The cost of rocketry.

[Buckeye]

in that case just buy a ready to fly kit... forget building.

In case you missed it in post #1, the OP is building his rocket.

 

[KBlack]

The real ban-worthy post will be the full as-built cost tally of a L3 project. I've not completed my L3 yet, and the idea of tallying it up right now and comparing it with my initial project budget is disturbing.

 

[taiwanluthiers]

I know, but you mentioned time. It makes sense that time/money thing but honestly, this is a hobby and so if money is an issue then you'll have to spend more time on doing things cheaper. If you say "I don't have enough time" then well, there's no point in having a hobby if time is such a big issue.

Plus for those who needs to convince their wives of purchases having a smaller price tag is an easier sell.

 

[Bat-mite]

Hmmm, seems like I touched a nerve with a few folks. :wink:

 

[Rrwjr]

There are also 36" military surplus chutes that are not only cheap, but works better than anything from Topflight or anyone else.

Paint is ALWAYS optional.

Hold on there just a minute- all of my rockets fly Topflight. Never have I had a chute failure, or rough landing that wasn't induced by me doing something wrong. They offer various styles, are reasonable in cost and Gary and his wife are great people. I'm sure there are many, many, many, people here who will agree with me. Maybe you hit a nerve for me, but for many of us and many of the manufacturers who use top flight chutes -top flight is like family. You like military surplus great- don't go slinging a well respected name in the Rocketry business as inferior because you buy a particular chutes cheaper on the surplus circuit. I attend many launches LPR, MPR, and HPR and I think it's less than a coincidence that you see Top flight chutes and reacon chutes- also made by Top flight more than anything else. I have yet to see an "x" type chute or reacon style chute on the military surplus market so let's make sure your comparing apples to apples for what your needs are, to where you fly and what you fly before throwing out a statement that something works better than anything from Top flight.

Sorry for throwing thread off topic. Not a big fan of seeing rocketry vendors names used negatively unless they have wronged someone by taking there cash and not delivering.

 

[smarra01]

Don't forget the tracker.

 

[Coop]

Nah--not a nerve (at least not with me). It depends in how you wish to look at it.

Personally, I consider parachutes, harnesses, sleds, motor casings, etc., interchangeable with other rockets, so I do not include them in the cost. They're "rocketry supplies." Epoxy, FG, threaded rods, hardware, sandpaper... Those fall under "shop supplies." Primer, paint, body filler... Those items get filed under "finishing supplies."

See? It's a hundred bucks, plus a retainer. No big deal.


Later!

--Coop

 

[crossfire]

Russ thanks for the kind words. Flyers can always find things cheaper. But who can you call 2 days before a launch saying I need a chute? We have done it many times for the flyers. If you guys only knew how many chutes we supply to kit builders in the hobby. Plus we have put new lines on hundreds surplus chutes. Cotton lines do rot over time even if they have never been used. We must be doing something right we are in our 24th year since TFR went into business.

 

[jadebox]

I never added up the cost of everything I had put into a rocket until the rocket ended up lost in some trees miles from the launch site.

-- Roger

 

[Aksrockets]

It's all a trade off of work and money. You don't want to build an AV bay, you can go buy a 3D printed sled. If you don't want to build your own retention, you can buy an Aeropack.

If you want to look at the opposite side of the spectrum, you don't even have to buy a kit! Or body tubes! Roll your own FG tubes, cut your own fins and maybe even make your own nosecone. You'd end up with the exact same (or similar) rocket for well under $100. In consumables alone, probably under $50. The only difference will be the amount of time you spend building. Thats what I love to do, so it isn't a problem. You can complain about expenses, but most of it's really personal preference. It's as expensive as you want it to be.

Alex

 

[markkoelsch]

No Paint??? I'm doing a multi-color paint job on my new Minie-Magg now and the paint alone cost about $125 for 5 cans of Duplicolor Paint Shop lacquer (white, black, red, silver, and clear).

Rockets have to fly first to earn paint.

 

[markkoelsch]

Russ thanks for the kind words. Flyers can always find things cheaper. But who can you call 2 days before a launch saying I need a chute? We have done it many times for the flyers. If you guys only knew how many chutes we supply to kit builders in the hobby. Plus we have put new lines on hundreds surplus chutes. Cotton lines do rot over time even if they have never been used. We must be doing something right we are in our 24 year since TFR went into business.

Gary, you have made a ton of quality chutes and harnesses for folks, you are super to deal with, have unrivaled turn around time, and are really one of the good guys in the hobby. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.

 

[boomtube-mk2]

Whatever the cost, it is still less expensive than fast cars and faster women.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

There are a ton of hidden costs. Mostly I don't buy expensive kits, but all the little incidental items do add up. In fact, the cheaper the kit is to start off with, the higher the percentage of the total cost that goes to all the little extras. Like the OP, I know I've built some rockets where I paid more for the extras than for the kit. I also have spent a LOT on paint. And it's not that I'm a great paint artist or I buy expensive paints. I use inexpensive Rustoleum, and I make mistakes that need to be sanded off and redone. I wonder how much of what I spend on paint ends up as dust. That dust probably cost more than its weight in gold.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Whatever the cost, it is still less expensive that fast cars and faster women.

True. At least I thought so before I got into high power. Now maybe the gap is narrowing.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

I got a great deal on a LED light strip --- 300 super bright RGB LEDs on 5 meters of strip with an adhesive back, a controller unit, an IR remote, lots of individual colors and 4 patterns. It was only $23! Unfortunately, it came with an AC adapter and I needed to run it with batteries. After connectors at Radio Shack, and a lipo, smart charger, more connectors and soldering at Hobby Town, that's about $70 bucks more! Now my $23 LED strip is edging up toward a hundred bucks!

 

[grouch]

Everyone knows rocketry cost money. Just how much depends entirely on the flier and what they want out of the hobby. Personally I am in a bit of regression mode, I find more enjoyment out of the 29mm G's and H's than anything else. Downsize the rocket, downsize everything that goes with it. My other lifelong hobby, fly fishing, has this one smoked when it comes to dollars spent and that's OK too. Both can be done a whole lot cheaper if that is your goal.

 

[michigander]

Don't forget the tracker.

+1

or all lost

 

[fallingrocket]

That is something i,ve never done.Sit down and total up the cost of a build,for any of my many hobbies. Nor do I keep tabs to total it up after the fact. For a very good reason, I dont want to know!!!

 

[jimzcatz]

We do alot of static displays and museum shows. "How much is that" is the most asked question regarding our BIG rockets. If you know me, you know Starleopard. My answer is "I have 1000$ in that rocket before I put a 400$ motor in it. All the laundry is interchangeble so that don't count. That does include electronics. Rocketry at the L3 level is definately not for the faint at heart budget hungry crowd. But with some shopping around, it can be done reasonably. Once again to the OP, good luck and have fun!!

 

[KenRico]

It's all a trade off of work and money. You don't want to build an AV bay, you can go buy a 3D printed sled. If you don't want to build your own retention, you can buy an Aeropack.

If you want to look at the opposite side of the spectrum, you don't even have to buy a kit! Or body tubes! Roll your own FG tubes, cut your own fins and maybe even make your own nosecone. You'd end up with the exact same (or similar) rocket for well under $100. In consumables alone, probably under $50. The only difference will be the amount of time you spend building. Thats what I love to do, so it isn't a problem. You can complain about expenses, but most of it's really personal preference. It's as expensive as you want it to be.

Alex

Alex is popular because he rolls his own . . . (Ducking)

Kenny

 

[Bat-mite]

Just so that everyone knows: I wasn't complaining or looking for ways to get around cost. Just wanted to point out that a $100 rocket ends up costing 3X that much in certain circumstances.

I don't do a lot of sharing between rockets because I like to prep at home and get to the field and fly. I don't like to spend launch time moving altimeters around, screwing and unscrewing parts, etc. I will end up buying this rocket when it goes on sale, either for Hump Day or Black Friday. But I like to know what I am investing in before I do it.

 

[crossfire]

John
I to like to do my prep work at home. This hobby like any can be costly if one wants it to.
We all just need to keep it fun and safe.

 

[The_Lone_Beagle]

It seems like there are 3 cost "hurdles" to rocketry, with each hurdle higher than the previous hurdle.

#1 --> the cost of the rocket itself

#2 --> finishing supplies -- ok, for smaller rockets this is probably a bigger hurdle, as if you buy a $20 rocket and need 2 different paint colors, then you need a $7 can of primer, and then two $5 or so cans of paint, but you expect some left over for another rocket or so. Where as for a $100 rocket, it might not scale up as sharply, but you still need several cans of the same color. I forgot to add cost of glue, epoxy, sanding paper, sealer/woodfiller, X-acto knives/razor blades, saws, extra wood (I usually toss the balsa stock in kits and replace it with basswood...sigh).

#3 --> motors and recovery supplies. Over the lifetime of the rocket this adds up...slowly but surely. Or not so slowly, with a C-engine costing $5-6, and a G/H-engine costing $20+, it doesn't take many launches to get to the purchase cost. Of course, it is better this than launching it once and losing it to a tree or to a prang event.

#4 --> Since it is a hobby, we don't put a price on time, but if you thought about how much your time is worth, and how much you put into each rocket, that would be a huge cost.

All I can say is, I'm such a tightwad, it hurts spending any amount of money on anything. (The older I get, the more I sound like my dad when he complained about the cost of gas or a loaf of bread). But when I see how much I spend on gas, or how much my wife spends on her running stuff, then I figure I might as well get my licks in too, so to speak. Crap, I spend $28 on my dog's meds yesterday, and those were the cheap ones! But, the little goofball is curled up by my feet right now, so it is definitely worth it!

 

[Coop]

As the Social Distortion song goes: "never seen a hearse with a luggage rack."

Where you're considering #3 as an expense, I'm considering it a goal. I WANT to spend the parts purchase cost again on motors; feel like I broke even that way. I mean, we build 'em to fly 'em, no?

Say, for example, I built this rocket--and going by these bizarre calculations, I spent, Oh, I dunno... $1200. That's an up-front investment to get me onto the pad. Then, let's say each motor runs $200. Thus, after flight six, I broke even. Now SOME disparaging malcontents might claim "falsehood," there, saying, in fact, that after flight six, I was into the rocket for a whopping $2400 (which is, of course, crazytalk). See, they're looking at it from a slant. At first, I pay the rocket. Then, once we start flying, the rocket pays me.

I'm telling you, gentlemen, RATIONALIZE. It's worked for addicts of all stripes since time immemorial. Pass me a razor blade and a mirror of AP, if you're holding.


Later!

--Coop

 

[Evilash]

I like your mental gymnastics getting to that rationalization coop. Hey some people spend this much money on candy crush, and they don't even get to use explosives.

 

[o1d_dude]

Don't forget the cost of driving to and from the launch, the meals on the road, the overnight hotel stays, airfare to Australia to participate in the Thunda Down Unda...

 

[markkoelsch]

Coop, $2400 is $2400. It is all money spent, and rationalizing it is bogus. I am not arguing that you should not spend the money if you have it to spend. There is reasonable expenditure, but what that is an individual decision.

What is not reasonable is to go into debt for a hobby. I am not talking a credit card shot that takes a couple months to pay off- I am taking a loan from a bank to build a rocket. I have heard of this- a person taking a second mortgage to build a large rocket. Sorry, but I think that is foolishness.

 

[accpool]

I am not offended, just think it's funny to add it up and then be upset (if you are), maybe just pointing out how quickly the costs add up . I can't tell you how many of my buddies go and spend 300.00 for a round of golf at the swanky exclusive club. I can't see doing it but I applaud them for doing something they like, relaxing, unwinding etc. I on the other hand will never be able to put a price tag on my heard (4 kids) and wife all going out to a launch and spending all day or weekend together launching rockets and spending quality time together. Yes it is very expensive when you are the bankroll, but it is priceless to me, therefore cost is not part of my decision making. We all spend time building, designing, painting and flying together, would get a second job to be able to do this in a heartbeat. If you aren't having fun you shouldn't do it, if you are then continue to build your nice rockets and fly them often.

 

[Coop]

I like your mental gymnastics getting to that rationalization coop. Hey some people spend this much money on candy crush, and they don't even get to use explosives.

**bows** Thanks. I think the East German judge is gonna give me mid-8's, though.

What is not reasonable is to go into debt for a hobby. I am not talking a credit card shot that takes a couple months to pay off- I am taking a loan from a bank to build a rocket. I have heard of this- a person taking a second mortgage to build a large rocket. Sorry, but I think that is foolishness.

I'm (partially) joking. I'd never suggest someone set themselves up to be unable to meet their financial obligations in order to build or launch. I WOULD, however, suggest that, if someone's going to have a hobby to enjoy it and not focus on the negative aspects of it. I know, as does anyone else that's had to get a new parachute for a rocket, or a new case, or whatever have you, that this stuff adds up. We all know that. Hell, "OPEN YOUR WALLET" is, pretty much, the obligatory congratulatory phrase uttered whenever someone reaches a new certification level, is it not (or is that only an East Coast thing)?

Fact is, we're burning $20 bills with regularity for a ten second trip to apogee (and that's a G motor!). Yes. That's nuts. This whole hobby is nuts. I mean, c'mon... every single thing we invest our intellectual energies, finances, and time into can be destroyed through no fault of our own, and be utterly lost in a fraction of a second. You can do EVERYTHING right, and still have a motor CATO, or have a weak factory ejection charge or "bonus delay," or have the electronics fail, and collect your pieces in a trash bag, sling it over your shoulder with your pride, and shuffle on back to the tent.

There are plenty of reasons not to pursue rocketry as a hobby, and yes, finances is one of them. That said, you can still choose how you view the money spent. I simply choose to look at it in a way that doesn't give me a seizure.


Later!

--Coop