QUICK RELEASE METHOD

Discussion about Compressors, hose, pipes, fittings, launchers, release mechanisms, and launch tubes.
boondocksjp
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QUICK RELEASE METHOD

Post by boondocksjp »

Looking to pick some of the great rocket minds out there, I'm just getting started and I have my first launcher assembled. My problem is in the quick connect (garden hose) My first rocket I used the male connect right onto a 7-up bottle. the fit wasn't air tight, so I used a little jb weld. The seal was good but upon lift off, It took a very hard arc, indicating what I think was maybe too much weight on one side of cap. My second try was to cut the male adapter, and put it inside the cap. This time I didn't have a good seal. I had to cut the adapters threads away with a dremal to fit inside the cap.
ANY THOUGHTS ON SUBJECT? of using quick connect and how to use bottle cap? I like the brass connects, but can't find a plastic male to fit into brass female connect. thinks for the time.
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Tim Chen
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Re: QUICK RELEASE METHOD

Post by Tim Chen »

boondocksjp wrote:Looking to pick some of the great rocket minds out there, I'm just getting started and I have my first launcher assembled. My problem is in the quick connect (garden hose) My first rocket I used the male connect right onto a 7-up bottle. the fit wasn't air tight, so I used a little jb weld. The seal was good but upon lift off, It took a very hard arc, indicating what I think was maybe too much weight on one side of cap. My second try was to cut the male adapter, and put it inside the cap. This time I didn't have a good seal. I had to cut the adapters threads away with a dremal to fit inside the cap.
ANY THOUGHTS ON SUBJECT? of using quick connect and how to use bottle cap? I like the brass connects, but can't find a plastic male to fit into brass female connect. thinks for the time.
Most people I see cut the gardena male part down so the threads are cut off but they leave a flange on the end that's just enough to fit inside the cap. They cut a hole in the cap so the end of the gardena just fits through and push it in. They put a rubber washer inside the cap as well and screw it all to the bottle. The cap touches the flange and pushes the gardena against the washer and seals it to the bottle top.
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Tim Chen
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Re: QUICK RELEASE METHOD

Post by Tim Chen »

boondocksjp wrote:Looking to pick some of the great rocket minds out there, I'm just getting started and I have my first launcher assembled. My problem is in the quick connect (garden hose) My first rocket I used the male connect right onto a 7-up bottle. the fit wasn't air tight, so I used a little jb weld. The seal was good but upon lift off, It took a very hard arc, indicating what I think was maybe too much weight on one side of cap. My second try was to cut the male adapter, and put it inside the cap. This time I didn't have a good seal. I had to cut the adapters threads away with a dremal to fit inside the cap.
ANY THOUGHTS ON SUBJECT? of using quick connect and how to use bottle cap? I like the brass connects, but can't find a plastic male to fit into brass female connect. thinks for the time.
Most people I see cut the gardena male part down so the threads are cut off but they leave a flange on the end that's just enough to fit inside the cap. They cut a hole in the cap so the end of the gardena just fits through and push it in. They put a rubber washer inside the cap as well and screw it all to the bottle. The cap touches the flange and pushes the gardena against the washer and seals it to the bottle top.
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boondocksjp
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Post by boondocksjp »

thanks tim, any and all help is appreciated
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Tim Chen
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Post by Tim Chen »

boondocksjp wrote:thanks tim, any and all help is appreciated
You're welcome!

I love to talk, and I love to help others so I'm having a blast here!
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Post by october sky »

hey here is a good site to go for that type of launcher

Air command rockets

just go to launchers and scroll down till you see what you want
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Post by boondocksjp »

thanks oct. a ton of info there, i saw what i was looking for, appreciated
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Post by Mark Chen »

boondocksjp wrote:thanks oct. a ton of info there, i saw what i was looking for, appreciated
That guy does great work but be aware he uses a lot of metal parts and I don't think any water rocket competitions I've come across allow metal parts on the pressurized parts of the rocket.
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Post by Mark Chen »

boondocksjp wrote:thanks oct. a ton of info there, i saw what i was looking for, appreciated
That guy does great work but be aware he uses a lot of metal parts and I don't think any water rocket competitions I've come across allow metal parts on the pressurized parts of the rocket.
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Post by Mark Chen »

Sorry about the double post. I hit the back button by mistake.
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Post by boondocksjp »

ok guy's one more time for the old guy here. I got the quick connect working. Now I'm having problems with a straight launch. I'm using a 20 oz 7-up bottle. My first test flight the bottle went up and took a very hard arc, before hitting the ground. So far I have put a tennis ball for weight under tape for a cone. Still it takes a hard arc, and not flying straight. I know about adding fins which will be my next step. I was wondering if there's a problem with rocket. Should the bottle at least make it so far before arcing being that it has no fins? I didn't want to go to the next step (fins) before i got it figured out as to why it's arcing so badly. thanks for any and all help
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Post by Andromeda »

boondocksjp wrote:ok guy's one more time for the old guy here. I got the quick connect working. Now I'm having problems with a straight launch. I'm using a 20 oz 7-up bottle. My first test flight the bottle went up and took a very hard arc, before hitting the ground. So far I have put a tennis ball for weight under tape for a cone. Still it takes a hard arc, and not flying straight. I know about adding fins which will be my next step. I was wondering if there's a problem with rocket. Should the bottle at least make it so far before arcing being that it has no fins? I didn't want to go to the next step (fins) before i got it figured out as to why it's arcing so badly. thanks for any and all help
I say you must now try adding fins. I do not think it possible for rocket made from a single bottle to fly stable. Even with weight in nose the bottle is heavier in the tail when water is still inside, and bottle is very short to Center Pressure and Center Gravity are very close together. Adding fins will make rocket much more stable. Making rocket longer by adding more bottles or making long paper tube and nosecone can help but maybe not as good as fins help.
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Post by october sky »

i have gotten a single bottle to be stable...... it's just i had to put a 1/2kg bolt on the front or it. it went high and fast but it would stick in the gound about 2in in. so don't do that....... it could kill some one
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Post by Bonami »

october sky wrote:i have gotten a single bottle to be stable...... it's just i had to put a 1/2kg bolt on the front or it. it went high and fast but it would stick in the gound about 2in in. so don't do that....... it could kill some one
I have made stable rockets from single bottles by adding a 1 meter long tube to the nozzle. The nozzle extender moves the water mass to the front of the rocket and it is more stable. Adding fins to this improved even more. I like the shape of these designs. They look like RPGs!
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Post by boondocksjp »

thanks for all the info. I didn't know if it should fly straight for awhile, and adding fins would just make it better. I guess it's time for more R&D huh?
Going to try fins first, then nose weight.
I appreciate all the 411