Cleaning out the "Rocket Room"

OK - We're hosting our club's annual Christmas party and I have some cleaning to do. The "Rocket Room" hasn't had a thorough cleaning in over 12 years. Over that time, a couple large group projects and a few of my own have all but nuke'd the room as the shop is immediately adjacent.

So... Don't worry dear wife (she flies too), I'll clean the room top to bottom - it definitely needs it. I thought it would be best to simply haul everything out (wiping it all down as I go) , making it much easier to clean the room. Well, several days later I have all of our rockets out except for most of the mod-rocs.

Hi, my name is Mike and I have an addiction to rocketry...


And this doesn't count the 150+ mod-rocs still in the room (we stopped counting) and the build pile (mostly the wife's and youngest of course)... There was a brief whisper of - maybe we should sell some of... :y:!!!

So, anyone else had to clean their rocket room lately? :sad:
(Of course, next week is the BUY time of the year!!!) :grin:

Hi Mike. My name is Tim but I don't have a problem anywhere near as bad as yours!

Wow I thought I had a problem...love it!

I hope to have a room that looks like that some day.

I am planning in it in the next month or so. In the process though I need to first revamp my workbench with a new surface, pegboard on he walls for tools, a couple electrical drops, improved lighting, and mount my new vice. Honestly should only take a day or two assuming I can get free of work and family for a few hours.

Then I need to build some type of storage for the rockets. I do not have nearly as many as the op, but it is an area that requires some thought.


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Nice collection. I moved and had to re-evaluate my collection.

Thanks for posting that pic. Makes me feel a little better about my fleet of ~40 and build pile of ~50.

I'm getting ready to clean up my rocket rooms, too. I have a shed full of rockets, a garage rafters full of rockets and a basement full of components.... and I haven't flown a rocket in a decade.
But, now that I'm actually retired and not just an unpaid startup co-founder, I'm going to thin the herd and get organized.

Get a new TV - hang on wall - more room for rockets.

I feel somewhat better.... What's the story on the WAC Corporal? Was that scratch or an ASP kit by chance? Been wanting to build a WAC Corporal for a while now - it will fit nicely into the building pile!

I've felt fairly passive aggressive on rockets. Too much, yet buying more. I think we all suffer those moments.

I can still see the carpet in the room- clearly you need more.

Umm...thats a problem I want to have.

Very nice collection.
Is that a nose cone sitting on a fiber drum in the back room? Looks like it must be 18 or 20 inches. What does that belong to?

Thanks for posting those pictures! You are now the premier argument on my side of "rocket crap vs. interior design" You, of course, had it under control. I'm not allowed rockets in the master bedroom or bathrooms. Everywhere else I've already 'decorated'.......

Thanks for all the comments... Super support group. I keep thinking - I still have to put them all back into the Rocket Room once it's clean. Then I have to start on the actual shop. :cry:

chadrog said:

Get a new TV - hang on wall - more room for rockets.

Click to expand...

I don't think she would let me take over the room in the picture, but I do plan on removing a few pieces of furniture in the Rocket Room to alleviate congestion (= more rockets). But a new TV does sound nice...
Hey honey??? Dear??? What about getting a new... :bangpan:

pyrobob said:

I feel somewhat better.... What's the story on the WAC Corporal? Was that scratch or an ASP kit by chance? Been wanting to build a WAC Corporal for a while now - it will fit nicely into the building pile!

Click to expand...

It was an ASP kit, at least the sustainer. I can't recall if I got it with the Tiny Tim booster or if I scratch built that part back then. It is two stage and has flown as such. I built it for a regional NAR giant or sport scale entry a number of years ago. Building it was fun. I'm sure you would enjoy one too.

catman001 said:

Is that a nose cone sitting on a fiber drum in the back room? Looks like it must be 18 or 20 inches. What does that belong to?

Click to expand...

Ya, that is a nose cone (and a fin can in the shadows). They are from the SCAM Full Scale Patriot group project that flew at the last two Thunderstruck launches. 16 Inches in diameter...

In the Rocket Room...

Farther back in that other room is also a 1/2 Scale Honest John. Another SCAM group project.

fyrwrxz said:

Thanks for posting those pictures! You are now the premier argument on my side of "rocket crap vs. interior design"

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:lol: Sure thing, anything to help a fellow flier! It does help when a few of those in the pictures are actually hers... Bad thing is her build pile is larger than mine in the HPR range.

You, as a family, officially have too many rockets. It is so declared.

Perhaps another team member could hold the Patriot to make some room. Take the launch rail outside and cover it with a tarp.


Mark Koelsch
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markkoelsch said:

You, as a family, officially have too many rockets. It is so declared.

Perhaps another team member could hold the Patriot to make some room. Take the launch rail outside and cover it with a tarp.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, the Patriot now takes up quite a bit less space. Or should I say the remains... (Just the nose cone and fin can.)
The picture of the Patriot in the rocket room was from the final fitting/prep/packing for Thunderstruck. The rail does have a home hanging on a wall in the 2nd garage.

I have to show my wife this thread....

I did, and her first statement was " this guy cannot be married".


Mark Koelsch
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I showed this to my wife. She said I still need to thin down my collection

Fortunately, most of mine are LPR so they do not take up as much space

markkoelsch said:

I did, and her first statement was " this guy cannot be married".

Click to expand...

:rofl: My wife has gotten a few good laughs from the responses. (She reads the forum all the time, just never posts.)

My wife is tolerant of my hobby, and is glad I have one. She is glad that my 11 year old son is becoming more interested too as it is something we can do together.

I have not been able to get her involved though. Might have to get her one as an experiment.


Mark Koelsch
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Great to hear your son is showing interest. My oldest (26) lost interest about high school. Younger son (21 & L2) still likes it, but being a Senior at Ball State is taking every waking minute. Youngest one (daughter - 13) is going strong and planning on her JL1 next year.

It's nice that your wife sees the good in the hobby. My wife started out wanting to help the boys fly and with reloads. Then her own rocket... Now she has a pair of brand new MW RRC2+ units I'm not allowed to touch. She probably thinks I'll bury them at Balls. :confused2:

Our club has several girls that fly. You could try telling her pink is in (if she likes pink).