Well since I've apparently survived the last round of chemical exposure, and, tho I rarely drive  now, I'm in good enough shape to pay attention to the near six years old grandson. I'm building the stuff for launching rockets. And got a three pack of them and eight motors. I guess I could've bought the GeeWhizz Oficcial Estes rocket launch kit, Buuut, stupid things about forty bucks.. I'm good enough at scrounging... I also Autopsy and hang onto parts from about everything that craps out. So, I just Happened to have a mono audio jack and a cord to plug in, a  three battery ,series connection, triple A holder , and, a really old ,big, clunky toggle switch. And, a smallish wooden box laying around, with a top, but no catch or latch.
When the whirly bird vent went on the roof I acquired some round plywood bits, and some 1/8"ID brass tubing in it gives the rod a socket. I didn't buy the Estes multi section rod, I had some 1/8" piano wire laying around.. I always do.
I Was gonna put legs on the launch pad, but, I'm thinking about just mounting the pad to the bottom of a five gallon bucket, then there is a place to carry the stuff out to the Launch area.
I found a forum, and the terms they use are foreign. The technology involved in the larger rockets, and multi stage stuff. Dude, they got Six Foot parachutes, and they use steel , Ohh, not caribiners, but threaded, and looks like a chain link. Heavy stuff, and I think some of these guys are either making their own motors or reloading them, I'm not sure yet.
Object of the enterprise, initially, was to try to capture the grandsons attention, get him interested in DOING something. He can build a rocket in his bedroom. I'm more than willing to supply the X_Acto kit, sandpaper, glue, and whatever else he might need.


Object of the enterprise, initially, was to try to capture the grandsons attention, get him interested in DOING something.


Yeah, I SAID that, and I meant it. BUT, I'm not sure just where this is gonna lead. I Am looking forward, hoping he will develop an interest and desire to do something other than sit and play games on the kindle or cell phone, whatever is handy.

To be continued

Indeed, good going
My old man was an old school hot rodder, and as much as I loved him, it was inevitable I develop the habit (Illness, my moms would say) too
great bonding and I learned to tinker, which served me well in life

Was to be JOG, a little direction will be all he needs. Showing how to build the equipment helps cultivate his creativeness.When I was a kid all the boys in the family would get together and stuff black powder into straws for rocket engines. Didn't go very far but really was a blast.

370 Used from $0.01 on amazon

Thanks DR, Never thought about Amazon.

I think there is quite abit more to the motors than a tube stuffed with black powder.looks like a cast , almost ceramic, nozzle, and the fuel can't explode, it has to burn, then, a pause, then
Poof,
Out pops the chute.
And four A 10-3T motors and igniters is almost eleven bucks after tax. A messed up igniter and suddenly, you've got a spare motor.
Maybe use it sitting atop another, lighting it off the chute pop blast..

I can see how that works..
Thanks,, I have the wire. If I kill an igniter then I'm not shafted.

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 10/25/15 at 22:49:21:


yeah, they have a clay or ceramic nozzle, but the propellant is just black powder, which burns really fast.  You wet it with acetone or something volatile like that, then pack it in the tube.  

Time delay is a fuse through a clay plug on top of the main charge, then a little pile of black powder on top of the clay plug with a paper cover over it.
 
FWOOooosshhh!................ poof, out comes the chute!

I guess if you're DIYing it can be a little tricky to get the black powder packed in the tube uniformly.  If you leave any void, it lets the gases expand up into the void, THEN your engine explodes!  

One girl i saw online made nozzles out of durhams water putty.  

I keep wondering if that T.P. is really flame resistant?  it just looks like super cheap TP to me.  I'll have to do an experiment and find out
 
(edit: ps I mean experiment by comparative burning, not by trying to use wadding as TP)

runwyrlph wrote on 10/26/15 at 19:26:38:


Regular Estes engines burn in 3 layers.  Propellant, smoke/delay (for tracking), chute ejection.
The multi-stage booster engines only have a propellant layer.  When it burns through, the propellant burns out the top of the engine and ignites the next stage.

Yes, the TP is actually flame resistant.  It will scorch, but won't maintain a flame.