Hello Everyone, newb here.

[DadDidIt]

Until last week I hadn't launched a rocket since the late 80's. I have two kids, 6 and 9 that I try to expose to as much as I can to see what sticks and rockets seemed like a good thing to try so I went to Hobby Lobby and purchased the Solar Scouts starter kit that came with the Sky Dart and Farside for the kids to build. I also picked up the Crossfire ISX and the level 2 Nike Smoke for myself.

We built them the same week and the kids enjoyed doing it but it took several weeks to find a suitable day to launch our rockets. Finally that day came and we launched our rockets at my grandparents farm. I couldn't believe how much everyone enjoyed it. My brother and I prepped the rockets and set them up on the launch pad, the kids did the countdown, launched and retrieved the rockets while my dad, grandparents and aunts and uncles watched the show. We launched them over and over until we were completely out of engines. My kids seem hooked, and as I'm planning my next build(s) I'm wondering just what I have gotten myself into. I want to move up to more involved kits and certainly do some mid power stuff as well as things progress.

I suppose that is enough rambling for one post, I look forward to learning a lot here and hopefully giving something in return. Thanks for reading.

 

[Bat-mite]

Welcome aboard. You have rediscovered a hobby that is as addicting as it is charming. As you read these forums, you will discover things that will lead you deeper and deeper into the dark side. :dark:

There is so much to do in this hobby: whether it is building kits, or scratch building, or working toward a level 1, 2, or 3 certification, experimental motor research, parachute design, simulations, GPS and radio tracking, dual deployment, launch tower design, launch controller design .... The possibilities are endless.

Take a look around https://www.nar.org and https://tripoli.org and consider joining these fine organizations and attending a club launch, of there is one near you.

We love pictures, and for every question you ask, you will get a wide range of answers. Enjoy!

 

[Nytrunner]

Welcome!

There's a ton of build documentation, tips/techniques, and advice on here that can a) help solve rocket problems, b) give you ideas, c) utterly confuse you, and d) All of the Above.

Tip: the search function for this site is a pain sometimes, so try googling like so (ex, I want to know more about commercial motor effects):
In the google bar -> motor propellant types site:rocketryforum.com

Have fun!

 

[Gary Byrum]

Howdy, and welcome. Where in NC are you?

 

[DadDidIt]

Howdy, and welcome. Where in NC are you?

Rutherford County

 

[blackbrandt]

Welcome! I'm from right outside the Raleigh area (but I'm in Alabama for college), nice to see a fellow North Carolinian. If I'm not mistaken, your closest launch will be at ROCC, they launch right outside of Charlotte.

You've gotten into dangerous waters. Soon you'll discover AP motors, and L1 certification, and reloads, and oh boy the rabbit hole goes deep.

Remember, we love pictures, and don't be afraid of the guy in the corner huffing AP fumes, he's been like that for a few years.

 

[Cabernut]

Welcome! The sky is the limit with this hobby. Literally and figuratively.

 

[Gary Byrum]

Rutherford County

Lincoln County here. We're practically neighbors. Nice that you have a place to launch whenever you like. I have no such luxury. People around here have fields and such, but the concept of model rocketry makes them panic as if they should report you for having weapons of mass destruction......LOL

 

[Cabernut]

Lincoln County here. We're practically neighbors. Nice that you have a place to launch whenever you like. I have no such luxury. People around here have fields and such, but the concept of model rocketry makes them panic as if they should report you for having weapons of mass destruction......LOL

You should have seen the look I got while carrying my MPR and HPR rockets out to my truck when I lived in the city.
:eyepop:

 

[qquake2k]

Welcome! Reach up and pull those belts tight, it can be a wild (and fun) ride! Did anyone mention we like pictures?

 

[GrouchoDuke]

Welcome to the fun!

 

[OverTheTop]

Welcome aboard DDI!

If you really want to get hooked find a local club flying some of the bigger stuff. There's no turning away from that.

Have fun!

 

[DadDidIt]

Welcome aboard DDI!

If you really want to get hooked find a local club flying some of the bigger stuff. There's no turning away from that.

Have fun!

Baby steps, I tend to obsess at times. I'm already planning to build a launch pad for mid power rockets.

 

[DadDidIt]

Lincoln County here. We're practically neighbors. Nice that you have a place to launch whenever you like. I have no such luxury. People around here have fields and such, but the concept of model rocketry makes them panic as if they should report you for having weapons of mass destruction......LOL

Yes, I can be in Lincolnton in about an hour. It would be less if there were a more direct route.

The field I use is fine for smaller rockets but I'll need another location when we start going higher. It will do for now but I'm thinking about secondary locations already.

 

[Gary Byrum]

Yes, I can be in Lincolnton in about an hour. It would be less if there were a more direct route.

The field I use is fine for smaller rockets but I'll need another location when we start going higher. It will do for now but I'm thinking about secondary locations already.

As long as there are no ppl at the middle school, I'll use their postage stamp soccer field for A & B test flights, but that all I can do there. No real flying at all. All the other bigger school fields have multiple fencing in them. That doesn't work well for me either. SO...I usually wait for a launch date in Camden SC. There's a really nice sod farm there. ROCC has a place in Midland NC but the field has hills and different levels, as well as no flying when the crops are getting taller. Those folks usually wind up in Camden most of the time. It's worth the wait for a launch date there. You can fly practically anything. In fact, if you and the kiddos want to, they have a scheduled launch this Sat & Sun. I won't be attending this one though. Here's a link for this weekends event CLICK and here for the Facebook page. CLICK. That would be my Custom upscale Alpha in the bumper pics.

 

[Zeus-cat]

If you can join a club in your area it is almost certainly the best thing you can do in your rocketry career. I did it years ago and for me it was literally the best rocketry thing I have ever done. And I am not someone who normally joins groups.

 

[Bat-mite]

If you can join a club in your area it is almost certainly the best thing you can do in your rocketry career. I did it years ago and for me it was literally the best rocketry thing I have ever done. And I am not someone who normally joins groups.

Ditto. Then I went and joined NAR, TRA, NARHAMS, MDRA and BARC.

 

[OverTheTop]

Baby steps, I tend to obsess at times. I'm already planning to build a launch pad for mid power rockets.

Yep. Enjoy the journey. What you learn along the way helps greatly to make more successful and safe flights in the future.

 

[boatgeek]

Baby steps, I tend to obsess at times. I'm already planning to build a launch pad for mid power rockets.

You can build a nice launch pad out of $20 in parts from the Home Depot plumbing aisle. 2" ABS pipe makes some nice launch pad legs that will carry you all the way through the largest rockets you can launch without an FAA waiver. Once you're in waiver territory, joining a club is the easiest way to do it unless you're very far from the nearest.

You should have seen the look I got while carrying my MPR and HPR rockets out to my truck when I lived in the city.
:eyepop:

The high school club I mentor had a cop show up as they were finishing up ejection charge testing. Apparently, someone called it in.

 

[BDB]

....I have two kids, 6 and 9 that I try to expose to as much as I can to see what sticks and rockets seemed like a good thing to try....

Rocketry is a great activity to do with your kids! That's how I got started; now "I do it for the kids" is a poor excuse I use when my wife questions my spending on rocket motors.

 

[K'Tesh]

Welcome to the asylum! Please leave your wallet and all it's contents at the vendor's section... :wink:

You should have seen the look I got while carrying my MPR and HPR rockets out to my truck when I lived in the city.
:eyepop:

You should see the looks I get while carrying rockets on my bicycle while I live here in China... Bad enough being a fat foreigner, but a fat foreigner on a bike with a rocket is something the locals must pull out their cell phones and start taking pictures.

 

[blackbrandt]

Funny enough you say that Jim... tomorrow I'm strapping my 3" Darkstar to my backpack to work on it in the lab. That's about 3/4 miles across campus through the busiest part

 

[Nytrunner]

Funny enough you say that Jim... tomorrow I'm strapping my 3" Darkstar to my backpack to work on it in the lab. That's about 3/4 miles across campus through the busiest part

Wish I could see that, tomorrow's my off Friday.

 

[8thPaladin]

Welcome! It is a great hobby! And the help from the forum here is great!

 

[Andy Greene]

I read this post with a smile on my face- You guys get it-
Welcome, and let the games begin, enjoy the ride ..............