Pending HPR book

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Winston

Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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Make: High-Power Rockets: Construction and Certification for Thousands of Feet and Beyond
To be published December 4, 2017

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1457182971/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

51Azn2kAH9L._SX408_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
 
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I liked his previous book a lot. It was the one that inspired me to try scratch building when I was a beginner.

We chatted with author Mike Westerfield on The Rocketry Show podcast a while back. It was a fun chat.

You can listen to it here.
 
I remember listening to that podcast. I think his Down to Earth Rocket Science book is very good. Dare I say, a new millennium "Handbook". Stine forgive me !
 
My book just arrived! I just saw it on Amazon a couple of days ago, ordered it not know when it would get published, and the next day or so, bam, I got an email saying it was shipping.

The author, Mike Westerfield, was a big software developer of Apple IIGS software...wrote a lot of manuals, and technical teaching material. He has a great writing style and was always knowledgeable about that stuff. When I saw he was authoring a book on rocketry, it was a no-brainer/instant click to buy.

I'm definitely going to listen to that podcast (& build my positive pressure painting booth too!).

I liked his previous book a lot. It was the one that inspired me to try scratch building when I was a beginner.

We chatted with author Mike Westerfield on The Rocketry Show podcast a while back. It was a fun chat.

You can listen to it here.
 
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Hello Winston,

Thanks for posting this thread. Going to add both books to my Christmas wish list.

Peace,
Tobor
 
I have received the confirmation I ordered. I haven't had time to start reading it, but it looks good. It is very comprehensive, taking you from Level 1 through Level 3. Unlike his previous book which used photos from many sources (including me!), most of the photos in this one appear to be by (or of) the author which gives it more consistency.
 
I have received the confirmation I ordered. I haven't had time to start reading it, but it looks good. It is very comprehensive, taking you from Level 1 through Level 3. Unlike his previous book which used photos from many sources (including me!), most of the photos in this one appear to be by (or of) the author which gives it more consistency.
I agree. I like it. I've thumbed through every page and it looks like a very complete guide. I like the total impulse table which goes from 1/4A to 8Z (Saturn V).
 
I agree. I like it. I've thumbed through every page and it looks like a very complete guide. I like the total impulse table which goes from 1/4A to 8Z (Saturn V).

I will never accept that the Letter-grade motor scale is applicable to liquid engines.
I am prepared to die on that hill :dark:
 
Mine will be here Monday. His previous rocketry book did a lot for me - it's what made me realize scratch building was a thing I could do.
 
The author Mike Westerfield was featured a while back on the Rocketry Podcast. Knowledgeable guy and the book will no doubt be informative.
 
I worked with Mike during his preparation of the book. I got a pre-release of the contents for review and it's a top-notch and extremely thorough book. No stone goes unturned and it is loaded with details and examples.
 
Probably a bit artificial, but it does show where we normally play in the scheme of things :(
Yep, and I'm sure that's the intent of the table and what makes it interesting, at least to me.
 
I've been comparing Westerfield's book to Canepa's book, and it is fascinating to me how different (in a good way) both books are addressing the same topics...it is great to have two different approaches to a topic that complement each other and offer something different, rather than carbon copy each other. Bottom line: get both, you won't be disappointed, and you will be better off than having only one or the other.

Obviously, Westerfield's book has better treatment of more modern innovations, such as GPS (where Canepa's book, from 2005, mentions it briefly in 2 spots).

I was going to make a joke about the books being what you would expect if a lawyer wrote one book (Canepa) and a physics major (Westerfield) wrote the other, but that would be a gross oversimplification and would also be wrong. A good example (of my bad, gross oversimplification) might be how each handles calculating how much black powder to use for an ejection charge. Canepa has a page where he refers to another book and websites for the equations, and then gives a rule of thumb equation from an altimeter manufacturer. Westerfield has three pages of discussion and formulae starting with the "ideal gas law" and derives the equation to determine separation force, but then tells you at the end of the section to refer to a table on the next page "because it is a bit tedious to do...for every rocket." It is two different approaches...

I really like the way Canepa includes hundreds of photos with his discussion and instruction. I was surprised at that fact there weren't more photo's in Westerfield's book, but the ones he has are in color and at a better resolution.

I'm still going through them...bottom line, get both books! And I'm not being wishy-washy, at least *this* time.
 
I've been comparing Westerfield's book to Canepa's book, and it is fascinating to me how different (in a good way) both books are addressing the same topics...it is great to have two different approaches to a topic that complement each other and offer something different, rather than carbon copy each other. Bottom line: get both, you won't be disappointed, and you will be better off than having only one or the other.

[snip]

I'm still going through them...bottom line, get both books! And I'm not being wishy-washy, at least *this* time.
I agree, both are great in their own ways.
 
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