My first rocket

[r44astro]

Today at age 62 I made my first rocket. Used 3/4" ID tube I made from kraft paper. It was a core burner, used the lathe and taper attachment to make spindle. used some Durhams Water putty wetted with ethyl rubbing alcohol. Then about 15 grams meal D (balled milled). Taped to an old fishing pole as a stick, and the damn thing flew! Only a couple hundred feet but what a rush. You can have a lot of fun with BP. Going to make a Estes type for a small rocket and see if I can keep from blowing it up!

 

[ddewees]

Congrats...

 

Try some without a nozzle (cored), they work great too.

[Blackthumb]

I am almost 70 and everyone is still a rush...even if they cato!!

Congrats...lots of support here in this forum.....will look for you often!

Merry Christmas.........

[dagabu]

r44astro,

 

Shoot me an email I have some great resources for you to make your own tooling.

 

Welcome to the dark side, we have cookies!

[webski]

My first rocket was an empty 12 gauge shot shell filled and rammed with BP meal, used a 9D x 1.5" nail as a spindle and taped the motor (shell)

and added a 12" balsa stick.

Really amazing.... that thing flew like a rocket !

I'm hooked.

what should I try now ?

bigger ?

better ?

R-candy ?

I can't let it rest ... got rocket fever !

[ORMDale]

Only a couple hundred feet but what a rush.

 

 

With my first rocket it was the exact same way; I made that from scratch and DAMN it just flew!! Up in the air!! And the sound!! WHOOSH!! I jumped and danced around in celebration, Yeah it's amazing, and the cool thing is it keeps feeling that way, every time you put one up there.

Edited March 18, 2015 by ORMDale

[dagabu]

My first rocket was an empty 12 gauge shot shell filled and rammed with BP meal, used a 9D x 1.5" nail as a spindle and taped the motor (shell)

and added a 12" balsa stick.

Really amazing.... that thing flew like a rocket !

I'm hooked.

what should I try now ?

bigger ?

better ?

R-candy ?

I can't let it rest ... got rocket fever !

 

I recommend that you stay with paper for the tubes and use clay for the nozzles, brass is solid and non malleable at the speeds it could be propelled so it will act as a bullet would if you CATO and it strikes you. I have seen thousands of CATOs some from very powerful motors with zero injury due to papers incredible ability to shed all of its inertia almost immediately after bursting.

 

Roll your own, just about anything works, get an oak dowel or have Caleb or I make some tooling for you.

[calebkessinger]

I put one up tonight ! That same great feeling !!! It's like sex... it never is bad just sometimes better than others .....

[dagabu]

I put one up tonight ! That same great feeling !!! It's like sex... it never is bad just sometimes better than others .....

 

LOL!

[webski]

What type of tooling do you need to make nozzles ?

my "nail" core maker idea is less than ideal, and I do need a rigid nozzle (that is why I used a shot gun shell as it all ready has

one built-in)

I realize the danger of brass casing so I'd like to improve safely and economically.

 

also I'd like to explore R-Candy fuel and need a better way to ram the product into a tube.

I'm pretty good at woodworking, and have made some rammers, but the thick candy mix just sticks to the wood when I try to

pack it in.

 

I want to duplicate the small bit of success I've had with shell casing rockets,

but I also want to be safe when launching in populated areas.

 

any help would be appreciated

 

thanks,

 

webs

[calebkessinger]

Endburner tooling can be had to your door for less than 40 bucks... I wouldn't fool with home made stuff and wooden dowels to spare the cost of a few fast food stops... It's not worth it..

 

It sounds like Dag, has built many of these candy motors and would know the exact dimensions to build you a set of tools... or I can make you a simple set of endburner tooling to fool with. even a short core is no problem to do at that price. You can roll your own tubes with a few sheets of good paper ,

[webski]

define: "good paper" ?

also if I only had one set of tooling for 5/8 rockets how could I experiment with length and size of core?

Or should I not experiment with fuels and core length ...

My BP is pretty good, but my R-Candy sucks !

trying to sort this out.

 

Only thing that flew well was the BP shot shell ! But I'd like to move on.

 

thanks for any help you might provide.

 

webs

[Mumbles]

Most people will tune their fuel to their tooling. It's easier to change chemical proportions than machine tooling, for most people at least.

 

If you were looking for a modular set of tooling to experiment with, one of the more common solutions is to get/make something based upon taper pins. There are some tooling sets out there with interchangeable spindles, which work on the same concept.

[FlaMtnBkr]

If you just want to make rockets I wouldn't worry about core size and just get a set of tooling based on the type of rockets you want to make. If you can make good BP then get a BP core burner set. They are easier to get working IMO and can lift more weight than an end burner though cost more for the tooling.

 

Also, 5/8" tubes seem harder to find than 1/2" and 3/4" unless you are only going to make your own. Might be something to think about. You can make tubes from grocery bags and even computer paper. Unless you are going to be making high performance motors that are pressed and you are trying to get every bit of performance out of them, you can probably use most any paper. If you plan on hand ramming the bigger motors seem harder to make reliably and you have to start worrying about fallout. I think I might go with a 1/2" set to start with especially if you might buy tubes. Just my take but others may have a different perspective.

[calebkessinger]

1/2 in stuff is alright... but 5/8 tooling is soooo much more. the (most used) is 3/4 in.

This is a pic of a nice starter set I make. A universal length spindle which you can tune your fuel to. it will run your hottest bp with or without a nozzle. benny whistle, strobe, and on... If you wanted Shorter or longer spindles I can add to that set.

I will make these in any size rocket. 3/8 through 1.5 in. the only difference is the 1/2 in and under rockets will have the spindle locked in the base and the price will be less. the others come with a removable spindle and universal base. A 5/8 set is 82.50 shipped to your door. I have cheaper two rammer sets that don't have a removable base also, if you look on my site.

https://squareup.com/market/WoodysCreations

 

I have paper available and would be glad to roll up a few pieces and send them with the tooling. It is Very good paper for tubes.

Edited March 20, 2015 by calebkessinger

[dagabu]

1/2 in stuff is alright... but 5/8 tooling is soooo much more. the (most used) is 3/4 in.

This is a pic of a nice starter set I make. A universal length spindle which you can tune your fuel to. it will run your hottest bp with or without a nozzle. benny whistle, strobe, and on... If you wanted Shorter or longer spindles I can add to that set.

I will make these in any size rocket. 3/8 through 1.5 in. the only difference is the 1/2 in and under rockets will have the spindle locked in the base and the price will be less. the others come with a removable spindle and universal base. A 5/8 set is 82.50 shipped to your door. I have cheaper two rammer sets that don't have a removable base also, if you look on my site.

https://squareup.com/market/WoodysCreations

 

I have paper available and would be glad to roll up a few pieces and send them with the tooling. It is Very good paper for tubes.

 

Outstanding set! The price etc is way cheaper than others IF you can get them at all! If I didnt own a lathe, Caleb would have all my money, he does such great work!