Movin' on Up

[skaffgeorge2]

Hey everyone, old geezer here.First started way back in 69 wnen I was 8 years old.Had my first flights in over 45 years at URRF 9.Seeing what I saw there this weekend made me want to up grade to mid power and I'm looking for whatever worthwhile advice I can find.First off, what would be a good kit to start off with? I have a few in mind but I'm looking for input.As far as motors are concerned, I'll let you folks sound off on that.Saw a lot I really liked there, especially the new Enerjet Classic F67.I'm a bit lukewarm on the 29mm black powder motors though, I wasn't impressed by them very much, the mid power composites are considerably more impressive.But seeing as my income is quite limited I'm not sure what I'll be able to do yet.Also I don't have a place to fly here in Northeast PA.So give me a shout out and let me know what y',all think.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

You've been building rockets for a while. Do you want to build a kit, or would you be comfortable building from scratch? I've got a design for a rocket I built back in 2000-01. It flies on 29mm motors. I think it's too heavy to fly on black powder motors, but I've flown it on composite "E" motors. I flew it a *bunch* on G80s. I've also flown it on H reloads to get my L1 cert. I call it the "Octiron" because I first painted it with purple-green color shifting paint (Octiron is the color of magic in Terry Pratchett's Diskworld - a sort of purple-green). This rocket is built with 18 inches of 54mm body tube. I've expanded the design, recently, to use a full 36" body tube (design #2)

 

[Art Upton]

Estes Star Obiters Stock are nice on the F15 BP motors. And if you beef up the fins on high thrust composite motors.

I actually like the long burn F15BP motors remind me of FSI motors back in 1975 and on.

https://www.rocketryworks.com/star-orbiter-fin-upgrade-1-8-inch-plywood-set-of-3/

 

[Hobie1dog]

you're going to get lots of suggestions

 

[skaffgeorge2]

Estes Star Obiters Stock are nice on the F15 BP motors. And if you beef up the fins on high thrust composite motors.

I actually like the long burn F15BP motors remind me of FSI motors back in 1975 and on.

https://www.rocketryworks.com/star-orbiter-fin-upgrade-1-8-inch-plywood-set-of-3/

The Star Orbiter is one I'm considering.Also the Super Big Bertha.But like I said I'm very open to suggestions.If I had the flying space here it wouldn't be a problem but there's just nothing.So much is being developed here there's nowhere to go.And traveling is pretty expensive for someone in my situation. So whether I should or not is a difficult question to answer right now.

Estes Star Obiters Stock are nice on the F15 BP motors. And if you beef up the fins on high thrust composite motors.

I actually like the long burn F15BP motors remind me of FSI motors back in 1975 and on.

https://www.rocketryworks.com/star-orbiter-fin-upgrade-1-8-inch-plywood-set-of-3/

S

 

[skaffgeorge2]

you're going to get lots of suggestions

That's fine with me, that's more or less why I'm here.The more brains I can pick the better.

 

[Art Upton]

Stock Star Orbiters are cheap and you can fly them on a D or E BP motor in a soccer park on the short delays

 

[skaffgeorge2]

You've been building rockets for a while. Do you want to build a kit, or would you be comfortable building from scratch? I've got a design for a rocket I built back in 2000-01. It flies on 29mm motors. I think it's too heavy to fly on black powder motors, but I've flown it on composite "E" motors. I flew it a *bunch* on G80s. I've also flown it on H reloads to get my L1 cert. I call it the "Octiron" because I first painted it with purple-green color shifting paint (Octiron is the color of magic in Terry Pratchett's Diskworld - a sort of purple-green). This rocket is built with 18 inches of 54mm body tube. I've expanded the design, recently, to use a full 36" body tube (design #2)

View attachment 586041

Well, I really wouldn't mind scratch building but I want to go with a kit first because I don't want to spend a lot of time designing and building.The Star Orbiter is beginning to look like a good choice, it's got clean lines and construction should be pretty straight forward.Only problem is it may not fly till next year right around this time at URRF 10 in Potter, New York at their ENORMOUS field, it's gotta be the biggest field in the East.Put up four flights there on Saturday at URRF 9,all perfect.Can't tell you how good it feels to be back after such a long time, makes you wonder why you ever got away from it in the first place.

 

[Art Upton]

It says hard wood fins and mine I checked in the garage had them

https://www.rocketreviews.com/star-orbiter-6906.html

 

[prfesser]

Balsa Machining has a 3" diameter "School Rocket", $30; you supply (or order) the parachute. Available with either a 24mm or 29mm motor mount. A payload section is another $12. Good, solid basic rocket for mid-power, and could easily be flown on an H motor. You can download the instructions to see how easy it is to build.

BMS also has tubes, nose cones, fin stock, balsa blocks, etc., etc. if you're into scratchbuilding.