Binder Design Iris

This is my first Binder Design rocket. It comes in a bag with 9 pages of detailed instructions. It has a standard body tube (you must cut the marked fin slots) and 3/16" plywood fins with through-the-wall (and to the motor mount) fin mounting. It uses three 1/8" centering rings. They are not plywood (Masonite?) and fit loosely on the motor tube, so I replaced them with LOC centering rings. There were no factory problems with the kit. It comes in either 38mm or 54mm versions, I opted for the latter. I'm using a SkyAngle 36" parachute. I am also using HeatShield parachute and shock cord protectors from Pratt Hobbies, and I am using 1" tubular nylon in place of the elastic shock cord. I decided to glue the nose cone to a 7" portion of the upper payload body tube to make a "scale" nose cone, and glued the lower portion of the payload body tube to the booster portion to have the rocket separate at the new nose cone/body junction instead of farther down the body. I then filled the seams with Elmer's Fill 'N' Finish.

Dia: 4.0"; Length: 67"; Wt.: 60 oz.; Motor (1): 54mm
Status: Damaged.

Flt Date Motor Comments
1) 5/17/98 J180-10T Excellent flight and recovery.
2) 7/11/98 J180-10T Excellent flight and recovery.
3) 7/25/98 J275-10W Excellent flight and recovery.
4) 8/07/98 J275-10W Perfect flight and recovery.
5) 8/08/98 J275-10W Perfect flight and recovery.
6) 8/08/98 J275-10W Perfect flight, but the chute stuck in the body tube. Came in tumbling and landed in soft mud, but one fin broke.

Pictures
A picture of the Binder Design Iris kit.
The finished Binder Design Iris.
The Iris on a J275-10W. 7/25/98.
The Iris again on a J275-10W at LDRS 17. 8/07/98.
The Iris on another J275-10W at LDRS 17. 8/08/98.

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