tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61872838657620678352024-02-06T20:04:43.735-06:00ZZakk's LabKenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-91260615857354547722014-02-20T16:00:00.000-06:002014-02-20T16:01:23.242-06:00Remembering KenInstead of a formal service (which he would've hated) we're going to have an open house type event so people can stop by at their convenience and have some food and drink and meet people from his different worlds--work, friends, and family.
Share stories, drink a toast, remember fun times...
<b>Trophy Ridge</b> Subdivision Poolhouse, <b>10803 Manor Creek, SATX 78245</b>.
(Just off Potranco near Loop 1604, turn between HEB and Kohl's)
<b>Sunday March 2, from 2-5pm</b>Keith Alan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02240947048783657561noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-74153813765200499732014-01-26T00:38:00.002-06:002014-02-03T01:01:09.244-06:00Closing The Lab Door<b>On December 21, 2013 my big brother Ken--the creator and author of Zzakk's Lab as shown in my photo above--was in an accident while Christmas shopping. He got thrown from his 1987 Harley Sportster 883 and when his helmetless head hit the pavement that was pretty much it. Despite heroic efforts, he was gone.</b>
I hope you enjoyed his writings and ideas on rockets and monocopters, etc.
My plan is to keep this site online in perpetuity as a testament to his weird and brilliant mind, and will add photos and stories when I can.
A service is planned for Sunday March 2nd. If you are near San Antonio and would like to attend, check back here for details.
Keith Alan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02240947048783657561noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-28891691386529391892013-06-09T14:41:00.001-05:002013-06-09T14:44:50.570-05:00Jabber, Jabber, Jabberwock<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><u>JABBERWOCKY</u></span></i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lewis
Carroll</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(from
Through the Looking-Glass </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and
What Alice Found There, 1872)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">`</span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Twas brillig, and the slithy toves</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Did gyre and gimble in
the wabe:</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">All mimsy were the borogoves,</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And the mome raths
outgrabe.</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The jaws that bite, the
claws that catch!</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The frumious
Bandersnatch!"</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He took his vorpal sword in hand:</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Long time the manxome foe
he sought --</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So rested he by the Tumtum tree,</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And stood awhile in
thought.</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And, as in uffish thought he stood,</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Jabberwock, with eyes
of flame,</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And burbled as it came!</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One, two! One, two! And through and through</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The vorpal blade went
snicker-snack!</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He left it dead, and with its head</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He went galumphing back.</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Come to my arms, my
beamish boy!</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He chortled in his joy.</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Did gyre and gimble in
the wabe;</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">All mimsy were the borogoves,</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Lucida Sans"; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And the mome raths
outgrabe.</span></i> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7Z5gYSPARtPLsJy5pih5lCjhZmJr9drI3SE3Yu9SeraWZ9rbtuSuYt4fzijf6XgL5xjWF6LM7wrJqWbGgQi1PaE348UzG_AGTvOVWtYAX-V2_B7oM63vwxGi9XTzAsgk7t-nsEVu6qE7/s1600/Jabberwocky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7Z5gYSPARtPLsJy5pih5lCjhZmJr9drI3SE3Yu9SeraWZ9rbtuSuYt4fzijf6XgL5xjWF6LM7wrJqWbGgQi1PaE348UzG_AGTvOVWtYAX-V2_B7oM63vwxGi9XTzAsgk7t-nsEVu6qE7/s320/Jabberwocky.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">I love the Jabberwock. It sounds like complete nonsense, but there</span><span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ascii-font-family: sans-serif; mso-hansi-font-family: sans-serif;">’</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">s fun to be had squinting between the lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found the poem at this website.
dshaw@jabberwocky.com A dusty place last I looked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">What started this was my purchase of the Tremors Attack Pack, a 4
movie DVD set. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew and loved the
first two movies, but didn't even know about the later two till then. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">As I first watched Tremors 3; Back to Perfection, the flying morph
of the Tremors creatures first came on screen and I pointed at it, snapped my
fingers twice, popped my forehead with my palm and yelled;
"Jabberwock!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and I hadn</span><span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ascii-font-family: sans-serif; mso-hansi-font-family: sans-serif;">’</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">t read the poem in years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then it launched itself with it's butt on fire!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Haw, rocket powered flying Jabberwock! A natural boost glider.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWqh5d4cBSag6XEebYlqBtY2I9j7De5hwN4xMU8u4PPhgQfPomuhAHQfWDZ8JjObHnIjBD_h-vnAGbTuiq8FRBx9IxZsbi2jZ3aCfus3YoiMdew3Eh6S0r4khyphenhyphenKV2USxXsGIROETX2IfY/s1600/Assblaster+on+a+wire06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWqh5d4cBSag6XEebYlqBtY2I9j7De5hwN4xMU8u4PPhgQfPomuhAHQfWDZ8JjObHnIjBD_h-vnAGbTuiq8FRBx9IxZsbi2jZ3aCfus3YoiMdew3Eh6S0r4khyphenhyphenKV2USxXsGIROETX2IfY/s320/Assblaster+on+a+wire06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">There are many examples of evolved chemical warfare in nature.
Webbing, irritants, venomous bites and stings are only the most obvious ones. The plant
world, both land and aquatic don</span><span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ascii-font-family: sans-serif; mso-hansi-font-family: sans-serif;">’</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">t just
compete for light but modify the medium in which they live, sometimes in exclusionary ways. The sessile ocean reefs
are practically a warzone rife with other examples. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">The prime example for this blogpost would be the Bombardier
Beetle, with it</span><span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ascii-font-family: sans-serif; mso-hansi-font-family: sans-serif;">’</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">s caustic binary chemical
defense spray. From there it</span><span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ascii-font-family: sans-serif; mso-hansi-font-family: sans-serif;">’</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">s not such a
big step to evolve a rocket propulsion system, improbable in a higher life form
though it be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">For centuries we humans have made oxidizers for blackpowder from our own urine, as well as the excretions of other animals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider how history would</span><span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ascii-font-family: sans-serif; mso-hansi-font-family: sans-serif;">’</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">ve changed if we had had rocket powered Jabberwocks as an example.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">A short BTW: I googled the Vorpal Sword. Another
nonsense word at the time, but now it</span><span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ascii-font-family: sans-serif; mso-hansi-font-family: sans-serif;">’</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">s become a
popular weapon in gaming and comics. Ran across</span><span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ascii-font-family: sans-serif; mso-hansi-font-family: sans-serif;">’</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">em a few
times myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">A longer BTW: In Tremors 2; Aftershocks, when the first Shrieker
comes into view it presages it</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">s' entrance
with much bashing and crashing, louder and louder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earl and Grady are getting increasingly nervous and are pointing
their rifle barrels higher and higher. Around the corner steps this little 3ft
tall spud, they start to let their guard down, then it charges</span><span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-ascii-font-family: sans-serif; mso-hansi-font-family: sans-serif;">…</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";"> It reminds me so very much of the old WB Merrie Melodies cartoon; Inki
and the Mynah Bird. The jungle thrashes, the jungle crashes, one imagines
terrible things; rabid rhinos, a constipated elephant or even worse! Then
out steps the Mynah Bird, tiny and totally blasé. Do not be fooled, DO NOT let
your guard down! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">BTW to the BTW; You're not likely to see Inki and the Mynah
Bird on TV anymore due to racial censorship. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">3rd BTW to the second BTW; I cheered back when Warner Brothers Channel brought back the singing frog as its' mascot. I think it would be really cool if WB's New Looney Tunes brought back the Mynah Bird, at least as a cameo appearance, or six. The main characters have to pause the dialogue or chase for pedestrian traffic. The kind of gag Looney Tunes is well known for. Or; Wylie Coyote thinks a Mynah Bird might be easier pickins' than Roadrunner...NOT!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtDuyihZNP3QaxhIG3D9wsA3muDfkkcwDWsgoJXTC1ZSXpO2nM-omYh_LeNhLeCFHri6Tc4I1vzclb88idNjbtOY94zJuWo5UqjP0FmYihbwSK_GrlCLkWgFmnqRIepcsg7Ko-IZVI4mc/s1600/Mynah+Bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtDuyihZNP3QaxhIG3D9wsA3muDfkkcwDWsgoJXTC1ZSXpO2nM-omYh_LeNhLeCFHri6Tc4I1vzclb88idNjbtOY94zJuWo5UqjP0FmYihbwSK_GrlCLkWgFmnqRIepcsg7Ko-IZVI4mc/s1600/Mynah+Bird.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">Now the tune is stuck in my head!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho";">BTW the fifth; I've been sitting on this draft for a long,
LONG time because it's a real rambler. It never gets any shorter though, and it
still defies any attempts to divide and conquer.</span></div>
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<br />KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-18122416311197255742013-05-26T11:27:00.000-05:002013-05-26T11:27:50.211-05:00Quiz Time<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFaz0Z8rz2PrzDcp6wUw3o4bYsXkfnNu5l8NbYpz5GbQ1uBb1tCIamDfrqFES6rW16RUdWx1XQrOMTZf4sNmvDK4q4Igob7OL3XnXWUwC7x3Nd05KNrwLyJ9T5YkJpFG0tMuegAO4j2k/s1600-h/zzakk.e3cfb429.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331469435249793778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFaz0Z8rz2PrzDcp6wUw3o4bYsXkfnNu5l8NbYpz5GbQ1uBb1tCIamDfrqFES6rW16RUdWx1XQrOMTZf4sNmvDK4q4Igob7OL3XnXWUwC7x3Nd05KNrwLyJ9T5YkJpFG0tMuegAO4j2k/s320/zzakk.e3cfb429.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 86px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a>I don't remember where I found this online, or for that matter where I put my Star Fleet book with documents including fold-out blueprints for the ship...
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Where is the transporter room?</span>
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<br />Keith Alan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02240947048783657561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-3454135066678601082012-06-18T23:04:00.000-05:002012-06-18T23:04:36.177-05:0025 Years in Tripoli<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r04yoS5hAAwSrJb9oBKwrBq_aT1PpTRIuu8diTCwLPbeijS8T2RnvIRHcNfAFR6OMH5JYEj1-0TbFq6wlEdzyZ0ZfwVPn31ZvnESy8hB2jjlpiecvmKbWlirSrBzC9vRr823jiUwKVqS/s1600/TRA25years03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r04yoS5hAAwSrJb9oBKwrBq_aT1PpTRIuu8diTCwLPbeijS8T2RnvIRHcNfAFR6OMH5JYEj1-0TbFq6wlEdzyZ0ZfwVPn31ZvnESy8hB2jjlpiecvmKbWlirSrBzC9vRr823jiUwKVqS/s320/TRA25years03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I was puzzled when my recent Tripoli renewal came back in a small bubble wrap lined envelope instead of a standard correspondence envelope. I open it up and out comes this shiny pin, WOW. I hadn't given it much thought, but I've been a member of Tripoli Rocketry Association for 25 years now! I'm temped to get all cliche and say; time flies when you're having fun, but mostly it just flies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Needless to say, I have a very low membership number, in fact they had to add two zeros to the front of it over the years. What is surprising is that due to attrition over the intervening centuries there are less than 50 members now with lower numbers. For my part, I don't consider this any kind of elitism, just hardcore rocketry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My brother Keith composed this photo, and it was his idea to add the rocket motor. It's a 38mm Vulcan I250 Smokey Sam and nearly that old itself.</span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-27505086745167087402011-11-07T17:32:00.004-06:002011-11-07T17:53:26.932-06:00Rockin' with Fizzie-Rocs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjys5mAl8HGJYW50xV2ES4OFh-d2REGzBHF-u1zDiWbApXUHff9XP7OQ9VzEgLnk273IvX2WDZl5NNyVl_ZWcowoSCGuNQuPpSPedHf2iam2jICGDpFSZ1A1_cJNzxQ13Xtb_oMsmHcgeZ8/s1600/Alp_14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjys5mAl8HGJYW50xV2ES4OFh-d2REGzBHF-u1zDiWbApXUHff9XP7OQ9VzEgLnk273IvX2WDZl5NNyVl_ZWcowoSCGuNQuPpSPedHf2iam2jICGDpFSZ1A1_cJNzxQ13Xtb_oMsmHcgeZ8/s200/Alp_14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672404701890983154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnSuF1H-LROWNH0EXx9MemcBuP6kiPlaJx7JNmzTvV51y_39hdPJXAvb82YvBLNcQUxm2U-TezkPmmnN9SgHaGcy9_aQnnQ9oJDf6Cqgq5fc4tq9xeU1mzSqJl0K-66OFoXhkl-uUOGL_/s1600/8844_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnSuF1H-LROWNH0EXx9MemcBuP6kiPlaJx7JNmzTvV51y_39hdPJXAvb82YvBLNcQUxm2U-TezkPmmnN9SgHaGcy9_aQnnQ9oJDf6Cqgq5fc4tq9xeU1mzSqJl0K-66OFoXhkl-uUOGL_/s200/8844_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672404694491071922" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Fizzie powered toys rocked!</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />I consider one of these to be my second flying rocket after the Korny-7 but my first real thrust powered rocket. </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A recent web search yielded several similar rockets of this type and most look close enough to my recollection so as to make no never mind.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">They operated as water rockets powered by water and a fizzie type tablet. Pour in the water with the provided funnel/measuring cup, drop in the pellet[s] and quickly insert the nozzle plug. Then turn the rocket upright and insert the plug assembly in the pad base which is attached to the ground with a large nail, back-away and pull the release string. No recovery system, thus the rubber nose tip.<br /><br />Vinegar and baking soda would probably fly just as well but the fact that the fizzie is in pellet form allows time for insertion of the nozzle plug where a quick dissolving powder would not. </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I don't recall what became of this rocket but I know I put it on the 2nd story apartment roof at least once.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">About the same time, or not long after, there were a couple other fizzie powered toys, a squirt pistol and a submarine. The sub definetely used more than one pellet and would drive forward, dive, then resurface. I wanted that sub. I did have the gun one summer. Both were also red plastic.<br /><br />These were toys that, like pump-up water-rocs were an idea that were ahead of the materials technology of the day. Polystyrene doesn't hold up well enough. Polycarbonate [Lexan], PET and similar plastics have allowed the reintroduction of such products<br /></span></span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-30929952882030603202011-10-16T10:29:00.007-05:002011-10-16T10:58:58.912-05:00Wig-Wag Monocopter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHhDJeXj0S3sQyQCr_8W7B0TSLXhPujugyIGlPVJEd8QNA2MHRxE5jcc2pwvy204vSCiyYuMxsbqJqrIg_KQgnxybaDcm1BeNy2hczx3fB7pqiXlQJDjOY6bUABcyLrmiM1YWNWF57aHk/s1600/wig-wag04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHhDJeXj0S3sQyQCr_8W7B0TSLXhPujugyIGlPVJEd8QNA2MHRxE5jcc2pwvy204vSCiyYuMxsbqJqrIg_KQgnxybaDcm1BeNy2hczx3fB7pqiXlQJDjOY6bUABcyLrmiM1YWNWF57aHk/s200/wig-wag04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664114300729119746" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Ascent position</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXkLEZBs4dK1nUVWtVh09B2nId6zeS083ndyl6b0woWfHu-jfzbjZTigPYltgdNAH5FDJlcrYRaS9NJUT_30CX4ZfqCWHRadgmbg9khYcf2sFcfKMWzrporNx79RCdbxZtWPl3vA0pBix/s1600/wig-wag01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 152px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXkLEZBs4dK1nUVWtVh09B2nId6zeS083ndyl6b0woWfHu-jfzbjZTigPYltgdNAH5FDJlcrYRaS9NJUT_30CX4ZfqCWHRadgmbg9khYcf2sFcfKMWzrporNx79RCdbxZtWPl3vA0pBix/s200/wig-wag01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664114299648901042" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><br />Descent position [almost]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Wig-Wag is yet another monocopter with an adjustable pitch wing. Like the two </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Campitch MC's the wing automatically adjusts from ascent pitch to descending </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">autorotative pitch. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Wig-Wag employs a weighted arm mounted to the hub and a wire loop mounted to the underside of the wing leading edge which goes around the weightbar. Before ignition, the weightbar dangles down holding the wing down with it. As rpm increases centrifigal force swings the weightbar outward, thus upward, until it's horizontal, pulling the wing up to ascent angle. After motor burn out, as rpm decreases, the weightbar sags downward again, bringing the wing down into autorotation mode. Unlike the Campitch MC's, this pitch control system is more responsive in flight and doubtless more tunable on the ground since it's controlled by the mass [and length] of the weightbar alone rather than the interaction of wing weight and spring strength. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This actually works like the weight ball governor on old steam engines [and some early petrol engines], particularly stationary units. So like them, at peak performance, the Wig-wag monocopter is literally running ball[s]-out.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">While the Campitch MC's would've been difficult to design without serious drafting, preferably CAD, the Wig-Wag was cobbed together a part at a time with no drafting of any sort. It aint perfect, but it's a good first attempt and entirely functional from first flight on. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The wing and hub are used parts resurrected from the remains of the CP-1. This </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">makes for a wing that is too small and heavy but it does turn in fair flights on C motors. The weightbar is made from an RC pushrod clevis and a piece of 2-56 all-thread with a lead fishing weight nutted on. My biggest conceptual stumbling block was coming up with a suitable weightbar pivot mount on the hub. Installation of an upright piece of G10 fiberglass was easy enough with my bandsaw followed by grinding access for the flybar with a moto-tool. What was actually more difficult was bending a suitable wire loop for the wing and then mounting it in the best spot. I bent two loops and then punched three pairs of holes in the wing before I was reasonably satisfied. I was glad to be utilizing used parts as I had no concern for cosmetic issues.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So far the Wig-Wag has made three flights. First on a C6, then on a D5, followed by a D12. While the two Estes motors were fine, the Quest D5 suffered a case burnthrough. While this is no big surprise anytime you spin one, that recycled undersized wing makes matters worse. This led to replacement of the motor mount tube.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />After puzzling for quite a while over a name, I settled on Wig-Wag due to the resemblance between the weightbar and a wig-wag railroad crossing signal</span>.KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-7813312064073712552011-10-09T14:18:00.005-05:002011-10-16T10:11:33.716-05:00SpaceX Has A Pipedream<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Spaceflight Now has a recent article [Reprinted from CBS Space] on SpaceX's vision of making their boosters reusable. The simulation video is sharp. The stated intention is for direct descent and landing under rocket thrust. Sounds simple enough on the face of it but I immediately saw some flaws in the plans. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">First Stage; Slant range puts the booster a long way from the launch site and variable target orbits increase possible descent points over a large arc, typically well out over the Atlantic. The sheer height of the Falcon 9 booster makes me want to install much larger landing legs [and more of them]. This is why all flyback booster designs thusfar have wings, wheeled landing gear and sometimes jet engines.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Second stage, This might actually be a bit easier than the first stage. Because the 2nd stage is itself orbital [or nearly so], one can pick the reentry point and bring it down where desired. A reentry heat shield adds a lot of weight though. At least 2 motor restarts are needed, but restarts are not that uncommon here. Need a lot of spare fuel for both the deorbit and the landing. Second stage motor nozzles are typically optimized for high altitude/vacuum operations and will be inefficient back at sea level. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I believe it was NRL that was ground testing a booster 20 or so years ago that was low-pressure [no turbo pumps] and had a variable expansion thrust bell, kinda like the "turkey feathers" on a fighter jet engine nozzle. This allowed inflight expansion ratio optimization for any altitude.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Capsule and boosters are shown returning on thrust alone. Even with thrust for landing, parachute systems would still be more economical and probably lighter for slowing and stabilizing the vehicles in an upright position instead of relying on attitude thrusters and the mains alone. Parachutes would also add some safety in case of motor failure, or at least reduce the splat.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">>>>>>></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"We'll see if this works," Musk said. "But it's going to be certainly an exciting journey. And if it does work, it'll be pretty huge. If you look at the cost of a Falcon 9 ... it's about $50 (million) to $60 million. But the cost of the fuel and oxygen and so forth is only about $200,000. So obviously, if we can reuse the rocket, say, a thousand times, then that would make the capital cost of the rocket for launch only about $50,000. ... It would allow about a hundred-fold reduction in launch costs."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><<<<<<</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Was Mr Musk reading that off a script???</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Nobody's gonna get 1000 uses out of any booster, even if there is that large a backlog of flight contracts. Divide flight contracts by; payload production rates, vehicle refurbishment rate, available ground support, optimal launch windows... I'm sorry but I would've scoffed at 100 flights per booster. How about 10 flights each on a 5-10 booster fleet. By then; if the economics are sound, you'll be building a few replacements and/or an improved new fleet anyway.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Note that Elon says a 1000 fold reduction in booster cost relates to only a 100 fold reduction in overall launch costs. That sounds reasonable as other costs go up drastically. Additional flight systems complication, booster retransport, refurbishment, range comm/nav systems, additional facilities...manpower, manpower, manpower.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have great respect for SpaceX and what they have accomplished. In fact I'd like to work for them, and I can't say that about most of the aerospace industry or NASA itself. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://http//spaceflightnow.com/news/n1109/30spacexflyback/">http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1109/30spacexflyback/</a>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-7790785105836546172011-10-09T13:02:00.003-05:002011-10-16T10:07:36.895-05:00Upgraded PC At Last<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hooraw!</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My friend Steve recently replaced my PC tower with a much newer one. Not precisely cutting edge as it was assembled from hand-me-down components, but it's a lot more advanced than my old one which I had for over 11 years. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There's a helluva lot of work to do yet, software and tools to transfer or download, and gigs of folders to transfer. Wherever practical, I'm downloading fresh copies or newer versions of software and tools just to be sure they're clean and up to date. Normally I cringe and start to break out in hives every time I'm faced with "Updated" or "Improved" software. Most of the time it has compatability issues or unresolved glitches, or will no longer do what I needed it to do beforehand [Quicktime comes to mind on that score]. Naturally, I totally object to automated updates and block them always. The learning curve is pretty steep, principally changing from Win 98 to XP, and Bobcad 17 to 21.xx. After using dialup all those years, having a hi-speed internet connection sure is nice too.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Steve is a computer professional and I cannot recommend him enough. You can reach him through the following link; </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://pcmaverick.org/">pcmaverick.org</a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Thanks Steve.</span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-68763774055917533932011-10-02T10:37:00.008-05:002011-10-02T11:13:55.668-05:00Don't Forget the Cheese!!!<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">One of the things I like best about living in south Texas is Mexican food. To be more accurate; Tex-Mex food. I aint talkin' about Taco Hell here. Above all else I love breakfast, I'll have breakfast for dinner even, this includes breakfast tacos. I usually ask for cheese on my breakfast tacos and from time to time the cooks forget to do so. Happens to burgers sometimes too. Over the last 30+ years this has added up to quite a bit of lost cheese. Brings a tear to my eye.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Today I was trying out a new restaraunt, ordered myself some coffee and two tacos; bacon, egg & cheese and chorizo, egg & cheese. When the order was ready the manager brought it out because my server was busy elsewhere. The tacos were large but they looked a bit thin, I peaked under the flaps and there was plenty of cheese but nothing else! No eggs, no porky bits. Without some grilling time, these weren't exactly quesadillas yet either. The manager was all apologetic but I had to laugh out loud, disturb the whole place loud. That was funny!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The Wheel of Cheese Turns Full Circle.</span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-77071856298346734902011-06-19T19:17:00.004-05:002011-06-19T20:08:34.204-05:00Blog AnnoyanceThe previous blogpost has the wrong date.<br />It should've read June, not January.<br />The reason why is smart software that is dumber than I would've thought.<br />Instead of using the date when it was actually posted, the software used the date from when the post was first created and saved as a draft, this despite extensive editing and additions the day I actually posted it. While the draft date might be useful information to me in a nagging sort of way, it is totally useless to the reader.<br />There are a couple other drafts scattered in my Edit Posts section, and if I decide to use them eventually, I'll now have to remember to paste them into a new post rather than risk them posting with the wrong date, or worse, being inserted amidst older posts outright. I would consider that to be an example of revisionist history, albeit minor and unintended. Rereading my old posts, I've run across quite a bit of stuff that could use reediting, but most are of the typesetting or spelling variety plus a few phrases that could've been done better. Just not worth the effort. If I found some gross errors, that might be a different story<br />People can rip pages from books, but that leaves evidence of the fact. People can burn books, but there are always more books. Be wary of the web, because computer editing and manipulation are very hard, or impossible to detect, especially text. Anyone can post to, or reedit a Wiki entry.KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-52479748705109690752011-01-12T11:28:00.011-06:002011-06-12T00:46:18.395-05:00Beware of Rotating Parts!<p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">At a typical modroc launch, any monocopter pads get set up nearby other pads in order to share launch control wires. I already posted about the [extremely] close call I had on the Pitchwing-2 first flight. This time it was another new monocopter called the Wig-Wag.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Right after takeoff the Wig-Wag drifted downwind slightly and the wingtip collide with an 1/8" stainless steel launch rod. The rod was mounted in the same launch rack that the Campitch-2 didn't hit. The launch rod was ruint [Texan for ruined, but with more finality], totally FUBAR! The only part of the rod that was still straight was the 1" section clamped in the pad base. One might expect the rod to be bent away from the direction of impact, or bent sharply toward DOI at the point of impact. Nope, neither. After the sharp 20-25deg bend away from DOI at the base the remaining rod length was bent in a continuous arc like a bow. quite strange really. I'm an old hand at straightening bent metal but this was scrap!<br /></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I owed Art Applewhite a new launch rod. Luckily I had some spares at home.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The monocopter wing was fiberglassed balsa and suffered only a 1/2" deep notch in the leading edge, and the MC went on to complete a nominal flight. That's right, it kept on flying.<br /></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Repairs were relatively easy. I sawed out and replaced a square of balsa, filled the gaps with Cya and micro balloons, then sanded the fill to shape and reinforced the area with a fiberglass patch. Since the wing is already a veteran of many flights on the Pitch Wing 1, I didn't even bother to touchup the paint.</p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'm glad this first flight was only on a C6, if it'd been a D12, damage might've been much worse.</span><br /></p>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-82178935212142401912011-01-12T10:35:00.007-06:002011-01-14T17:48:50.700-06:00Campitch 2, 1st Short Hop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFWBLPScz0v_c1qlbfwYxExeEc6W4XzSsyBxHkKtGBb6EMXaRpp8ABxJ1cwD4jbZi4i7WpFo7oTAQZpaY_8_mEOCyggfnIZs0h-Zowj8CbnSJ5svFw54MKiyejjqvw-P8hxNP0M-O-1H1/s1600/cp2+1st+1.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFWBLPScz0v_c1qlbfwYxExeEc6W4XzSsyBxHkKtGBb6EMXaRpp8ABxJ1cwD4jbZi4i7WpFo7oTAQZpaY_8_mEOCyggfnIZs0h-Zowj8CbnSJ5svFw54MKiyejjqvw-P8hxNP0M-O-1H1/s200/cp2+1st+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562189102916759794" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj38Np_V94NOB4WYgZMSL9HCha5bRwUvrO6fVdzAL8lZRWSHHpteeZZNfM6_NJ0MoouryWuei2NFkZS8WKsmkWAPsFNyRAjEo38SWx99FZbKPRCkoA_FFA2ssqxyA6ZqMvUFZEHLH4l2_p/s1600/cp2+1st+2.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj38Np_V94NOB4WYgZMSL9HCha5bRwUvrO6fVdzAL8lZRWSHHpteeZZNfM6_NJ0MoouryWuei2NFkZS8WKsmkWAPsFNyRAjEo38SWx99FZbKPRCkoA_FFA2ssqxyA6ZqMvUFZEHLH4l2_p/s200/cp2+1st+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562189093306277826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd_QI2MrePc-jBxqoHga8KhAP6i1G8_D2CmoBYEOZFZpDX3-ZsLafoU1QZL1fZ0Iy4AXJXtte0kuKj0lzSIA3KXdsT5M8KJm-GweP5auPGtBlZ-QubBm1vTzTDdqI6QKuzlwHBsnpSRKF/s1600/cp2+1st+3.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsd_QI2MrePc-jBxqoHga8KhAP6i1G8_D2CmoBYEOZFZpDX3-ZsLafoU1QZL1fZ0Iy4AXJXtte0kuKj0lzSIA3KXdsT5M8KJm-GweP5auPGtBlZ-QubBm1vTzTDdqI6QKuzlwHBsnpSRKF/s200/cp2+1st+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562189092301703698" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxi4Q05btQqVBURD5-_CvnG3NQwTsHnNrHqoziQAnzPj68omHa02yjdwNhs8eGZe2MhyEJNeZnf2Bwb-FSkhyphenhyphenwMGtBfqgsIiGxDMKGWSltDMHtrfCz2UiuDvO6s3CS8NkEnGRf2Uob53-/s1600/cp2+1st+4.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxi4Q05btQqVBURD5-_CvnG3NQwTsHnNrHqoziQAnzPj68omHa02yjdwNhs8eGZe2MhyEJNeZnf2Bwb-FSkhyphenhyphenwMGtBfqgsIiGxDMKGWSltDMHtrfCz2UiuDvO6s3CS8NkEnGRf2Uob53-/s200/cp2+1st+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562189087989145026" border="0" /></a><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Pics by John Lee</p><p><br /></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">These are pics of the Campitch 2's 1st flight. Just a test hop if you will. I would've posted these pics before if I'd known they existed. They were uploaded out of flight sequence at Flickr, so I didn't find them till the other night.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">When I designed the CP-2, I meant it to be an 'E' powered monocopter and I succeeded well. A 'D' motor barely gets it into the air as the photos illustrate. Only about five feet up, woo-hoo!</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I hate "reinventing the wheel" [Unless it can become a perverted mockery of science!], and I see no point in rewriting the flight description when I can copy & paste from one of my own previous blogposts.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">>>>>>The first flight back in August [2010] had us rolling on the ground, and we weren't even on fire! I launched the CP-2 on an Estes D12-3, it took off from a 2x4 pad low on the ground and ascended to no more than 3ft [more like 5ft] as it travelled 5-6ft upwind, then curved left going just over a modroc launch rack passing through a gap in the launch rods with scant centimeters to spare, then it drifted back downwind to land right next to it's takeoff point. It looked a lot like an olympic highjumper in action.<<<<< </p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Lucky thing, one of the launch rods was missing that day. [And that leads to another story.]<br /></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I haven't posted lately because I had to move. With major assistance from my brother, I started moving early Thanksgiving week. It took us nearly 2 weeks, after which there was a lot of settling in and rearrangement of storage, closely followed by more holidays. <br /></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">While I have my own PC up and running, it currently has no online connection. I have to borrow time on other computers.</span><br /></p>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-34533968202242895542010-11-29T00:08:00.006-06:002011-10-02T21:16:48.774-05:00Success of the Campitch 2, an update<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Alamo Rocketeers had a night launch and weenie roast on Nov 20.</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> The first time I've done any night flying in years and years.</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> We started early enough to do some day flying too.<br />Right after sundown </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I flew the Campitch 2 without any visual augmentation. I used an entirely</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> antique Aerotech E10-4wl moonburner that I had been hanging onto for </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">years. The flight was fantastic, a complete success and a worthy use for </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">that old motor. It was a blustery evening but the CP-2 maintained good </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">stability, achieved a respectable altitude and was in full autorotation mode </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">about 1/2 way down, landing less than 100 feet downwind.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After the last time I flew the CP-2 I obtained a new piece of 3/16" graphite </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">tubing, cutting a new flybar 3" longer and then added internal wire</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> tipweights to increase the weight from 11g to about 20g, nearly doubled.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Snaking the thermalite ignitor fuse into the offset port on that E10 was</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> definitely cause for reminiscence. Ahhh... the moonburners that I have</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> known. I initiated the thermalite with a<br />Quest Q2 ignitor. If I'd </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">remembered them Id've used a flashbulb initiator to wow the crowd.</span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-59212237663853135462010-11-09T13:28:00.011-06:002011-10-02T21:23:22.386-05:00Moonburner Motors Get Bent<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMC7IkJ62ryDemwQYicQskOz2GjpB5u3Ra0bj2BBd_UR0R6DxB0UWpJ545GMuOH13X_JRGvaOnrqTPm0F3VjPG2EWZGZ5RDiOyWPajNflP3H3V38kbEtCxVMDY92zodV9FP0NU6WxNC-UZ/s1600/Moon-Animation-Ken-2.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMC7IkJ62ryDemwQYicQskOz2GjpB5u3Ra0bj2BBd_UR0R6DxB0UWpJ545GMuOH13X_JRGvaOnrqTPm0F3VjPG2EWZGZ5RDiOyWPajNflP3H3V38kbEtCxVMDY92zodV9FP0NU6WxNC-UZ/s200/Moon-Animation-Ken-2.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539865595560850610" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />First time I've tried to upload a vid clip.<br />Hope it works OK.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">When I first started experimenting with making my own </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">sugar motors, I made several decisions under their own </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">merits which eventually lead to an epiphany. When </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">combined, these factors<br />created an interesting moonburn synergy.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">First, I chose to use 15/16" diameter [24mm] phenolic </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">cases that are thicker walled, than Aerotech, </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">being 3/4"id instead of 7/8"id. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">To simplify the nozzle issue, I elected to buy Aerotech </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">nozzles instead of producing my own from scratch, though </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">this requires that I turn down the nozzle OD to fit my </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">cases. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Like most other experimental motor makers, I still </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">wanted to maximize the propellant fraction. I decided to </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">pour directly in the cases, including the convergent </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">frustrum. No casting tubes or liners required.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After only a couple false steps, I tried silicone tubing </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">as my core spindles, which works great when casting sugar </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">propellant. The silicone spindles are longer than the </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">motor case, and extend all the way from the nozzle to </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">beyond the top end. A rod or dowel, as the case may be, </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">the same diameter as the nozzle throat, but loose inside </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">the silicone, extends through, acting as an alignment guide </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">and throat plug. After curing, the rod is drawn out, then </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">with a steady tug, the silicone stretches, losing contact </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">with the core wall, and pops right out pretty as you </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">please.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Though I started with core burners, a major goal all along </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">was to make moonburners since I couldn't buy any commercial</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> ones for a long time, and then when I could, only in 'J' </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">and above. </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />With the old Aerotech D-G moonburners, the fuel was precast </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">and had a drilled port to one side that you would have to </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">blindly hunt for with a piece of 'S' bent Thermalite. Even </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">for<br />someone experienced with these motors, it was tough to </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">install, tough on the Thermalite and chuffed too often at </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">the best of times. </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Epiphany; My flexible silicone spindles need not be straight. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I attached the silicone tubing to the nozzle throat with a </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">short plug, then 'S' turned the tubing over to the case wall </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">where<br />it's held in place with a suitably fashioned wire clip. </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This creates a smooth pathway for the ignitor during </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">installation AND expulsion, even when using Copperheads.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This 'S' turn also creates a short area of coreburn </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">configuration near the nozzle, producing a higher takeoff </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">spike before it settles into full moonburn mode. Perfect for </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">a medium size 'D'-'E' bird. </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Another goal of making motors was that my wife [now ex] and </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I had always been into clustering, especially air-starts. Estes 'D's </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">are great for this but keep costing more and more.<br /></span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I was already enamored with the idea of focused thrust [long </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">before Flis-Kits] and wanted a way to add that feature to </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">already existing rockets with air-start clusters. </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The curvy silicone core spindles work even better with the</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">angled nozzles. Now there's only one shallow bend instead </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">of an 'S' curve. This also reduces the coreburn section, </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">making the motor more of a true moonburner. Since classic </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">moons ramp up and down more gently than other motors, they </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">are less prone to affecting the flightpath if multiple </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ignitions are uneven, or lacking. Focused thrust, of course, </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">further reduces possible flightpath disturbances.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I made a 10 degree angled nozzle holder for my lathe, so </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">that I could modify the Aerotech nozzles before gluing them </span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">into the cases. </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GvGn2LuAofnEsGRNtrfJuzUhcToj_7Wp4YY9ul-iYEe0eihoZpMCt9gn7xLrFiKbnaJFJhgmWittHZ2S6eqgkfM8hZ4OVG5Qkf84pF_5tkZJzWa5YlYuFP_GIxDAtDFbJtHZbD34y7H3/s1600/Angled+nozzle+motor+and+tooling.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GvGn2LuAofnEsGRNtrfJuzUhcToj_7Wp4YY9ul-iYEe0eihoZpMCt9gn7xLrFiKbnaJFJhgmWittHZ2S6eqgkfM8hZ4OVG5Qkf84pF_5tkZJzWa5YlYuFP_GIxDAtDFbJtHZbD34y7H3/s200/Angled+nozzle+motor+and+tooling.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537637648438903250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Angled lathe tooling with unmodified nozzle<br />installed, and a used angle nozzle motor.KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-60270599289100717952010-10-25T12:57:00.011-05:002011-10-02T21:31:15.943-05:00Campitch 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToQ1HQ5VJhsqpMtzhwGUeW6oeC9Icr6D62Y2AMU7Sgy71pW8qdN-iwAaDSJh7k3S110wZq7qwX_jr4qmKR74JfAkj1mCILP3fvLzJsAorgmhQblw-udRPplE7CB9bj3a7YgRrDkE6qPo9/s1600/CP-2+whole.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToQ1HQ5VJhsqpMtzhwGUeW6oeC9Icr6D62Y2AMU7Sgy71pW8qdN-iwAaDSJh7k3S110wZq7qwX_jr4qmKR74JfAkj1mCILP3fvLzJsAorgmhQblw-udRPplE7CB9bj3a7YgRrDkE6qPo9/s200/CP-2+whole.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532816178794386834" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN6fBXg-U5pz0HSBsNtgS79XqHFuPZkMiDut6F6oEqFSBU3PlkAAjkrGBBDhH-aIj9BbHjD0FD6XLmQCddqe2ExpGaqAzehAXb6bMyPJ8Ps0ygqNbHvzYmv2YYdwck0s11XVVSF9rHlql/s1600/CP-2+closeup.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN6fBXg-U5pz0HSBsNtgS79XqHFuPZkMiDut6F6oEqFSBU3PlkAAjkrGBBDhH-aIj9BbHjD0FD6XLmQCddqe2ExpGaqAzehAXb6bMyPJ8Ps0ygqNbHvzYmv2YYdwck0s11XVVSF9rHlql/s200/CP-2+closeup.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532816175382567474" border="0" /></a> Pics by: KeithAlanK<br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is the new improved Campitch 2.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It has the same features as the defunk Campitch 1 but is larger </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">and beefier. Most notable is that the wing is much larger, by </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">nearly 50%. The span is 2" longer, but the wing is made from</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">1/4" x 4" Sig airfoil stock instead of 3/16" x 3" stock. The thicker </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">wing allows for a thicker 3/16" carbon pivot rod instead of the </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">1/8" carbon, then steel pivot rod on the CP-1. The hub assembly </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">is about 1/2" longer on the motor side.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The CP-2 is already leading a better, or at least charmed, life </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">than the CP-1 did. It has made three flights so far with nothing</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> worse than some burn through charring [routine] and a ding on </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">the wing tip.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The first flight back in August had us rolling on the ground, and </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">we weren't even on fire! I launched the CP-2 on an Estes D12-3, </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">it took off from a 2x4 pad low on the ground and ascended to no </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">more than 3ft as it travelled 5-6ft upwind, then curved left going </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">just over a modroc launch rack passing through a gap in the </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">launch rods with scant centimeters to spare, then it drifted back </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">downwind to land right next to it's takeoff point. It looked a lot </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">like an olympic highjumper in action.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Todd, one of my flying buddies said he'd buy me lunch if I would </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">fly it again. I didn't have any more suitable motors for it, so I told </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">him I would if he could donate an Estes E9. For various reasons, I </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">had yet to use any E9's before, so this one was my 1st. Well that </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">turned in a perfect flight, 60-70ft up, transitioning to full autorotation mode </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">about 1/2 way down and landing about 100ft downwind.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">September launch dates were all rained out, so I had to wait till </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">October for flight #3. Since the CP-2 flew so well on an E9 I </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">figured it could handle one of my long sugar moonburners. These </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">are sized the same as the E9 though heavier start to finish and </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">has a higher sustain burn and longer duration. Well this spinny </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">thang tookoff and immediately tilted about 45 degrees downwind </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">for about 100ft then curved back and up in a boomerang turn till </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">it was knife edged, pointing into the wind, at which point it ran out of </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">sugar and dropped straight into the ground. Amazingly, the only </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">damage was a little mushing of the wingtip, easily fixed by </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">supergluing my fingertips to it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The only other time I ever saw a monocopter with quite that </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">flight profile was when I actually launched one with no flybar </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">installed at all. Obviously a flybar with more authority is needed. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Not too surprising really, since the flybar was the same one the</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> smaller CP-1 used.</span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-73444395049670033062010-10-15T14:15:00.008-05:002010-10-19T15:29:07.829-05:00Tig Bitty Alert<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2zPsJ1qBEijkxq5fbO1ajIzbqKMTqu_TXY-Nzu0OULV2T0earVaLsYt_xi5uuLw4fB_WORrjwE0qtmisjFsdlroxwNC7fJlGC23jnVy_t9T9P83mHshMQnh_1zx8znmXrvq1O617ew8U/s1600/zzakk.tittyshot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2zPsJ1qBEijkxq5fbO1ajIzbqKMTqu_TXY-Nzu0OULV2T0earVaLsYt_xi5uuLw4fB_WORrjwE0qtmisjFsdlroxwNC7fJlGC23jnVy_t9T9P83mHshMQnh_1zx8znmXrvq1O617ew8U/s200/zzakk.tittyshot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529853677999411602" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The orange paper has an exact [from the screen] print</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">of<br />the other side of the shot glass.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This blogpost was substantially written by my brother</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Keith<br />and first appeared in his blog; Zzakk's Garage</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">last year. I<br />edited it to make myself 1st person and</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> made some additions.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Back in 1991 when my brother and I owned a screen</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">printing<br />company (that did everything but T-shirts)</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">we used to make<br />personal items from time to time.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Keith handled the artwork<br />/typsetting and darkroom,</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">plus made the screens--I was in<br />charge of the</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">machinery and tooling (makes perfect sense if<br />you know</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">us) and then we would do the actual printing<br />together.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I had Keith pirate the art of Patty Melt [one of Cherry's</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">friends]<br />whipping out her tig old bitties from a Cherry</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Comics adult<br />comic book, and we printed at most a dozen </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">shot glasses<br />[1 sub-carton]. We shipped two of the shot </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">glasses to Larry<br />Welz, the comic's author, who then sent us </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">the original and<br />never-seen-before-now drawing that's in </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">the frame. We<br />traded a few comments about our favorite </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">liquors and<br />thoughts on doing a production run. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Unfortunately, our<br />epoxy based glass ink wasn't durable </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">enough for hard use<br />[we termed it "Souvineer Quality"] </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">so we declined due<br />to warranty concerns.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We put milk in the glass so our printing would be legible in</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">the photo, then drank it. Till someone else brought it up,</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">we never thought about the humor of our choice of liquid.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Probably the only time Keith has tasted white milk since<br />we</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">made the shotglasses 18 years ago.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Personally, I can't get enough of the stuff.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The first issue of Cherry Comics was titled Cherry Poptart.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A great way to infuriate Kelloggs and Archie Comics at the</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">same time. There were some not so thinly disguised Archie</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">characters in that first issue too.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Time to Google Larry Welz and see what he's up to lately.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">www.cherrycomics.com If you're 18 or older.</span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-1245137469583926162010-10-14T15:41:00.012-05:002011-10-02T20:36:31.893-05:00Girl Genius Comics, Steampunk Heaven<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNaFOqpUJgHOQxjshLqL4EA6fXAWaaH8OgSHqPDgQkht8dzJpwYwKxZVd-xi5ydx5iGWke_3-_NF8QyzF7F1C03IsILKNK7HSVbnvkW_Ob9EHWVRi11y62dxE5y3atAb_dq1uzC96PAEb/s1600/ggmain20090504.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNaFOqpUJgHOQxjshLqL4EA6fXAWaaH8OgSHqPDgQkht8dzJpwYwKxZVd-xi5ydx5iGWke_3-_NF8QyzF7F1C03IsILKNK7HSVbnvkW_Ob9EHWVRi11y62dxE5y3atAb_dq1uzC96PAEb/s200/ggmain20090504.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528344239542837058" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Not an artistic page but<br />Agatha's rant says it all.<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpMXdI4E0JTwtwd8y3fJl4L50lML-IsXig8tdfYLSlmwZHKqEi3Hea25mLgamGiPm88h9cvnwkGGaeyEzsHina6YrlBiq6-8YBLG0rzFSU4k7OeDRCbt4a_wdeuP2rPof_3IGoJGHDOFB/s1600/ggmain20101014b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpMXdI4E0JTwtwd8y3fJl4L50lML-IsXig8tdfYLSlmwZHKqEi3Hea25mLgamGiPm88h9cvnwkGGaeyEzsHina6YrlBiq6-8YBLG0rzFSU4k7OeDRCbt4a_wdeuP2rPof_3IGoJGHDOFB/s200/ggmain20101014b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528344236193512770" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >2008 Hugo award</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >A quick plug for Girl Genius comics.<br />The hero is Agatha Heterodyne, an extremely sparky<br />mad scientist from a long and dangerous family of<br />sparky mad scientists. A nice girl actually, but she's<br />learning fast.<br />I wouldn't mind being her Lab Assistant.<br />Phil & Kaja Foglio just uploaded this great photo of<br />the Hugo award they won for Best Graphic Novel<br />of 2008. Great trophy. Absolutely fantastic comic.<br />I can't recommend it enough. You can read a new<br />page every weekday online, but support your artist<br />and buy the books, I have the 1st 7 or 8 plus a lot<br />of other Foglio comics and cool products.<br /><br />I installed a link in the lefthand sidebar some months<br />ago but I wasn't fired up enough to do a blogpost<br />about it till now.</span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-47581714909108909192010-10-12T15:12:00.005-05:002010-10-12T15:43:21.538-05:00Back in the Saddle, NOT!I had high hopes for upping my post rate this fall<br />here at the Lab, but such is not going to be the case.<br /><br />In late September my landline was disconnected and<br />I about refuse to pay a further autodebited dime to<br />ATT/yahoo for their klugey [sp?] email that I have to<br />constantly wait for advertising to load on. I expect<br />advertising on Yahoo free sites, but not on something<br />costing me over $17/mo and is slower than ever already.<br />GRRRRR!<br />When the email software switched over, the previously<br />full featured address book lost everything except the<br />names and email addresses. All the phone numbers, all<br />the USPS addresses, all the aliases and side notes. ALL<br />GONE! DOUBLE GA-ERRRRR!!!<br />Of course this means my access is limited at the moment,<br />and I'm losing all my old email files and peoples addresses.<br /><br />So my friends & relations who read this, please email me<br />at; <a href="http://kur%2Ekzak@gmail.com/">kur.kzak@gmail.com</a><br />I tried changing my blog personal data to the new email<br />address and was denied. WTF?<br />If I can't resolve that issue I'll have to change emails again.<br />Gee, Google Blog and Google Email together sounded like a<br />Good idea at the time.<br /><br />I also aquired a cell phone again after doing without one for<br />about 7 years and not missing it most of the time.<br />Thanks K&S.KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-24302694504167580312010-09-03T22:46:00.004-05:002010-09-03T23:17:12.354-05:00Campitch 1 Monocopter Pt 3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQwAh1s9EtnMLf6Z1VXZtv2WQbOMHbBRQMRLGilbI9p4sRzgsGzi-mAzjsYuWZsuowhO72ITZXGbHd1y6RhP1GJPxSyQCOgifYjiqVFRGhy0_GFIik7gt8ayBYfr3_RPhkit5OfD6rICq/s1600/CP1+10-09+05+wing+gap+b.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQwAh1s9EtnMLf6Z1VXZtv2WQbOMHbBRQMRLGilbI9p4sRzgsGzi-mAzjsYuWZsuowhO72ITZXGbHd1y6RhP1GJPxSyQCOgifYjiqVFRGhy0_GFIik7gt8ayBYfr3_RPhkit5OfD6rICq/s200/CP1+10-09+05+wing+gap+b.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512904021015756962" /><br /></a><span>A good ascent. Note wing gap.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7S74TQGb2cDkmO7wzMiFDPbSPAv-ufjrdjQQ352u8NAAeuW_vG38PbJk-uea23Wynrk7MXtVfslP2OfHTkuqFpA6nMrpTIGQhRuQvAP8-YXiWWWQgNVZtPvOfcE27wDGW-WnCha5MoIQy/s1600/CP1+12-09+C6-3p+13+takeoff+b.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7S74TQGb2cDkmO7wzMiFDPbSPAv-ufjrdjQQ352u8NAAeuW_vG38PbJk-uea23Wynrk7MXtVfslP2OfHTkuqFpA6nMrpTIGQhRuQvAP8-YXiWWWQgNVZtPvOfcE27wDGW-WnCha5MoIQy/s200/CP1+12-09+C6-3p+13+takeoff+b.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512904014488102354" /><br /></a><span>Takeoff. Sign of an inadequate flybar.<br />1 ft up and already 1 ft sideways.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd34_J68JDqOuTdMx6gYE0qlEnPtqTLrAqoMZdLO0eNINGVfGxN0LBBmcUKoZE40fLzUlePtnTjvHVCZ3jNf7GCl7dcGi3oPlNvL3Pp0vCnBeMcja9enplU22jNCDS5W1WU8TiLk-qMAlP/s1600/CP1+damage+2+6-12-10+crop.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd34_J68JDqOuTdMx6gYE0qlEnPtqTLrAqoMZdLO0eNINGVfGxN0LBBmcUKoZE40fLzUlePtnTjvHVCZ3jNf7GCl7dcGi3oPlNvL3Pp0vCnBeMcja9enplU22jNCDS5W1WU8TiLk-qMAlP/s200/CP1+damage+2+6-12-10+crop.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512904007231191538" /></a><br /><span>The wreckage.</span><span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span>The Campitch 1 is no more.<br /><br />It made 10 flight attempts in 10 months.<br />Four flights were considered OK, one was very good,<br />and only one was nearly perfect. One way or another<br />it tossed it's wing four times. It tore up one part or<br />another of the cam system four times, and broke one<br />flybar. The final flight did all three at once.<br /><br />Even the best flight bent the cam follower bolt. It<br />was the ninth flight and I used one of my 24mm E <br />sugar moonburners. It ascended to around 60 feet, it's<br />highest flight, and when it coasted about halfway down<br />it finally slowed enough to retract the wing into full<br />autorotation mode. D motors never gave it the needed<br />height to do this.<br /><br />On the tenth flight, I used an Aerotech E11J. At about<br />the 40ft mark, still under power it disintegrated. The<br />flybar was broken and the cam follower bolt was half<br />torn from the wing root, and the bolthead was pulled<br />through the G10 fiberglass cam track.<br /><br />This spinny thang taught me more than all my previous<br />monocopters put together.<br /><br />The biggest problem the CP1 had was it's pretty wing.<br />Being fully glassed it was too heavy [especially with<br />balance weight added to the leading edge], and that<br />eliptical wingtip made it too slick. Together this<br />gave it a higher than average rpm AND a tendency to<br />not slow down anytime soon.<br />Again, because of the wing weight, the unweighted<br />3/16" flybar used on the first five flights lacked authority.<br />This caused the motor and wing to pick their own pitch<br />angle and for the monocopter as a whole to squirrel<br />around and track at odd angles instead of going straight<br />up. The second flybar was 1/4" diameter and slightly<br />longer, but it had so much drag altitude was reduced<br />by half.<br />The wing retract spring is always an issue. If it's too<br />heavy; it takes extra rpm to extend for takeoff.<br />If it's too light; it has to slow more to retract into<br />auto rotation. I used springs because I had a pile to<br />pick from. A better solution would be rubberbands<br />which might be easier to fine tune.<br />Finally, 1/8" pultruded carbon tubing it totally<br />unsuitable for D+ powered monocopters. I managed<br />to break them outright 4 times, in three different<br />applications.<br /><br />I'll spare y'all the flight log.<br />Yahoo Monocopter Group won't be so lucky.<br /><br /></span><br /><br /></span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-12426536455775942882010-08-30T22:50:00.008-05:002011-10-02T21:36:12.113-05:00Space Truckin'<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9QcZ96odBkR29yS3ftnmx3e4DhKN_vOwCiFGY3a6Z_lVDpIgke1Q1L2KW9kXI-mW9z8ANLKSbWL5OUdV22hG8s0uNZh03hxmJ3dE7POhRAJyqvvq_aouvjCLNSbCWmVENgtyLOScVrd3/s1600/Live+to+Ride+resize.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9QcZ96odBkR29yS3ftnmx3e4DhKN_vOwCiFGY3a6Z_lVDpIgke1Q1L2KW9kXI-mW9z8ANLKSbWL5OUdV22hG8s0uNZh03hxmJ3dE7POhRAJyqvvq_aouvjCLNSbCWmVENgtyLOScVrd3/s200/Live+to+Ride+resize.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511431526628476050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Courtesy: Pirate Art Institute<br /><br />I loved this painting the first time I saw it.<br />It was an illustration for a short story called; Ride to Live, Live to Ride. The story was about a biker who was a high-iron contractor doing orbital assembly, but ends up being a hero. It appeared about 20 years ago in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. I've long since lost<br />track of the issue, author and artist.<br /><br />My brother Keith photographed and printed it for me. Some cleanup was done at the time with ink and brush. I had a grandios plan to screen print parts of it on layers of plexiglas, for a 3D effect. The back layer would've had the stars engraved and sandblasted into it. The stack would then be mounted in a deep frame and internally backlit and edgelit [fibreoptic].<br /><br />More recently I scanned it and we digitally cleaned it up again and then added colors to the Grateful Dead logo.</span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-17041883277223282792010-08-20T21:27:00.008-05:002011-10-02T21:42:49.224-05:00Sugar Motor Testing Pt.2, Getting Sweeter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4QDekxh62_a0byOnuPMqC_71xm9YeHkVLJts56enDLx4Z_2R0TU6na3HFJ1Di5s4VXThaA1Hj7jcqbx6HFCSo48o7BX9W3vmx_OPBcVzH9-8JB73J46SYFIsjsHgJYUNhtCpsbq_bIQM/s1600/Cinco38+AA+Prototype+my+hand+5-09.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4QDekxh62_a0byOnuPMqC_71xm9YeHkVLJts56enDLx4Z_2R0TU6na3HFJ1Di5s4VXThaA1Hj7jcqbx6HFCSo48o7BX9W3vmx_OPBcVzH9-8JB73J46SYFIsjsHgJYUNhtCpsbq_bIQM/s200/Cinco38+AA+Prototype+my+hand+5-09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507697443208442034" border="0" />t<br /></a>Art Applewhite's Cinco38 Prototype<br />Pizza Hut<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOC5kAixi91TRkxc1pdUWrX3RHIZAN-Nf0UXCooJpdMnh8MXn69qOFl-Kxmv0sU9q6h7RxDJC88HWJlyGMiTN7XNtKf1fnG1k7xNxf7jFKWnlZs7-BFE8B2kZr_rwh-EQwJeAPedRHeS3y/s1600/Cinco38+Tide+Wave+1.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOC5kAixi91TRkxc1pdUWrX3RHIZAN-Nf0UXCooJpdMnh8MXn69qOFl-Kxmv0sU9q6h7RxDJC88HWJlyGMiTN7XNtKf1fnG1k7xNxf7jFKWnlZs7-BFE8B2kZr_rwh-EQwJeAPedRHeS3y/s200/Cinco38+Tide+Wave+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507697436701616594" border="0" /><br /></a>My Tide Wave version with ISP<br />38-360 case for comparison<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIG6k2MKwT9aqhOw2GzU4qHW6ep9qkEspssodRgB7e0ub1aQQu4jyzYTI_wb5tw1QRxMTpsgef-6p863ONqBhYlK5akobOFyfSDuiyBoD_1nc4pH7ycpaZwcE9m8G2YHMp8Cq9fNfnNfs/s1600/CincoWave+5-10+01.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIG6k2MKwT9aqhOw2GzU4qHW6ep9qkEspssodRgB7e0ub1aQQu4jyzYTI_wb5tw1QRxMTpsgef-6p863ONqBhYlK5akobOFyfSDuiyBoD_1nc4pH7ycpaZwcE9m8G2YHMp8Cq9fNfnNfs/s200/CincoWave+5-10+01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507697431366074818" border="0" /><br /></a>Tide Wave on 1st sugar flight.<br />Using Ultra-White recipe.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2i-M2nrjOwLdJoeBDRiNTOWhTJbN-dY1R80t5nsPxh5BK3jNhO8YPZXXnGS7uTC86H64pVNlcgBOy34-8P-P6TuwReooKB28gd3V6J84_wP4fLvjMJmYbtHPXbTI_YGbc7wF_qkdxZnpK/s1600/CincoWave+5-10+03.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2i-M2nrjOwLdJoeBDRiNTOWhTJbN-dY1R80t5nsPxh5BK3jNhO8YPZXXnGS7uTC86H64pVNlcgBOy34-8P-P6TuwReooKB28gd3V6J84_wP4fLvjMJmYbtHPXbTI_YGbc7wF_qkdxZnpK/s200/CincoWave+5-10+03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507697423964248930" border="0" /><br /></a>Tide Wave pouring on the sugar<br />and spinning hard.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span>A big update to the previous post.<br />Since that test took place back in February I've burned 3 more sugar reloads in the test series. Since the test stand is still broken [the new guage I want for it aint cheap], I went ahead<br />and flew them in an Art Applewhite 38mm Cinco Saucer clone, my Tide Wave, or in Art's prototype Pizza Hut Cinco38.<br />Since it's 1st flight I've trimmed down the wavy edges twice on the Tide Wave. The spin under power was fine by me, but the spinning causes recovery problems. I've also flown the Cincos on an Aerotech G64W reload and an ancient and suspicious single-use Aerotech 320Nt H145 manufactured in 1988. These 2 motors definitely bracket the sugars below in the medium H category.<br /><br />The motor that blew the stand had Bi-modal KNO3 [an inspecific mix of powdered and granular], my usual opacifier </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span>1% Lamp Black</span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span>, plus 1% Red Iron Oxide. A very fast recipe.<br />The next 2 are the same as above but with 8% Titanium shavings added for sparks. One had fine sparks, the other coarser sparks. The mildest recipe, nicknamed Ultra-White, uses granular KNO3 and 1% Titanium Oxide as a white opacifier. The only test recipe not burned yet is Ultra-Pink. Same as Ultra-White above but with the addition of 1% RIO on top of the TiO2.<br /><br />So far, except for the wrong nozzle incident, everything has worked well. Ignition with my now standard Copper Thermite ignitors has been a non-issue. The RIO sure is messy stuff but it<br />really does improve pouring viscosity, just as other sugar cookers have noted. I didn't doubt it, but wow, seeing it happen is amazing.<br /><br />At this rate, I'll have to make more test loads by the time the test stand is repaired.<br />Aw shucks.</span></span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-42768980569377852892010-08-10T23:42:00.007-05:002011-10-02T21:47:48.072-05:00Sugar Motor Testing [not all sweet]<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuObujkJxgE2LkG_cu3bSHzP8B03QSbwahDN9uMDRu7gsd6l46iaCiogiyatHC5SXPhNn0k8erUIIANRxUHyxWeyC8hHjUDf9N5OgLP88n_lWIDrTln_9_5paciSBxlx4HxCUUfWE7iMv/s1600/sugartest+2-10+01+hookup.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuObujkJxgE2LkG_cu3bSHzP8B03QSbwahDN9uMDRu7gsd6l46iaCiogiyatHC5SXPhNn0k8erUIIANRxUHyxWeyC8hHjUDf9N5OgLP88n_lWIDrTln_9_5paciSBxlx4HxCUUfWE7iMv/s200/sugartest+2-10+01+hookup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504016933889859090" border="0" /><br /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span>Ignitor hookup.<br />Black crescent at bottom of guage<br />window is probable damage.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSaIxng6Lfg2lzUc_ZVp09qaG7seIu7u35-_10C6M5VwatefOp70xhu9mmYMkKmxNZ39OMEjKuwsYEIxqxV5LYSc5ifXzTqJ5M6Er-SYZ3-YXObq0XgYwPy_36FFSs9-2DDacrB6WDVoI/s1600/sugartest+2-10+02b+mainburn+clsup+crop+resz.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSaIxng6Lfg2lzUc_ZVp09qaG7seIu7u35-_10C6M5VwatefOp70xhu9mmYMkKmxNZ39OMEjKuwsYEIxqxV5LYSc5ifXzTqJ5M6Er-SYZ3-YXObq0XgYwPy_36FFSs9-2DDacrB6WDVoI/s200/sugartest+2-10+02b+mainburn+clsup+crop+resz.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504016926348302242" border="0" /><br /></a><span>Instant On! Ignitor wires inflight,<br />Guage needle is still on zero.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYmF09imRM0Aa6EqeLiqopQEfIVNITJMFYRHoZlVkc-jZ1MameoTfN5z8ICG4GHrv6fm9Sx8ibebuf63rdsdZduTZY5F7Po2VeIrf4Nsc-9XQgj_39A3SLwMIPYsPuzZWwl3-CvkmRzNC/s1600/sugartest+2-10+04+winddown+crop.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYmF09imRM0Aa6EqeLiqopQEfIVNITJMFYRHoZlVkc-jZ1MameoTfN5z8ICG4GHrv6fm9Sx8ibebuf63rdsdZduTZY5F7Po2VeIrf4Nsc-9XQgj_39A3SLwMIPYsPuzZWwl3-CvkmRzNC/s200/sugartest+2-10+04+winddown+crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504016921964967010" border="0" /><br /></a><span>Burnout. Foreground smoke<br />came out of guage face</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCl1mcCtes-C8tp8t7utCVCLVDasZLEUv4ACxkHE4fZiadZc1bCmKqvuSJPM7hvngw8WEeDzI_KHnDM36rYXDyU-8gPxlXWz9yF0KnhbXJ9p-uMJpFlR1gPuE88PP1EUVnELfGc2mnNsX/s1600/sugartest+2-10+05+burnout+crop.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCl1mcCtes-C8tp8t7utCVCLVDasZLEUv4ACxkHE4fZiadZc1bCmKqvuSJPM7hvngw8WEeDzI_KHnDM36rYXDyU-8gPxlXWz9yF0KnhbXJ9p-uMJpFlR1gPuE88PP1EUVnELfGc2mnNsX/s200/sugartest+2-10+05+burnout+crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504016916449285682" border="0" /><br /></a><span>Expelling a bit of casting tube.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPDOrHB_apaVq4eT8wx_LN-lP46dUWoBb3mv8kLqo54vN8TZ0RxcPQ_ep1OXgxGULQJoMMICTSplOMXeeS44CsrlS-HNcff6Xj9ENZZmspyq33xx11dglabrGRDl4N5utuSVfCMd8kci-/s1600/sugartest+2-10+06+postmortem+crop.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPDOrHB_apaVq4eT8wx_LN-lP46dUWoBb3mv8kLqo54vN8TZ0RxcPQ_ep1OXgxGULQJoMMICTSplOMXeeS44CsrlS-HNcff6Xj9ENZZmspyq33xx11dglabrGRDl4N5utuSVfCMd8kci-/s200/sugartest+2-10+06+postmortem+crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504016913642588338" border="0" /></a><br /><span>Blackened guage guts hanging out.<br /><br /><br />In order to evaluate possible changes to sugar motor recipes, I developed a new shorter motor that would be more economical to operate. It helps that I was given a damaged reload case [Thanks Ray!]. My long motors use two 6 1/8" fuel slugs, unfortunately the short motor, after repair, only fits 5 1/4" of fuel. An even 50% would've been nice, but this is close enough, and it was a free motor.<br /><br />Late last year I made 4 pairs of reloads, all physically the same, </span><span>but each pair has a somewhat different formula. A</span><span>ll are moonburners since they burn twice as long. </span><span>Eventually some will go to a thrust stand, but IMO, chamber pressure tests are initially more important. It's good to know what even works before tieing up [or risking] a high dollar digital thrust stand.<br /><br />I made a new nozzle with a 3/16" throat that would be used with some of the new grains, especially the baseline formula. Being virgin territory, none of these reload kits have the<br />nozzles listed on the labels like I do with the larger mature reloads. On Feb, 20 2010, the morning of the test, I picked the new 3/16" nozzle and installed it with reload #1 rather<br />than with reload the mildest. Reload #1 was a hotty and should've been tested first with a 1/4" or even 5/16" nozzle. The motor survived the test but barely. Probably only because it trashed the guage and was blowing out both ends. As it is, it severely belled the nozzle washer and crumbled the corners of the nozzle where it was pressed into said newly angled washer. Despite the short foliage and limited dipersal angle, we never did find the polycarbonate guage window. There is evidence that the pressure guage was damaged previous to this test attempt.<br /><br />The hydraulic test stand has been cleaned and is getting rebuilt. Besides the new & better guage, it's getting a grease fitting and a brake bleeder valve. Instead of filling the stand with brake fluid as before, I'm going to use grease. This will allow for easier transport of the stand and with a good grease gun I should be able to use the stand to pressure test motor case materials and other components.<br /><br /></span></span><span><br /></span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-26685570815585217562010-07-27T23:59:00.006-05:002010-07-28T00:33:06.411-05:00Wanted: Spunky Lab Assistant<span><span>A recent Best Buy commercial shows some<br />customers shopping for a Geek Squad assistant.<br />This in no way inspired this post, the body of<br />which was already written, it merely makes it<br />timely.<br /><br />In order to expidite the process I'm going online<br />in my search for a new Spunky Lab Assistant.<br /><br />First let me dispel rumors about what happened<br />to my previous Spunky Lab Assistant [SLA]. She<br />did not get blown up, burned down, nor<br />bisected by lasers. I did not turn her into a<br />monster, rather she turned herself into a <br />monster all on her own. Another story for<br />another day [off the web].<br /><br />This is not as easy as I thought it would be.<br />I'm trying not to be too picky about specific<br />job skills, but there are quite a few that<br />are inherent to the long tenure of any Mad<br />Scientist's SLA.<br /><br />Summary of desired job skills;<br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br />Major or minor in any 2 of the following;<br />chemistry, mathematics, physics, applied or<br />theoretical, computers, or other tech field.<br />A dropout with a good reason has preference<br />over a graduate with a bad reason.<br /><br />Experience with grant applications.<br /><br />Know the A B C's of proper fire extinguisher use.<br /><br />Be able to sew Ripstop & Tubular Nylon, Kevlar,<br />Nomex and Denim.<br /><br />Know the charades gestures for; Sedative.<br /><br />Be able to work both English and Metric factors<br />in the same equations without freaking out.<br />[It's a rocketry thing.]<br /><br />Know what the Periodic Table is for, and NOT for.<br /><br />Be able to tidy up without disturbing "all my<br />tubes and wires and careful notes."<br /><br />Know how to make a lab coat and safety gogs<br />look jazzy.<br /><br />Make GOOD Coffee, sometimes with makeshift<br />equipment, or under adverse conditions.<br /><br />In the words of Dr. Hawkeye Pierce as played by<br />Donald Sutherland; "She's gotta be able to work<br />in close without getting her tits in the way."<br /><br />Oh yeah, most important; If I start running, she<br />should be able to keep up!</span><br /><br /></span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6187283865762067835.post-55868733708850184262010-07-13T00:07:00.005-05:002010-07-13T00:43:18.452-05:00Apollo 11 Owners' Workshop Manual, No Really!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFbIaMrOHiJsQodFISn8Iq0xh9aP0Yo0dlRL-doNtr1o_ldmFq5q-smAJklO-BKn1pYAKmENydMJ3zQMPA1H-36qD3iLpLHL4kdsEdhhj7gmLuTGWdxsODRVmF1OZLXeJ7CqqFiQD4YBV/s1600/51hPOyE3yfL._SS500_.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFbIaMrOHiJsQodFISn8Iq0xh9aP0Yo0dlRL-doNtr1o_ldmFq5q-smAJklO-BKn1pYAKmENydMJ3zQMPA1H-36qD3iLpLHL4kdsEdhhj7gmLuTGWdxsODRVmF1OZLXeJ7CqqFiQD4YBV/s200/51hPOyE3yfL._SS500_.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493258838379772866" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span>When I first saw this last year or so over on<br />Zzakk's garage, I assumed it was some kind<br />of spoof. Not sure if the book even existed,<br />or was just a cover.<br /><br />I found the link on Spaceflight Now website.<br />The link went to Amazon. There it was, for sale.<br /><br />I'd like to add that I had the Haynes manuals for<br />all my motorcycles and love them. Much better<br />than Chiltons IMO. Haynes books are more<br />likely to list a substitute for that hard to find<br />Grumman Z347L pintle injector spanner.</span><br /><br /><span>Maybe if my brother buys this for my birthday <br />I can fly that Lunar Lander out of my back yard.<br />It looks good there, but it's tough to cut around.</span></span>KenKzakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05515143814425605764noreply@blogger.com2