First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

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arjan
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by arjan »

Tony wrote:Could you attach your parachute system with the same type of mechanism used for the stager? Using a spring instead of water pressure in the final/parachute stage? When stage 2 loses pressure it releases its hold on the tube, releasing the spring and expelling the parachute. Maybe something like that.
If you do it like that the parachute would be released right after burnout of the 2nd stage and therefore eliminate the coast phase of the rocket. If you go for max. height you need to delay the deployment.
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Blenderite
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by Blenderite »

I am thinking that a air flap system might be best for a 2nd stage.

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Tony
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by Tony »

arjan wrote:
Tony wrote:Could you attach your parachute system with the same type of mechanism used for the stager? Using a spring instead of water pressure in the final/parachute stage? When stage 2 loses pressure it releases its hold on the tube, releasing the spring and expelling the parachute. Maybe something like that.
If you do it like that the parachute would be released right after burnout of the 2nd stage and therefore eliminate the coast phase of the rocket. If you go for max. height you need to delay the deployment.

Good point.
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U.S. Water Rockets1
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by U.S. Water Rockets1 »

DogLover wrote:I was able to fly a couple of flights with this system and it worked great. Then I tried to make the tube a little stiffer so it is easier to slide the 2nd stage on to the 1st. I used a pen tubing and super glued it in place. Unfortunately the super glue hardened and split the aquarium tubing. I have not rebuilt it yet because I have no parachute system for the second stage. If anyone has any ideas for a second stage parachute release system let me know.

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We have seen CA glue do that to tubing. We switched over to a silicone based glue called "Goop" that works much better.
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Blenderite
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by Blenderite »

I was trying to stiffen the tubing quickly because I was about to go launch and I didn't think of the tubing reacting to the glue like it did.

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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by CCMRocket »

Can you show your sketch of the staging mechanism again? It doesn't display when I click it.

Can you explain a bit more about how you connected the first stage to the second stage so that there was no water or air leakage, but so that it was not so tight that it couldn't separate when the booster's thrust has ends?
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Blenderite
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by Blenderite »

I did one better:

[youtube][/youtube]
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by CCMRocket »

Thanks! This helps me a ton with a school project. The other staging mechanisms are too complicated for me (I'm 11).
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Blenderite
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by Blenderite »

I know the feeling. I am glad I could help!
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Malcolm
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by Malcolm »

Blenderite
Nice video & nice design. But I'm confused by the orientation of the valve. It looks like it would block the air from the booster going into the sustainer unless I'm missing something. Do you have a picture just of the valve assembly?
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Blenderite
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by Blenderite »

Good eye Malcolm!

I accidently oriented it wrong in the still I show in the video! I am working on fixing that now! Thanks for pointing that out!
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by CCMRocket »

I am confused by the valve orientation as well. When the valve is oriented like it seems to be in the picture, the water from stage 2 leaked right out because the valve was open. I reversed the caps so that the valve was in the stage 2, & the non-return was engaged when the rocket is right side up. It held air & water great, but then we realized that it won't release air once the booster is exhausted because the valve stays in the 2nd stage.

It's also tricky to get the tubing tight enough so that not too much air leaks, but loose enough so that it will release. We have to sort of force the tube into the hole, placing vaseline around the edge to help seal. There is a small leak, but seems like it would be ok if we work fast. However, I'm still worried that it might be too tight to release, although we haven't been able to try it yet since the valve wasn't working right.

I just want to get a 2nd stage to work so that I can demonstrate the principles. I'm not really that focused on height.

Any advice?
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Blenderite
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by Blenderite »

Ok, a huge apology about the incorrect diagram there! I have fixed the video to reflect the correct assembly orientation.

[youtube][/youtube]

To fix your problem CCMRocket, you will need to remove the non-return valve and flip it around. Then put it back into the tubing. You may need to use a new piece of tubing for this.

Sorry about the mix up!
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by CCMRocket »

Ok, thanks. This makes sense. I did try to flip the direction of non-return valve in the tubing the first time I tried it, but it was too tight. I could not get the wide end to go in first. See the picture below for what we came up with.

The non return valve is upright in the FTC 8 tube, glued in place in the middle cap. Bottom cap screws into booster. The top cap holds aquarium tubing in place just above the non-return valve. The 2nd stage will slide onto the tubing at the top (it has a cap with 1/4" hole drilled). It doesn't look pretty, but everything seems to be in the right order.

Everything was sealed with PL Premium adhesive, so I'll have to wait awhile to let it cure before testing.

I hope it works! :o

thanks for the help!
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anoymous
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Re: First Succesful 2-Stage Rocket

Post by anoymous »

Maybe the us waterrocket LaunchPad alTImeter? it is an altimeter with auto apogee-detect and can release the parachute at that moment.
http://www.uswaterrockets.com/documents ... manual.htm
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