Hello From Kauai!

This forum is for new members to introduce themselves and tell us how they got started in water rocketry.
HawaiiRockets
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Hello From Kauai!

Post by HawaiiRockets »

I have become rather inspired by the concept of water rocketry, along with associated YouTube videos and the site AirCommandRockets.com.. I've recently been building most every day after I finally got over the hurdle of chute deployment (turns out I had two bad MSP430 chips). My goal is to build something that no one has thought of yet which I will post on my YouTube channel for all to see. Currently I'm constructing a rail type launcher, have several spliced and reinforced bottles and deployment capsules ready to go.

The challenge on this little island of Kauai is that there are not many open spaces to practice this man-child hobbie. I've been buying many extra rockets parts including about 6 different rocket-cams so look for some good ariel videos of the island from me in the future..

One question for the forum, where can I buy a G switch? thx
Attachments
rail launcher in progress... just need to complete the launch pad...
rail launcher in progress... just need to complete the launch pad...
rail launcher in progress.jpeg (135.09 KiB) Viewed 109 times
my first attempt at chute deployment...
my first attempt at chute deployment...
1.png (98.9 KiB) Viewed 109 times
going...
going...
2.png (99.66 KiB) Viewed 109 times
bout the last time it was seen in one piece...
bout the last time it was seen in one piece...
3.png (99.83 KiB) Viewed 109 times
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bugwubber
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by bugwubber »

Ok if you get an aerial picture of an active volcano from your rocket I think you will win the best picture contest. We have one of those right WRA2?

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HawaiiRockets
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by HawaiiRockets »

That's not a bad idea except we don't have any on Kauai... On the Big Island only. maybe a project for down the road
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Blenderite
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by Blenderite »

When did you start water rocketing? It looks like you are starting of with the best of the best as far as equipment goes.

I have had problems with a bad MSP430 chip too. Right now I am not using that platform, but I may be going back shortly. Right now I am working on something special, which you can find all about here: http://www.wra2.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2329

Welcome to the forums!
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Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Blenderite

"Get it right, then go for GREATNESS!"
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bugwubber
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by bugwubber »

Have you looked at that USWR instructional for making a G switch?
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HawaiiRockets
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by HawaiiRockets »

DogLover wrote:When did you start water rocketing? It looks like you are starting of with the best of the best as far as equipment goes.

I have had problems with a bad MSP430 chip too. Right now I am not using that platform, but I may be going back shortly. Right now I am working on something special, which you can find all about here: http://www.wra2.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2329

Welcome to the forums!
Started several months ago but stopped when I hit a wall... have all of 3 launches under my belt.. or more like 2.5. one caught the wind, went horizontal and barely missed an old guy and his walker with the tennis balls.. glad to know I have good equipment. i'm still shopping for a scuba tank
HawaiiRockets
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by HawaiiRockets »

bugwubber wrote:Have you looked at that USWR instructional for making a G switch?
no but i'm aware you can use the break-wire technique
HawaiiRockets
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by HawaiiRockets »

launch pad attached... will be glad when this if finally finished... we have plenty low clouds around here. I want to get video launching into a cloud a maybe out the top if I get lucky...
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the small details seem to take the longest
the small details seem to take the longest
rail launcher almost done.jpeg (142.33 KiB) Viewed 81 times
HawaiiRockets
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by HawaiiRockets »

Hoping to polish this one up and get her airborne sometime this weekend ...
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before launch photo ...
before launch photo ...
image.jpg (1.67 MiB) Viewed 73 times
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Blenderite
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by Blenderite »

It looks like you have browsed around Air Commands site. Your rocket and your pad resembles his designs very well. Good job!!!!
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Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Blenderite

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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by WRA2 »

DogLover wrote:It looks like you have browsed around Air Commands site. Your rocket and your pad resembles his designs very well. Good job!!!!
The metal spear running along the side of the rocket is a dead giveaway. :explode:

Just don't be anywhere near the thing when it is pressurized.
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HawaiiRockets
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by HawaiiRockets »

WRA2 wrote:
DogLover wrote:It looks like you have browsed around Air Commands site. Your rocket and your pad resembles his designs very well. Good job!!!!
The metal spear running along the side of the rocket is a dead giveaway. :explode:

Just don't be anywhere near the thing when it is pressurized.

Ah, well the metal spear is going away and I'll attach clips is sort sort to connect to the rail launcher .... that spear thing was my idea actually and works ok for smaller rockets and/or when there isn't much wind .... I tried to mount that big rocket on that spear thing stuck into a scrap piece of 2X8 .... got it to about 100PSI before the wind tipped it over and pointed right at me ... almost killed by my own creation
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by bugwubber »

HawaiiRockets wrote:
WRA2 wrote:
DogLover wrote:It looks like you have browsed around Air Commands site. Your rocket and your pad resembles his designs very well. Good job!!!!
The metal spear running along the side of the rocket is a dead giveaway. :explode:

Just don't be anywhere near the thing when it is pressurized.

Ah, well the metal spear is going away and I'll attach clips is sort sort to connect to the rail launcher .... that spear thing was my idea actually and works ok for smaller rockets and/or when there isn't much wind .... I tried to mount that big rocket on that spear thing stuck into a scrap piece of 2X8 .... got it to about 100PSI before the wind tipped it over and pointed right at me ... almost killed by my own creation
Coming from one of the guys with a water rocket gun launcher, that's scary! Glad to hear you didn't get skewered.
Shishkebab looks great by the way ;-)

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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by WRA2 »

HawaiiRockets wrote:
WRA2 wrote:
DogLover wrote:It looks like you have browsed around Air Commands site. Your rocket and your pad resembles his designs very well. Good job!!!!
The metal spear running along the side of the rocket is a dead giveaway. :explode:

Just don't be anywhere near the thing when it is pressurized.

Ah, well the metal spear is going away and I'll attach clips is sort sort to connect to the rail launcher .... that spear thing was my idea actually and works ok for smaller rockets and/or when there isn't much wind .... I tried to mount that big rocket on that spear thing stuck into a scrap piece of 2X8 .... got it to about 100PSI before the wind tipped it over and pointed right at me ... almost killed by my own creation
Metal is never a good idea for constructing your rocket. :hopeless: Unfortunately a lot of the designs shown on the air command site, seem to ignore this. SC:

When we developed the competition and safety rules for water rocketry, we modeled them after the NAR rules:

http://www.nar.org/NARmrsc.html

So be careful and try to find non metallic substitutes if building those designs. AG
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HawaiiRockets
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Re: Hello From Kauai!

Post by HawaiiRockets »

The rocket doesn't have any metal .... that metal bar was attached to the launcher