Okay .... drum roll! Here's my complete Cirrus X-3. The build and paint is complete. Still some details to fuss over. Some small imperfections in the finish to address. But ... it's "done".
I love this thing! Build time was about 14 weeks front start to finish. I worked on it almost everyday, even if it was just an hour. Everything is hand made by me ... well, except for the tubes and the control rods on the flaps. I learned a massive amount about molding and casting during the process. This was by far the largest, most time-intensive single build I've ever done.
There are a few things I would have done different if I did it again. But not many. Most things came about pretty successfully. What was really fun about this was the build really consisted of many, many smaller builds. Each with their own challenges. So instead of being intimidated by the overwhelming nature of the project, I could focus on one section, one part at a time. Then move on the the next. The center section of the pack was my biggest challenge and the most rewarding to see come to life.
Still to do:
• A harness. It ain't really a rocketpack until I can wear it! I don't want to bust the budget on this either. I've seen a bunch of options. Just need to figure out what I want to tackle.
• Lighting. I bought the LED on adhesive tape asavage recommended. Not sure how to fit it in the rockets. I may try some 12v LED auto fog lights and mount them in each rocket.
• Sound .... Not sure how (or if I want to) to tackle this. I have some advice from people who have done this. But it's an expensive endeavor too. I may live with fan and lights.
• Some sort of a stand. I'm not wearing this (well not yet anyway) so I want a cool stand that can support and display the pack.
Thank you everyone for the kind words, tips and encouragement during this project.