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Homemade Rockettooling


Polumna

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hi dudes

 

 

I´ve got one Question:

 

How can I build my own rocket tooling???

 

I´ve just wooden dowels for rolling tubes ,

and a simply drill.But no brass or steel dowels.

 

Can I construct my own rocket-tooling out of these materials???

 

 

 

polumna

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You'll need brass or stainless steel for rocket tooling, wood won't stand up to the pressure when you ram the composition in the tube. It might for a couple, but it won't last very long.
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You'll need brass or stainless steel for rocket tooling, wood won't stand up to the pressure when you ram the composition in the tube. It might for a couple, but it won't last very long.

I agree, brass is my metal of choice when i make tooling, it's easy to machine and isn't too hard on your lathe knives. Won't stand up well to grog or titanium if you are using them though.Even SS get's treated pretty badly by titanium. Wood will stand no chance when you are ramming a rocket.

 

Draw some plans and go to a machine shop if you have acces to one. Most people there will be glad to make you some tooling for a small bottle of schnaps :lol:

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Maybe you could ask someone on the forum for a few measurements of their commercially bought tool set?

I'm in fact getting a DT teacher to make a set on the lathe. I think the hardest part'll be explaining away what your gonna do with these tools.

-Well if worst comes to worst you could simply order a very nice set from Wolter/ Greg Boyd.

 

Now that i think about it, arent the rocketry tools from pyrotooling.com/ wolter made from stainless steel? or was it heat treated aluminium?

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I got mine from Greg (www.pyrotooling.com) all stainless rammers and spindle. Base is Al.
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Heh same, i got the 1/2" inch BP rocket set, and a stinger rocket sets on the way as well.

Ah i see, though i thought stainless steel was rather suspect to sparkling? (havent had any accidents yet but even with safety equipment on i'd rather not have it go off while ramming!)

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I got mine from Greg (www.pyrotooling.com) all stainless rammers and spindle. Base is Al.

Incorrect, only the spindle is stainless, the rams and base are aluminium.

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  • 2 weeks later...

This is my first post obviously, but lets see if I can add some information that isn't completely useless.

 

Aluminum is considered a non-sparking material, especially when a layer of aluminum oxide has developed. Stainless steel is usually a sparking metal, IIRC some versions are non sparking. If there is a small chip in the aluminum rammer to begin with, then there is a chance it could chip off when ramming is the method. When the aluminum is chipped, there will be a small portion exposed which would be pyrophoric. There is a very small chance that ignition could occur if the aluminum burned hot enough in that tiny amount of time. I definitley would not worry to much about it. But pressing with a blast shield and a port-a-power would be the safest bet.

 

Salute: As for the tooling. I like it very much, but I would add a taper to the spindle and round of the tip for ease of removing the rocket. Overall very nice job.

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