After 30yr hiatus I‘m back in model rocketing. Rocket is a Estes Hi-Flier. Engines are C and D. Is that wadding between the engine and parachute a necessity? Is there a home made replacement? Going as much DIY as possible for fun of it.
Is fireproof wad a necessity?
- Thread starter rich56
- Start date
Help Support The Rocketry Forum:
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Yes it's needed to prevent melting the plastic parachute... or in your case the streamer. Many folks use the blown in cellulose insulation like you have in your attic. it's already been treated to be fire resistant.
Nytrunner
Pop lugs, not drugs
You can also make something similar by treating toilet paper or napkins in a solution of borax
Also necessary to prevent starting fires on the ground. When I was much younger, my friend and I launched rockets together. Once he ran out of wadding and stuffed toilet paper in there. I remember seeing some smoldering embers floating down. We also once launched his Estes S.W.A.T. with a B4-4, shortly after leaving the pad, the thrust to weight ratio was about 1 and the rocket did an amazing balancing act briefly before lawn darting and ejecting a few seconds later.
Anyway, some things were learned by experience.
Besides using wadding, you can make ejection charge baffles and eliminate the need for recovery wadding. Or else use a piston, or rear eject if you're interested in other alternatives.
Anyway, some things were learned by experience.
Besides using wadding, you can make ejection charge baffles and eliminate the need for recovery wadding. Or else use a piston, or rear eject if you're interested in other alternatives.
Crepe paper party streamers from a reputable party shop is what I use. Don't use the Chinese discount shop stuff as it likely doesn't have flame retardant.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 11,620
- Reaction score
- 6,259
ask at your local hardware stores if they have any ripped bales of blown insulation. They may sell it cheap of even give it to you. A half bale will last you a few lifetimes
Funkworks
Low Earth Orbit, obstructing Earth's view of Venus
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2018
- Messages
- 5,379
- Reaction score
- 6,054
I "know someone who" forgot to put it once, and the charge blew a hole in the parachute. Everything came down safely, but there was a new, off-centred spill hole in the parachute.
You can always get a small Nomex chute protector instead. It's a square of thick, fire-proof, reusable cloth that stays attached to the shock cord, so you can't forget about it.
You can always get a small Nomex chute protector instead. It's a square of thick, fire-proof, reusable cloth that stays attached to the shock cord, so you can't forget about it.
Last edited:
rharshberger
Well-Known Member
Just make sure its cellulose blow in insulation and not fiberglass, the cellulose is biodegradeable the FG is not.
Do you have any old wilted lettuce in the fridge?
Don't waste the lettuce! Use spinach.
billdz
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2017
- Messages
- 1,377
- Reaction score
- 121
That's probably good advice, although I use dollar store crepe paper (2 rolls for $1), the package says it is flame resistant and I've never had an issue, knock on wood.
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2019
- Messages
- 275
- Reaction score
- 59
That's green in more than 1 way...
A handy tip when preparing Kale is to add a heaping tablespoon of coconut oil.....Makes it much easier to scrape into the garbage can
Not to mention you'd itch for a week after handling the fiberglass.
Bring a variety of spinach, lettuce, cabbage, dandelion leaves picked away from perchlorate contamination near the pads and any edibles you might come across on your recovery walks. You already have some vegetable oil to lubricate launch rods , vinegar to clean your casings and some fast food salt and pepper packets that fell under the car seat last year. Put it into your payload bay with a plastic fork and you will have a nice tossed salad waiting for you when you reach the recovery spot.
This place can get a bit crazy sometimes. But now that you are well versed in chute protection and various forms of environmentally friendly wadding, it is time to ditch any vegan tendencies and go full out carnivore. I'm talking a meat piston here; a nice sausage or fillet wrapped in bacon depending on your rockets diameter. Maybe start off with layers of finely sliced medallions of beef tartar
The ejection charge would impart a nice smoky flavor and the tartar wadding would need its own recovery system as well. As you advance in your rocketry skills you can fly with hard salami fueled hybrid motors like the Myth Busters!
I am actually going to use some lettuce at the launch tomorrow since I have never done anything that crazy.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 11,620
- Reaction score
- 6,259
With puns like that, please lettuce alone!
Ok lettuce be. Got the crepe paper at HL. Nobody knew what it was. Deciding factor to buy over wading was black color for visibility upon ejection. Wish me luck. I’ve had rockets streamer down. Lucky nobody hurt. Only shortened rockets
Make sure to cut the crepe paper into squares and push it into the tube so it forms a good seal. If you just crumple it up and stuff it into the tube hot gas can still blow by the paper and melt the chute. Since it's been awhile since you've packed a chute practice by getting it packed in place with the paper and nose cone and then blowing through the back end of the rocket (easy to do with the Hi Flier) and making sure everything comes out.
Good luck,
Tony
Good luck,
Tony
as said above, Use dog barf cellulose insulation.
Yes, dog barf is the best. On larger diameter rockets use sheet wadding with dog barf on top to make a nice piston. For sheets I use Decopuffs float squares- a full range of colors in the pack. Exactly like the blue Quest sheet wadding.
I used iceberg lettuce last week in the Interceptor E and it worked great. The lump spun down, softly landing not far from the rocket. As it fell it caught the attention of a seasoned flyer who is a parachute specialist. On the recovery walk I caught up with him and asked if he saw the awesome new recovery wadding at work. He was surprised when I picked up the wad of lettuce perfectly in tact, only having a small round powder mark. Used it again on the next flight, same result. After the second flight the bottom piece seemed to be getting a little dry in the dry and hot air of the Mile High city. So I left that leaf for the critters and tore up the rest for the top of the BT 60 Mean Machine. Again it worked fine and the smaller bits looked just like sheet wadding.
So using lettuce is good but you have to watch the moisture content in a dry climate. You also need to season the leaf a bit on the prep table to get a maximum wilted feel, when it just gets rubbery is when it is the best. Don't mind the strange looks you will get with lettuce laying out on your prep table. Here in Colorado it is no big deal since folks are used to seeing piles of seasoned weed.
I used iceberg lettuce last week in the Interceptor E and it worked great. The lump spun down, softly landing not far from the rocket. As it fell it caught the attention of a seasoned flyer who is a parachute specialist. On the recovery walk I caught up with him and asked if he saw the awesome new recovery wadding at work. He was surprised when I picked up the wad of lettuce perfectly in tact, only having a small round powder mark. Used it again on the next flight, same result. After the second flight the bottom piece seemed to be getting a little dry in the dry and hot air of the Mile High city. So I left that leaf for the critters and tore up the rest for the top of the BT 60 Mean Machine. Again it worked fine and the smaller bits looked just like sheet wadding.
So using lettuce is good but you have to watch the moisture content in a dry climate. You also need to season the leaf a bit on the prep table to get a maximum wilted feel, when it just gets rubbery is when it is the best. Don't mind the strange looks you will get with lettuce laying out on your prep table. Here in Colorado it is no big deal since folks are used to seeing piles of seasoned weed.
Last edited:
shreadvector
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2009
- Messages
- 9,066
- Reaction score
- 254
See attached.
Read attached.
Save attached.
Print attached.
Share attached.
Read attached.
Save attached.
Print attached.
Share attached.
Jacob Ritzke
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2018
- Messages
- 42
- Reaction score
- 15
I was in Germany for vacation so I scoped out a hobby shop that sold a few rockets, I also got some Klima wading, It's like flame-resistant wool. Works great!
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Yes, dog barf is the best. On larger diameter rockets use sheet wadding with dog barf on top to make a nice piston. For sheets I use Decopuffs float squares- a full range of colors in the pack. Exactly like the blue Quest sheet wadding.
I used iceberg lettuce last week in the Interceptor E and it worked great. The lump spun down, softly landing not far from the rocket. As it fell it caught the attention of a seasoned flyer who is a parachute specialist. On the recovery walk I caught up with him and asked if he saw the awesome new recovery wadding at work. He was surprised when I picked up the wad of lettuce perfectly in tact, only having a small round powder mark. Used it again on the next flight, same result. After the second flight the bottom piece seemed to be getting a little dry in the dry and hot air of the Mile High city. So I left that leaf for the critters and tore up the rest for the top of the BT 60 Mean Machine. Again it worked fine and the smaller bits looked just like sheet wadding.
So using lettuce is good but you have to watch the moisture content in a dry climate. You also need to season the leaf a bit on the prep table to get a maximum wilted feel, when it just gets rubbery is when it is the best. Don't mind the strange looks you will get with lettuce laying out on your prep table. Here in Colorado it is no big deal since folks are used to seeing piles of seasoned weed.
Let us, or I should say lettuce, congratulate you on your "green new deal" related to wadding.
