Model Rocketry

Why make your own Estes black powder rocket engines? "This here's a story about a man named Ned, His grandson Jake called, and this is what he said, Pap, I've got an Estes rocket and a question for you, Can you make a motor for it, with a homemade fuel?" Swimmin' pools, movie stars... Oops, I'd better get back on topic here. I have to admit something right off the bat. I led a deprived childhood. I never had an Estes model rocket to play with. This might explain many things about my…

Getting Started What is a Flying Model Rocket? Estes flying model rockets are activity kits designed of lightweight materials such as paper tubing, balsa

Here's a brief look at the world of model rocketry and how to take your own giant leap.

In MAKE Magazine, Stefan Jones did a great pictorial article on LPR igniter making. http://makezine.com/projects/model-rocket-igniters/ From http://jacobs-online.biz/nichrome_wire.htm You can buy 100 feet of 30 or 32 gauge nichrome wire for $6.00! 30 gauge is a bit thicker than 32 gauge. If cut into 2 1/2" long pieces, 100' of nichrome could make 480 igniters! 0.0125 cents each before a laquer dip! On TRF Fred Shector gave this advice: For a lantern battery (alkaline) use 32 ga nichrome and…

How to Build a High-Powered Rocket: I've wanted to get into high-powered rocketry for a while now, so this year, I decided to jump right in to the hobby and start learning how to build, fly, and recover large rockets. For this project, I built a 6' tall rocket capable of flying motors…

"Stinger Missile" is a term which has come to be used among fireworkers to refer to spin-stabilized rockets. These missiles are guided on a straight path by gyroscopic forces, due to their spinning as they rise. As a result they do not need fins or a stick to keep them headed upward. Stinger-Missile Spin-Up and Launch Due to their simplicity, stingers are very quick and easy to make, providing a fun, backyard fireworking project. Once you've learned the techniques that follow, you'll be able…

Many of us flew model rockets when we were kids. Check it out, it's still one of the most fun things to do with your kids. I have lots of great memories from my rocket days. It's a great hobby to share with you kids, and not just for kids.

A picture gallery of flight ready classic Estes model rocket kits built by Gerry Fortin and Mike Kalmar

I was thinking that I saw something on a company that makes model rockets that look like 1930's spaceships. Kind of like the rocket on "The Rocketry Forum"...

Really cool rocket by Dave Greger