| Model rockets should never be built with | | | | 'educator' sets. |
| materials such as PVC tubing and rocket | | | | |
| engines should not be attached to anything | | | | They would include a starter kit and 12 |
| that is not designed to be powered by them. | | | | skills level one rocket. Usually 'Yankees', |
| This is extremely dangerous. The materials | | | | another good starter rocket and should be |
| should be something that will disintegrate if | | | | about $4 a rocket. The last thought that |
| it impacts something. Paper, balsawood or | | | | comes to mind is your local hobby store. Tell |
| thin plastics. | | | | them what you are doing and most 'mom and |
| | | | pop' hobby stores should give you a pretty |
| I also don't think attaching motors to your | | | | good price. Este's rockets I think are the |
| RC truck would do much if anything, but be | | | | best kits for beginners. They seem to have a |
| dangerous. If your RC truck weighs anywhere | | | | better fit and finish to them. Remember the |
| near what my sons does the engine might not | | | | skill level one rockets are going to need |
| even move it. Again, it is very dangerous and | | | | glue (both white and model glue), paint, and |
| you shouldn't attempt it. | | | | maybe sand paper. |
| | | | |
| I know these are not the answers you are | | | | I would think it would be reliable. Just as |
| hoping for, but there is a reason they | | | | any staged rocket, the distance from one |
| require 'adult supervision' when launching | | | | engine to the next would be the biggest |
| rockets. They can be dangerous if they are | | | | variable that would affect 'light off'. But, |
| not used as they are designed. Model rocket | | | | I do not have a lot of experience with staged |
| kits have been design to be safe. Checking | | | | rockets. My launch sites are not big enough |
| the CB/CP and many other things. Putting | | | | for safe recovery. My only experiences with |
| things on any rocket that is not design for | | | | staged rockets are with C engines. I have |
| it could cause serious injures. | | | | never had a failure with one stage lighting |
| | | | the next. |
| Rocket bodies are very difficult to make. I | | | | |
| have only heard of one person successfully | | | | These have been Este's kits; I have not |
| making one. What he had done was to grease a | | | | designed one myself. On the other hand, Estes |
| stick that he wanted as an inside diameter of | | | | does not make and E' engine booster, that I |
| the tube. Then wrapped that stick with brown | | | | know of. There might be a reason for that. |
| craft paper soaked in white glue. Let it set | | | | Might be an altitude issue, maybe a light off |
| for a few days and slid the stick out. Nose | | | | issue or a weight to thrust issue? |
| cones are hard if you don't have a lathe. | | | | |
| Trying to get them symmetrical would be | | | | Model rockets have an ejection charge that |
| difficult. The nose cone and fins are usually | | | | will push the nose cone and parachute or |
| made out of balsa wood or plastic. Larger | | | | streamer out. In a tumble recovery rocket, |
| rockets will use plywood for the fins. Body | | | | the ejection charge will push the engine |
| tubes are always some form of a paper | | | | casing out the back of the rocket making the |
| cardboard tube. | | | | rocket unstable and it will tumble back to |
| | | | the ground. This ejection charge is timed |
| Depending on how you want to run your | | | | from the end of the propulsion phase, which |
| launches. If you are only going to need one | | | | is what shoots the rocket upwards. |
| or two launch pads and launch controls, | | | | |
| Wal-Mart is your best bet for 'Starter' kits | | | | If you look at the numbers on a model rocket |
| ($20). They will include everything you need | | | | engine like an Estes A8-3. The A8 tells you |
| for your first launch but batteries. Usually | | | | how much impulse power it has and how long it |
| the rockets in the starter kits are pre built | | | | will burn. The '3' tells you that 3 seconds |
| or need very little assembly. If you want the | | | | after it finishes burning the propulsion |
| campers to build their rockets, look for | | | | phase, it will pop the ejection charge. The |
| skill level one kits. | | | | reason it doesn't pop right after it's done |
| | | | burning the propulsion phase is the rocket |
| The 'Alpha' has been around for 30+ years is | | | | can be traveling at 300mph and the little |
| simple to build and is very stable. It used | | | | plastic parachute would rip off. Also the |
| to be the rocket everyone started with. If | | | | rocket continues to fly higher because of |
| you are in need for a lot of kits try EBay. | | | | momentum. |
| EBay seems to be the only place you can find | | | | |