Mounting a Mini DV D005 Camera

[U.S. Water Rockets1]

By the way, did I see a tornado tube being used as a coupling in your picture? Maybe I am mistaken.

Yes, that is a tornado coupling. These ones give the full 22mm opening.

I know you guys try to plan for high pressures. I didn't think tornado tube couplings would handle high pressure.

That depends on the type of tornado tubes you are using. The ones above we make from polypropylene and are very tough. They will handle 300psi without problems. On a recent crash the bottle necks screwed inside them smashed and completely broke away from the rest of the bottles, but the couplings were fine. It took a bit of work to unscrew the neck remnants from inside the couplings.

Last year we pressure tested the commercial tornado tubes that are made from a more brittle plastic and they were still holding 270psi. Though they would probably crack when subjected to a very hard landing.

Here it is undergoing pressure tests to 270psi.
http://www.aircommandrockets.com/images ... 2_04_s.jpg

Hi George,

What are commercial tornado tubes made from? Would they get stress cracks from pressurization like PET bottles?

[Spaceman Spiff]

Thanks George! ... that was exactly what I needed to jump-start my brain. Very ingenious use of the void between bottles.

That's exactly what I was talking about before where I described taping the camera to the tornado coupling.

Great minds think alike!

[tcarnahan]

Thanks George! ... that was exactly what I needed to jump-start my brain. Very ingenious use of the void between bottles.

That's exactly what I was talking about before where I described taping the camera to the tornado coupling.

Great minds think alike!

Ditto thanks, Spiff!

[U.S. Water Rockets1]

Thanks George! ... that was exactly what I needed to jump-start my brain. Very ingenious use of the void between bottles.

That's exactly what I was talking about before where I described taping the camera to the tornado coupling.

Great minds think alike!

Ditto thanks, Spiff!

Have you made any progress with your camera mounting dilemma? When will we get to see some pictures of your camera and aerial shots of your launches? You seem to have really been bitten by the bug and we can't wait to see your designs!

[tcarnahan]

Have you made any progress with your camera mounting dilemma? When will we get to see some pictures of your camera and aerial shots of your launches? You seem to have really been bitten by the bug and we can't wait to see your designs!

Unfortunately, I am one of those people who has to be able to see the entire project in their minds before commencing. I feel like I understand how to do the camera part, but haven't been able to build the rocket for what I want to accomplish. I have flown a simple rocket, but not with a camera. I need to have a successful parachute deployment system before I put this camera in orbit ... I can't afford a lawn dart! The camera mounting advice really helped.

Right now, I am researching parts for various things I want to do with the launcher and rockets. Spring and good weather is coming soon ... I anticipate starting work on it soon.

The next part is a suitable parachute release.

Right now, I am designing a launcher that can handle more pressure than my current PVC launcher. The difficulty I am having is finding a suitable pair of garden hose quick connects (brass female and plastic male) that will mate properly and hold 100+ psi. I bought one brass female only to find that only metal mail QCs from that manufacturer would mate properly. I am in the US. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Thanks!

[Spaceman Spiff]

Have you made any progress with your camera mounting dilemma? When will we get to see some pictures of your camera and aerial shots of your launches? You seem to have really been bitten by the bug and we can't wait to see your designs!

Unfortunately, I am one of those people who has to be able to see the entire project in their minds before commencing. I feel like I understand how to do the camera part, but haven't been able to build the rocket for what I want to accomplish. I have flown a simple rocket, but not with a camera. I need to have a successful parachute deployment system before I put this camera in orbit ... I can't afford a lawn dart! The camera mounting advice really helped.

Right now, I am researching parts for various things I want to do with the launcher and rockets. Spring and good weather is coming soon ... I anticipate starting work on it soon.

The next part is a suitable parachute release.

Right now, I am designing a launcher that can handle more pressure than my current PVC launcher. The difficulty I am having is finding a suitable pair of garden hose quick connects (brass female and plastic male) that will mate properly and hold 100+ psi. I bought one brass female only to find that only metal mail QCs from that manufacturer would mate properly. I am in the US. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Thanks!

I'm with you! That's how I work too.

I have this other problem too where I spend too much time making my rockets 100% perfect and I'm afraid to launch them or they might get banged up. I know it's stupid, but it's like the guy who buys a pickup truck and washes it and polishes it up and never puts any cargo in it because it might get a scratch. That's the best analogy I can come up with.

I think maybe I get more out of inventing and building than flying too. Is that weird?

[Brian]

If we were more interested in flying rockets, we would be launching pyrotechnic rockets. Water rockets are more of a challenge.

[tcarnahan]

I'm with you! That's how I work too.

I have this other problem too where I spend too much time making my rockets 100% perfect and I'm afraid to launch them or they might get banged up. I know it's stupid, but it's like the guy who buys a pickup truck and washes it and polishes it up and never puts any cargo in it because it might get a scratch. That's the best analogy I can come up with.

I think maybe I get more out of inventing and building than flying too. Is that weird?

Not weird at all.


I have a rudimentary 1 bottle 2-Liter rocket with crude fins, no parachute and an inexpensive PVC launcher ... but I have bigger things in mind and its slowly coming together in my mind. My big hurdle will be to get the parachute release so I don't trash the camera. Then a higher pressure launcher. Then a multi-bottle pressure container. Then electronics. I have to take baby steps right now.

[WRA2]

If we were more interested in flying rockets, we would be launching pyrotechnic rockets. Water rockets are more of a challenge.

I agree Brian,

Water rockets are much more challenging then pyro. Also your success isn't measured on how much money you spend. With pyro it is simple...the more you spend, the higher you go.

[WRA2]

I'm with you! That's how I work too.

I have this other problem too where I spend too much time making my rockets 100% perfect and I'm afraid to launch them or they might get banged up. I know it's stupid, but it's like the guy who buys a pickup truck and washes it and polishes it up and never puts any cargo in it because it might get a scratch. That's the best analogy I can come up with.

I think maybe I get more out of inventing and building than flying too. Is that weird?

Not weird at all.


I have a rudimentary 1 bottle 2-Liter rocket with crude fins, no parachute and an inexpensive PVC launcher ... but I have bigger things in mind and its slowly coming together in my mind. My big hurdle will be to get the parachute release so I don't trash the camera. Then a higher pressure launcher. Then a multi-bottle pressure container. Then electronics. I have to take baby steps right now.

Taking small steps is the method most likely to achieve success. Our most successful teams used that method. Water rocketry takes much patience to be successful.

Can you share your ideas for your chute release mechanism, maybe we can help or offer suggestions on what works and what doesn't. You were planning on using a electronic trigger, correct?

[tcarnahan]

Taking small steps is the method most likely to achieve success. Our most successful teams used that method. Water rocketry takes much patience to be successful.

Can you share your ideas for your chute release mechanism, maybe we can help or offer suggestions on what works and what doesn't. You were planning on using a electronic trigger, correct?

Lisa,

I have been looking at Tomy timers, airflaps, and electronics. I would really like to have MAD-apogee-detection, but finding the sensor is escaping me. In addition, I would have to brush up on electronics, reading schematics, researching microprocessors, researching other components, practice up on soldering, etc. All that is a way off for me at this point, but that is my ultimate goal. TI offers a $5 board that supports a number of their micros that interested me. They have a forum and a lot of people who are into this kind of thing, unfortunately, I haven't learned the "geek speak" enough to ask the right questions and to even know if what I am proposing is feasible AND affordable (I am on a limited budget and don't have a lot free time ).

One thing that I am looking at as an imtermediary technique is a magnetic release. One day, I was browsing YouTube and saw this amazing video on the world's smallest motor( I bought several neodynium super magnets to investigate this technique. Then I saw this other video that uses gravity and two neodynium magnets to pull a rod and release a parachute ( When I get some more time, I want to try this first.

-- Tom

[WRA2]

Taking small steps is the method most likely to achieve success. Our most successful teams used that method. Water rocketry takes much patience to be successful.

Can you share your ideas for your chute release mechanism, maybe we can help or offer suggestions on what works and what doesn't. You were planning on using a electronic trigger, correct?

Lisa,

I have been looking at Tomy timers, airflaps, and electronics. I would really like to have MAD-apogee-detection, but finding the sensor is escaping me. In addition, I would have to brush up on electronics, reading schematics, researching microprocessors, researching other components, practice up on soldering, etc. All that is a way off for me at this point, but that is my ultimate goal. TI offers a $5 board that supports a number of their micros that interested me. They have a forum and a lot of people who are into this kind of thing, unfortunately, I haven't learned the "geek speak" enough to ask the right questions and to even know if what I am proposing is feasible AND affordable (I am on a limited budget and don't have a lot free time ).

One thing that I am looking at as an imtermediary technique is a magnetic release. One day, I was browsing YouTube and saw this amazing video on the world's smallest motor( I bought several neodynium super magnets to investigate this technique. Then I saw this other video that uses gravity and two neodynium magnets to pull a rod and release a parachute ( When I get some more time, I want to try this first.

-- Tom

Hi Tom,

This place sells a kit to build a magnetic apogee detector.

http://www.aeroconsystems.com/electronics/mad.htm

Here are a few more sites with sensors and schematics if you wanted to build one yourself from scratch.

http://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/al ... nsor.shtml

http://www.alaska.net/~aleckson/rockets/magnet.htm

You might want to start with a simple timer and use it to develop the mechanical release mechanism that the magnetic apogee detector will eventually control. Using the timer and a basic rocket will also give you the opportunity to film/photograph it in flight since the rocket will not fly too high to get good photos of it in action. The best way to test it is to actually fly it. I have seen many systems that work great "on the ground" but were unreliable once the rocket was flying. Things like the nose that was supposed to come off would instead be held in place by aerodynamic force or the stresses of launching. Other things that can go wrong are the chute sticking in the bay. Everything will work but the chute just stays in. Also using a basic rocket to develop your release mechanism along with a cheap wind up timer means there is little financial risk if something goes wrong.

[tcarnahan]

Hi Tom,

This place sells a kit to build a magnetic apogee detector.

http://www.aeroconsystems.com/electronics/mad.htm

Here are a few more sites with sensors and schematics if you wanted to build one yourself from scratch.

http://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/al ... nsor.shtml

http://www.alaska.net/~aleckson/rockets/magnet.htm

You might want to start with a simple timer and use it to develop the mechanical release mechanism that the magnetic apogee detector will eventually control. Using the timer and a basic rocket will also give you the opportunity to film/photograph it in flight since the rocket will not fly too high to get good photos of it in action. The best way to test it is to actually fly it. I have seen many systems that work great "on the ground" but were unreliable once the rocket was flying. Things like the nose that was supposed to come off would instead be held in place by aerodynamic force or the stresses of launching. Other things that can go wrong are the chute sticking in the bay. Everything will work but the chute just stays in. Also using a basic rocket to develop your release mechanism along with a cheap wind up timer means there is little financial risk if something goes wrong.

Great info, Lisa ... thanks!

Now to find time to digest it!

[Spaceman Spiff]

I'm with you! That's how I work too.

I have this other problem too where I spend too much time making my rockets 100% perfect and I'm afraid to launch them or they might get banged up. I know it's stupid, but it's like the guy who buys a pickup truck and washes it and polishes it up and never puts any cargo in it because it might get a scratch. That's the best analogy I can come up with.

I think maybe I get more out of inventing and building than flying too. Is that weird?

Not weird at all.


I have a rudimentary 1 bottle 2-Liter rocket with crude fins, no parachute and an inexpensive PVC launcher ... but I have bigger things in mind and its slowly coming together in my mind. My big hurdle will be to get the parachute release so I don't trash the camera. Then a higher pressure launcher. Then a multi-bottle pressure container. Then electronics. I have to take baby steps right now.

That's a solid plan, Tom.

I have been on the forum a couple years and I notice some people want to start out with a massive design as their first rocket. The results are never pretty and they get furstrated and move on to some other hobby.

I think you have the right idea.

[U.S. Water Rockets1]

If we were more interested in flying rockets, we would be launching pyrotechnic rockets. Water rockets are more of a challenge.

You go that right! There's so much more off-the-shelf material for pyro rockets that it takes some of the fun out of it. The challenge is inventing your own designs that fly and doing it with raw materials or commercial products not originally designed for rocketry of any type.