Well... it took a while, but we finally found the time to do this... We set up shop in one of the abandoned classrooms of a defunct school next door to our school (they closed up, and left one night owing our school money for the electrical bill, and some rent I understand).
(Yes, you can see a Cineroc in the back of that photo)(also visible, Estes Sprint XL, D Region Tomahawk, parts of a couple of other kits, and the #6 Semroc Gyroc)
We opened the kits, spread out the stuff I brought for building them. We started off by getting rid of the seams on the nosecones, and then getting them ready for a decent paint job (should we ever be able to find paint).
I got to learn that Jerry has a pretty funny sense of humor. That's his name, and a message we can all understand... :lol:
We got to listen to some music while he learned the joys of sanding... He got into the sounds of Matchbox 20, and would groove a little while trying to clean up the rest of the nosecone.
Then it was on to the motor mount...
After a nice long lunch with his father, some good conversation, and half a bottle of Bordeaux (Seriously!)... We got back to it.
I taught him how to paper fins.
I showed him how to make sure that the fins are strong by taking some scrap balsa, and gluing it on in different ways (grain direction, the double glue method vs lots of glue, papering vs raw balsa). You can see the results of one of the experiments in the photo above). Either Jerry's been doing some research, or he has good natural intuition. He correctly identified which would be the weaker way of doing things.
Regrettably, I didn't get to photograph him playing with the parachute before he had to leave for a family New Year's get together. So, we'll have to end the build here for now. I let him borrow my copy of the 2016 Estes Catalog (Thanks M.R. for the catalog!)
Throughout this he was having fun.
When I get the chance I'm going to teach him how to make the old style Estes parachutes (with swivels), we'll make fin alignment guides, and actually get the rocket assembled and ready for paint and decals. I'm also planning on teaching him how to cut body tubes, and his own fins (if we get the chance).
His dad liked the idea of activity based learning. He's concerned that kids who don't get to do fun things are harmed by it (a belief I share). I'll likely be seeing more of Jerry in the future as we do projects together. His dad also paid me 380 RMB (about $58 USD) to buy Jerry an Estes Launch Set (The only non-RTF Estes rockets we found on Taobao). He's getting the Tandem X set.
Looks like it'll take upwards of a month to get here.
I'd like to Thank Randy (eRockets) for the Alpha's, and to all those who are throwing something in for this kid.
I've got a few other students who are showing some interest in rocketry. Including a couple of girls. Who knows what Jerry and I may have started here.