Addendum to Launch Report: Estes 2023 Christmas Ornament
That's a new one on me.... I'll report this to the folks at Aerotech..
Launch Report: Estes 2023 Christmas Ornament
Background
The rocket is made from various pieces of pine that were subsequently stained with “Cognac” wood stain.
This is a rear eject rocket that utilizes a spool.
On Site Preparations
An igniter was installed in the motor and secured via a rubber band.
The rocket was slid onto the 5/16" launch rod and the controller wires were attached to the igniter leads.
The site was clear and no outside observers were present.
Launch
The Aerotech G74-6 motor ignited and the rocket leaped off the pad.
It flew stable off the rod to about 150 feet and then weathercocked severly to nearly horizontal, flying at a slightly upward angle. When the thrust stopped and the coast started it sounded like an incoming missile.
At ejection the chute deployed and the #3 Eagle Claw Snap connector failed. The chute blossomed with only a lanyard of Kevlar hanging from it, while the rocket continued onward and lawn dart ground hit.
The rocket landed ¼ mile from the launch pad, to the South.
The parachute landed ¼ mile from the launch pad, to the West.
Condition of rocket after the flight
The ground was soft due to the recent rains we had received, and the rocket missed the random rocks strewn about the launch site.
The extension ejection tube broke on the recovery spool at ground impact.
Conclusions
What I learned
The photos and launch video reflected this flight accurately.
The sound of the rocket coasting was truly amazing.
Don’t use Eagle Claw Safety Snaps. They open under mid power ejection loading.
Photos and Launch Video. Be sure to listen for the sound of the coasting rocket.
Link to Launch Video Of The Upscaled 2023 Estes Christmas Ornament
05-23-2024 Spar Urethane Day 1
Applied a coat of Gloss Spar Urethane over the 3rd coat of red stain... looking spiffy!
05-22-2024 Red Stain Day 2
2nd application... looks much better.
I applied some Varathane Cognac stain to the rocket... I'll apply another coat tomorrow which should help cover the glue joints.
12-31-2023 Swing Tests
Finished the motor mount. Holes are for the Kevlar shock chord. The divider keeps everything in it's place until ejection.
CAD models and drawings also updated to "As Built"... see 12-26-2023 below.
12-29-2023 Motor Mount Day 03
I glued in the ejection tube, then cut and glued the corrugated cardboard upper centering ring.
12-28-2023 Motor Mount Day 02
I chucked the motor mount into the wood lathe and turned the centering rings from 2-1/2" dia. down to 1.810 dia. for a slip fit into the rear of the rocket.
Next up is gluing the centering ring into the 29mm tube for the ejection conduit tube. I'll be using quite a bit of wood glue, covering the inner and outer surfaces of this ring to add strength.
12-27-2023 Motor Mount Day 01
Started building the rear eject motor mount. I used a 2-1/2" and a 1-1/8" hole saw for the 2 large rings, then used the drop from one of those rings for the end ring in the 29mm tube.
All rings were made from 1/4" plywood, then sanded down to 0.150" thick.
I decided to try something a bit different for the motor hook. It's much shorter than a standard hook and is retained only by the rear centering ring. Clear shipping tape was wrapped 3 times around the 29mm tube and then masking tape will secure the hook to the motor.
12-26-2023
Updated 12-30-2023:
I created a CAD Solid Model and then knocked out a couple drawings to aid in making the motor mount.
OpenRocket supplies sufficient data for the fuselage.
12-23-2023
The Spirit Of Christmas 2023
12-17-2023
Photo Shoot
12-16-2023
More gluing photos.
12-15-2023
Cut the fins from 1/4" plywood. Sanded them to size, then routed the radi on the fins edges. Used my fin alignment fixture and started gluing the fins to the body. Then... added fillets.
12-14-2023
Sanded the body / nose sub-assy on the wood lathe and made cardboard templates to cut the wings and vertical stabilizers.
12-13-2023 Screw Eye and Gluing The Nose Cone To Body
I installed a 3/16" x 3" screw eye to be used with the Kevlar shock chord.
The body I.D. was sanded in the wood lathe, and then the nose cone was wood glued to the body
12-12-2023 Turning Nose Cone and Body
Turned the Nose Cone and the Body on the wood lathe from a scrap piece of 4 x 4 Spruce.
For the body I bored thru the 4 x 4 with a 2" Forstener bit, then chucked on the I.D. and turned the O.D. First time I've done that and it worked out well.
For the nose cone I used a faceplate, then turned and bored the part.
12-10-2023 Preliminary Design
The Plan:
Here's a 29mm rear eject powered version of the 2023 Estes Ornament.
Fabrication Theory:
Turn the nose cone and body tube on the wood lathe from a piece of pine. Then add the plywood fins and balsa wood pods.
Length approximately 15-3/4" and 2-1/2" diameter.
