New to TRF and Rocketeering

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I'm only 45 minutes away from Apogee (south of Denver in Colorado Springs). Got my Blue Tube and other rocket specific stuff from there. As a new rocketeer you should check out their website... lots of good info, videos, newsletters, etc. I just clicked the link I have for their website. It's back up and has had a facelift. Looks like they have gone back to the name 'Apogee Components', but the link rocketjet787 provided above is correct.

As far as non-specific rockets materials, I cut my own fins, centering rings and additional bulkheads from 1/4 Baltic birch plywood from a local Woodcraft. Lots of places to gets other pieces of needed hardware (local hardware stores, online - such as McMaster-Carr).

If you head towards high power certification and/or scratch building in the future, 'Modern High Power Rocketry' by Mark Canepa, and the 'Handbook of Model Rocketry' by G. Harry Stine are two great references. I would also spend a lot of time on this forum and talking to people at local club launches. The single most valuable resource to me has been the experience, skill and knowledge off fellow rocketeers.
 
Welcome... Prepare wallet for its slimming... Rockets = Money up in smoke. :wink:
 
To the good list of things you can do that Bat-mite listed add various flavors of NAR competitions....some really simple, some that sound simple but aren't and some that are maddeningly difficult but very satisfying.

And I just like flying altimeters in most everything I can just to see how high they really go.

les: "too many rockets" is an oxymoron!
 
kjkcolorado said:
I'm only 45 minutes away from Apogee (south of Denver in Colorado Springs). Got my Blue Tube and other rocket specific stuff from there. As a new rocketeer you should check out their website... lots of good info, videos, newsletters, etc. I just clicked the link I have for their website. It's back up and has had a facelift. Looks like they have gone back to the name 'Apogee Components', but the link rocketjet787 provided above is correct.

As far as non-specific rockets materials, I cut my own fins, centering rings and additional bulkheads from 1/4 Baltic birch plywood from a local Woodcraft. Lots of places to gets other pieces of needed hardware (local hardware stores, online - such as McMaster-Carr).

If you head towards high power certification and/or scratch building in the future, 'Modern High Power Rocketry' by Mark Canepa, and the 'Handbook of Model Rocketry' by G. Harry Stine are two great references. I would also spend a lot of time on this forum and talking to people at local club launches. The single most valuable resource to me has been the experience, skill and knowledge off fellow rocketeers.
Click to expand...

Awesome, thanks for the info! I've already watched a ton of Apogee's YouTube videos. I watched one yesterday that showed how to use epoxy putty/clay to fill in the spiral grooves in body tubes in order to make for a great looking finish. It was actually quite awesome!
 
BEC said:
To the good list of things you can do that Bat-mite listed add various flavors of NAR competitions....some really simple, some that sound simple but aren't and some that are maddeningly difficult but very satisfying.

And I just like flying altimeters in most everything I can just to see how high they really go.

les: "too many rockets" is an oxymoron!
Click to expand...

I became an NAR member a few days ago :) Member #212405. I most definitely plan on participating in events, competitions, and eventually MPR and HPR!
 
Welcome to the hobby! As many have said, there really is something for everyone here. No matter what experience you have under your belt, you can always come up with a new project to push your limits. In case it hasn't been mentioned yet, OpenRocket is your friend! It is a simulator program that allows you to "build" any rocket you can imagine and get a pretty good idea of how it will fly. It is essential if you are planning on doing a scratch build at some point.

PS: Next time you are teaching new pilots, please emphasize the importance of NOTAMS! Our launches get interrupted far too often by curious flyers circling over the field trying to figure out what we are up to.
 
eggplant said:
Welcome to the hobby! As many have said, there really is something for everyone here. No matter what experience you have under your belt, you can always come up with a new project to push your limits. In case it hasn't been mentioned yet, OpenRocket is your friend! It is a simulator program that allows you to "build" any rocket you can imagine and get a pretty good idea of how it will fly. It is essential if you are planning on doing a scratch build at some point.

PS: Next time you are teaching new pilots, please emphasize the importance of NOTAMS! Our launches get interrupted far too often by curious flyers circling over the field trying to figure out what we are up to.
Click to expand...

I attempted to download OpenRocket, though the download page just won't load. I updated Java as well...hmmm. I need to figure it out. I was also starting to look into RocSim.

As for NOTAMs, I completely agree and it's something that is regularly stressed in primary flight training (as stressed as TFRs), but alas, just like there are lookie-looers on the roads, there are lookie-looers in the air *sigh*
 
No kidding. Going out to eat is insanely expensive. It's pretty well impossible nowadays to go out to eat with 2 adults and a child and spend less than about $30-35...
 
kjkcolorado said:
I'm only 45 minutes away from Apogee (south of Denver in Colorado Springs). Got my Blue Tube and other rocket specific stuff from there. As a new rocketeer you should check out their website... lots of good info, videos, newsletters, etc. I just clicked the link I have for their website. It's back up and has had a facelift. Looks like they have gone back to the name 'Apogee Components', but the link rocketjet787 provided above is correct.

As far as non-specific rockets materials, I cut my own fins, centering rings and additional bulkheads from 1/4 Baltic birch plywood from a local Woodcraft. Lots of places to gets other pieces of needed hardware (local hardware stores, online - such as McMaster-Carr).

If you head towards high power certification and/or scratch building in the future, 'Modern High Power Rocketry' by Mark Canepa, and the 'Handbook of Model Rocketry' by G. Harry Stine are two great references. I would also spend a lot of time on this forum and talking to people at local club launches. The single most valuable resource to me has been the experience, skill and knowledge off fellow rocketeers.
Click to expand...

Ditto all of that. The Canepa book really is the absolute primer for HPR. I read it cover to cover, and although I wasn't instantly able to grasp or do everything, I then had a vocabulary for everything I saw on these forums.

Apogee, likewise, has tons of PDF articles and YouTube videos for how to do just about anything, including some hard science, if you are interested. Of course, Apogee's goal is to sell their products, and so the articles and videos can be biased. But still, what a great reference.
 
Welcome to TRF and the hobby. I'm up in Cottonwood so feel free to contact me for any help or questions that you may have. Enjoy the ride
 
Purkeypilot said:
No kidding. Going out to eat is insanely expensive. It's pretty well impossible nowadays to go out to eat with 2 adults and a child and spend less than about $30-35...
Click to expand...

Two hamburgers, two drinks, two orders of chicken nuggets, fries at Burger King= $21.00 She said we couldn't afford Golden Corral....Next time it's Red Lobster...I'll pay the difference myself not to sit in the car for "dinner"...
 
Hey,,
I built a Wizard...
It was the bestest build and bestest paint job I had ever done to that date....

Teddy
 
JERRYR708 said:
I can only use one coupon per day. After my first purchase, I have to leave for a while and hope the lady at the register forgets me.
Click to expand...

I work in Plano, TX. & live in Dallas.
So on Friday I swing by HL in Plano & use the coupon. Then on Saturday, on my way to the Frisco launch, I swing by HL in North Dallas & Frisco.:wink:
 
TALON said:
I work in Plano, TX. & live in Dallas.
So on Friday I swing by HL in Plano & use the coupon. Then on Saturday, on my way to the Frisco launch, I swing by HL in North Dallas & Frisco.:wink:
Click to expand...

I stated in the rocket geek thread that I bring extra clothes to change into for each 40% off coupon when I shop alone at Hobby Lobby to disguise myself at the register. I was thinking about growing my beard out during the week, make my first purchase, go out to the truck and shave it off and go back in for my next coupon.
 
Purkeypilot said:
HA!! Ya, pretty much :|
Click to expand...

Yeah, I recognized that whole lineup from my own local hunting ground. I sorta-kinda pass by one on my way home from work every day, so I've been wearin' those 40% coupons out... 1 item at a time!

*gun finger and a wink* "I'll see you tomorrow, lil' lady!"
 
Purkeypilot said:
I became an NAR member a few days ago :) Member #212405. I most definitely plan on participating in events, competitions, and eventually MPR and HPR!
Click to expand...

Actually that is your account number. Go to NAR and go to edit your profile. Your NAR number is listed under there. 😀
 
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