Adam's Level 2 Rocket

This is my first scratch built rocket, designed for a level 2 certification and experience with fiberglassing, electronic/dual/redundant deployment systems, and construction techniques for big rockets. Many thanks to Steve Marshall and Steve Mashburn (they're different guys, really) for all the helpful advice and mentoring.

More launch pictures can be found on the Oktoberfest2004 page.

Galleries

 

Construction of my Level 2 rocket

Freshly cleaned garage!

Airframe and couplers cut down to size.

Future electronics bay fit inside body tube.

Putting socks on the body tubes.

Layer of kevlar sock under the "easy glass" sock.

Marking fins after digging up some old high school geometry.

Sharpies rule.

Fins, motor mount tube, and centering rings

Aluminum angle can be used to make nice parallel lines.

Marking the fin slots.

Fin slots cut and sanded with the dremel tool.

A little wobbly but it'll do!

Left enough room on the bottom for centering ring, MMT, and retainer.

Forward body tube glassed and ready for more sanding.

Aft body tube getting kevlar socked. This is a lot of work.

Started on electronics bay -- coupler-in-a-coupler design.

Epoxy gets HOT if mixed in a bunch. Spread out on a plate for longer working time.

Partway done with aft body tube.

All done, fin holes need to be cut out again.

Looking nice! Needs a nosecone though.

Fins epoxied to MMT and 2-part foam filling the gaps.

Whole fin can, with foam running through the gap around the fins.

Steve helps with the technique.

Foam cured and cut down to size, rail button mounted

Steve looks so short!

Poser!

Using plastic bowls for a makeshift centering ring

Checking weight

Right at 14.24 lbs (not finished)

Started sanding, gluing wooden dowels to trim fins

Aft centering ring in place, trim dowels clamped

Ejection charge cups and contacts on altimeter bay bulkhead

Used peanut butter (fairing compound) to fill the gaps

Kinda gunky, but sands easily

Aeropack motor retainer. Note backup T-nuts in rear centering ring

Whole thing primed (the day before launch day!)

I liked the metallic sparkly paint

My launch day supplies, ready to load in the car

Here we go, locked and loaded

This is it, the Level 2 certification flight on a J-570

Recovery system deployed!

And that... is a successful L2 cert.