna Panels were cut out and the edges smoothed.

Six fins (Part K) were cut out of 3/32" balsa.

I'd thought about using basswood but went with the balsa instead.
If the fins were thicker I might have sanded them into a wedge shape like the Saturn 1B fins.

I ended up keeping the 3/32" thick fins and sanding them to a wedge shape.

Full Size V2 Launch

"World's largest amateur rocket to be launched in March 2015 at Thunda Downunder in Queensland, Australia."

The full size V2 was launched yesterday by the group Rocketry Victoria.
The build and initial launch was impressive. I'll leave your opinions to the comments below -

To check out the video - CLICK HERE 

Peter Alway Saturn IV Build, Part 3, Small Details

The four Antennas (Part U) are made from the discarded centers of the adapter rings.
Whether die-cut or laser cut you'll want to square up the angled cuts on the outside.
If your center piece is die-cut, there might be some buckling of the card stock on on side. Sand off the raised areas.
This will leave you with some rough edges.

The flat top and bottom of the disk got a coat of medium CA applied with a Q-tip. This hardened up the card stock for smooth sanding.
I took two applications of CA and sanding to get them smooth.
On the left is the top smooth side, on the right is the backside when the raised edge was sanded down.

Set the disk over the pattern and extended pencil lines.
Mark the disk for cutting with a sharp pencil and straightedge.

These are small and will want to move when cutting.
Score the cut lines first, don't try to cut through on the first pass.
After the first cuts are scored you could move the straightedge and use the knife by itself to cut all the way through.
Take your time, this card stock is hard!

Peter Alway Saturn IV Build, Part 2, Small Details

While I wait for the BMS order to arrive, the small details are made.
I found the PDF files for the Peter Alway Saturn IV. They aren't online, I have them on my hard drive.
Patreon members - If you want to build the Saturn IV, email me at oddlrockets@bellsouth.net
Ask for the the Saturn IV PDFs. 

On the left is Page 1 of the plans. At the bottom are the full-size details.
TIP: Be sure you check the 1" square Scale Pattern box after printing! Some default printer settings may not give you a full size plan.

Behind the plan is some 3/32" basswood.
The plans say to use balsa, but on the small details I don't want to mess with filling the grain. The basswood is much denser than balsa and will be easier to shape and keep sharper edges.
Not much filling with basswood, one shot of primer filler and sanding should do it.



All the outside edges of the detail patterns had the outside edges extended.
It's easier to cut pieces to size by just setting the parts on top of the plan and cutting over the longer lines.

The interstage rockets were cut to width and sanded smooth.
Here I'm cutting off the angled front end.

The Ullage rockets are made from a 1/8" dowel and harder to cut.
The the angled "root edge" first and sand to square it up.
Then cut the square end to length. Sand and true up.