The beginnings of my L3

[Warren B. MusselmanModerator]

I got my first piece from my machinist buddy today. The rough machining of the main thrust ring for my L3 project – “Lady N’ Red”. Here’s a couple pics of it.

It’s made from 6061-T6 aluminum. Still needs lightening channels milled in the back and the holes drilled and tapped for the Aeropac 98mm retainer. I’m still waiting for the centering rings and bulkheads.

Warren[/img]

[Tim Thomas]

8) Warren, you are Lord of the Rings! 8)

[SCOTT EVANS]

Nice lookin ring!

Some day I hope to have my own lathe/milling machine. I have just the one in mind. And several projects in mind.

[Anonymous]

Warren, those look great. Eric K made me some of those once. They survived a core sample (of course!) and they flew again on another iteration.

Are you going to be ready to attempt your cert at MHM?

JW

[Bruce R. Schaefer]

C’mon, Warren, you KNOW you want to go ALL metal! 😯 Nice work. 8)

[Warren B. MusselmanModerator]

It’s a 5″ bird with 98mm motor mount. All the rings and bulkheads are 6061-T6. Fins are going to be 0.25″ G10 tip to tipped in a special pattern across both the motor mount and airframe using kevlar, carbon and glass. I’m trying to see if I can get my machinist buddy to put a better bevel on them than I got from Curtis at PR. We’re also doing an aluminum avionics sled.

Rings and bulkheads should be done in a couple weeks. The sled in March.

Warren

[Bret PackardParticipant]

Looks awesome Warren, which is no surprise coming from you. Keep the progress pictures coming.

[Dave Tjarks]

This is starting to look good. Keep the pics coming.

Gonna go NAR or TRA?

[MikeSModerator]

Yes…Please Pics….

Some of us do not know how to make a Level 3.

Thanks Mike

[Warren B. MusselmanModerator]

Finished the Thrust Ring today and started machining the bulkheads, mainly just facing the plates and drilling the center-hole for the threaded rod that holds the e-bay together.

Here’s some pics. Note the lightening holes milled in the forward side of the ring along with the drilled and tapped holes for 3/8″ threaded rods. The thru-holes are drilled and tapped for the 8-32 socket head screws that hold the retainer to the thrust ring. It has both an inside lip to take the motor mount tube and an outside lip to transfer thrust directly to the airframe.

Note that the Aeropac retainer is inset into the bottom surface of the thrust ring by .1″, the thickness of the flange.

Next up will be the centering rings. I’ll be cutting and machining those this week as well as finishing the ebay and nose cone bulkheads.

Warren

[Author]

Posts