Model Rockets

[zero element]

This might be a pointless thread but damn these things are fun, anyone else ever fool around with these things, heh, awesome. Me and my bro just got bored saturday afternoon and picked up a ready to launch set and havn't quit shooting them yet. We also managed to shoot one off and land it on a bicyclist but he got a good laugh out of it so. Also fun to shoot off after you've covered the rocket in starter fluid, you get a nice flaming ball.

[MikeS]

I've only had one and it was for a science class in high school. The bungee holding the two halves snapped on it's maiden flight and all I got back was the end that wasn't attached to the parachute after the failure. I must have chased the other half a good 1/4 mile but the wind was blowing pretty good and I never saw the half with the parachute again.

[Fresh_Start]

I built lots of 'em as a kid and loved it... except when they got blown into a tree.

One of my favorites was a 2-part rocket that went up together, then released the glider part at apogee and the booster came down by chute. I adjusted the glider really carefully for balance and trim so that it came down in big circles.

Chip

[RW James]

This might be a pointless thread but damn these things are fun, anyone else ever fool around with these things, heh, awesome. Me and my bro just got bored saturday afternoon and picked up a ready to launch set and havn't quit shooting them yet. We also managed to shoot one off and land it on a bicyclist but he got a good laugh out of it so. Also fun to shoot off after you've covered the rocket in starter fluid, you get a nice flaming ball.

I am so glad you're having fun with rockets... they are fun, and educational, too. I have a Level One High Power Certification through the National Association of Rocketry which licenses me to fly rockets up to H and I powered. We launch these guys at the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada.

However, what you are doing is extremely dangerous and violates the NAR Safety Code. By doing this you may cause fires, serious injuries, or death. This is very serious.

Additionally, since 9/11/01, The BATF has been trying to shut this hobby down because they believe the rockets can be used as instruments of terrorism. Actions like yours only make their point stronger.

I'm sorry if I'm coming across like jerk about this, but I love this hobby and people like you are ruining it.

How would you like it if a government agency came in and told you what kind of music you could play on your guitar and how loud?

By all means, have fun - but do it safely.

Rick James
NAR#73338 L1

[Blue Calx]

Oh, man, when I was 13, maybe 14, I was so damn good at building and painting those up to look just like the pic on the box. They were a lot of fun too, and you could buy supplies to build them at WAL-MART! Now WM doesn't even carry model car supplies, and you have to seek out the ever-growing-more-extinct independent hobby shop if you're gonna find 'em.

Makes me wanna get back into it. I wonder what kinda kits they have for adults.

I think I quit when I shot off that big, ol' honkin 4-stage mofro that took Ds, or something. As far as I'm concerned, that thing never, ever landed. Sometimes at night, if I'm loaded enough, I can still see it in orbit against the twinkling starts, and it brings a tear to my eye.

[zero element]

Um...sorry...Its not my fault everyones got to be so uptight and paranoid about this hobby after 9/11. I will take this all into consideration next time we fire a rocket off.

[RW James]

Thanks for your consideration.

Also, it may not be much of a problem in New York, but out here in the West we're really paranoid about brush fires. We're really careful about launching near nothing flamable like dry grass - let alone setting the rockets on fire!

Ususally when a rocket comes down it's completely safe. But every now and then the parachute or a even a part of the body tube could catch on fire - especially if there is any kind of failure with the rocket motor.

Oh, and if you want to see what the big boys are doing with this hobby... check out
http://www.aerotech-rocketry.com/
http://www.binderdesign.com/
http://www.giantleaprocketry.com/hpdefault.asp
http://www.locprecision.com/
http://publicmissiles.com/

This is really a very safe hobby with a good safety record. But all it takes is a few people to do something really stupid to draw attention to it.

Thanks again

[William Walstra]

I used to build these little rockets... I liked to glue/tape the tip on so that instead of the chute going out, it would just blow apart. Waste of money, actually.