I built model rockets for a while when I was a kid (mid-late 1990s), but wandered off into the RC world as teenager. Biggest stuff I did was D engines and multi stage stuff.

Been getting back into the rockets as a good hobby to do with my younger brothers.

Holy moley has this hobby changed while I was gone! High power stuff is amazing, yeah a launch costs a couple boxes of ammo but it looks amazing.

I have started off by building an improved version of the Estes “Bailout” model, now called “Freefall”, without that stupid plastic quarter turn fin/engine lock assembly that breaks. I’ve found this model is a great crowd pleaser with the multiple elements to recover (rocket body, nose cone, and parachute man), it is big yet flies well on small fields. I discovered OpenRocket, and used that to prove and fine tune my design. OpenRocket even can print fin templates for your designs

I also discovered an awesome company that is local to me called Apogee Components. If you live near CO Springs you need to go there, it’s like the ultimate rocket parts room. I bought a bunch of stuff there to make my improved Bailout. They are online too.

Now I am making a cluster rocket that takes three 13mm engines from the parts left over, my coffee table is covered with pieces of rocket being assembled right now.

Who else on here enjoys this? Any high power rocketry?

Go to The King of Random channel, on YT.
He shows you how to build reusable engines from stuff you can buy at Home Depot.
You make your own lift charge and everything

I made some 3D printed rockets at work. The kids love em

Here ya go OP....
Read, learn, spend money and be careful.
http://www.nakka-rocketry.net/

Awesome videos. Probably not going to attempt the home-made propellant any time soon but fun to watch.

That is one of the coolest websites I’ve ever seen. Top ten easily. Thanks!

Model rocket enthusiast checking in.  I have my HPR certification, and I enjoy flying little Estes rockets as much as the big boys.

Check out the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) for a club near you. www.nar.org

Just got back from Red Glare last weekend. It was awesome.  Search "Red Glare" on Youtube for some very big rockets.

I got to see this 800 pound monster fly on a P motor!

There used to be a nice rocketry / hobby shop nearby, but they closed down a couple of years ago.  They were crucial into launching a 450 porta-john 2000 feet up a couple of years ago

I’m Tripoli level 1 high power. I put a 54 mm minimum diameter to 20000 ft at over Mach 2 but it separated, and I only found the nose with GPS. I have a second attempt ready on a 4 inch but I have to drive to Oklahoma to launch. After that, I’ve got a Wildman Ultimate Interceptor to build for level 3.

I'll Be back later...

Tripoli and NAR level 2 here. I also used to run an NAR section here in Kansas. Hopefully I’ll be level 3 after LDRS this year in Argonia but that’s only if I can get the time in to work on it.

Last year at Airfest my 15 year old boy got his Tripoli Jr high power certification as well.

Here’s my GLR Crossbow on a K motor. I think it was a K550 but I may be wrong on that. It was a few years ago.

Attached File

Some impressive rockets for sure. I knew ARF had to have some serious rockets hiding amongst the ammo forts...

I haven’t finished my build or made it out to the local NAR club yet. Moving in a couple days, but now with my own garage and house it will be a lot easier to build things.

Also bought components to build a launch controller for the cluster rocket. Will be testing it with a couple sets of igniters, per my real rocket scientist uncle’s suggestion.

The shop you talked about in post one, Apogee, the owner Tim provides a very nice newsletter and tech pubs. They are archived on his website. I would suggest downloading them as they have a lot of good info in them.

Tim’s shop is pretty well known in the community and I’ve bought a lot of stuff from him over the years. As for a launch controller, are you building a pad relay launcher? For clusters they are great as you have the launch battery and a relay at the pad and the battery in your controller is used just to flip the relay.

Also, since you’re relatively close you should come out to LDRS in Argonia KS this year. It is THE event of the year and the field at Argonia is one of the best in the country. Also the TRA club that runs it, KLOUDBUSTERS, is full of friendly and highly knowledgeable members. You don’t have to do high power to go or fly either.

Plus a lot of vendors will be there. My son built and flew his Jr High Power rocket on the field there last year during Airfest. I even had a friend do her level 3 from build to launch there once.

The Apollo 11 moon landing 50th anniversary is this weekend.

Looks for events in your area.

https://www.nar.org/50th-anniversary-of-apollo-11/

Additionally anyone near NYC, Wash D.C, or any NASA station is holding public events.

Thread in GD as well.

TRA Level II

Tripoli North Colorado
https://ncrocketry.club

Tripoli Colorado
https://www.tripolicolorado.org/

And there are 7 NAR clubs in Colorado too.

Attend a launch for additional motivation.

My son (7) has gotten rocket crazy.

Any suggestions for a good fin jig?  The Estes one looks pretty flimsy and I guess is commonly warped.  I don't mind building my own.

Next big thing is probably building an r/c rocket glider, just can't decide on what.  Wish Aerotech still made the Phoenix.

There are some nice laser cut fin jigs on the market.

Example

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Building_Supplies/Tools/Cardboard_Fin_Alignment_Jig

https://www.payloadbay.com/index.php?page=Tools&action=FINGUIDES

I have used this one several times. I print it out on paper and then glue stick it to foam board. Cut out the hole/fins with Xacto knife. For a big rocket, you will need two. Fore and aft.

I’ve been into model rocketry on & off since the 1970s. It’s a great hobby! My last foray into the hobby was when I made 4 models out of thin walled aluminum tubing, turned hollow aluminum nose cones, and used sheet aluminum for fins. The folks at the National Association of Rocketry were not amused.

I still have the “A” engine model, and two “C” models, but the fourth “D” one was lost to the wind in West Phoenix years ago.

In retrospect if I had a fin jig when I was younger I probably would've built more rockets.  As a kid, I was unaware of special tools tools and fixtures, and had no way to connect or network with nearby enthusiasts.

One of my favorite salvage materials was smaller diameter paper towel tubes.  I found a bit of cardboard tubing that was the right size to house a rocket, and used coat hanger to create a bracket to clip the rocket engine in place.  Nose cones were hard to make with limited tools, so I opted for a round nose and used a rubber ball that friction fit into the tube.  I'd poke a hole in the ball and pull string through it to keep the ball with the rocket.  I used a wad of fiberglas insulation above the engine to protect the insides when the recovery charge went off.

I found my aluminum rockets! There’s a larger one that I need to re-attach the fins to also. Machining the nose cones was the hard part.

Heads up one of the biggest rocketry events on the East coast is coming up soon.

Red Glare 21

https://mdrocketry.org/calendar/red-glare-xxi-at-higgs-farm-april-3-4-5/

Eastern Shore, Maryland

April 3, 4, 5 2020

I was looking for a ARF rocket forum a few weeks ago but never found it, and just happened to stumble upon this thread.

I joined a rocket club at school, we have our L2 certs, I believe we are going for L3 certs this summer (unless this damn virus puts a hold on everything, which it currently is ). It'll be about 8ft long, 4in diameter carbon fiber everything except nosecone and payload. I wish I would've joined before I did, but hopefully I'll be a lot more involved next semester. I've got some ideas I want to try and implement for the future that I'll work on over the summer, mainly a stabilization system.