Baffle or Nomex&Kevlar?

[jaymeister99]

I'm about to start on my next rocket.

Its an Estes Patriot. But I was wondering about using a Nomex wadding and a kevlar shock cord instead of a Baffle and the stock "rubber band" cord.

What are some of the pros/cons of nomex/kevlar vs the baffle? Or maybe Nomex/kevlar/insulation(?)

 

[cobra1336]

Nomax might add a bit of wieght. Is a baffle part of the instructions or something you wanted to add. I would build it the way the instructions state. Mine has lasted years that way.

 

[bjphoenix]

A completely effective baffle is difficult to construct, especially with the weight constraints of a Patriot.

No matter what size rocket it is worthwhile to have a recovery harness in the rocket that will be durable. A baffle will help with that. The advantage of nomex is that you can move it from rocket to rocket, and add it to rockets that are already built.

 

[New Ocean]

I use fire-proof cellulose aka dog barf for all kits 4 inches and smaller. It is cheap (spent $10 5 years ago and still have half a bag left.) It also is not going to snag up in the rocket, or get dirty over time. Particularly for small rockets, I see no reason not to stick with wadding or cellulose.

 

[fyrwrxz]

Ditch the rubber band-so 60's....

 

[jaymeister99]

Is the cellulose aka "dog barf" cellulose insulation? Does it go all over the place when the parachute ejects?

 

[Stymye]

I like a sheet of wadding followed by a helping of dag barf ,, the patriot lasts fine for that type of wadding.

 

[jaymeister99]

Well, I put the baffle that I had purchased a couple of weeks ago in the rocket. What can I say, I just had to use it! Its about mid-way in the body tube, still plenty of room for the parachute.

Only thing I'm worried about is throwing off the cg a little too much. See how it goes.

 

[MarkII]

The Estes Patriot uses BT-60 for the airframe. You can get a high quality and highly effective baffle (speaking from experience) from here. Use wood glue when you assemble it, and then coat all of the surfaces with epoxy. Let that fully cure, and then install the baffle in your rocket. I rely on this baffle all by itself to protect the recovery system in rockets that I have installed it in, and none of the parachutes and shock cords have ever gotten so much as a soot mark on them.

 

[New Ocean]

Is the cellulose aka "dog barf" cellulose insulation? Does it go all over the place when the parachute ejects?

Yes it is shredded newspaper treated to be fire retardant. It is ejected and spreads out over the field, to bio-degrade over the next few months.

 

[KarlS]

I always replace the rubber band with braided nylon elastic from a frabic store like "Hancock's" or "JoAnn's". It is so much better. It is available in many sizes to up one inch wide. Some stores carry it in bulk and you can buy it by the foot at a reduced price.

There are some elastics that look like the braided nylon, but they are cotton covered and are not worth it as they burn easily. :y: