The cost of rocketry.

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Bat-mite

Rocketeer in MD
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I started planning my next rocket. I think it will be the RW Flying Phantom 54 kit with the 38mm MMT. I started adding up the costs, including all recovery, electronics, etc. No reuse, except a swivel that I already have.

I thought I would get a MissileWorks RRC2+ with the integrated 54mm sled. 0.5g charge wells from Doghouse, plus wiring kit. All items would be purchased up front, so as to minimize shipping costs. Don't see a need for a drogue on such a lightweight rocket.

So, how much does a no-paint, drogueless, $100 rocket cost in the end? Warning, this is devastating. :wink:

Flying Phantom 54 w/38mm MMT$99.99
MissileWorks 54mm AV sled$19.95
Switchband$1.00
Aeropack 38mm Retainer$25.00
Hardware$10.96
Rail buttons$2.99
36" main parachute$15.95
Harnesses$48.30
RRC2+$44.95
Charge wells$3.00
AV wiring$13.25
Chute protection$7.99
Shipping RW$4.99
Shipping MW$5.99
Shipping DH$5.99
TOTAL$310.30

Yowza! :y:
 
FFFFTTTTT, I have motors that cost more than that!!! Seriously, good luck and have fun, thats what its all about anyway.
 
I disagree. It's $100. The rest is all incidentals and accessories...

If that's $310.30, you need to work on your rationalization skills. Heh.


Later!

--Coop
 
You know, if you are on a budget the aeropack isn't at all required....
 
Your still missing the epoxy to put it together with (if you go that route), a motor casing and reload.... just kidding it looks about right nice thing is everything but the motor reload is a one time expense, and some of the parts are usable among several rockets, like the Aeropacks retainer ring (you only HAVE to have one, but you can buy extras of the mmt ring and switch the retainer between them), the parachute, the chute protector and your harnesses. Actually Coop has it pretty much right, I would use the 38mm sled and then I could use it in any rocket from 38mm up since its not hard to adapt the AV bay for a smaller sled. I have even considered Missleworks 29mm sled and to make all my AV bays interchangeable with it, of course I work on a budget myself so being able to use a single item multiple ways is always a plus.
 
Is there another hobby or sport where you can build a reusable vehicle that flies at nearly the speed of sound for anything at or near that cost? It's a bargain!
 
I stopped thinking about cost 5 years ago. I figure this is a hobby I enjoy and there are other hobbies out there which costs more than rocketry even at it highest level....I say have fun, learn something from every build, which is important and fly 'em high!
 
I thought you could be banned for talking about costs. :p

Hear hear, that's the only reason for banning somebody that I can think is legit :wink:

As others pointed out, you also left off the cost of epoxy...you don't need paint with that model (btw, I'm getting it as soon as I can justify sticking my toe in the water with the initial $99 purchase (plus shipping)), but if you want the fillets to be purple and not black, you need to buy the purple dye for the epoxy (another $7.99, cha-ching...).

Then the costs of motors, and igniters...black powder if you are doing dual deploy...well, and the cost of driving to the launch site...wear and tear on the vehicle, what is that now, about $0.60 cents/mile...plus, what about the cost to society, with your kids being basically "orphaned" by you spending so much time on this hobby?

No, it's just better not to even think about all those costs, otherwise, you'd never even start doing anything in the first place!
 
Yeah, a lot of that can be skipped / use a cheaper version.

Then again, you left off the tip to tip carbon fiber reinforcement and the tracker. I'm sure a more $$ chute can be found.
 
You could put a swivel on some 1/8th 750 lb Kevlar as a 'good enough' harness .. 10 ft and 15 ft = $15

If you already have the Aeropack retainer you can just order the base and share a cap $14 ..don't forget to ask about a thin wall base band adapter .

Also like the StratoLogger CF at ~$50 as it is a logging altimeter and reports speed . Make your own sled ! its fun !

Or go cheap and scratch build a 2.6" paper tube rocket or a $20 crayon rocket .. doing some paper always makes you appreciate FG

Kenny
 
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No Paint??? I'm doing a multi-color paint job on my new Minie-Magg now and the paint alone cost about $125 for 5 cans of Duplicolor Paint Shop lacquer (white, black, red, silver, and clear).
 
A lot of the parts you can use on other rockets. Lets say you use most of the parts on 10 rockets. Now its cheap. That's how I think anyway.
 
Well, I have more then triple that in kevlar recovery straps for my current build

It's all just relative....
 
Rocketry warehouse kits have me a little shock at first since it is just the rocket when everything came with my vertical assault and also madcow and loc comes with everything but the retainer. The little stuff also adds up, but the rockets are awesome. I feel your shock but I had more fun building my broken arrow and ordering all the parts separately, it makes it yours. Cost is what it is and I am sure you have a chute that would work and if you are using teddys harnesses you can use those in other rockets. It's all good, have fun with it.
 
Is there another hobby or sport where you can build a reusable vehicle that flies at nearly the speed of sound for anything at or near that cost? It's a bargain!
...and on your kitchen table?

Rocketry is literally money going up in smoke. Embrace it.
 
Lighting 100 Dollar bills with regularity. I am shocked my wife is cool with it.
 
Ok, I'll break it down for you...

Aeropacks are nice but NOT necessary. Kaplow clip type things will work and costs nothing, maybe 2 dollars of hardware at the very most.

You certainly do not need to pay 13 dollars for wiring, not sure what you're doing there... some scrap wires and some time will work just as well.

AV sled could be a 6 dollar piece of G10, scrap computer circuit boards (basically G10 that looks green), or a piece of plywood from scrap

There are rocket kits that has everything you need for around 100 dollars. Won't necessarily be fiberglass but I think Madcow Rocketry has something around that size, 100 dollars including everything (rail buttons and all) you need to get flying.

You can spend 100 dollars to get you flying, or you can spend over 500 dollars, the choice if yours.

There are also 36" military surplus chutes that are not only cheap, but works better than anything from Topflight or anyone else.

Paint is ALWAYS optional.
 
Speaking of Madcow, I will tell you the bomarc is around that much and is my favorite rocket, it's a superstar at the launches with new folks and kids.

And no, my wife knows it's Benjamin's turning to smoke.. Or a pile of parts from time to time lol.
 
You should see the total cost of the build of my 7.5" Iris.


Scary.



Welcome to high power! Open that wallet!




Braden
 
Bat-mite, you weren't expecting sympathy from this crowd were you ?
 
Bat-mite, you weren't expecting sympathy from this crowd were you ?

If you are an LPR person the cost seems outrageous. Quote Yowza! :y:

If you are an HPR person (especially an L3) then the costs you list are almost negligible. To quote some earlier posts
"FFFFTTTTT, I have motors that cost more than that!!! "
"Lighting 100 Dollar bills with regularity."
"You should see the total cost of the build of my 7.5" Iris. Scary."
 
Ok, I'll break it down for you...

Aeropacks are nice but NOT necessary. Kaplow clip type things will work and costs nothing, maybe 2 dollars of hardware at the very most.

You certainly do not need to pay 13 dollars for wiring, not sure what you're doing there... some scrap wires and some time will work just as well.

AV sled could be a 6 dollar piece of G10, scrap computer circuit boards (basically G10 that looks green), or a piece of plywood from scrap

Sure, these can all be obtained by scrounging around Home Depot, the garbage can, and construction sites. However, it also comes at a price: Your time. If time is a valuable commodity in your life, then the $300 purchase is a bargain.
 
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