Flying Basket of Death and Destruction Build Thread

[davetherocketguy]

So work has resumed on V 3.0. This will be far less than a complete rebuild like it was for v 2.0. I have a launch coming up this weekend and while the weather looks a little iffy I'm going to try to get 'er done.

The first photo shows the chute tube with the piston that holds the chute and cord in. The top of the piston should be level with the top of the tube but it is REALLY jammed down in there. Thats the first thing that has to be fixed. The second photo show the damage to the lower basket.

 

[davetherocketguy]

So getting the piston out is the first order of business and was for a time quite problamatic. Tonight I had an epiphany...I have an air compressor, the motor is completely burned out and there is nothing in the way...the nozzle fits the compressor fitting perfectly. So after getting some air in the pancake tank POOF off comes out the piston. Boy was I happy to see that piston come out.

The third photo shows me clipping the two broken peices together with Titebond wood glue. I have 2 more seconds like this and I should be able to get those glued together tomorrow night. After that, I am going to fiberglass over these repairs to strengthen the fixes...

 

[enragedmullet]

I've been skipping over this thread until tonight. I'm sorry but the goals are screwy. If you're gonna shoot a basket up on a rocket, the goal should be a fireball at perihelion. And someone would need to say something about that which reaches for the sun...

I am seriously impressed, other than the lack of a proper finish, though.

Disagree. The end goal should be a basket that hovers about 12 feet off the ground that has about 50-75 sparklers going off, some stationary, some rotating, while the whole time some college fight song or other classic band piece plays. maybe you have an Uncle Sam figure waving a baton around. Not sure.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Disagree. The end goal should be a basket that hovers about 12 feet off the ground that has about 50-75 sparklers going off, some stationary, some rotating, while the whole time some college fight song or other classic band piece plays. maybe you have an Uncle Sam figure waving a baton around. Not sure.

Get me the funds and I'll figure something out.

 

[ilmcgee]

How'd I miss this for so long?

Thanks for posting video. Looking forward to the successful flight.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Aaaaand the launch this weekend is canceled. Reschedule for 5/11. This is good because I need more time to get it fixed correctly.

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

Any updates?

 

[davetherocketguy]

Any updates?

Yes. The update is...I've been running tournaments, leagues and work has been nuts with 60-70 hours/week being the norm.

Oh wait...you wanted an update on the rocket lol. Yeah, not so much. I want to have it ready for LDRS which is over Labor Day weekend. I think I can muster the time for that.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Did you think I forgot about this? Are you kidding? Repairs are proceeding as expected. Should be on the road to LDRS 38 in 2 days and will be flying sometime between Thursday and Monday. There are 400+ registered fliers at this event that has a 50k waiver (about 20k higher than airliners fly) and its a safe bet not one of them will have something as unique as this project. No pictures yet. Those will happen later.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Day one of LDRS in the books. Winds were a little high yesterday and I got a better timer for the deployment so I didn't fly it. Today, I am volunteering to help with the event for much of the day and the weather is looking quite iffy so not sure it's going to fly today either. However, if the stars align it I will try for today because I have a new motor for it and it's already to go. I've already been warned that I will get "bonus distance" for this bird because of the very odd shape. Bonus distance means I get to set this thing on the pads that are REALLY far away from the crowd lol.

 

[pmay5]

Day one of LDRS in the books. Winds were a little high yesterday and I got a better timer for the deployment so I didn't fly it. Today, I am volunteering to help with the event for much of the day and the weather is looking quite iffy so not sure it's going to fly today either. However, if the stars align it I will try for today because I have a new motor for it and it's already to go. I've already been warned that I will get "bonus distance" for this bird because of the very odd shape. Bonus distance means I get to set this thing on the pads that are REALLY far away from the crowd lol.

Have you invited Mr. Lizotte and his film crew for the launch?

 

[davetherocketguy]

Have you invited Mr. Lizotte and his film crew for the launch?

Haha I'm not inviting anyone until I get it to work right.

 

[pmay5]

Haha I'm not inviting anyone until I get it to work right.

I thought you got the last one to work right, it went up, it came down. :clap:

Or, are you trying to go all Elon Musk on us and want it to come down in one piece! :doh:

 

[davetherocketguy]

IT FLEW

IT WORKED

VIDEO LATER

OMG OMG OMG OMG

 

[brutalbrutus]

opcorn:

 

[davetherocketguy]

Weeeeeelllll unfortunately the video sucks rocks and you can't see the parachute come out so you'll have to trust me that it did in fact happen.



I have to meet up with some folks tomorrow to trade emails and they will hopefully have a better vid than that. I was just so excited to see the chute come out finally I lowered the iPhone down at the wrong time lol.

So the chute is definitely not big enough and it hit the ground pretty hard. It's the right size chute for the weight (5 pounds) if it were a "normal" rocket which are usually far more robust than this contraption. So with all the rocketry vendors on site I may do a little shopping for a new chute for this fella tomorrow. There was some damage but certainly nothing I can't repair. The bottom ring came off (again) and one of the lower spokes broke loose. No biggie - it's an easy fix.

Amazing how many disc golfers there are that are also rocket fliers. Also amazing how many people thought this was a chandelier. And I'll say this, if you're at a launch like where people are regularly flying mach and 10k+ feet up most rockets aren't going to get noticed. This thing got noticed. A LOT. I had people stopping to want to take pictures of it with me haha. I had dozens of fliers say, "Oh man...I want to see THAT fly." Whatta riot.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Oh Simon Lizzotte...I know you're good and all at trick shots but you can't hit this thing in the air. Ever.

Never.

Ever.

I dare you to try.

-Dave

 

[Innova63]

Oh Simon Lizzotte...I know you're good and all at trick shots but you can't hit this thing in the air. Ever.

Never.

Ever.

I dare you to try.

-Dave

If not Simon......how about Brodie.

He might be a "perfect option".

 

[pmay5]

Maybe you can get Jomez there next time on the catch cam!!

Great job Dave!! The legend continues!! :clap::clap::clap:

 

[davetherocketguy]

If not Simon......how about Brodie.

He might be a "perfect option".

I don't care who actually. I just like picking on Simon because I like him and his silly trick shots.