Initial Airframe-Fuselage Research

Condoms, rubber gloves, and Mylar party balloons are all cheap sources of lifting gas envelopes. A condom's bursting volume is ~3 cu ft based on my incredibly extensive sample size of 1.

I haven't done this yet so DYODD, but:
I imagine it's possible to get hydrogen for much cheaper than helium via electrolysis. Stainless steel tubing is probably the logical choice for electrodes.

What I plan on doing:
By sealing one end of the cathode with my lifting balloon and wrapping the outer diameter of the tube in an insulator like electrical tape: I think the balloon will fill with hydrogen.

I'm going to be proceeding with caution because the welding supply store employee I spoke to about buying a cylinder of hydrogen told me it was worse than acetylene. Nasty burns/death potential. The possibility of electrode arcing comes to mind for instance. When I do this, I'll be doing it outdoors in the middle of nowhere and I'll be using a piece of surgical tubing between the balloon and the electrode to try and isolate the balloon from the potential ignition source as much as possible.

I do not recommend anyone else try this as I have no qualifications to back the procedure I'll be using. This is as bubba as it gets.

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J.L. Frusha January 8, 2011 at 2:35pm

Your lifting-body with joined wings is nearly identical to Wenzel's design...

http://www.google.com/patents?id=jpE7AAAAEBAJ&dq=3942747&q=...

Are you still doing the manned glider stuff? I liked one design and wonder if it could be done for seated flight, like the one Julian Wolkovich designed...
http://www.google.com/patents?id=jpE7AAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract...

, just smaller and lighter I mean, his was a monster, if you've ever seen the actual photos...
Gerry Lichter August 21, 2010 at 12:33pm

Condoms, rubber gloves, and Mylar party balloons are all cheap sources of lifting gas envelopes. A condom's bursting volume is ~3 cu ft based on my incredibly extensive sample size of 1.

I haven't done this yet so DYODD, but:
I imagine it's possible to get hydrogen for much cheaper than helium via electrolysis. Stainless steel tubing is probably the logical choice for electrodes.

What I plan on doing:
By sealing one end of the cathode with my lifting balloon and wrapping the outer diameter of the tube in an insulator like electrical tape: I think the balloon will fill with hydrogen.

I'm going to be proceeding with caution because the welding supply store employee I spoke to about buying a cylinder of hydrogen told me it was worse than acetylene. Nasty burns/death potential. The possibility of electrode arcing comes to mind for instance. When I do this, I'll be doing it outdoors in the middle of nowhere and I'll be using a piece of surgical tubing between the balloon and the electrode to try and isolate the balloon from the potential ignition source as much as possible.

I do not recommend anyone else try this as I have no qualifications to back the procedure I'll be using. This is as bubba as it gets.
Gerry Lichter August 21, 2010 at 11:52am

Are you in the US? I think FAA requires both line of sight, altitude limits, and the ability to take over with remote control.

This reply was deleted.

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Initial Airframe-Fuselage Research

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