Tools: What do you recommend?  

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@charles-h13

Do you have a photo of the 1:1 model? You need a huge workshop to build such a work of art!
A good tool to shoot the printer to the moon, if it bugs you too much 😊 👍 

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@karl-herbert

I do not but I do have a photo of her sister.  Mine is in a 40 food shipping container on my farm.  

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

Posted by: @charles-h13

@karl-herbert

I do not but I do have a photo of her sister.  Mine is in a 40 food shipping container on my farm.  

 

 060FEF7A-53AD-4564-A0D4-207018D9E250.jpeg

Out of curiosity, how much, as in $USD, does it cost to build one, and how much is actually spent per launch?

Back when I was a kid, that Aerobee Hi model cost something like $.50 per launch, so as you can see, we did not send it up very often.  That was Real Money to a 10 year old back then.

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

It is not cheap and that is one reason mine has never flown.  The motor casing is $3000 and the propellant is $3000.  The rocket was built as a team project.  It was basically build out of excess parts and cost me next to nothing because the parts were donated.  To make it again, it would  cost about $5000.

My half scale cost Me about $1000 to build and it is about $200-500 per flight.  

It is not a cheap hobby but it is very fulfilling to hit Mach and have a successful recovery by parachute.  

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@charles-h13

Do you let them take to the skies or is this just a show project?
Interesting but for me a very expensive hobby!

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

LOL, and I used to complain about having to spend $.50 out of my odd-job money to make the thing go up.  😉

And a final (well, maybe) question.

What kind of license or certification, if any, do you need to fly those things?

Also, do you need to get any FAA clearance to launch those?  Are there certain locations set aside where those can be launched?  At 15km, that could potentially collide with an airliner, or anything else that's normally up there in the stratosphere.

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

Posted by: @jsw

[...] What kind of license or certification, if any, do you need to fly those things?

I believe they are approved for open carry in some jurisdictions. Popular for duck hunting and self defense. YMMV.

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

Posted by: @jsw

LOL, and I used to complain about having to spend $.50 out of my odd-job money to make the thing go up.  😉

And a final (well, maybe) question.

What kind of license or certification, if any, do you need to fly those things?

Also, do you need to get any FAA clearance to launch those?  Are there certain locations set aside where those can be launched?  At 15km, that could potentially collide with an airliner, or anything else that's normally up there in the stratosphere.

There are two organizations: the National Association of Rocketry and the Tripoli Rocketry Association.  You can fly up to a G motor (motor certification).  To fly over a certain size rocket or motor, you must have an FAA waiver to notify planes to avoid your air space.  My club can fly to 18000 feet.  Out west, some go up to 120000 feet.  There are clubs in every state in the United States and all around the globe.  I flew often when I was stationed in Germany.  

Certification is required for H size motors and above.  The certification is performed by the associations and it involves a successful flight and various proof of proficiency.  My level 3 write up was over 40 pages and was approved by two level-3 fliers call TAPs.  The approval process includes a safety review.  I have been flying for over 40 years.  Once you are certified, you can fly the motors and buy the motors.  A certified flyer is supposed to buy the motor for you if you are not certified to fly it. 

Certification levels:

• Level 1 just requires a successful flight with an H or I motor. Include H and I motors.  
• Level 2 has a written test and a successful flight.  Includes J, K, and L motors.
• Level 3 requires an approved build project and mentorship by 2 TAPs or committee members that ensure a safe build process and flight.  Includes M and above.  

I have one N motor in my shed that will burn for 12.5 seconds and took a carbon fiber rocket I own to Mach 2 and nearly 51000 feet.  I missed the record by less than 300 feet.    

Sorry for the length of my response.  I love this hobby.  You can fly rockets with much less expenditure.  We have flyers that fly small motors and never go high power.  Some of their flights are equally entertaining.  

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

Thanks.  I find this fascinating.  When I was a kid in the late 50s and 60s I followed the space program very closely.  I just dabbled in model rocketry with the one model we had.  I don't remember any motor designation, but they were maybe 3/4 of an inch in diameter and 3 inches long or so.  They did have a secondary charge to blow out the parachute.  IIRC they burned for a couple of seconds.  Most of the flight was coasting.

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@jsw

That is a C-D motor.  Man, I will do a thread just for you guys and do a 100% printed rocket.  

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

Posted by: @charles-h13

@jsw

That is a C-D motor.  Man, I will do a thread just for you guys and do a 100% printed rocket.  

I shiver with antici ... ... (say it!) PATION!  😉

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@charles-h13

Good idea! I would also build my first 3d-printed rocket. Scale about 1:20 might be good - maybe a V2? 👍 

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@karl-herbert

V2s are very popular.  

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

This has gotten a 'bit' off topic, but the thread is fascinating!  Thanks for the information and I hope you can follow through with the 3d printed rocket thread

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@ On-topic:

Some kind of tool for people with bad eyelight: a digital microscope - not only for 3d-printing but also there from time to time. I am very happy with this one - very helpfull on small electronic parts: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07QLRDPBN/ref=dp_prsubs_1

Best regards, Clemens

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

I've got a set of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0743BKK6B/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 not quite microscope but very useful for a lot of workshop tasks. I bought these as I've noticed over the past couple of years circuit boards are smaller and slightly out of focus compared to 10 years ago 🤣

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

@gordon-w

That is very similar to the one I use to Solder.  I have been using this headband magnifier when assembling electronics for about a year.  

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

I would not like to recommend either a Raspberry PI 3 or 4.  I have Octoprint installed on each printer and I am very happy with the results.  I have them connected through the pin headers and an RPI cable from a Little Red Toaster.  It allows both data and power to go from the MK3S to the PI. Unfortunately, the Mini is not capable of this connection but can be connected by USB.  

This tool/upgrade will allow you to monitor your prints with Astroprint with an added plugin. PI 4 is preferred because ti adds significant speed over the PI 3.  The 3d printed einsy and raspberry controller box below alloys the addition of a Buck Converter.  I have never needed one.  

Parts:

• Raspberry PI 3 or Raspberry PI 4
• Little Red Toaster Einsy to Pi Cable
• Samsung Evo 32 GB
• Buck converter (optional)

Printed parts:  

• Raspberry and Controller Box

Enjoy!  I am adding one to my new printer and will post pictures as i assemble it. 

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

Posted by: @charles-h13

[...] I have them connected through the pin headers and an RPI cable from a Little Red Toaster.  

Is there any serial performance benefit to using this connector, or are you still stuck at 115Kbps?

RE: Tools: What do you recommend?

Posted by: @gordon-w

I've got a set of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0743BKK6B/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 not quite microscope but very useful for a lot of workshop tasks. I bought these as I've noticed over the past couple of years circuit boards are smaller and slightly out of focus compared to 10 years ago 🤣

Don't you just hate it when those damn manufacturers make the circuit boards out of focus 😆 😆 😆