Tip! Solving A Payload Section's Nose Cone Problem.

Here's the setup:

You've got an unfinished payload section equipped rocket with a balsa or plastic coupler (e.g Estes Maxi Icarus, or Magnum), or a plastic transition (e.g. Estes Loadstar II, Magician). During the assembly you go to test the fit of the coupler/transition's shoulder in the body tube (with the payload section attached), and the nosecone blows off instead of the entire payload section.

Of course, it'll find the only unprotected sharp edged object in the immediate vicinity, and deeply nick itself in a place that can't be hidden, just before bouncing off and rolling between (or under) the largest (and heaviest) object in the room while coming to rest just out of reach.

You could try gluing the nose cone on, but that kinda defeats the purpose of the payload section. You might remember to tape it next time... Yeah right, you'll remember it... Right after it happens again.

Here's the solution:

The best solution I've found is to seal the bottom of the coupler/transition's shoulder. If it's a plastic part, it has a hole, which I'll cover with a piece of balsa scrap. I also like to glue (from the inside) something that will come in contact with the plug, but won't go through the hole as added insurance that the seal won't pop off for some reason. CA works well for this. If the part is balsa, then lately, I'll use a ultra fine tip Sharpie to write my name, email address, and club member number on the part. Then I seal the exposed end grain with thin CA.


Remember to tape the nose cone on before launching it, to prevent embarrassing incidents with ballistic payload returns.

Pointy Side Up!
Jim