First launch...

[smstachwick]

Walmart. Free shipping.
I tried to get a new recovery parachute from Estes the other day and they wanted ten bucks shipping for a six dollar parachute that could be dropped in a postal letter envelope. I repaired the old chute and flew it. Shipping for a new Mongoose was stupid too. I got on Amazon and they want 8 bucks to ship an 18 dollar rocket so I bought a rocket that costs more than the $25 minimum free shipping. BOOM. That Mongoose was kinda cheezy anyway. Those fins seemed very sturdy, however. I think there may be an advantage to bals fins that can pop off because they are repairable. Plastic fins maybe not so much. I'm learning as I go.
I will now see how I like B. Bertha.

You may want to check the vendor’s shipping policy for large orders. I believe Estes offers free shipping if the total is over a certain amount and I think AC Supply does too.

 

[Antares JS]

erockets.biz doesnt have free shipping but it's really reasonable shipping. If you buy just a parachute or something he'll stick it in a skinny little box or envelope and mail it for $2-3.

I strongly recommend buying from hobby vendors who know what they are doing rather than mass market retailers like Walmart and Amazon.

 

[user 45155]

Just noticed where you are from! You have at least one pretty nice club nearby in Washington, don't they call it the Tri-cities? I've been to Hermiston a couple of times to work over at Boardman- I think it's shut down now. Oh, to have some wide-open spaces like that! If I can get 1000' clear in one direction around here, and nobody using it in a way to preclude a launch, it's a red-letter day!

Of couse, if that bombing range is still operational, yikes!

Yeah, I'm looking for better places to launch from....
I bought "B" engines hoping the landing might be in this county. Shooting high is cool but it aint as cool as shooting again, and again.
The Boardman coal fired power plant was upgraded with scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators, It discharged air clean enough to pass for the breath of a newborn infant. It was maintained and repaired so as to be in as-new condition. Then they tore it down and built 2 natural gas fired plants.
Technically, I can't launch in that park I used the other day. Too close to our tiny, uncontrolled airport.

 

[user 45155]

You may want to check the vendor’s shipping policy for large orders. I believe Estes offers free shipping if the total is over a certain amount and I think AC Supply does too.

$100 min

 

[user 45155]

erockets.biz doesnt have free shipping but it's really reasonable shipping. If you buy just a parachute or something he'll stick it in a skinny little box or envelope and mail it for $2-3.

I strongly recommend buying from hobby vendors who know what they are doing rather than mass market retailers like Walmart and Amazon.

If I buy a model rocket kit would he put the package in a box to ship it? That is the question today.

 

[Antares JS]

If I buy a model rocket kit would he put the package in a box to ship it? That is the question today.

Yes, sir. The proprietor of erockets understands his product and protects it appropriately for shipping. I've bought from him many times and never had a problem.

 

[user 45155]

If I buy a model rocket kit would he put the package in a box to ship it? That is the question today.

erockets is quite reasonable. Thanks for the tip!

 

[user 45155]

As soon as I can get Bertha in a tree or something, I will be it touch with erockets. It will be sometime soon after the 29th.

 

[samb]

Yeah ACSupply is great when you’re ready for some volume buying. When you go with vendors like eRockets you’re dealing with a fellow rocketeer who’s the owner, operator, chief cook and bottle washer!
A better experience all-around than Wally World or Scamazon. I think you had some other good vendor suggestions in your “intro” thread.

 

[user 45155]

Yeah ACSupply is great when you’re ready for some volume buying. When you go with vendors like eRockets you’re dealing with a fellow rocketeer who’s the owner, operator, chief cook and bottle washer!
A better experience all-around than Wally World or Scamazon. I think you had some other good vendor suggestions in your “intro” thread.

Yes sir, I did. I visited all of them and bookmarked the links. I should have shopped them.
I'm in the habit of going straight to the big stores for the free shipping because nearly everything I buy is shipped to me. Even with a Walmart Supercenter not far away, they still have to ship me stuff like flour and sugar (just random examples) because of no stock. I use curbside pickup because going in and seeing empty shelves where the stuff I need should be is just not going to get the job done. I place an order and they ship me what the don't have in stock. I have to order beer between Tuesday and Thursday or they have to ship that. There is a Safeway near me also but 25 bucks for TP is out of the question. I saw a piece of meat a few weeks a go there that was $68. I don't even look for meat there at all. Living in the sticks is weird sometimes. There is no hobby shop near here to look for rocket kits. All the young people who would have been slot car hobbyists or model builders years ago are now walking around like zombies while staring at their cellphones hoping for likes on Facebook or something. I really don't know why they stare at them. It's a wonder they don't get hit by a truck. Hobby shops don't sell phones so they're are gone now.
Sorry. I do get carried away.

 

[BEC]

You are much closer to the Tri-Cities Rocketeers site north of Pasco, WA than I am. If you want a bigger place to fly amongst knowledgeable and friendly folks, give them a look. https://tri-cities-rocketeers.weebly.com Their field is my favorite place to fly.

And yeah, don't by single kits from Amazon or Wal Mart. They don't have a clue. Some eBay sellers will put a kit in a padded envelope, too. Not good.

You've gotten some good recommendations here in eRockets and AC Supply. It's easy to get to the $100 free shipping at AC Supply with bulk boxes of motors.

Yes, they use boxes.

 

[user 45155]

You are much closer to the Tri-Cities Rocketeers site north of Pasco, WA than I am. If you want a bigger place to fly amongst knowledgeable and friendly folks, give them a look. https://tri-cities-rocketeers.weebly.com Their field is my favorite place to fly.

And yeah, don't by single kits from Amazon or Wal Mart. They don't have a clue. Some eBay sellers will put a kit in a padded envelope, too. Not good.

You've gotten some good recommendations here in eRockets and AC Supply. It's easy to get to the $100 free shipping at AC Supply with bulk boxes of motors.

Yes, they use boxes.

I'm sure there's lots of advantages to hooking up with a club and it will likely happen in due time but for now I'm sure I can find a rocket eating tree waaaay closer than the 40 or 50 miles that their launch site is from me.
I am all registered and ready to go at eRockets.

 

[Tobor]

Welcome to The Rocketry Forum(s).

It's gotta be nice to have a place to launch close to where you live. As I live in Chicago, most hobby things that fly are banned, with the one (known to me) exception being drones like my Mavic Pro. Go figure... The closest clubs to me, NIRA, QCRC and Woosh & TWA @Bong are 35 minutes ~ 90 minutes away by car.

Anyhoot, keep building and flying, and have fun doing it!

Edit: Also consider having a stash of cash set aside for the "Black Friday" & "Black Saturday" sales that many rocket vendors have. Someone on these here forums will always start a thread about who is having a sale, when those sales start and when they end.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Yes sir, I did. I visited all of them and bookmarked the links. I should have shopped them.
I'm in the habit of going straight to the big stores for the free shipping because nearly everything I buy is shipped to me. Even with a Walmart Supercenter not far away, they still have to ship me stuff like flour and sugar (just random examples) because of no stock. I use curbside pickup because going in and seeing empty shelves where the stuff I need should be is just not going to get the job done. I place an order and they ship me what the don't have in stock. I have to order beer between Tuesday and Thursday or they have to ship that. There is a Safeway near me also but 25 bucks for TP is out of the question. I saw a piece of meat a few weeks a go there that was $68. I don't even look for meat there at all. Living in the sticks is weird sometimes. There is no hobby shop near here to look for rocket kits. All the young people who would have been slot car hobbyists or model builders years ago are now walking around like zombies while staring at their cellphones hoping for likes on Facebook or something. I really don't know why they stare at them. It's a wonder they don't get hit by a truck. Hobby shops don't sell phones so they're are gone now.
Sorry. I do get carried away.

Understandable. They can be like that here when we have a "destination" hobby shop about 15 miles away! Slot cars, plastic kits, small and large scale die cast, trains from "G" to "Z", RC cars, trucks, planes, and drones, great upscale toys and science kits for kids, balsa gliders, stomp rockets, knowledgeable staff, plenty of building supplies and tools, and low - mid powered rockets and motors from Estes, LOC, and a few other vendors.

I'll be dinged if I know why.

 

[Pinetree]

You must be referring to Hobby Express.

I think the guys in our RC club keep that place in business.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

You must be referring to Hobby Express.

I think the guys in our RC club keep that place in business.

Yessir, I am. And one of the fellows from PSC works there, great guy.
How the owner does it, I don't know but God bless him. He and his wife and family are great.

 

[86mustang408w]

A few weeks ago, an old friend gave me his kid's old rocket. The kid's are all grown and gone now and the friend just wants it gone after 20 odd years. It's an old single engine Estes of an unknown model spray painted safety orange and all the fins broken off. It came with a pretty good kit. Launch pad minus the rod, 2 packs of "C engines and a pack of B's, a few extra igniters and a pack of wadding. It had a non functioning launch controller. A few days later I decided to take stock of what I had and it wasn't all that bad. Once I got the parachute lines un-tangled and the fins glued back on it began to look like a launch attempt might be possible soon. Then today I joined this site. I found it while searching for some parts for the rocket. I decided that because the rocket was old and cost me nothing I would improvise some of the repairs and missing parts. For example; I had no igniter plugs so I improvised a tiny wad of tissue paper crammed in there with the key from the launch controller. Compromises were made and it all just kind of came together. Today we had what appeared to be a launch ready rocket and a storm. As soon as the rain quit, it got real calm outside. No wind and everything was wet. Perfect conditions! My wife Jana and I packed everything up and went in to town where there is a multiple ball field and a park with lot's of wide open spaces. We strolled out to the center of the expanse of wet, green grass and set it all up. First attempt was a botched igniter install. No ignition. Second attempt was a perfect launch and recovery using a "B" engine. It gently landed not far away and we were pretty stoked about it all. We decided to try a "C" engine and made a couple of minor modifications to the launch system. What happened next was really strange. The launch was perfect. Nearly vertical. Chute deploy was equally perfect but then the wind came up a bit and from a different direction. The rocket hung on the chute going the wrong way and seemed like it was not coming down very fast at all. We were all hootin and hollerin and then it was like- Uh Oh. It looked like it was going to go clean off the property before it hit the ground. That's when a tall pine tree on the edge of the park reached out and snatched our rocket from it's slow decent. I walked the half mile or so over to see how we could recover it and it looked pretty hopeless, way up in that tree with a security fence and compound directly beyond the tree. Have you ever got your rocket stuck in a tree? We decided to load every thing up and drive a little closer, then use the fishing pole in the car to see if we could nudge the rocket out of the tree. First cast was pretty good and I was able to rock the branch enough to get the rocket to move some. This tempted me to keep trying. Fifty casts later and I had just about every piece of fishing tackle I owned stuck in that tree. It looks like a very big Christmas tree with all that tackle as ornaments and a safety orange star at the top of the tree.
One failure to fire, two successful launches and one successful recovery. I don't think that's all that bad and we had some good laughs too. Well Jana did actually. She was laughing her butt off while I was fishing in that tree. At one point I heard a dog barking and some old lady and her Chiwawa were stopped and staring at me while I was trying to get fishin line un- tangled from that tree. I can only imagine what was going through her head.
Good times!

Crazy, it's weird here in PA. When they get over the little mountains the air gets odd. Like said prob a thermal pocket or wind gust. I've actually seen them go back up!! Very briefly but it was odd. Anyway seems like you had fun. Grab some videos and pictures next time! Welcome.

 

[user 45155]

I rode down to town to check the rocket tree this morning and found the orange rocket had dropped to about 20'!!! I got the wife and the Box (that's what we call our Scion XB), which had fishing gear in it and succeeded in retrieving the rocket- UNHARMED!!!!!
It's now all un-tangled, inspected for damage and getting a good drying out. If the weather is good, we could launch tomorrow! Woo-HOO!!!!

 

[Blast it Tom!]

I rode down to town to check the rocket tree this morning and found the orange rocket had dropped to about 20'!!! I got the wife and the Box (that's what we call our Scion XB), which had fishing gear in it and succeeded in retrieving the rocket- UNHARMED!!!!!
It's now all un-tangled, inspected for damage and getting a good drying out. If the weather is good, we could launch tomorrow! Woo-HOO!!!!

Very glad you got it back!

 

[user 45155]

Just got back from launching the orange rocket again and the first launch of my new Boosted Bertha (without the booster). Bertha flew with a B6 and the orange rocket flew with a C6. There was zero wind and I was able to catch the C6 powered rocket with my hand as it came down. Both rockets stayed within a baseball diamond. We had a great time!
We have decided to keep the recovery chutes out and loose while not being used. Does that sound like the right thing to do? Do y'all keep your chutes packed or out loose?

 

[Pinetree]

I have push pins on the back of a door and hang them from there.

In my opinion, nothing good comes from leaving the chutes folded up inside a rocket.

.02

 

[smstachwick]

Just got back from launching the orange rocket again and the first launch of my new Boosted Bertha (without the booster). Bertha flew with a B6 and the orange rocket flew with a C6. There was zero wind and I was able to catch the C6 powered rocket with my hand as it came down. Both rockets stayed within a baseball diamond. We had a great time!
We have decided to keep the recovery chutes out and loose while not being used. Does that sound like the right thing to do? Do y'all keep your chutes packed or out loose?

Either way should be fine, just be sure to unpack the chutes before flight if you store them packed.

A little bit of baby powder can prevent them from sticking by dispelling static charge. It also counteracts the rotten egg stink.

 

[user 45155]

Thanks, gents!

 

[user 45155]

First thing tomorrow morning, Jana and I will be attempting our first ever launch attempt of a two stage rocket. This is virgin territory for both of us. This is a Boosted Bertha running 18 mm B6 engines. Second stage has flown once already with no booster and it went perfectly. Does anybody have any tips or advice? We are all ears.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Pinetree]

Designate someone to keep their eyes on the booster section.

 

[samb]

Reef the chute if necessary. I described this in post #10 here.

 

[samb]

Consider flying a “weather gauge” rocket first to get an idea of the wind direction. Stagers tend to want to fly into the wind. Orienting the launch rod straight up is usually the best approach.

 

[user 45155]

NOAA predicts little to no wind. Fingers crossed....

 

[smstachwick]

Follow the prep directions and use your best judgement. Stacked B motors work fine.

 

[user 45155]

OK. Here at La Casa de PAN Demonium and Rocket Emporium, we are GO for launch. Weather could not be better! Well, daylight would be better but at T minus one hour (ish) it will be light out. I have designated myself as the Booster Tracking person. Mostly because the entire launch crew is old people and the girls are pretty much vision impaired. My eyes aren't a whole lot better but at least I'm not wearing reading glasses (like both of the wimmins). I will post a post launch report that may even include pics, a bit later.
Wish us luck.