question: stabilizer shred

well I guess it depends....are you taping the clips to the lower portion of the launch rod such that only the clips themselves are free? what engine are you using?

shockie B)

Hi Doug,

I'm a novice boost glider'er, but I'll wager a guess at 'gater clips ( um, maybe? :-) ) just because that would be consistent with where the damage is.

I'd been overcautious with my first glider attempts last year and had been using a moderately heavy dowel to pull the clips perpendicularly away from the glider after ignition (like a gantry). I loosely taped the bottom of the dowel to the rod so that the tape acted as the dowel's swivel point. I then taped a clip whip along the dowel. The dowel is light enough not to pull the clip out of the engine, but heavy enough to swivel predictably. Is this standard practice?

Dwayne

------------------------------------------------

doug holvers>

What grade of wood? (i.e. what grain and what density?)

I've used very low density wood and it can shred even if C grain. You sometimes need to design for average modelers NOT NAR competition - in other words make it super reliable so it survives each flight and works every time.

Are you buying your wood from Superior?

They also do die cutting.

-Fred Shecter NAR 20117

I either have the leads set so they drop away in an arc (like a 'real rocket' umbilical) or I use bell wire extensions with no loose edges to catch on anything.

-Fred Shecter NAR 20117 BT-5 Blow-Out:

Sounds simpler, so is likely more reliable. I'll try that.

Dwayne Surdu-Miller SAROS #1

Take video of the takeoff. To find out for sure, review it in slow motion of one frame at a time.

prototypes. Do

plain

How about the boom? Do you think you may be getting deflection or even flutter? A guy here flew an original. modified Swinger on a composite motor, and the tail came off first, followed quickly thereafter by many small floating bits of balsa....But a rebuilt carbon reinforced version was sweet.

--tc