Rockets for beginners.

[TheMinister]

Anybody have any simple guides etc for how to get building these things?

I don't really want to be buying anything other than raw materials, so each bit of the design is my own (so no recommended 'buy this $300 motor').

I was really interested in the sugar motor tutorials that were posted on here- that looks like a great simple propellant. All the components are cheap, too.

Also bear in mind that safety needs to be a feature here- ie my parents probably don't want me playing with explosives in the garage. If it can burn without a flame, or it can explode as opposed to fast burning, it's not safe. Any tips?


Thanks y'all, now see if you can get me into being an avid rocketeer....

 

[reverend]

For a true beginner, I would start by buying kit rockets and motors. Walmart here has a rocket for $19 includes 3 motors. And 3 pack reloads are only $5 a piece.

I think the models are a good place to start, because even though they're exceedingly easy to fly, the little things you learn at this stage carry forward and will help you big time in the future flying rockets.

I believe sugar motors are fun to make because of the added probability of failure (perhaps) makes the launches a bit more exciting (I guess). But even though Sugar is probably the safest fuel you could use, don't be fooled into thinking it's inert... it is Rocket fuel after all. A spark can ignite it. It won't blow up if it's not under pressure, but if you did this indoors, you'd likely smoke up your whole house and that would not be good.

Extreme care should be taken when making your own motors. It's inherently more dangerous than using commercial rocket motors.

Here's a simple design that's easy to get people started with sugar motors.

The next videos to watch on youtube are from Jimmy Yawn. He has a bunch of them... From making the candy, to making small motors, to making igniters.

 

[thomasantony]

Well .. try searching for sugar rocektry in Google.

~
Thomas

 

[Ghostrider]

Rocket candy is good. And you can use it to make ninja smoke bombs.

 

[TheMinister]

Nice, those tutorials make it look so easy. Do you have to melt the sugar/oxidiser together, or is it ok just to pack it in as mixed fine powder?

Also, for any UK based people, where is a good place to get potassium nitrate? No garden centers or chemists in my local area seem to have any, either pure or as stump remover. Also isn't the UK government absurdly paranoid about this sort of thing (ie if it can set on fire clearly anybody who wants it is a terrorist)?

 

[reverend]

I bought myself a 50 LB bag of KNO3 from a supplier I located on ebay. You should be able to find it from a hobby/fireworks supplier.

I personally think it's better to buy the real stuff than to get stump remover or other fertilizer.