How to retrofit new shock cord on 30 year old rockets?

[trialsguy]

I have about a dozen rockets that I flew several times with my kids, 30 years ago. I would like to fly these rockets again with my grandkids. The problem is, the rubber shock cords on all of them have rotted away over the years.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to go about fitting new shock cord mounts and shock cords to my old rockets? I would guess that elastic would be better than rubber for the next go-around. The diameter of my rockets vary from 0.7" to 1.6".

Thanks!

 

[Back_at_it]

I recently did this with all of my old rockets. Simply pull the old rubber out of it. Use a hobby knife or flat screw driver to scrap and peel away the old shock cord mount. Get as much of it off tube as possible then use a paint brush with a small amount of water to soften the old glue. This will allow you to peel away the remainder of the paper mount.

Let it dry for a few hours then replace it with a new tri-fold mount. You will get a lot of different opinions on what to use as a replacement. For small rockets i use 1/8 elastic cord. Works great for me. My suggestion is to make the shock cord at LEAST twice the length of the rocket. If the body tube allows, make it longer.

When doing new builds I use kevlar cord and attach it to the motor mount. You can then tie the elastic cord to the kevlar cord and do away with the tri-fold mount.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V9DWMP3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0184ZGSQ2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[MALBAR 70]

Thought this topic sounded familiar:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threa...rd-trifold-mount-with-a-better-system.155646/

 

[BABAR]

thinking outside the box (and the tube!)

How critical is maintain the original rocket "look" to you?

I have used a heavy needle to poke a hole in the body tube a couple inches above the forward end of the motor mount. Threaded Kevlar through the hole into the rocket out the front, put a loop around the rocket (pulled the knot and the loose end into the rocket.) Put Mylar tape on the outside of the rocket around the loop. You still have a little circumferential "bulge", but it doesn't look bad, and I like the metalized look of a Mylar band around the rocket anyway.

It's easy to do, easy to replace.

 

[trialsguy]

Thank you all for the ideas, suggestions and link. I have enough rockets to try all of these suggestions!

-Dave