Tomach 2.6" Build Day One, Electronics Bay

In addition to the motor mount work I did today, I also started laying out the electronics bay. This is particularly challenging because there just isn't much room to fit the equipment inside.

Bulkheads, Bulkplates, Plywood Electronics Sled that Came with the Kit

Bulkplate. These came pre-drilled incorrectly.
This picture shows my marks for drilling it correctly.

Dry Fitting the Components

Threaded Rods for the Electronics Sled

After realizing I never would have been able to fit two altimeters
 and two 9 Volt batteries (for deployment redundancy) on  the
 included electronics sled, I decided to make my  own wood 
plates, while still using  the included threaded rod guide.

Custom Cut 1/8" Plywood for Electronics Sled

One of the pieces has been marked for notching.
The notches are used to assemble with the laser cut
threaded rod guides that were included.

Test Fitting the Electronics Sled.
I had to notch one end to clear
the hardware from the 1/4" eye-bolt.

Altimeter Mounting Hardware Installed

Electronics Sled

Bulkplate Assembly (2 Plates) being JB Welded

Using Weights to Press the JB Weld
into the Fiberglass Bulkplate Assembly

Tomach 2.6" Build Day One, Motor Mount

I spent most of the day working on the Tomach today. I started by wiping everything with alcohol to remove mold release and other residue from the fiberglass. Then I started sanding pieces to break sharp edges, and to make sure everything fits together properly, and to rough up where bonds will be made. These pictures show the progress on the motor mount. I also worked on the electronics bay.

Sanding the Glue Areas of the Fins

54mm Motor Mount with CTI 54mm 3 Grain Case

Aeropack Motor Retainer Fit Check

Inserting a Motor

Fully Seated Motor

Aeropack Motor Retainer Threaded Into Place

Widening the Fin Slots with a Needle File

Showing the Internal Alignment of the Fin Slot,
Aft Centering Ring, and Aeropack Motor Retainer

Forward Centering Ring with Notches Filed for Recovery Harnessing Clearance

Forward Centering Ring In place with Kevlar Recovery Harness

Aft Centering Ring JB Welded in Place

Both Centering Rings JB Welded in Place

JB Weld for Motor Retainer

Aeropack Motor Retainer JB Welded in Place

The Assembly Left to Cure Overnight

First New Rocket in over 5 Years(!) - Madcow Rocketry 2.6" Tomach

I have gotten excited about rocketry again this year. I decided to get a new kit to build and fly. I wanted something less expensive than the Competitor 4 but still capable of great performance. After a few days of research I bought a Madcow Rocketry 2.6" Tomach Dual Deploy.

This is an all fiberglass kit that is 2.6" in diameter and 63" in length. In other words, it is small, but not so small that it won't be fun to fly. What's great is that with average building techniques, the fiberglass construction and 54mm motor mount mean that it is capable of extreme performance. Mach 1+ and altitudes of 17,000 feet should be achievable.

Here are some pictures of the rocket kit and some of the gear I bought to go with it:

Tomach 2.6" Kit

Paper Insert

Parts

Recovery Gear from Top Flight Recovery 

54-38mm Adapter, 54-29mm Adapter, Aeropack Motor Retainer