Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Manufacturer: | BSD High Power Rocketry |
Overview
I had never built a high power kit, but after many hours searchin' t' Internet, me hearties, I felt confident in placin' an order for a BSD Horizon. Avast, me proud beauty! T' company’s website was pretty adamant about t' Horizon bein' t' best way t' certify Level 1. Avast! They cited simple design, me bucko, strong construction and excellent instructions. Begad! I knew that since I had no high power experience I would need all o' t' above.
After a phone call t' Scott Binder, in Washington State, t' box with me Horizon arrived three days later via Priority Mail. Avast, me proud beauty! Unpackin' t' kit found all t' items neatly packaged, present and accounted for.
T' Kit
T' kit includes: (3) cut and match sanded 3/16" aircraft grade plywood fins, matey, shiver me timbers, Kraft glassine (LOC style) 24" booster and 10" payload airframes, coupler, ya bilge rat, laser-cut medium density fiberboard (2) centerin' rings and (1) bulkhead plate, 4" plastic nose cone, me hearties, 38mm x 10" motor tube, motor retention system, matey, 30" orange nylon parachute, (2) eyebolt/washer/nut assemblies, ½" launch lug, shiver me timbers, a quick link, a 1" x 20’ elastic shock cord and a nylon shock cord strap with grommets.
Also included were a fin alignment guide printed on heavy cardstock, arrr, a 9-page instruction booklet and a cut vinyl letterin' graphics package.
Assemblin' t' Motor Tube
T' booster tube was nay pre-slotted, shiver me timbers, me bucko, but was marked for fin and launch lug placements. Begad! Trial fittin' t' laser cut centerin' rings and bulkhead plate left me encouraged that t' kit would go together easily.
I used NHP 30 minute epoxy for almost all o' t' work on t' Horizon. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! When they say t' "mix thoroughly" they mean it!
T' motor tube assembly consisted o' usin' epoxy t' secure t' fore and aft centerin' rings. Ahoy! T' centerin' rings have a smooth side and a rough side and I chose t' put t' rough sides facin' in towards each other. Aye aye! Aye aye! A ¼" hole needs t' be drilled through t' front centerin' rin' for one o' t' eyebolt assemblies. Hint boxes are sprinkled throughout t' instructions. Blimey! HINT: Drip a small amount o' epoxy on t' threads o' t' screw eye.
Assemblin' t' Booster Section
T' first step is t' cut t' fin slots. Begad! While nay difficult, shiver me timbers, it would’ve been nice t' have t' tubes pre-slotted. Next, me hearties, test fit t' motor tube assembly into t' booster until t' aft centerin' rin' is flush with t' bottoms o' t' fin slots. Well, blow me down! T' aft centerin' rin' required light sanding. Test fit t' fins through t' airframe slots and onto t' motor tube. Ya scallywag! I marked t' fins 1,2,3 and made a mark on both t' booster and t' aft centerin' rin' as one orientation o' all parts seemed t' have t' best fit.
Next I attached t' grommet on t' shock cord strap with t' quick link t' t' eyebolt. Then I stuffed t' shock cord into t' motor tube t' keep it out o' t' way and permanently affixed t' motor tube assembly into t' booster.
Note: When I ordered t' Horizon, Scott be pretty excited about somethin' called milled fiber. Blimey! Milled fiber is 1/32" pieces o' milled fiberglass that appears as a white powder. When mixed one-third each o' resin, shiver me timbers, hardener and milled fiber, me bucko, Scott claims t' fiber will make t' epoxy 3 times stronger than normal.
Once t' airframe assembly be completely cured, I turned it upside-down and applied 10 minute epoxy t' protect t' bottom o' t' rocket from heat and impact.
T' fins were then shaped, shiver me timbers, attached and reinforced with epoxy and milled fiber fillets, shiver me timbers, as was t' single ½" launch lug.
Assemblin' t' Payload Section
T' bulkhead already had a ¼" hole pre-drilled in its center for t' aft-facin' eyebolt assembly. Begad! Begad! This bulkhead is affixed t' t' 3.9" coupler and t' bulkhead/coupler assembly is then attached t' t' payload airframe with epoxy.
Final Assembly
T' 4" plastic nose cone was washed, sanded and prepped for painting. Avast! Pretty detailed instructions are included for paintin' t' rocket. Begad! I used a Rustoleum rattle can gray automotive primer for me base and mid coats, then used a white primer for me top primer coat. Blimey! Ahoy! Color finish be Krylon Hi-Gloss black for t' payload section and t' nose cone, with Krylon Hi-Gloss white bein' used for t' booster section.
One o' t' unusual things about t' BSD kit is that what you see is what you get. Arrr! Begad! A graphics package o' cut vinyl letterin' made o' 7-8 year exterior life commercial grade vinyl be included in t' Horizon kit. Begad! When t' application tape is peeled off its backin' t' letters and graphics stick t' t' application tape. Begad! Avast! You then have one chance t' stick t' tape t' t' rocket in t' right spot. Begad! It’s actually pretty easy and once t' tape is stuck you just smooth it out, peel t' tape back up and you’ve got t' letters and graphics stuck t' t' rocket. Well, blow me down! Begad! Nice!
For construction I would rate this kit 4½ points.
Pre-flight
A full page o' t' instruction booklet is dedicated t' t' parachute, motor prep, matey, ya bilge rat, waddin' (I used blow fill insulation), pre-flight fittin' o' t' sections, matey, etc.
Level 1 Flight
Consistent with me goal o' becomin' Level 1 certified, I joined Tripoli Colorado, ya bilge rat, arranged t' buy an H123W-Medium delay motor, and attended t' club launch at Hartsel, arrr, CO.
"Skies are clear, arrr, ya bilge rat, time is running…T minus 5,4,3,2,1 ignition," and then for a few unbearable seconds nothing, absolutely nothing, me bucko, matey, then t' motor barked t' life and t' Horizon roared straight off t' pad and sailed 1400 feet up into t' deep blue Colorado sky. Well, blow me down! T' 30" orange parachute deployed right on cue, t' pieces held together and I finally heard t' words I had been waitin' all month t' hear, "Welcome t' High Power."
For flight/recovery I would rate this kit 4½ points.
Special thanks t' Scott Binder, Cam Meek and Ken Mizoi for all their support.
BSD Horizon (4") with 38mm motor mount. I flew this rocket stock for my Level 1, and I later modified it to use dual deployment for my Level 2. Components BSD Rocketry Horizon (4" diameter) with 38mm motor mount and G-10 fins Components: Nose cone Payload section (10") Tube coupler, bulkhead plate, and hardware Booster section (24") 38mm motor tube ...
Fully glassed airframe and fins. External fin-can assembly with Kevlar tape reinforcement of fin to motor mount. Carbon fibre reinforced payload bay coupler. Replace shock cord with tubular nylon. Modifications: I wanted another short 4" rocket to go with my 4" Yank Bullet and the BSD Horizon seemed to fit and offered a lot of kit for a very reasonable price. As usual with my kits I like to ...
Sponsored Ads
G.S. (April 1, 2001)