Rocketry Series Episode 5, Producing Fins, Rings, Couplers and Nosecones

New Payload Tube Design and Rocketry Series Episode 4

So I have been working on the rocket with which I may potentially attempt my Level 2 High Power Rocketry certification flight. The nosecone for the air frame is quite large and I wanted to be able to use some of the area within it for a payload. In particular I am considering flying a DIY GPS tracker in it. I also wanted to firmly affix the bulkhead to the nosecone, probably by bolting it into the 3d print but also epoxying it in place so the bulkhead will be in place permanently. So I've designed and built this payload area that can be threaded in and removed. It consists of a 31mm OD tube with a threaded 3d printed adaptor glued to its base. Another 3d printed threaded section is glued to the bulkhead which receives the tube and allows it to be fixed in place.

Above the tube is glued to the 3d printed base which has an internal threaded section.

Inserting the payload tube.

Payload tube in situ and tightening the threads.

Above is the tube threaded through the bulkhead removed from the nosecone. I've 3d printed a press fit cover for the upper end of the tube, to make sure the cap is retained throughout the violence of a rocket flight I'm going to experiment fitting a flush mounted M2 machine screw to fix the lid in place. 

As part of this process I of course had to cut the card tube to the length I required so I made a quick episode for the Rocketry Series on my YouTube Channel about approaches to cutting cardboard model rocketry tubes. Enjoy and don't forget to hit like and subscribe!