Beginner Clustering/Boosting

[Draxtharocketman]

Hi everyone,
Recently I've got into model rocketary and ive really really enjoyed it.
I'm using basic Estes rockets such as the Crossfire ISX, the Amazon and the big daddy.

My question is, would it be safe to super glue 2 A8-3s together and stick in the Amazon as a kind of booster?
I've watched a few videos of people doing such things even to the point of glueing 4 together and having no problems.

I know I'm a noob so pls be gentle, I just wish to expand my experience and reach greater heights.

Would this be ok, safe, and work?
Ive glued them so the recovery charge should ignite the 2nd stage.

Thank you.

 

[dhbarr]

You want the a8-0's for the bottom of the stack, not the a8-3's. To CHAD stage most folks use a wrap of clear office tape rather than glue.

I might suggest trying just a single a8-0 --> a8-3 stack. I think you may be surprised just how far that goes and how hard the top stage is to find!

 

[Antares JS]

You need a motor with a designation ending in -0 for a booster, and you don't need to glue your stages together, just use a wrap of regular scotch tape.

A -0 motor only has a propellant grain inside it and no delay or ejection charge. They are intended for the exact purpose of being booster motors and lighting the stage above them. Because multistage rockets also pick up a great deal of speed, you might also want to think about using a longer delay in your upper stage.

To reiterate and be perfectly clear: Use a -0 motor in your lower stage(s) and consider using a longer delay motor in your top stage, depending on the rocket and the power of your booster.

 

[BABAR]

HOLD IT!

while there are some single stage rockets that may be so overstable that you can “just tape a zero delay booster motor” on the end (aka CHAD staging = CHEap And Dirty staging) for most rockets this WILL NOT WORK. I haven’t flown the crossfire or Amazon or Big Daddy, so maybe people more familiar with these can chime in.

Maybe @neil_w has an open rocket file on the Amazon. My mind sim on the rocket suggests it will not easily lend itself to CHAD staging, not enough finnage.

@Daddyisabar tried it in 2009 on Big Daddy see post 22, and seemed less than enthusiastic about the outcome
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/estes-big-daddy-stock-or-modifications.144903/
Plans for a CHAD stage rocket can be found here

https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/eirp_10.htm
Black powder non gap staging is easy and fun and works great with rockets DESIGNED for it.

You can go to the Estes site, or just about any vendor that does low power and fins lots of kits, or check out Jimz model rocket plans and look for two stagers like

https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes/est1365.pdf
Which can likely be kit-bashed from a couple of BT-50 based rockets, or easily done with. BT-50 nose, a Bt-50 and BT-20 Tubes, and some home made centering rings from cardboard.

 

[Daddyisabar]

Most traditional 3-4FNC rocket kits have "an idiot factor " built into them. They are usually sable and light enough to tape a booster motor on the regular one. However, DO NOT ENCOURAGE SUCH BEHAVIOR! Idiots abide! Our RSO would reject the practice on say a "hi flier" ab initio.

Modifying kits to two stages with fin cans is a whole other story. Especially with kits like the Big Daddy. Some guy builds two and crashes one, then decides to save the fin can and make it a booster stage. That maxes out the lifting capacity of the D12 0. Staging is fairly low and at about a 60 degree angle. RSO is not impressed and the idiot has a long recovery walk for mid power.

RSO: I see you got a modified kit all staged up there son. Tell me about the variable center of pressure and mass, lift off velocity and your gap staging...