Parts List:

• One Ace Nosecone (NC)
• One 4" by 16" piece o' balsaply (or equal)
• One 4" by 4" piece o' 1/4" plywood for bulkhead (BH)
• One 18" piece o' 3/8" wooden dowel
• One Print Out o' Ace Nosecone interior
• - Download Part One
• - Download Part Two
• 3 ounce fiberglass (glass)
• Epoxy laminatin' resin (like Systems 3 or West Systems)
• Cyanoacrylate (CA)
• 1 U-bolt
• 1 1" section o' 4" airframe tubin' (for retainer ring)
• 4 each #8 panel clips (from auto parts store)
• 4 each #8 by 1/2" screws
• 3M 77 (or equal) Spray Mount Adhesive

Download t' 2 templates and print out on your printer. Begad! Blimey! There are 1" square boxes on each template t' indicate correct sizing, ya bilge rat, you may have t' fiddle with your printer output t' get t' correct size. Arrr! Aye aye! Blimey! These are .gif images. Avast! Begad! Blimey!

Once you have t' templates sized and printed cut them out and match t' two halves t' t' match line shown. Begad! Blimey! The entire cone is drafted though you don't need them both if you don't intend t' make t' entire nosecone a payload section. Well, blow me down! Blimey! My design only has t' last 6" or so o' t' cone interior as payload. T' lines are thar so you can cut to size as you choose. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

Usin' a spray mount adhesive, glue t' template t' t' balsaply. Aye aye! Cut t' template t' rough shape. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Usin' a sander or rasp or whatever, shiver me timbers, sand t' template t' it's final shape. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Don't attempt t' cut t' template out dead-on t' t' lines, it's much easier t' get it close then sand t' get it perfect. Avast! Arrr! While you have this template cut your fiberglass cloth to fit, you need one piece this size. Once you have t' balsaply cut t' size, cut along t' dotted line. Ahoy! This is where the dowel goes. Arrr! These two parts I am callin' "wings" for t' sake o' clarity. Avast, me proud beauty! Take one win' and use it as a template t' cut an additional wing. Arrr! This third win' becomes a "strong back" t' support t' two wings and dowel in t' cone. Usin' this win' as a template cut an additional two pieces o' glass, me bucko, but a bit oversize - maybe an inch wider. Begad! Set t' glass aside for later use.

On t' second template thar be a bulkhead template. Begad! Glue this t' 1/4" ply and cut out. Begad! Blimey! Take t' Ace nosecone and trim off t' bottom part (where t' screw top thin' is). Cut it right where t' wall intersects t' base. T' 1/4" ply bulkhead slides in here. Arrr! Begad! Test fit t' bulkhead and sand as necessary t' get a good fit. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! If the bulkhead is oversize it will balloon t' shoulder o' t' NC and t' airframe (AF) tube won't fit. Test it with a section o' AF you intend t' use. Drill a 3/8" hole in t' center o' t' bulkhead. Well, blow me down! Avast! Drill two holes t' receive the U-bolt. Arrr!

I made t' dowel poke out t' tip o' t' nosecone because it be fun t' do. It's nay critical, ya bilge rat, you can simply make t' dowel shorter. T' purpose o' t' tip protudin' is t' center t' payload section in t' nosecone, a job the wings if cut properly can do.While you have t' nosecone in hand, whack off t' tip o' it so a 3/8" hole is developed. Begad! I used a bench grinder for this and it takes some grindin' and fitting. Avast! T' fit is important so make sure it's nice and snug, arrr, me hearties, shiver me timbers, take your time. Ya scallywag!

Fit t' dowel into t' NC so an inch or so protrudes from t' tip. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Add a bit o' yellow glue t' t' dowel just at the base o' t' shoulder line Slide t' bulkhead over t' dowel and into t' shoulder. Begad! Blimey! T' dowel is now square t' the NC if you trimmed t' tip properly. Ahoy! Blimey! CA t' dowel t' t' bulkhead and remove by pullin' on t' dowel protrudin' from the bulkhead. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Clamp this is a vise or somethin' handy t' keep it from movin' around. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Usin' yellow glue, shiver me timbers, glue t' three wings t' t' dowel. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' two wings in t' same plane are flush with t' tangent o' t' dowel cross section. Avast! Blimey! T' third win' is at 90 degrees t' these wings. Arrr! Blimey! Let dry. Blimey! Blimey!

Get t' 1" piece o' airframe and cut it into 3 pieces. Begad! Blimey! One piece will be 180 degrees and t' other two 90 degrees. Begad! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! You will need t' remove some o' t' tube t' make it fit inside t' wings, a pair o' strong scissors works well. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! When fittin' t' pieces, make sure that they are nay flush with t' edge o' t' bulkhead. Hold them back off the edge (towards t' dowel) as t' panel clips need t' clear t' shoulder o' t' nosecone. Begad! Blimey! Glue these pieces t' the bulkhead and t' t' wings. Arrr! Blimey! This becomes t' retainer ring. Well, blow me down! Blimey!

Test fit t' part in t' nosecone. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! If it doesn't fit, me bucko, sand all t' parts t' make it fit. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! It needs t' slide in and out nicely.

Get your 3 pieces o' glass cloth. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Mix up some epoxy. Begad! Blimey! Get a little paint brush. Arrr! Blimey! Brush on a coat o' resin on the face o' t' wings. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Place t' glass on t' face o' t' wings. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Wet out t' glass so it disappears. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Turn part over and repeat on strongback with two pieces o' glass. Avast! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! Usin' t' brush in dabbin' motions, stipple t' glass onto t' surface so all t' glass is in contact with t' balsaply. Blimey! Blimey! This is easiest as t' resin begins t' set and becomes tacky. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Try to eliminate all t' air bubbles. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Allow t' cure t' B stage (this is when t' epoxy is kind o' rubbery) and trim t' glass to t' correct size. Aye aye! Blimey!

Find out where t' hole in t' panel clip lines up on t' retainer ring. They are all different so you have to fit and see. Aye aye! Aye aye! Generally t' hole with t' clip in place is about 1/2" down from t' U bend in t' clip. Ya scallywag! Make a note where t' hole hits t' retainer ring. Blimey! Aye aye! Install t' U-bolt at this time. Aye aye!

Usin' t' shoulder o' t' NC as a guide, me bucko, mark t' base o' t' nosecone on your airframe. Install t' payload section into t' NC. Aye aye! Install t' NC on t' airframe you intend t' use. Usin' t' mark you just made and your measurement o' t' panel clip on t' retainer rin' drill 4 holes 90 degrees from each other around t' airframe. Arrr! If they are nay dead on, me hearties, t' airframe will only align with t' holes as drilled. Well, blow me down! Make a mark on t' NC and on t' airframe where t' holes line up properly.

Remove t' nosecone. Remove t' payload section. Avast, me proud beauty! Install t' panel clips. Begad! Reinstall t' nosecone. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Reinstall the payload section. Avast, me proud beauty! Install 4 #8 screws, T' nosecone ain't comin' off for nothin'. All t' parts are workin' together to keep t' electronics you install on t' board in place and in t' nosecone. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' U-bolt will take a major hit and will transfer t' load t' t' airframe through t' panel screws and retainer ring. You may have problems if you use some serious noseweight so take care. Deployment shock loads can be upwards o' 15 or 20 g's makin' a one pound noseweight suddenly equal t' a 20 pound noseweight. Begad! Well, blow me down!

Install some electronics, arrr, ya bilge rat, a power source, a shunt for your pyro, me bucko, and go flying!

This nosecone flew with on a Binder Raptor on a J350. Unfortunately t' motor ejection charge went early due t' an improper seal in t' forward closure delay well. Begad! (Pilot error) It be supposed t' be a long delay t' back up t' electronics but it be way short. Well, blow me down! : ) T' charge went off while t' rocket be still boostin' but the thin' held together, t' chute deployed, and no damage was done.

Bob Fortune
© September 2000