Well, thanks to Phred, I can start on the Canaroc Orbitron clone. Phred was kind enough to supply me with a copy of the plans and templates. And, after reviewing them, I decided I had most of the parts required to start. Since there are some areas in the plans that cause me some concern over the build, I'll indicate areas where I've deviated from the plans and the reason. Oh, for those of you interested in obtaining a copy of the plans, Phred is sending them to Scott for posting.

The plans start with the building of the motor mount. The actual main body tube is close to a BT-60 so I'm using a BT60 with a 50-60 motor mount. The plans also include the making of an adapter to fly the Orbitron on 18mm motors. I won't cover that because most of us can do it without the instructions.

Now, there are outriggers made of 3/16 dowels that go into the main body tube. Noting that these are directly in line with any ejection charge and will eventually (probably) burn through, some sort of baffle is needed to keep the ejection charge from burning the dowels. This isn't covered in the plans. Instead of the regular 24mm motor mount, I elected to use an E motor mount tube (4" long vs the normal 2 3/4"). The 1 1/4 inches of extra motor tube was strengthed with a BT-50 coupler and then, using a paper punch, perferated to provide vent holes. I then glued a CR20-50 in the end of the motor tube as support for the punch outs from the CR50-60 centering rings used for the motor mount. I then glued the punch outs in the end of the motor tube. Below shows a sequence of the motor mount build. The inside and outside of the perferated section of tube was coated with CA. As an alternate method, a baffle could be purchased and installed forward of the motor mount. I plan on using another JT60 in front of the motor mount to protect the inside of the main body tube from any hot gases that are vented through my perferated tube. Next series will address the outriggers, which may present another set of problems and cause a deviation from the plans.....

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__________________
Don
NAR 53455
"Carpe Diem"

Coo-ell! I always wondered when a copy of these plans would surface. I just finished two other Star Fleet-inspired kits, the Galactic Wave and Gravity Rider. They're a little on the odd side, but cool. This one always struck me as odd by the pics, and from your description it sounds like I was right.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

For those of you who might be interested in cloning an Orbitron, here is a parts list......

a) 1 - BT60 (16")
b) 1 - BT50 (18")
c) 2 - BT20 (8 5/16")
d) 1 - BT50 motor tube (2 3/4")
e) 1 - BT20 motor tube (2 3/4")
f) 1 - JT60 coupler tube
g) 1 - BT50 nose cone (size and shape as shown in Canaroc catalog as BN-200C)
h) 1 - TA5060 tube adapter (the actual adapter would need to be special ordered)
i) 2 - BT20 nose cones (size and shape as shown in Canaroc catalog as BN-100A)
j) 2 - CR5060 centering rings
k) 4 - CR2050 centering rings
l) 2 - Engine hooks (2 3/4" length)
m) 4 - 3/16" wood dowels (5 1/4")
n) 1 - 18" parachute
o) 1 - shock cord
p) 1 - launch lug

__________________
Don
NAR 53455
"Carpe Diem"

The outriggers are comprised of the 3/16" dowels and the 8 5/16" BT20s. A line is drawn the length of the body tube and two cross slits cut into them 6.6 cm and 14.3 cm from an end of the BT. The outrigger dowels are angled on the ends per a template provided. Then, one end of two dowels are inserted into the slits and glued to the inside wall (opposite the slits) of the BT. A template is provided to maintain the proper angle. After the glue sets, the other end of the dowels are inserted into slits cut into the main body tube. The outriggers are installed into the main body tube on opposite sides so the dowels will meet in the middle (that's the reason you should use a baffle).

Now, the problem comes when you try to mount the outriggers to the main body tube. The slits are cut into the main tube 12 cm apart. But, once the dowels are glued into the BT20s, the ends are 13 cm apart. This requires you to break a joint to get the dowels installed. What I've done is glued the upper dowel into the BT20 as the plans call for. The lower dowel is just inserted into the slot. Once the parts are aligned in the main body tube, then glue into place. As you can tell, this is another reason I didn't use the new 'Kevlar attached to motor mount" method of mounting the shock cord. I don't want anything inside the tube that might break the bond between the outriggers and the body tube.

The picture below shows how the plans call for the dowels to be installed in the BT20s. Note the outrigger template for keeping the dowels at the proper angle.....

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__________________
Don
NAR 53455
"Carpe Diem"

Could you post the picture of what this model should look like when it's finished? Some of us never heard of this company until we started browsing JimZ and YORP, so never had the pleasure of seeing what they offered. Looks like an interesting model so far...

__________________
Craig McGraw

BARCLONE Rocketry -- http://barclone.rocketshoppe.com
BARCLONE Blogsite -- http://barclone.wordpress.com
BARCLONE Forum -- BARCLONE Forum

BARs helping BARs

SAM 0044
AMA 352635

As per your request......

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__________________
Don
NAR 53455
"Carpe Diem"

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

Are you building a real one or cloning one? I've never seen the header card before.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

Nice model. Thanks for the quick reply, and for the parts list. I just jumped to JimZ website as you posted, and found the Canaroc poster image up there. The Orbitron model is clearly visible in it.

Might have to ad this one to my bulging collection...

__________________
Craig McGraw

BARCLONE Rocketry -- http://barclone.rocketshoppe.com
BARCLONE Blogsite -- http://barclone.wordpress.com
BARCLONE Forum -- BARCLONE Forum

BARs helping BARs

SAM 0044
AMA 352635

Looking at the parts list, and the information from the header / catalog shows it could be flown on either 18mm or 24mm motors. Was the model constructed with an option of mounts, or was it built as a 24mm with an adapter kit included?

__________________
Craig McGraw

BARCLONE Rocketry -- http://barclone.rocketshoppe.com
BARCLONE Blogsite -- http://barclone.wordpress.com
BARCLONE Forum -- BARCLONE Forum

BARs helping BARs

SAM 0044
AMA 352635