Never add up your costs [Now with pics!]

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Tonimus

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UPDATE: SEE POST 35 FOR PICS

It all started so innocently with a Madcow Black Friday sale... Here I am, having realized just how much I've spent on this damn thing. That's the part they don't tell you about. I'm sure I haven't spent anywhere near what some people have, but I've just realized that I will have much trepidation when I push the launch button on this mother. I know that I'll be able to use the recovery gear and electronics on other rockets as well, but I figure I'm going to have about a grand going into the air, excluding the cost of the motor itself. :jaw:
 
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Wow! That's some rocket. What did you build and put into it that made it so expensive?
 
$400 in finishing and $250 in electronics is where most of the cost is. It's a 1/4 scale Patriot.
 
LOTS of paint, epoxy clay fillets, sandpaper, custom decals, and matte automotive clear. The last one is a large percentage of the cost of finishing.
 
The reason I realized how much I spent, is because I dropped it off for clear today. I hopefully get it back tomorrow afternoon. Here's pics before clear coat:




It's hard to tell in this one, but if you enlarge it, you can see the larger dots are actually screw heads.
 
It all started so innocently with a Madcow Black Friday sale... Here I am, having realized just how much I've spent on this damn thing. That's the part they don't tell you about. I'm sure I haven't spent anywhere near what some people have, but I've just realized that I will have much trepidation when I push the launch button on this mother. I know that I'll be able to use the recovery gear and electronics on other rockets as well, but I figure I'm going to have about a grand going into the air, excluding the cost of the motor itself. :jaw:

It's like any other expensive hobby, try race cars....never count the cost or you'll scare yourself into a heart attack, your wife to murder if you survive the heart attack. A new kitchen only goes so far...
 
I'm helping a buddy build a car, and he's got more in the motor and trans than I paid for my whole car. I've got a 383 sbc in the garage waiting to go in a 2nd gen Camaro. I also shoot guns too. All my hobbies are expensive...
 
I miss the days I just did drugs and drank all day. it was soooo much cheaper.... :)

I keep a black binder. I punch 3 holes in all my receipts and put them in the book. It's a THICK book.

When you see your rocket burning in at 700 MPH....you'll wish you never added that up.
 
Well, if it is any consolation, the rocket is beautiful.

I often end up spending as much as I did on the original kit (or more) on finishing and things like upgraded recovery. None of mine are quite as expensive as what you are talking about, but they still surprised me when I added them up. I've resolved to rein in my rocketry budget a bit this year. I've got plenty of kts in the queue and dont need any more for now. The main financial challenge will be keeping them in motors for the rest of the year.

One of the things I worry about almost as much as the money is how much TIME I get invested in some rockets. The thing is, sometimes they crash... I have to tell myself, I didn't build them for a museum, so let's send them up!
 
Hobbies are expensive, typically in proportion to their enjoyment. However therapy seems moreso. I consider my hobbies a more effective and less costly form of therapy. :)
 
The reason I realized how much I spent, is because I dropped it off for clear today.

Why didn't you spray it at home? the materials are cheap? Rattle can matte is really easy to put on ans hardly ever runs.
 
Why didn't you spray it at home? the materials are cheap? Rattle can matte is really easy to put on ans hardly ever runs.

Because I wanted automotive clear for it's UV properties and durability. I have no equipment to spray a 2 or 3 part clear, and 2 part clears in cans are hit or miss.
 
I created a spreadsheet for my L3 project to track the cost. All in with the K motor for the shake down flight, and the M motor for the L3 flight, I've got $1,500 wrapped up in this rocket. That also includes Angel Drogue, Large Angel Main, RRC3 altimeter, Eggfiner TRS backup altimeter, harnesses, paint, miscellaneous hardware, motor retaining hardware, 75mm - 54mm adaptor, etc, etc...

Tonimus: That is a BEAUTIFUL rocket!
 
It is humbling to the rest of us when somebody builds a model that doesn’t look like it IS a model.
On the downside; if that were mine it would never, ever, even from my death bed, get launched.

You did however misspell “Patriot”. . .

Just kidding. . .Did your heart stop beating there for a second?

Then my work here is done!!
 
erm.. yeah... (looks around garage at the various shelves of electronics, adhesives, chutes, fiberglass tubes, etc)

There are some projects that can get awesomely expensive WITHOUT the rocket or motor added.

$400 - BRB 900 Tracker
$400 - Telemega
$120 - backup electronics (Stratologger & Adept22)
$220 - Ultra Iris Chute

erm...... add the rocket and it you are just adding a way to lose all these wonderful toys.



Beautiful Rocket!!
 
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Looks like y'all are going to have to wait until Monday for final pictures. The shop didn't get to spray it until almost noon, and it's not quite dry yet.
 
Your rocket looks awesome! This thread made me go back and see how much I've spent on rocketry since I started in January. The total was over $1000 :y: which is a lot for a college student with a tutoring job. (The worst part is I am not done ordering parts)

Edit: Over 100 posts! WooHoo!
 
Why the Hell would you ever do that???

I'm seriously insane. I also like to look back and see what I used to pay for things. Two years ago fruity chutes where MUCH MUCH cheaper. I don't have to worry about the wife finding the book.... her motorcycle hobby makes rocketry look affordable. The last time she suggested I cut back on rocketry I said " You're right I do spend too much time on this.... I should cut back and rebuild a '72 chevelle and put a 454 into it." end of discussion :)
 
I keep a spreadsheet of all of my rocketry purchases. I decided to add it up.

NEVER AGAIN. THAT NUMBER WAS WAY TOO BIG.
 
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