Interesting Video Camera / Altimeter Flight

 This past Thursday, I was able to get out with a couple other area rocketeers to conduct a Fall launch session at Dove Valley Regional Park.

One of my flights consisted of a Quest Big Rage equipped with an 808 keychain camera and a FlightSketch Mini altimeter.

I spent a good amount of time this morning with the process of pulling interesting still frames out of the resulting video, and downloading the FlightSketch flight profiles.  My aim here is to be able to match the video frames with the corresponding profile altitude and velocity figures.

Here is the Big Rage pre-flight:

At ignition, the model boosted nicely, arced over and descended a bit before the ejection charge fired.

Unfortunately, the parachutes did not eject, so the model free-fell in 'break-apart' recovery mode.  Neither the model or any of the payload components sustained any damage.  I had hoped that everything would work correctly because I had the booster and payload on separate parachutes, with the latter rigged so that it would hold the camera at a 45 degree angle during descent.  Another test of this system will have to wait for another day.

Here are the flight profile charts and data as recorded by the FlightSketch Mini:

And the video stills:

2 second mark - A shot of the launch area during boost.  Altitude was approximately 150 feet at a velocity of 114 fps.  Observing the flight is Lee Reep.

5 seconds - This frame occurred just prior to the model reaching apogee. Approximately 308 feet, 10 fps.  The altimeter says apogee occurred at  05.42 seconds into the flight..

The next seven frames all occur within the 6 to 7 second time frame, just after apogee.  All show a sequence of the camera pointing at the nearer ground details and then to the horizon. Altitudes from 304 to 270 feet. Got a few front range mountains in there!

7 second mark.  This is the last frame which showed the Big Rage's fin in the camera field, indicating the split second before the motor ejection charge fired:

Now for a wild ride!  The remaining frames were random shots of features being captured on camera with the model careening and spinning toward Terra Firma.

8 seconds - A swiftly moving horizon shot. 240 feet:

9 seconds.  OK, I don't believe in UFOs, but this frame is interesting.  Most likely, it's a random glitch or reflective phenomenon  from the camera lens. 166 feet:

10 seconds.  Another fast horizon exposure from 144 feet up:

12 seconds.  Two shots of the parking lot at the south end of Dove Valley Park.  Interestingly, this was the very lot in which all of today's launch participants were parked.  Very cool that this showed up in the flight video. Altitudes 75 and 65 feet:

14 seconds.  This frame shows the surrounding field just before 'crash-down'.  Altitude: 10 feet:

This was certainly a fun exercise. Nice marriage of video cam and altimeter.

One final note:  A full report of the entire November 4th launch session will be the subject of another blog post.  It'll take me a couple of days to get all the pics and text put together. 

Stay tuned !

Binge Build: A Detracting Dose of 'Die-Crushed' Defects

 Ok, as I was preparing to get started brushing thinned CWF on the fins of my group-built rockets, I happened to note that some of the end grain edges of the Big Daddy fins were in pretty sad shape.

This of course, was a result of Estes' not-so-great 1990s' era balsa sheet die-cutting process.

I had to set to work with spackling on some thicker CWF to fill the gaps and holes, and sanding the edges smooth.

Now things are in proper order, so I can get back to grain filling and (sigh).....much sanding.

Binge Build: A Fin Filleting Fiesta...

 Here is the result of an afternoon spent getting my fingers all sticky with glue...

Fin fillets for the mass build are now completed.

As a rule, I usually do two applications of glue per fin joint.  The first applies the main fillet, and the second goes on to fill in any unsightly bumps or gaps that may have formed.

Inevitably, there might still remain a few random imperfections in the fillets. These can be quickly and easily fixed with further spot glue application.

The main goal is to produce smooth, even fillets the full length of the fin root. Such fillets go a long way in determining how the finished rocket will look once paint is applied, so I like to take my time on this step.

My next post on this build may be a bit longer in coming, as I will begin diving into the long, arduous task of filling and sanding the balsa grain on all of these birds. 

See you when I next surface for air.....

Cheers!

Binge Build: Forty Fin Fitting

 Yep, that's the number of balsa fin pieces spread across this six-rocket build.

The past couple of evenings has been spent in the process of gluing them on.

Again, I am deviating from my standard building MO in that I am attaching the fins before doing the grain filling and sanding. 

Usually, I do that part on the unassembled fins prior to attaching them, but I figured it might be better for the general flow of this project by doing it post-assembly.

The only exceptions are the small balsa vanes for the Crossfire ISX, and the fins for the Icarus booster section.  The latter are papered for extra strength.

Here is a pic of the first evening's 'fin attachment production line'.  I set up my portable workbench in the bedroom where I could watch a movie with the missus while gluing up fins:

Here is a pic of all the models with fins successfully attached. Kinda beginning to look like rockets!

Next step: applying fillets.

Here are the first two... only 78 more to go....

Binge Build: A Large Lot of Launch Lugs !

 Today's post covers the construction process of all the launch lugs for the multi-rocket project.

I am trying out a radically different way of approaching this step.  My normal method was to first do seam filling and sanding, glue the lugs to their 1/16 by 1/8 balsa standoffs, glue those assemblies to the model airframe (after the fins have already been done), and apply glue fillets.

My new method entails doing all of this before the model's fins go on.  I have found it to be immensely easier to attach these small low-profile parts without having to work around taller fins.

Also, the order of operations is changed. 

First, the standoffs are glued on along the marked line.  When these are dry, the lugs themselves are glued to the standoffs.  Alignment can be done much more quickly and precisely.

Next, it's an easy matter to apply the glue fillets.

Finally, the lug seams get the normal CWF fill and sanding. Plenty of room to do this without interfering fins to worry about.

Here are all the rocket airframes with these processes completed:

Binge Build: A Cache of Cradles

 Before I get too much further into this build, I will need a number of rocket-holding cradle stands for gluing fins and applying fillets.

A half hour spent in the LEGO room was good for taking care of these needed fixtures...

While I'm on the subject of LEGO, check out my blog page on that subject. The link is in the "All of My Blog Pages" list found at the right side of this page. Lots of cool brick stuff to be found there ...

Cheers!

Binge Build: A Passel of Pencil Marks !

Here is the part of the build project where I have to actually pull out some of the kit instructions to ascertain the proper placement of fins, launch lugs, and whatever other details there happen to be. 

Setting to work with a precision-sharpened pencil, fin spacing guides, ruler,  and a length of metal shelving standard to draw the longitudinal lines, I soon have a set of tubes all ready for assembly.

Time to fire up the ol' glue pot...