Bulkheads; When are they necessary

[L0k1]

The title says it all. I've just been wondering how necessary a bulkhead is if you have no report? Does it matter if you're pressing BP or whistle fuel? I've pressed a few whistle rockets using the cohete tooling from Woody's and I've had a decent amount of success. I was just wondering is a bulkhead absolutely necessary specifically when using whistle fuel? for reference I use 65 perc,35 kbenz, 8 perlite and 2 redgum pressing ~800 on my p2f gauge

[cmjlab]

I only mess around with rockets here and there, but Steve LaDuke is a proponent of no clay bulkhead on whistle rockets (not sure about his B.P. rockets though). He uses enough additional whistle above the spindle to lock it in place, and ensure it doesn't burn through prior to thrust phase completion, instead of a clay bulkhead. he does advise presses it enough to lock it in place, up to 9k if I recall correctly (it's on FW.com if you have a subscription .

 

I'd have to go look again, that might be even when he is putting a report header on his whistle rockets..... I'll double check that and get back to you though (unless someone else knows readily)

Edited October 4, 2023 by cmjlab

[dagabu]

I never use "bulkheads" on rockets. I just use enough delay to keep the top intact. I have found that it takes at least 1 full ID to contain the fuel, on whistle, I use about 2 ID's.

[L0k1]

Thanks 4 the answers guys. cmjlab, I used to have a sub to that site but I've let it lapse . I should probably get that back though lol.

 

Daga, Good thing to know. I actually don't use a delay currently. I just go all the way with my mix. Never got it to where I liked it. When I did reports, i'd use a bulkhead with some visco in it and use just the top bit of space with flash, a paper cap and some hot glue. Or a short 1" tube depending. Never had an issue but I'd like to do it the correct way

As I run out of stuff (chems or mats) I try to make due with something else (way less often with chems). When I ran out of sticks I started 3d printing fin assemblies. Now I'm almost out of cat litter and was wondering if I REALLY needed it for what I was doing

 

Love you guys. Thanks so much again!

[dagabu]

Thanks 4 the answers guys. cmjlab, I used to have a sub to that site but I've let it lapse . I should probably get that back though lol.

 

Daga, Good thing to know. I actually don't use a delay currently. I just go all the way with my mix. Never got it to where I liked it. When I did reports, i'd use a bulkhead with some visco in it and use just the top bit of space with flash, a paper cap and some hot glue. Or a short 1" tube depending. Never had an issue but I'd like to do it the correct way

As I run out of stuff (chems or mats) I try to make due with something else (way less often with chems). When I ran out of sticks I started 3d printing fin assemblies. Now I'm almost out of cat litter and was wondering if I REALLY needed it for what I was doing

 

Love you guys. Thanks so much again!

 

For nozzles, I love the good doctors litter!

 

I screen it so that I get several different meshes of little with 20 mesh litter being perfect for 1/2" end burners and the large stuff being perfect for oil spills on the shop floor and nozzles in-between!

 

BTW- Is Passfire still available? I see the main page but nothing else.

[cmjlab]

I haven't logged into password in a few weeks, but it was active till then. Just got a new phone and need to find my password again, then I'll let you know.

 

Also - Kyle uses some filter that treats every email I have sent (and many others) as spam and blocks it (returning a message letting you know it won't deliver your email). I had to get Lloyd to reach out.

[L0k1]

So i pressed one with BP where the bulkhead usually sat. It worked pretty well. Thanks 4 the tips guys!