Honest John - A BT-80H Scratch Build
Here's an Honest John that's powered by a 29mm motor.
It's a rear eject... so you always have that awesome profile, be it going up or coming down.
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Axe... A Scratch Build
Another build based on Internet artwork... 29mm Rear Eject
2025-12-19 Knocked out the CAD Model and the drawings. Looks like a fun project.
2025-12-20 Nose Cone Day 1
Started on the Nose Cone. Cut the (3)
pieces from some scrap pine boards. The center portion I cut the angles
at the front, and the upper and lower pieces were sanded to shape.
Next up is routering the chamfers.
2025-12-22 Nose Cone Day 2
I
purchased a 45 degree router bit and installed it into my router.... it
was defect and nearly shook my router apart! Took it back and got a
replacement... and it was flawless. I routed all the parts.
Gluing the three Nose Cone pieces.
2025-12-23
Revised the Body Tube from a C-204 to a BT-80H. More room for
parachute, went from a 30" to a 36" and it even looks better.... well
IMHO.
2025-12-24 Revised Drawing Set Rev 02
2025-12-25 Nose Cone Shoulder Fabrication and Install
Cut a donut from some scrap stair steps
using a 3" hole saw. Used a Forstner bit to drill a 3/4" center hole.
Press fit in a 3/4" Dowel and chucked it into the lathe, turned the o.d.
of the Shoulder for a slip fit into the BT-80H. Then, glued it all
together.
2025-12-26 Wing Fabrication
Cut, sanded and routed the wings.
2025-12-27 Wings to Fuselage
This should take a couple days...
Friday, December 5, 2025
Monday, December 1, 2025
Shuttlecock: A 2.25 Upscale Scratch Build
Here's a 2.25 upscale of a Badminton Shuttlecock.
It's a breakaway style bird such that sudden scheduled disassembly occurs at ejection and it falls back to earth in 3 pieces, all attached by Kevlar, using a streamer to help track recovery.
It's a breakaway style bird such that sudden scheduled disassembly occurs at ejection and it falls back to earth in 3 pieces, all attached by Kevlar, using a streamer to help track recovery.
12-02-2025 Revision 01: The Chute Version
May need to extend the motor down toward the bottom just a bit to avoid Mr. Krushnic.... but should work... 
Drawing Set, Rev 01
2025-12-04 Paper Cone Laminating
Trying something different here.... might work.... might not.I cut (8) of the large and small cones from regular old printer paper.Today
I watered down some Gorilla Glue and started gluing (2) of each of the
cones together. While the glue was still wet I used some Tupperware,
coasters, lids and a saucer to hold them round while they are drying. 
12-06-2025 Laminated Cones: Day 03
Well, not much to look at, reminds me of a Grade School project.I
applied a coat of Titebond Q&T, inside and out, which further
helped to stiffen the cones. Large Cone is 5 Ply, and the Small Cone is
4 Ply. Final thickness is 0.030". 
2025-12-07Now that the glue has hardened overnight... these cones will work great.
Large Cone is 5 Ply, 0.037" Thick, Weight is 1.13 OuncesSmall Cone is 4 Ply. 0.032" Thick, Weight is 0.71 Ounces 2025-12-08 Turned the Nose Cone on the lathe from Redwood. The bore was sized for a
1-1/2" piece of BT/C-55. This makes for the perfect sleeve to fit the
BT-52H motor tube.
Glued the components to the Nose Cone... waiting for that to dry.
And... did a quick mock-up 
2025-12-10 Glued Small Cone to Base Ring... and Large Cone to Nose Cone 
2025-12-12 Altimeter Stowage
Used a scrap piece of C-50, flattened it a little and punched some holes through it.The
Altimeter Two is secured by some thin gauge electrical wire, left over
from spent E-matches.. handy stuff that thin gauge wire. 
2025-12-13 Gluing Recovery Cone to the Motor Mount
I turned a Centering Ring on my lathe used that to attach the Motor Mount to the Recovery Cone using Titebond Quick and Thick.Hard to visualize based on the photos.... but it'll be clearer once the glue dries and I pull everything apart. 
Update Later Same Day:I
pulled the Motor Mount out to check that the glue wasn't running down
the Motor Tube... you can see the Centering Ring inside the Recovery
Cone. That'll be glued once the other side is dry. 
2025-12-14 Upper Recovery Cone to Motor Tube
Filler Up With Hi-Test 
12-16-2025 Launch Lug
Made a cardboard template to help set the
location of the launch lug on the Recovery Cone and the Outer
Shuttlecock Cone. The OR Sim showed 2-1/2" dia for the Faux Tube that
the launch lug attaches to, so that's the diameter I used. I marked
both Cones.Then
used my mechanical pencil to mark the width of the Launch Lug on both
Cones, then free handed the profile of the hole. Cut the holes with a
hobby knife.The
1/8" Basswood Support was made to support the entire length of the
Launch Lug, to prevent Parachute Shroud Lines and Kevlar Shock Chords
from getting tangled up around the Lug. 
2025-12-18 Swing Test
This one passed 2 out of 3 times. By that I mean on the first swing test
the rocket just tumbled. The next two test it flew rock solid stable.
I'll give it a flight, and see how it reacts. I figure the 6 ft launch
rod will make her point upwards, and from there the aerodynamics will
take over.
2025-12-24 Primer and Red Paint...Rustoleum Rusty Metal (Red Oxide) and Gloss Sunrise Red 
2025-12-26 Rustoleum Gloss White 
12-02-2025 Revision 01: The Chute Version
May need to extend the motor down toward the bottom just a bit to avoid Mr. Krushnic.... but should work...
Drawing Set, Rev 01
2025-12-04 Paper Cone Laminating
Trying something different here.... might work.... might not.
I cut (8) of the large and small cones from regular old printer paper.
Today
I watered down some Gorilla Glue and started gluing (2) of each of the
cones together. While the glue was still wet I used some Tupperware,
coasters, lids and a saucer to hold them round while they are drying.
12-06-2025 Laminated Cones: Day 03
Well, not much to look at, reminds me of a Grade School project.
I
applied a coat of Titebond Q&T, inside and out, which further
helped to stiffen the cones. Large Cone is 5 Ply, and the Small Cone is
4 Ply. Final thickness is 0.030".
2025-12-07
Now that the glue has hardened overnight... these cones will work great.
Large Cone is 5 Ply, 0.037" Thick, Weight is 1.13 Ounces
Small Cone is 4 Ply. 0.032" Thick, Weight is 0.71 Ounces
2025-12-08
Turned the Nose Cone on the lathe from Redwood. The bore was sized for a
1-1/2" piece of BT/C-55. This makes for the perfect sleeve to fit the
BT-52H motor tube.
Glued the components to the Nose Cone... waiting for that to dry.
And... did a quick mock-up
Glued the components to the Nose Cone... waiting for that to dry.
And... did a quick mock-up
2025-12-10 Glued Small Cone to Base Ring... and Large Cone to Nose Cone
2025-12-12 Altimeter Stowage
Used a scrap piece of C-50, flattened it a little and punched some holes through it.
The
Altimeter Two is secured by some thin gauge electrical wire, left over
from spent E-matches.. handy stuff that thin gauge wire.
2025-12-13 Gluing Recovery Cone to the Motor Mount
I turned a Centering Ring on my lathe used that to attach the Motor Mount to the Recovery Cone using Titebond Quick and Thick.
Hard to visualize based on the photos.... but it'll be clearer once the glue dries and I pull everything apart.
Update Later Same Day:
I
pulled the Motor Mount out to check that the glue wasn't running down
the Motor Tube... you can see the Centering Ring inside the Recovery
Cone. That'll be glued once the other side is dry.
2025-12-14 Upper Recovery Cone to Motor Tube
Filler Up With Hi-Test
12-16-2025 Launch Lug
Made a cardboard template to help set the
location of the launch lug on the Recovery Cone and the Outer
Shuttlecock Cone. The OR Sim showed 2-1/2" dia for the Faux Tube that
the launch lug attaches to, so that's the diameter I used. I marked
both Cones.
Then
used my mechanical pencil to mark the width of the Launch Lug on both
Cones, then free handed the profile of the hole. Cut the holes with a
hobby knife.
The
1/8" Basswood Support was made to support the entire length of the
Launch Lug, to prevent Parachute Shroud Lines and Kevlar Shock Chords
from getting tangled up around the Lug.
2025-12-18 Swing Test
This one passed 2 out of 3 times. By that I mean on the first swing test the rocket just tumbled. The next two test it flew rock solid stable.
I'll give it a flight, and see how it reacts. I figure the 6 ft launch rod will make her point upwards, and from there the aerodynamics will take over.
2025-12-24 Primer and Red Paint...
Rustoleum Rusty Metal (Red Oxide) and Gloss Sunrise Red
2025-12-26 Rustoleum Gloss White
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