Black Friday Launch of the New Way Too Square model rocket

So yet another unsuccessful recovery. This time I was launching the New Way Too Square model rocket. The ejection charge failed to force the nose cone off and deploy the parachute. I love the rocket. I just got to figure out why that nose cone didn't come off.

You are 100% correct. Need to seal it.

Did you round the corners of the nose cone shoulder per instructions? Fit should be snug but not tight.

kuririn said:

Did you round the corners of the nose cone shoulder per instructions? Fit should be snug but not tight.

Click to expand...

yes i did...as you can see in the video, the nose cone is not fitting tight.

kuririn said:

Did you round the corners of the nose cone shoulder per instructions? Fit should be snug but not tight.

Click to expand...

I was concerned that I may have missed something....the instructions do say that these square rocket building procedures are unique.

In looking at your video when you shot the cam looking down into the rocket from the top I noticed a gap or hole on the side when I froze it. Might have leaked some of the ejection gas.

Also, when you recovered the rocket the nose cone was off and the parachute was out, so I don't understand what you mean by "the nose cone didn't come off". Looks more like the chute didn't deploy. Try unfurling the chute and repacking just prior to launch, plastic has a tendency to stick together when packed for some time. Consider using baby powder when packing chutes.

After looking at your video again, (with sound turned up):
There should be another square centering ring (not motor mount) at the top of the stuffer tube sealing off rear blowby of the ejection charge gasses.
So, I don't have this model but I would expect at least three square centering rings: two for the engine mount and one at the top sealing the recovery compartment. If you were missing one, contact New Way for a replacement. Or make your own.
I love the NewWay kits, particularly for the "extras" they include that other manufacturers don't: Sandpaper, emery board, heat shrink tubing, launch lug guide, unique shroud line attachment, etc.

kuririn said:

In looking at your video when you shot the cam looking down into the rocket from the top I noticed a gap or hole on the side when I froze it. Might have leaked some of the ejection gas.

Also, when you recovered the rocket the nose cone was off and the parachute was out, so I don't understand what you mean by "the nose cone didn't come off". Looks more like the chute didn't deploy. Try unfurling the chute and repacking just prior to launch, plastic has a tendency to stick together when packed for some time. Consider using baby powder when packing chutes.

Click to expand...

You know....in retrospect I was thinking about that parachute and nose cone being off as I recovered it as well. I used a B-6-4 for the first launch. I just noticed that the kit suggest a B-6-2. Perhaps the timing of the ejection phase was off?

kuririn said:

After looking at your video again, (with sound turned up):
There should be another square centering ring (not motor mount) at the top of the stuffer tube sealing off rear blowby of the ejection charge gasses.
So, I don't have this model but I would expect at least three square centering rings: two for the engine mount and one at the top sealing the recovery compartment. If you were missing one, contact New Way for a replacement. Or make your own.
I love the NewWay kits, particularly for the "extras" they include that other manufacturers don't: Sandpaper, emery board, heat shrink tubing, launch lug guide, unique shroud line attachment, etc.

Click to expand...

As I was building it I was concerned about the kit only have one centering square. As you can see in the attachment, the kit only has one centering square. Also as I was building it, I was concerned that there was not a centering square at the top of the
engine tube. I was thinking that it needed to be sealed off from those wholes, and I was also concerned that the tube needed more support than just one centering square. But i built it anyway according to the kit. I should have made my own centering squares as I did have that feeling when I was building it.

John Rozean said:

You know....in retrospect I was thinking about that parachute and nose cone being off as I recovered it as well. I used a B-6-4 for the first launch. I just noticed that the kit suggest a B-6-2. Perhaps the timing of the ejection phase was off?

Click to expand...

that cam I use is not the greatest quality, but I froze a couple shots. It seems that the nose cone is off, just the shoot is not deploying.
but i do believe that that compartment with the holes needs to be sealed off from the upper compartment where the parachute is so that the gasses are not leaked during the upward ejection burst. I should have added more centering squares.

kuririn said:

After looking at your video again, (with sound turned up):
There should be another square centering ring (not motor mount) at the top of the stuffer tube sealing off rear blowby of the ejection charge gasses.
So, I don't have this model but I would expect at least three square centering rings: two for the engine mount and one at the top sealing the recovery compartment. If you were missing one, contact New Way for a replacement. Or make your own.
I love the NewWay kits, particularly for the "extras" they include that other manufacturers don't: Sandpaper, emery board, heat shrink tubing, launch lug guide, unique shroud line attachment, etc.

Click to expand...

This is the first New Way square rocket that I have built. I am interesting in getting more of them. I really like their appearance and I agree that the kits have a lot of extras. I also like the way that the parachute strings are attached to the parachute, as in this image attached.

So at this point, I am wondering how I can "unglue" that centering square so that I can remove the engine tube and add at least one centering square above those holes.

kuririn said:

In looking at your video when you shot the cam looking down into the rocket from the top I noticed a gap or hole on the side when I froze it. Might have leaked some of the ejection gas.

Also, when you recovered the rocket the nose cone was off and the parachute was out, so I don't understand what you mean by "the nose cone didn't come off". Looks more like the chute didn't deploy. Try unfurling the chute and repacking just prior to launch, plastic has a tendency to stick together when packed for some time. Consider using baby powder when packing chutes.

Click to expand...

that parachute fit so loosely in the tube that I didn't think it needed any baby powder.

John Rozean said:

that cam I use is not the greatest quality, but I froze a couple shots. It seems that the nose cone is off, just the shoot is not deploying. View attachment 367443 View attachment 367443 View attachment 367444
but i do believe that that compartment with the holes needs to be sealed off from the upper compartment where the parachute is so that the gasses are not leaked during the upward ejection burst. I should have added more centering squares.

Click to expand...

and i think when it bounced off the ground...that upward force pulled the parachute out on the ground...

I think it's clearer now. Definitely seal the parachute compartment with another centering ring. You can make one using the main tube as a template and a bt-20 tube for the center hole. If you don't have fiberboard you can use heavy cardboard. Doesn't have to be perfect, you can seal any gaps with wood glue, and you can install it from the top, no need to unglue anything. Then you will have two rings for the long motor tube (the stuffer tube), that should suffice for low power. Definitely use the recommended motor and delay, your ejection charge may have gone off late leaving not enough time for the chute to deploy. Good luck and have fun!

PS Forgot to mention, the baby powder is to keep the plastic from sticking together, not for sliding the chute out.

kuririn said:

I think it's clearer now. Definitely seal the parachute compartment with another centering ring. You can make one using the main tube as a template and a bt-20 tube for the center hole. If you don't have fiberboard you can use heavy cardboard. Doesn't have to be perfect, you can seal any gaps with wood glue, and you can install it from the top, no need to unglue anything. Then you will have two rings for the long motor tube (the stuffer tube), that should suffice for low power. Definitely use the recommended motor and delay, your ejection charge may have gone off late leaving not enough time for the chute to deploy. Good luck and have fun!

Click to expand...

ok...thanks for your input...that has really helped to get an idea of what was going on with this rocket. I do plan to fix it with those adjustments and launch it again. I figure i will use a C-6-3 next time.

John, I just received some info on this kit from ZeusCat. Apparently there should be two centering squares in the kit:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/new-way-too-square.149596/#post-1837235
Scroll down to post #16.

Correction:
John, seems that the previous info was incorrect. CoachSteve says there is only one centering square:
"The kit I received/built had only one square centering ring that attached the top of the motor tube and then to the square body tube just above the cutouts. This of course makes a sealed chamber for the chute. The bottom of the engine tube is held centered in the square body tube by the 4 fin tabs. The fins adhere to the body tube on the outside and the fin tabs go straight to the motor tube. I then added glue to the inside of the body tube where the tabs came through (internal filet)."
See post #20 of the above link.

kuririn said:

Correction:
John, seems that the previous info was incorrect. CoachSteve says there is only one centering square:
"The kit I received/built had only one square centering ring that attached the top of the motor tube and then to the square body tube just above the cutouts. This of course makes a sealed chamber for the chute. The bottom of the engine tube is held centered in the square body tube by the 4 fin tabs. The fins adhere to the body tube on the outside and the fin tabs go straight to the motor tube. I then added glue to the inside of the body tube where the tabs came through (internal filet)."
See post #20 of the above link.

Click to expand...

kuririn, that makes sense now. Since I had already built is the wrong way, I added a second centering square at the top. I launched it today and it worked. I am new to the New Way kits so I definitely made a mistake there. I really do like these kits. Probably gonna order more of them.

So I stumbled upon a problem with the way that I built the New Way “Too Square” model rocket kit. The last time that I tried to launch the rocket, it did not recover properly, that is the ejection charged failed to deploy the recovery system. So I had to make a modification, making my own centering square, and mounting it at the top of the engine tube to seal off the upper compartment. Today I tested out this modification.

Good work! Problem solved.

As far as I know Erockets is the only vendor that sells NewWay. The manufacturer used to sell on eBay but I haven't seen any for quite some time. Cheers.

John Rozean said:

This is the first New Way square rocket that I have built. I am interesting in getting more of them. I really like their appearance and I agree that the kits have a lot of extras. I also like the way that the parachute strings are attached to the parachute, as in this image attached. View attachment 367446

Click to expand...

I too am a fan of their parachute construction and after building a couple I went in search of similar attachments. I got a package of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ANI5KQ8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 and now use them to make my own 'chutes, repair stripped shrouds on Estes 'chutes (you can put one of these through the pre-tied loop and reattach it to the canopy) and more. It's the strongest way I've seen to attach shroud lines to plastic 'chute canopies and much better than any method that involves poking a hole in the canopy.

I even keep a couple of sheets of them in my field bag for in-the-field repairs.

I'm glad you got it sorted. I like their kits a lot - if you like them I'd kind of maybe go a little nuts on eRockets. I think it's one of these hobby businesses and he only makes a batch now and again. Things can go out of stock for a long time. But yeah, they're good designs, the square thing is fun, I like it that they include things like the kevlar and elastic for the shock cord, it's just all around quality.