My main topic for this blog is to write about my adventures with model rockets and radio controlled (R/C) cars. But, these past posts I haven't been writing about my little Losi Mini-T. About 10 inches long at most, this little bugger is my one and only hobby grade car. Yet, like my rocket, it hasn't had the smoothest history.
It started out as a Christmas present a few years back(2006). Since there was four feet of snow outside, the little car was kept inside doing figure-eights in my room. Of course, my room is small, so it got a few scars the day it rolled out of the box! Once the weather permitted and with a freshly charged battery, we ripped it up on the street, using the snow as ramps. But, like all cars, it got bumped and bashed and tossed around. By the first 6 months of driving, I had broke my motor, striped my gears, and snapped my shock tower clean off. Plus, the body is no longer red; it is now red with white pin stripes.
Today, my "T" is sitting idle, waiting for a new battery/charger and a new set a treads. The gears are once again striped , yet the motor is still going strong. The cost of fixing it will be about $40 or so, but my main priority is to get the rocket flying. Hopefully I can get the parts soon, so then my car can be flying!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Finished...or am I?
A couple of days ago, I finished my first rocket. As I mentioned earlier in my first post, my rocket is a Quest Shuttle Intrepid, capable of carrying a glider on top. Using a B6-4 or C3-6 motor, it is capable of reaching 500+ feet. Parachute recovery is how it returns from orbit, yet with the annoying wind, I will really need to keep it from flying away!
Also as I mentioned earlier, I had some issues while painting. The air brush was being stupid, and I eventually gave up on it. I managed to hand-paint it on, yet it doesn't look perfect. Oh-well, the paint scheme actually looks cool! I call it "Winter Camo". First, as a primer I painted gray on the whole rocket with the air brush. On the body tube and the top of the wings, I hand-painted on a layer of white (this is when I about threw the air brush). The white dried unevenly, showing bits of gray from underneath. This gave it the "Camo" look. On the bottom of the wings I painted on flat black to give a shuttle look.
Now I need to just install the motor and its ready to go! But, what to launch with? My launch pad is incomplete, for it is missing a blast plate (for those who don't know, a blast plate protects the ground and the launch pad from the thrust of the motor at lift off). My Handbook of Model Rocketry suggests using a peice of steel, whether sheet steel of from a can, but I can't find anything! If anyone out there has any ideas as to what I could use to create my own, I would appretiate it. But until I get a blast plate, my shuttle is grounded. Oh well, that gives me time to build more space craft!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Guide to Fly
Anything on the hobby grade level, from flying to driving, from boating to launching, is difficult and challenging in its own way. With flying, you have to create a perfectly aerodynamic wing, or else you won't get far from the ground. A R/C boat has to be sound and sealed or the water will put an end to your day on the river. And with rocketry, you need to build a aerodynamically correct, stable, and near drag proof model to get the most thrill out of this hobby. Luckily, there is a book to help you in your quest for hints and tips.
Behold, the Handbook of Model Rocketry (seventh edition)!! Written by G. Harry Stine and Bill Stine, it tells you about all the essentials that the average rocket junky will need, as well as some extras. Everything from launching to engines, parachute recovery to the difficult-to-master glide recovery is covered in this guide to the sky. You will find how to build two staged models, and gives plans for a home made launch pad. Various memberships are included, as well as information on the NAR (National Association of Rocketry), which G. Stine co-founded.
On the other hand, there are several helpful aids in the R/C world. One such is a magazine, known as R/C Driver. R/C Driver focuses on the car part of the hobby world, as well as trucks and boats. They do a thorough job of explaining everything there is to be known about radio controlled vehicles. You want race event coverage? You got it. Vehicle reviews? All there. Projects, how-to's, do-it-yourself? Everything is under one cover of a monthly magazine.
Behold, the Handbook of Model Rocketry (seventh edition)!! Written by G. Harry Stine and Bill Stine, it tells you about all the essentials that the average rocket junky will need, as well as some extras. Everything from launching to engines, parachute recovery to the difficult-to-master glide recovery is covered in this guide to the sky. You will find how to build two staged models, and gives plans for a home made launch pad. Various memberships are included, as well as information on the NAR (National Association of Rocketry), which G. Stine co-founded.
On the other hand, there are several helpful aids in the R/C world. One such is a magazine, known as R/C Driver. R/C Driver focuses on the car part of the hobby world, as well as trucks and boats. They do a thorough job of explaining everything there is to be known about radio controlled vehicles. You want race event coverage? You got it. Vehicle reviews? All there. Projects, how-to's, do-it-yourself? Everything is under one cover of a monthly magazine.
Be it book or magazine, TV or the world web, there are tons of places and things to help you get rolling, or just inspire some ideas. These two examples are just a few of the many. Other titles to try are:
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Air, anyone?
Starting on Tuesday, I embarked on the easy, yet cumbersome road of painting. Cumbersome, that is, if you're a novice in the art of air brushing. My air brush is "borrowed" from my old man. It is a simple variable action airbrush, designed by Testors for beginners an moderately skilled modellers. To power it, I use compressed air in cans.
Yesterday, while painting my rocket, the air brush started to malfunction. The pressure of the stream was steadily dropping. Eventually, it got to the point that it was useless to even use the thing. Ditching the air brush, I resorted to painting it on by hand. That was a big mistake. The paint began to collect in puddles and drip down the sides of the tube, thus creating an uneven finish. Needless to say, my rocket looks like it has a sloppy camouflage-style paint job.
After accessing the situation, I learned that it was the use of air cans that caused the decreasing amount of air pressure. The cans began to get cold, as a direct result of using them, thus lowering the psi. On top of that, the cans were old and barely had any air left. Morale of the story: air compressors save time and money!
Editors Note- While some veteran modellers may have found that out earlier on, I had to learn it the hard way. Better on my first project, then on all my future endeavors.
Yesterday, while painting my rocket, the air brush started to malfunction. The pressure of the stream was steadily dropping. Eventually, it got to the point that it was useless to even use the thing. Ditching the air brush, I resorted to painting it on by hand. That was a big mistake. The paint began to collect in puddles and drip down the sides of the tube, thus creating an uneven finish. Needless to say, my rocket looks like it has a sloppy camouflage-style paint job.
After accessing the situation, I learned that it was the use of air cans that caused the decreasing amount of air pressure. The cans began to get cold, as a direct result of using them, thus lowering the psi. On top of that, the cans were old and barely had any air left. Morale of the story: air compressors save time and money!
Editors Note- While some veteran modellers may have found that out earlier on, I had to learn it the hard way. Better on my first project, then on all my future endeavors.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Welcome!!
Welcome to Radio Rockets! This blog is about my adventures with model rockets, as well as the exciting world of hobby grade radio controlled vehicles. Each post will explain what I'm building, and when I will launch or drive.
My name is Daniel, and I live in the Columbia River Gorge, located in Northern Oregon. I currently have one rocket and one electric R/C car. My rocket is a Quest Aerospace Intrepid (still on the workbench) and the car I drive is a Team Losi Mini-T. This little bugger is also in pieces, but you will find it at http://losi.com/. My rocket will be found at http://www.questaerospace.com/.
Also in this blog you will find tips (once I get some), ideas and a variety of things, like recipes to take your mind off things (especially when you want to throw your rocket). So come along, and enjoy the ride!
My name is Daniel, and I live in the Columbia River Gorge, located in Northern Oregon. I currently have one rocket and one electric R/C car. My rocket is a Quest Aerospace Intrepid (still on the workbench) and the car I drive is a Team Losi Mini-T. This little bugger is also in pieces, but you will find it at http://losi.com/. My rocket will be found at http://www.questaerospace.com/.
Also in this blog you will find tips (once I get some), ideas and a variety of things, like recipes to take your mind off things (especially when you want to throw your rocket). So come along, and enjoy the ride!
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