Ye Olde Rocket Forum

Go Back   Ye Olde Rocket Forum > Work Bench > Building Techniques
User Name
Password
Auctions Register FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts Search Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #21  
Old 03-23-2018, 07:04 PM
CuriousAmateur CuriousAmateur is offline
Junior Rocketeer
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 16
Thumbs up Problem solved

Hi again,
I just wanted to let you folks and any future readers know--it WAS a chemistry problem. Perhaps burning Calcium Stearate was the problem, or perhaps there was something else odd going on. In any case, the problem was the stump remover.

After various experiments, we finally gave up and bought some lab grade 99.999% pure KNO3. We were not disappointed, as it worked quite well.

Thanks for your time and input! We are especially glad that you mentioned the risks of PVC casings.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 03-23-2018, 09:27 PM
tmacklin's Avatar
tmacklin tmacklin is offline
Almost shovel ready
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,684
Default

You might try http://www.rocketryforum.com/ for additional information. They are always extremely helpful and courteous, especially when it comes to formulas. Just tell them "Uncle Ted sent me."
__________________
macklinmissileworks@gmail.com

Last edited by tmacklin : 03-25-2018 at 07:31 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 03-24-2018, 04:03 PM
ghrocketman's Avatar
ghrocketman ghrocketman is offline
President, MAYHEM AGITATORS, Inc.
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Nunya Bizznuss, Michigan
Posts: 13,443
Default

Ted, that's a great idea.
I'm sure they will be extremely helpful in advising this endeavor.
__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL
, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !

Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 03-24-2018, 08:18 PM
tmacklin's Avatar
tmacklin tmacklin is offline
Almost shovel ready
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,684
Default

Somehow I just knew you'd be pleased.
__________________
macklinmissileworks@gmail.com
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 04-04-2018, 12:48 PM
CuriousAmateur CuriousAmateur is offline
Junior Rocketeer
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 16
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by tmacklin
You might try http://www.rocketryforum.com/ for additional information. They are always extremely helpful and courteous, especially when it comes to formulas. Just tell them "Uncle Ted sent me."


Thanks for the suggestion! I'll take a look.
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 04-04-2018, 02:43 PM
Ltvscout Ltvscout is offline
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 6,472
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by CuriousAmateur
Thanks for the suggestion! I'll take a look.

I'd advise against it. Those guys were pulling your leg but asking for help at TRF. If you ask the question you asked here at TRF they're going to jump all over you in 2 milliseconds flat (and not in a good way).

FYI, I don't allow talk about experimental motors here either, but since you basically answered your own question I let it be.
__________________
Scott D. Hansen
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe - Your One Stop BAR Shoppe!
Ye Olde Rocket Plans - OOP Rocket Plans From 38 Companies!
Ye Olde Rocket Forum
WOOSH NAR Section #558
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 04-15-2018, 03:16 PM
tmacklin's Avatar
tmacklin tmacklin is offline
Almost shovel ready
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,684
Default

http://www.rocketryforum.com/showth...s&p=1778191#top

Apparently, our newbie forgot to mention Uncle Ted. LOL!
__________________
macklinmissileworks@gmail.com
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 04-15-2018, 06:57 PM
ghrocketman's Avatar
ghrocketman ghrocketman is offline
President, MAYHEM AGITATORS, Inc.
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Nunya Bizznuss, Michigan
Posts: 13,443
Default

I'm REALLY surprised they were as gracious to him on TRF as they were.
I expected them to go off like a short-fused grenade.
__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL
, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !

Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 04-30-2018, 12:04 AM
CuriousAmateur CuriousAmateur is offline
Junior Rocketeer
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 16
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ltvscout
I'd advise against it. Those guys were pulling your leg but asking for help at TRF. If you ask the question you asked here at TRF they're going to jump all over you in 2 milliseconds flat (and not in a good way).

FYI, I don't allow talk about experimental motors here either, but since you basically answered your own question I let it be.

Thanks for the advice, but they've actually been pretty friendly. My apologies for breaking the rules here, too! I was ignorant of this apparently common policy.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tmacklin
http://www.rocketryforum.com/showth...s&p=1778191#top
Apparently, our newbie forgot to mention Uncle Ted. LOL!

This does not seem to be a username there, but I assume it's an inside joke. I'll mention it if you were serious and it's safe, but I'm suspicious that there is something important that I'm missing.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
I'm REALLY surprised they were as gracious to him on TRF as they were.
I expected them to go off like a short-fused grenade.

I was slightly surprised as well, especially after the first response. However, they have been helping. It seems that the joke is on tmacklin!
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 04-30-2018, 12:20 AM
CuriousAmateur CuriousAmateur is offline
Junior Rocketeer
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 16
Default Updates

For those of you not following my progress on TRF, and are yet actually interested enough, here are some updates:
1. We've switched to poly casings. They don't insulate as well as we'd like, but they have not breached. The heat leakage is doing a little damage to the rocket body, but we can handle it.
2. We're having nozzle problems: they keep blowing out, and causing unpredictable flight.
3. Using a band-aid "solution" to these clay failures, we used some poly glue to help support the clay, and had some surprising success. We got about a 350-400 foot flight before the front plug blew, and the whole rig crashed. On recovery, all that was left was an empty tube, though we're not sure when the nozzle failed.
4. We set up and successful used a recovery charge, although the main nozzle blew out and the rocket crashed early, so it was in this case useless. Still, it's good to know that our delay system works.

We have been using diatomaceous clay rather than the usual bentonite for our plugs. Diatomaceous is quite rough, so we had hoped it would work as well or better. We couldn't find pure bentonite, but we have gotten some slightly contaminated stuff to try. Also, following some advice from TRF. we will probably begin forming our nozzles better, rather than just using cylinders.

Last edited by CuriousAmateur : 04-30-2018 at 12:23 AM. Reason: typo
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:59 AM.


Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.0.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe © 1998-2024