Crayons!!!???

[Dr. Don]

Well.... since you mention it...
You do not necessarily have to start out with a commercial kit, although I think going through a few kits is good for the education. You can , if you choose, get some parts and scratch build something a little more unusual!!!!!
Last December after the snowstorm launch, Bruce Weidner & I
were browsing the Dollar store in Ellsberry and discovered a CRAYON bank!!! Bruce insisted that I wasn't a real rocketeer until I had constructed a Crayon rocket!
I started to put in a 29mm motor mount and thought aw, what-
the-hey!!! I'll put in a 38mm!!!
Result: 2 really FAST flights on an H123 and an H142!!!!
Check out the pic!! Dr Don

 

[Tools R Us]

Crayons are cool! A way inexpensive scratch build. We have been abusing a 4" one with a 54 mm mount for a year and a half and haven't killed it yet. At least a dozen flights on full J sugar motors and my L2 cert on a J350.

https://www.trailertrashaerospace.com/54mm_crayon.htm

 

[Neil]

You know, I have been meaning to do this for a long time. Thats a good idea. Ill have to make one myself. Whats the diameter on the crayon bank? DO you have liftoff pics?

 

[rocketkid88]

i have two crayons waiting to be converted... havnet had the time yet. one is about 2" dia and cardboard tubbing, the other is abotu 3" dia and is clear plastic with crayola stuff painted on it.
i think the first will get a 24mm mount (or mabye i'll make it a cluster) and the latter will get a 29mm... if i ever get around to them

 

[Neil]

How much did they cost?

Oh... Wait... You musta gotten them for free... You dont like paying for anything but motors...

That is a good way to do it, if you can....

I like the crayon idea because it comes with a nosecone and body tube already...

 

[rstaff3]

Here's my 38mm version, the Standard CRAY-ARM

 

[rocketkid88]

Originally posted by Neil
How much did they cost?

lol man... you know me too well
actually i did buy the first one, a few months ago, at a thrift shop for $.25. the other one my mom picked up for me from some where (don't know where) for 50cents or something, but i didn't pay for it

 

[Neil]

You got to 50 posts! This is cause for celebrations! :kill:


50 cents... huh. I gotta go to a thrift shop sometime... If you can get a nosecone *AND* a body tube, all for 50 cents, THAT is something!!

 

[Tools R Us]

Toys R Us sells 4" crayon banks for about $6.00, not bad for a nose cone and tube.

 

[Neil]

I gotta go to a Toys R us then.... Do they sell rocket motors there, too? rockets too?

 

[BlueNinja]

Actually they are going out of business as far as rockets go or so ive heard...

 

[rbeckey]

Here is a 4 inch Toys R Us Crayon. It had several good flights, but is now RIP. (Tree)

 

[Neil]

Dontcha HATE them trees? :kill: :kill: 4" diameter.... This will be fun. How much do they weigh?

 

[lalligood]

Y'know, I've been reading for a while on TRF about Crayon rocket this, Crayon rocket that & thought "What's the big deal? How cool a rocket could you make with a Crayon?!"

Well, luck would have it that I would pass by a Toys'R'Us while running some errands today. Got me a pink one (I like for my rockets to stand out visually) for $5. Five whole dollars. It all makes sense now...

It's cheap. There's no painting/finishing. It resembles a traditional rocket. It's extremely rugged & durable.

I'll say it again: It all makes sense now...

 

[rbeckey]

All the info is on old threads. I believe it was 31 or so ounces. Search with my user name and "crayon" and all will be revealed.
I now have a 2 inch Crayon to make.

 

[Tools R Us]

It's cheap. There's no painting/finishing. It resembles a traditional rocket. It's extremely rugged & durable.

The printing is not very durable, so squirt the body tube with clear before you start work and it will look much better.

 

[mikeyd]

I did my level 1 and level 2 certs with Crayon rockets, the 4in with 29mm for level 1, and the 5in with 38mm pro38 J for level 2. The one thing I might add, to protect the rockets exterior, clear coat it. The 4in I did not do this on and it is showing its age, after beiing dragged across plowed fields. I have a picture of my level one flight on my web site here
https://members.cox.net/shortckt4/Rockets1.html#crayon I have a photo of my level 2 flight, but have not received permission to post it yet.

Happy Flying!

 

[lalligood]

I've got everything I need to start building one of these Crayon rockets (& like I mentioned before, this is truly one of the best--if not THE best--deals to make a rocket!) I have but one simple question:

Do I need any nose weight?

The plan is to go with a 38mm MMT & fly it on Pro38 2- & 3-grain motors. I just want to make sure before I attach the nose cone bulkhead.

TIA!

 

[gerbs4me]

CRAYONS!!!!!
I have a crayon I made last spring, attempted to cert with it 2 times but no luck, but I love crayon rockets.

 

[Dr. Don]

I did not put any nose weight in mine. I believe I had so much weight in the fin can with extra CRs and epoxy that stability was attained!! I did leave the coin slot open and solicited nose weight coins from spectators just before launch....... no takers..... I have absolutely no idea where the center of pressure is!
But the COG seemed to be close enough to slip past the RSO!!!!!!!! Dr Don

 

[BlueNinja]

Are the fins on these mounted just with glue, or are there other methods of attachment? 5 dollar rocket is within my budget right now, I'm paying off some G35s.

 

[Habu]

I built a 5"crayon rocket with 38mm motor mount.
Clear plexi fins ttw attached with epoxy.
The fins were drilled and the fin can foamed.
I have seen some others where the fins are attached with mechanical fasteners i.e. rivets, screws, etc.
This makes for easier repairs when the wax comes in hot and a fin comes off...
About a pound of nose weight was added to get the CG/CP right for a "J" ride.
66" chute recovery.
Sorry, no pix

 

[Bowhunter]

Got The Crayon and got some 1/8" G-10 stock now the madness begins but I got a ? Should i use a 3/8 launch lug or what would be the best

 

[Tools R Us]

Do I need any nose weight?

That will depend on the fins, deltas probably, swept back probably not. The best bet is to Roc Sim it. EMMR has a 29 mm file.

https://www.rocketreviews.com/rocksim/scratch_crayon 29 conv.rkt

Are the fins on these mounted just with glue, or are there other methods of attachment?

I glassed them to the motor tube.

https://www.trailertrashaerospace.com/54mm_crayon.htm

Should i use a 3/8 launch lug or what would be the best

IMHO rail buttons are "best" if no rail 3/8" rod will work.

 

[teflonrocketry1]

Detailed plans for a making a Crayon rocket "Build the Skywriter-100" by Bob Kaplow (29mm motor mount) can be found at the NIRA web site:

https://www.nira-rocketry.org/LeadingEdge/Skywriter-100.pdf

Bruce S. Levison, NAR #69055

 

[Dr. Don]

Since I intended to go for a high power product that could handle at least an "I" motor, I put a little more "glue into it than I would have for a mid power model......
I put together a little mini seminar with pics!
Here is a pic of the fins cut out of a scrap of 3-ply luan.
Notice I have the root edge extended to contact the mmt.
Also notice the cut out fin slots in the "fin can" and the CR
cut to fit inside......

 

[Dr. Don]

This is the bulkhead plate cut to fit the inside lip of the "nosecone".
The lower launch lug is on the outside of the fin can and you can see the lower CR epoxy'd inside the fin can...........

 

[Dr. Don]

The fins were lightly tacked with CA to make it quicker to position them corectly.They were glued to the aft CR. At this step I still have not glued the fins to the mmt.......

 

[Dr. Don]

Here is a view with the upper CR (actually it's the center CR)
after it's glued to the top of the fin roots.......This gives you an inside look at how I was able to pour in all the epoxy around
all 4 "corners" of each fin root............

 

[Dr. Don]

Just goofing around............