I got my LJ a few weeks ago , has anyone actually built one of theese things? on first impressions it is an over weight lunker , with some very tedious construction methods .

I have been building away , and modifying some things as some of the instructions , unless you are perfect will look like crap , or be so fragile as to be useless.

The nose cone is driving me nuts , the provided styrene is to thivk to make a cone that would resemble anything conical .

( i havent worked this out yet Im on my 3rd try ) I may just give up and use a funnel I found



Yhe fins built to spec would flutter into oblivion , you may as well tape cardboard on it.

I used 1/4 styrene rod rather than 020 stock in a few places


The tube is thick enough to hold 57 chevey off the ground andis next to unfinishable .

Since it has a corrogated styrene wrap , im adding another wrap rather than fight the tube fuzz

The CR's could probally hold an "M" motor

I sent them to jenny craig ...






Dont get me wrong , I really like it !

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If it was easy , everyone would be doing it
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I built the Gemini Titian when she was producing the kits. The supplied tube was almost like a carpet roll tube. Very, very heavy. This is why I posted on one of the forums if he would consider replacing the tubes with phenolic or glassine coated kraft tubes. It took allot of filler and sanding to get it to look good. All and all it turned out decent. The kit was almost a scratch build with supplied parts. guess what hooked me on the kit was the nozzles. I have not flown it yet, for now it sets in my hobby/computer room. I imagine someday it will make its way to the rocket trailer a go to a launch. If something happens to it once it fly's I would probably rebuild it with a lighter body tube and a 1/24 scale Revel capsule. I am pretty sure that is what was used as a master mold for the resin capsule.

You only gotta build one of those to not want to go thru that again. The added effort costs way more than the few extra bucks for a real rocket tube.

Doug

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YORF member #11

http://www.rocketreviews.com/review...le_joe_ii.shtml

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brianc -- NAR 83726 \ TRA 11640 \ L2

Interesting. Over the past few years, there has been much discussion about Sheri and her (1)tattoos, (2)provocative avatars, (3) belligerence, (4) sexuality and (5) delivery failures, but I guess the quality of the kits got lost in all that other stuff.

I know it's Machiavellian, but the thought occurred that maybe all the above was intentional obfuscation

Seriously, the kits sound very un-appealing.

Doug

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YORF member #11

A 1/24 Gemini Titan would need a 5" tube, IIRC. It's been several years since I've done HPR, but I think the tube sizes jump from 4" to 5.5". One would still need to do some work to cut down a 5.5" tube, but it would be lighter and more smooth than the carpet log.

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I love sanding.

Other than the milled nozzles, I think one could be scratchbuilt about as easily as buying the kit and fighting with the tube. It sounds like the kit is just an assemblage of raw material that wouldn't be much more than what us scratchbuilders would start with anyway.

Take a 1/24 Revell Gemini kit and either beef it up to use as the nosecone, or use it as a mold to make a resin nosecone. Cut down a 5.5" or 6" paper tube, cut a few of your own centering rings, and turn a couple of wooden nozzles for display (or get Sandman to do that part). Slap it all together. Add as much detail as you are willing to damage during transport. Paint it, and add some trim monocote for the shiny stuff. Find a suitable decent looking tattooed lady with platform shoes to pose with it.

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I love sanding.

Yea I know. The supplied carpet tube is actually about 5.25" in diameter. But as you said a cut down paper 5.5" Loc tube would be lighter probably even with a thin wrap of glass.

One of the steps , is to make the nose cone (Shoulder?) out of a chunk of the left over carpet tube ( it is actually Uline concrete forms)

, anyway that piece alone weighs 2.2 oz , the main BT is 14 oz , 5 oz of CR's


g-40 ......

And if you watch the videos , theese things dont actually fly , they are simply thrusted and maintain a semi upright attitude .

The plans are excellent , I am not bashing it , just pointing out improvnebts

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If it was easy , everyone would be doing it
www.jammer.com

5.25"? I thought the Titan II was 10 ft diameter. 1/24 scale should make that 5".

The extra 1/4" adds another 6" to the full scale diameter.

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I love sanding.