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Pierce Nichols | 1 Dec 2002 06:02
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Re: Homeland Security Act and rocket motors

At 06:21 PM 11/27/2002 -0800, Randall Clague wrote:
>Folks,
>
>We're going to have a problem flying KISS beta after 5/24/2003.
>That's when the Safe Explosives Act takes effect.  SEA never made it
>out of committee this spring, but it just passed as part of the
>Homeland Security Act.  SEA requires all users of explosives, wherever
>they are and whatever their motives, to have permits.  Permits have
>always required explosives magazines.  We don't have an explosives
>magazine; we've never needed one, for the perfectly good reason -
>which has not changed - that we don't store explosives.

         I have faith that the HPR guys will have found a loophole or an 
exemption by the time the effective date rolls around. If worse comes to 
worse, we will have to give up solid rocket activities.

         -p

>Here's part of my post to aRocket on the subject.
>
> >I've now compared the old text of 18 USC 842 to the revisions under
> >the SEA.  I rescind anything good I said about it.
> >
> >The exemption allowing sale within a state is gone.  The exemption
> >allowing sale and transport to a contiguous state is gone.  All
> >references to "in commerce" are gone.  There is a new requirement that
> >storage magazines must be inspected or verified by other means by ATFE
> >before a permit is issued (this requirement is waived for a limited
> >permit if ATFE has verified it by inspection within the last three
> >years).  The processing period has doubled, from 45 days to 90 days.
(Continue reading)

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John Carmack | 2 Dec 2002 07:05
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Armadillo nov 30

http://www.armadilloaerospace.com/n.x/Armadillo/Home/News?news_id=184
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Alex Fraser | 2 Dec 2002 17:13
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Re: Armadillo nov 30

Ah tooling.

    For the lathe,
- Quick change tool holder. Get the boring bar holder and cut off holder
as well as the rest.
- live centers, one small with extra long nose. One fat extra strong.
Bull center for turning pipe.
- Morse taper drills for all over 1/2"
- Collet chuck and set of collets.

    For the Mill,
High helix serrated carbide end mills. They remove aluminum faster than
is really decent!

--
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>----<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
........ Alex Fraser  N3DER .........
......... beatnic <at> comcast.net .......
[~]_>^</\-[~]_>^</\-[~]_>^</\-[~]_>^<
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Michael Wallis | 2 Dec 2002 19:00

Next Meeting ...

The next meeting of the Experimental Rocket Propulsion Society will be
held this THURSDAY evening at the IHOP starting at 8:00pm.

Items for meeting #250 (05 Dec 2002):

 - Admin Teams
        - CMT
        - Documentation
        - IT
        - Liaisons
        - Logistics
        - PAO
        - Treasurer
    - Development Teams
        - Chief Scientist
        - Flight Controls
        - Propellants
        - Regulatory Issues
        - Safety
        - Testing
    - Project Status
	- Composites
        - GizmoCopter
        - KISS
        - POGO
        - SmartFlight
	- Sparger/FF
        - Spike

The address is:
(Continue reading)

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John Carmack | 3 Dec 2002 03:38
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Re: Armadillo nov 30

At 11:13 AM 12/2/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>Ah tooling.
>
>     For the lathe,
>- Quick change tool holder. Get the boring bar holder and cut off holder
>as well as the rest.

The lathe came with a four-position tool holder, but it doesn't look 
appropriate for holding boring bars, and only a fairly small cutoff tool 
holder can be used.  I may need to replace the entire tool holder.

>- live centers, one small with extra long nose. One fat extra strong.
>Bull center for turning pipe.

A combination live center and a 1/2" tailstock chuck were my first two 
purchases.

>- Morse taper drills for all over 1/2"

Yes.

>- Collet chuck and set of collets.

I never really understood the big deal about collets.  I guess I don't do 
enough work on small, fixed diameter stock.  On the rare occasion that I 
need something small spinning really really true, I just take the time with 
the 4-jaw chuck.

>     For the Mill,
>High helix serrated carbide end mills. They remove aluminum faster than
(Continue reading)

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Alex Fraser | 3 Dec 2002 06:15
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Re: Armadillo nov 30

One thing I forgot to mention was a micrometer carriage stop. That is unless
you are going to get digital read outs.
    Other comments interspersed.

John Carmack wrote:

> At 11:13 AM 12/2/2002 -0500, you wrote:
> >Ah tooling.
> >
> >     For the lathe,
> >- Quick change tool holder. Get the boring bar holder and cut off holder
> >as well as the rest.
>
> The lathe came with a four-position tool holder, but it doesn't look
> appropriate for holding boring bars, and only a fairly small cutoff tool
> holder can be used.  I may need to replace the entire tool holder.

Yes, Aloris is a well known brand name. There are clones of course.

>
>
> >- live centers, one small with extra long nose. One fat extra strong.
> >Bull center for turning pipe.
>
> A combination live center and a 1/2" tailstock chuck were my first two
> purchases.

A bull centers  and a piece of scrap turned to 60 degrees while held in the
chuck can let you really crank up the speed on turning pipe.
(Continue reading)

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Andrew Case | 3 Dec 2002 17:12
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Re: Armadillo nov 30

On Tue, 3 Dec 2002, Alex Fraser wrote:

> One thing I forgot to mention was a micrometer carriage stop. That is unless
> you are going to get digital read outs.

A DRO is a big help, and well worth getting. Accurate measurements with 
dials is a nice skill if you have limited funds, but no reason to use it
if you don't need it.

> Yes, Aloris is a well known brand name. There are clones of course.

I second the Aloris/clone recommendation. Also I recommend carbide insert
tooling, There are inserts for just about every need, and it saves on
hassle grinding tools. 99% of jobs can be done with inserts, and the few
that require a custom ground tool are probably better shopped out anyway.

......Andrew

--
Andrew Case				| 
acase <at> plasma.umd.edu			|
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Alex Fraser | 3 Dec 2002 19:42
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Re: Armadillo nov 30


Andrew Case wrote:

> On Tue, 3 Dec 2002, Alex Fraser wrote:
>
> > One thing I forgot to mention was a micrometer carriage stop. That is unless
> > you are going to get digital read outs.
>
> A DRO is a big help, and well worth getting. Accurate measurements with
> dials is a nice skill if you have limited funds, but no reason to use it
> if you don't need it.

When I first use a machine with a read out I always check it against the dial or a
stop. Read outs depend on a sensor that can get dirty.

>
>
> > Yes, Aloris is a well known brand name. There are clones of course.
>
> I second the Aloris/clone recommendation. Also I recommend carbide insert
> tooling, There are inserts for just about every need, and it saves on
> hassle grinding tools. 99% of jobs can be done with inserts, and the few
> that require a custom ground tool are probably better shopped out anyway.
>
> ......Andrew
>

Learn to hand grind tools! At low HP a carbide insert will just work harden 316
SS. You can hand grind a 3/8" bit in 45 seconds, a little longer with higher
cobalt percentage. I have used both carbide inserts and carbide on a stick as well
(Continue reading)

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John Carmack | 3 Dec 2002 21:13
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Re: Armadillo nov 30


>Learn to hand grind tools! At low HP a carbide insert will just work 
>harden 316
>SS. You can hand grind a 3/8" bit in 45 seconds, a little longer with higher
>cobalt percentage. I have used both carbide inserts and carbide on a stick 
>as well
>as high speed steel bits and I'd say that on single phase lower powered 
>machines
>you will do better with High speed steel.

For aluminum and brass, I highly recommend PCD (diamond) tool bits!  They 
are about $45 each, but they make a HUGE difference.  They allowed me to 
machine many things that were really far too large for my little Sherline 
tools.  On Russ's big lathe, cut depth is only limited by the length of the 
brazed diamond.  The finish is great, too.

>     John; What kind of welding equipment are you using?

We have the largest TIG welder that didn't require water cooling.  It is 
borderline for welding half inch aluminum, requiring some stops for cooling.

John Carmack
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Michael Wallis | 4 Dec 2002 00:27

PayPal Founder To Launch Rockets

Hi ...

Saw this posting on space.com:

Web Entrepreneur Eyes Small Launcher Market
-------------------------------------------
Elon Musk, a 31-year-old Internet entrepreneur who amassed a sizable
fortune during the dot.com boom, has set his sights on building a
rocket.

The rocket Musk is building is a two-stage, kerosene-fueled expendable
specifically designed to undercut Orbital Sciences Corp.’s
air-launched Pegasus vehicle in the market for the handful of small
payloads the U.S. government needs launched each year.

http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive02/webarch_111802.html

    Michael

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Wallis   KF6SPF       (408) 396-9037        mwallis <at> wallis.com
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Gmane