35mm

diomede, other, stories

More rocket building! She is almost ready to fly. I skipped a step involving putting glue into a spot I firmly believe there is no way to get to without some specialized tool (super narrow and long glue syringe?), which I don’t have. The glue was to firmly connect the fins to the body tube, so I figured I’d just make some mega epoxy filets on the outside. Same thing, right? Actually no, because epoxy is way heavier then CA glue, so she’ll need a CP/CG check once everything else is done. Basically: if the center of gravity (CG) is too far aft (i.e., behind this rockety thing called the “center of pressure,” or CP) the rocket naturally goes into a turn–not a spin, a turn–as soon as it’s in flight. Turning rockets are bad juju. Speak of bad juju, I will add–at risk of jinxing this whole thing–that I am a wee bit worried that the fin mount rings aren’t well-enough secured to the motor tube. If that concern bears fruit (weird way to say it? yup), then the motor and motor tube will blast through the rocket and fly god-knows-where, spinning and turning and corkscrewing at speeds extraordinarily unbecoming for such behavior. Exciting! I believe I will wear scientist goggles and hide behind a piece of plywood for the launch.

:)

Checking the fin mounts for alignment in the body tube
Checking the fin mounts for alignment in the body tube
Fins mounted!
Fins secured!
Final motor mount centering ring epoxied in and fin root filets done. She's close!
Final motor mount centering ring epoxied in, launch lugs mounted, and fin root filets done. She’s close!
Thanks to willis for storing his tripod in my classroom, for without it this selfie would not have been possible!
Thanks to willis for storing his tripod in my classroom, for without it this selfie would not have been possible!
photography, stories

The chopper comes. Everybody is excited–we are going on 10 days without mail today. The chopper lands. In lieu of mail, the Huey brought freight (food) for the school, a phone technician, and a passel of heat-packin’ USPS agents to do some good old inspectin’. The only official word is that the post here is shut down–rumor has it we may get a delivery of mail in a few days.

Want to hear a funny story? The chopper came at lunch-break, so I ran out to take a few pictures of the take off. When I got down there, they had finished unloading some freight and there were a bunch (4 or 5) of people all standing out by the chopper. Weird…usually we don’t get passengers on mail day. They were taking pictures and talking, sorta like tourists, also weird. And they walk by and on this one tall fellow’s leg I see strapped a big ol’ forty-five. In my mind I’m like “who does this guy think he is? just walk into town packin’ a big old handgun? what is he, mr. sheriff?!” and right as that last thought was going through my mind I see, sewn on his duffle bag, a “federal law enforcement” badge. My next thought: “hmm. so he probably is the sheriff.”

I was thankful in that moment that humans don’t communicate telepathically.

The chopper was back by the end of the school day and I managed to run out and snap a few more pictures in the beautiful sunset light.

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