Great update Derek! The fluro colours really stand out. I didn't realize that you had such problems with the fold in the sleeve. The carbon fiber sleeves we use have a similar fold, but we've never had an issue with it once it was wetted out and put on the mandrel. I'll have to keep your workaround ...

Looking great! Will there be a seal of some sorts under the bolt head, or is the leakage around the thread insignificant?

That's an interesting design Derek. I don't think I have seen a motor mount go through the transition, but looks good! With a draggy back end like that, will you be using shear pins on the nosecone to avoid drag separation, especially if you end up adding nose weight?

@SpaceManMat I believe that it's possible. I think I have read that some people have created motor files for their water rockets to simulate in OR. It would be nice to be able to just set the parameters in the program itself. I think it was one of the future plans they have listed: Planned future fe...

We had the opportunity to fly our rocket at the last NSWRA's Mullaley HPR launch. Here is a video of a couple of those flights: OTArDzG2veg We're working on a follow up video that has a closer look at the data from these flights and how it compares to simulations. We're now going start focusing on b...

That tube turned out really nice joeman, well done! The epoxy to resin ratio is great. If you are adding epoxy to the outside I would recommend mixing it with microballoons before applying, that way you get a lighter weight finish and easier to sand as well. Though you would need to paint it a solid...

When good water rockets turn bad, they are turned to the dark side:

Thanks for posting the update. Yup the deploy was sure eventful, that is one heck of a zipper. I've wondered if a few wraps of carbon fiber tow around the top of the tube would help with zippers. It was good to see the printed retainer work well. What are your plans for repairing the rocket?

Here is a video of the rebuild of the sustainer that will hopefully fix the bending problem we saw with the previous one. At the end of the video is an accidental pressure test that points to the upper pressure limit for these airframes. :D XoY2JqwTqTE We are hoping to launch this next week at the M...

That turned out really well! Can't wait to see it fly. What brand of clear coat are you using?

Looking Great Derek! I will be very interested to see how those retainers hold up, but like you said, you can always print a new one. It may be harder to unscrew if it deforms somewhat?

I agree, Krusty does a great job. He's done several decals for us.

How long do you think the winding will take for a 2m tube? Also what is the pot life of the epoxy you are using? Do you mix it as you go and add more, or can you make the whole tube with the one batch of epoxy you mix up at the start? (Sorry if you already answered some of the questions earlier in t...

That's looking really good joeman! What is the wall thickness?

Whoa, that's a lot of water. I hadn't seen that video before. Is that coming from the water tower?