Need HELP with making a rocket!

[Ayush Chauhan]

Hello guys,

I am a student, making a rocket as my project. It's my first time making a rocket so need help! Please could anyone support me with my project? I want to know what material is the best to make a rocket out of that is not very expensive, is strong, and is lightweight. Also, if anyone has like a pdf or something for a step-by-step guide to making a rocket would be very beneficial.

Very Thanks!

 

[Back_at_it]

Your best bet is to find a store that sells Estes kits and buy yourself a starter set. This will come with at least one rocket for you to assemble along with the launch pad and controller.

The instructions included in the kit will get you ready. You will need to buy some additional items like the motors and recovery wadding.

 

[Ayush Chauhan]

Your best bet is to find a store that sells Estes kits and buy yourself a starter set. This will come with at least one rocket for you to assemble along with the launch pad and controller.

The instructions included in the kit will get you ready. You will need to buy some additional items like the motors and recovery wadding.

Thanks for replying,
Do you know what is recovery wadding?

 

[Back_at_it]

Yes. It is used to protect the parachute and shock cord during flight. https://estesrockets.com/product/002274-recovery-wadding/

Here is a video that will help get you started.

 

[Ayush Chauhan]

Yes. It is used to protect the parachute and shock cord during flight. https://estesrockets.com/product/002274-recovery-wadding/

Here is a video that will help get you started.

Thank you so much!

 

[smstachwick]

Lots of kits are available. You could also make one yourself out of household materials, the rule for materials in the NAR Model Rocket Safety Code is that the materials for the nose, fins, and body must be lightweight and non-metal. Paper, plastic, and balsa wood are common.

https://www.nar.org/safety-information/model-rocket-safety-code/

 

[K'Tesh]

Thanks for replying,
Do you know what is recovery wadding?

Recovery wadding is a flame retardant treated paper product designed to prevent the hot gasses and flaming propellent bits of the ejection charge from damaging the recovery device (parachute or streamer).

 

[Spitfire222]

It would also be useful to share the details of your grade and the project itself. Do you simply need to make (and launch?) a small model rocket, or is this a university project where the professors are tasking teenagers to send a rocket to orbit with payload and other absurd requirements?

You list your location as United Kingdom, and I believe the vast majority of users here are based in the USA, so we might not have applicable knowledge of your local rules and regulations on launching model rockets. With that said, if you can find a hobby shop, the above comments about starting with an Estes Starter Set to get a hang of the absolute basics of building and launching model rockets are excellent advice

 

[Antares JS]

It would also be useful to share the details of your grade and the project itself. Do you simply need to make (and launch?) a small model rocket, or is this a university project where the professors are tasking teenagers to send a rocket to orbit with payload and other absurd requirements?

Beat me to it. This is an excellent point. We can only be of so much help without knowing the project requirements. My recommendations for a rocket that needs to fly to a few hundred feet are going to be very different from those for a rocket that needs to fly to 10,000 feet.

 

[Ayush Chauhan]

Lots of kits are available. You could also make one yourself out of household materials, the rule for materials in the NAR Model Rocket Safety Code is that the materials for the nose, fins, and body must be lightweight and non-metal. Paper, plastic, and balsa wood are common.

https://www.nar.org/safety-information/model-rocket-safety-code/

But Paper is too thin for the body of a model rocket and balsa wood I have no idea how to make it into a 70-80cm long cylinder-like shape since you cannot steam bend balsa wood cuz it snaps if you try to do so. So if you have any other material that is good to make a rocket body then please do recommend, thanks

 

[Ayush Chauhan]

It would also be useful to share the details of your grade and the project itself. Do you simply need to make (and launch?) a small model rocket, or is this a university project where the professors are tasking teenagers to send a rocket to orbit with payload and other absurd requirements?

You list your location as United Kingdom, and I believe the vast majority of users here are based in the USA, so we might not have applicable knowledge of your local rules and regulations on launching model rockets. With that said, if you can find a hobby shop, the above comments about starting with an Estes Starter Set to get a hang of the absolute basics of building and launching model rockets are excellent advice

For the rocket, I am doing as part of enrichment in high school. However, there are certain expectations I and my team set for the rocket.
1. It should go at least 1500 ft
2. Must have a camera pointing downwards on the rocket (payload)
3. We must use G-class motors.

Also when you said putting payloads into orbits for a university project. I don't think that's allowed anywhere in the world right? And yea I live in the United Kingdom, I am already familiar with the laws but since this is my first time making a rocket, just needed some advice on how to start. If you could provide me with some resources to help me with the project that would be amazing!

Thanks for your reply!

 

[smstachwick]

For the rocket, I am doing as part of enrichment in high school. However, there are certain expectations I and my team set for the rocket.
1. It should go at least 1500 ft
2. Must have a camera pointing downwards on the rocket (payload)
3. We must use G-class motors.

Also when you said putting payloads into orbits for a university project. I don't think that's allowed anywhere in the world right? And yea I live in the United Kingdom, I am already familiar with the laws but since this is my first time making a rocket, just needed some advice on how to start. If you could provide me with some resources to help me with the project that would be amazing!

Thanks for your reply!

1500 on a G can be very doable. AeroTech sells midsized kits under their Enerjet label that would be suitable, many come with payload sections. They also manufacture Type G motors, although I would imagine getting them on your side of the pond would be tricky.

Estes Pro Series II kits probably aren’t durable enough.

 

[neil_w]

There is a programming maxim that say "It is quicker to write something twice than to write it once". Similar concept applies here. You will do much better building a smaller, simpler rocket, and learning the basics, and then moving up to the larger target design. Heck, you might want to work your way up in a few steps. That's an excuse to build more rockets, which around here is considered "a good thing".

 

[smstachwick]

But Paper is too thin for the body of a model rocket and balsa wood I have no idea how to make it into a 70-80cm long cylinder-like shape since you cannot steam bend balsa wood cuz it snaps if you try to do so. So if you have any other material that is good to make a rocket body then please do recommend, thanks

Depends on the paper. Many specialty rocket companies sell high-quality spiral-wound tubes and they can survive speeds in excess of Mach 1. Sheet balsa is good for fins, blocks of balsa can be turned on a lathe to craft a nose. Fins on midsized and larger rockets often swap out balsa for plywood.

Plastic can be used for pretty much any part of a rocket, although you’ll want to ensure that it can withstand any heat and forces you subject it to. For this reason you usually see plastic used for fin cans and noses, less often for body tubes because it’s so dense.

 

[neil_w]

Paper body tubes are absolutely appropriate for this rocket. GO BUY A KIT.

 

[CalebJ]

Wouldn't a stock Star Orbiter with a camera strapped on be the simple solution for this?

 

[Back_at_it]

If you want something built that would withstand a few mistakes along the way, I'd recommend the LOC Graduator. This is a 2.56" kit that is approx. 40" long. Its a cardboard and plywood kit that you can buy and build. This kit will be over 2000ft on a G40 and you could push 3000ft on a G80 according to the chart on LOC's website.

https://locprecision.com/collections/rockets-2-63-diameter/products/graduator

 

[Titan II]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=estes&crid=NXVYQDHR90UT&sprefix=estes,aps,371&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=estes+...refix=estes+body+tubes,aps,247&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

[techrat]

What kind of school project has kids building their very first rocket with a "G" motor? I've been building rockets for over 9 months and have only flown one "F" so far. Building a rocket to survive a "G" takes a bit more building acumen than building one for a C6-5. It's going to need TTW Plywood fins. Are there even one-use disposable G motors, or is this first-timer expected to assemble the G motor in the expensive Aluminum tube?

 

[dhbarr]

What kind of school project has kids building their very first rocket with a "G" motor? I've been building rockets for over 9 months and have only flown one "F" so far. Building a rocket to survive a "G" takes a bit more building acumen than building one for a C6-5. It's going to need TTW Plywood fins. Are there even one-use disposable G motors, or is this first-timer expected to assemble the G motor in the expensive Aluminum tube?

There are quite a few single-use G motors.
Some widely available examples are:
https://www.thrustcurve.org/motors/...&csfmApproved=approved&availability=available

 

[JRL303]

Why don't you ask your teacher?

 

[smstachwick]

What kind of school project has kids building their very first rocket with a "G" motor? I've been building rockets for over 9 months and have only flown one "F" so far. Building a rocket to survive a "G" takes a bit more building acumen than building one for a C6-5. It's going to need TTW Plywood fins. Are there even one-use disposable G motors, or is this first-timer expected to assemble the G motor in the expensive Aluminum tube?

AeroTech’s G80T motor is the one I always knew as the G motor when I was doing this as a kid. Fully assembled plastic casing, very thrusty Blue Thunder propellant, 137 N-sec of juicy impulse. Available in 7, 10, and 13-second delay times.

People can and sometimes do jump directly into mid- and high-power rockets, but if they do so without any guidance other than “design it for a G motor”, then I think whoever told them to do that is a fool. So much can go wrong with even the little ones that I don’t think anything less than 1 flight in each power range starting from “A” is advisable or safe, unless they are closely supervised (i.e. babysat in the workshop and on the range ) by an experienced flier. A big 2-pound G-powered rocket that has airworthiness issues is not just disappointing and embarrassing, it’s potentially deadly.

 

[Ayush Chauhan]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=estes&crid=NXVYQDHR90UT&sprefix=estes,aps,371&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=estes+...refix=estes+body+tubes,aps,247&ref=nb_sb_noss

Thank you so much!

 

[Ayush Chauhan]

Why don't you ask your teacher?

Our teacher does not know a lot, he said just figure stuff out your self and I will support you with the stuff you need to make the rocket.

 

[Antares JS]

Our teacher does not know a lot, he said just figure stuff out your self and I will support you with the stuff you need to make the rocket.

The LOC Graduator you've been recommended is a good kit, but since you are in the UK, I highly recommend that you try and find yourself a motor soon. The impression that I have always had is that motors larger than D are pretty scarce anywhere outside the US and what can be had is 1.5x to 2x as expensive as in the US. It's better to know sooner rather than later if you're going to have trouble getting a motor. Since it's your first rocket, avoid reloadables and find a single use G if at all possible.

 

[Simon Auty]

I recommend the book
Make: Rockets by Mike Westerfield
available as a download from Amazon

 

[waltr]

My suggestion is to find a club in the UK to obtain help from experienced fliers.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/forums/united-kingdom-rocketry.200/Is the TRF for UK flying. Goes through these threads and see if there is a club near you.

In the US we can go to the NAR web stie to find clubs. Not sure what organization is in the UK that may have this info.
However, some web searching should find it.

 

[Ayush Chauhan]

The LOC Graduator you've been recommended is a good kit, but since you are in the UK, I highly recommend that you try and find yourself a motor soon. The impression that I have always had is that motors larger than D are pretty scarce anywhere outside the US and what can be had is 1.5x to 2x as expensive as in the US. It's better to know sooner rather than later if you're going to have trouble getting a motor. Since it's your first rocket, avoid reloadables and find a single use G if at all possible.

Oh yes! I have found some dealers that are selling G-class motors for an affordable price. And when you say reloadable motors and single-use motors, could you please differentiate them?
Thanks

 

[tsmith1315]

Our teacher does not know a lot, he said just figure stuff out your self and I will support you with the stuff you need to make the rocket.

What is your time frame for this project, and will you be responsible for the launch equipment as well?

 

[CalebJ]

Definitely start with a kit (or several, of progressive skillsets).


For the actual project, my gut instinct is that this one would work well from a UK vendor:
https://wizardrockets.co.uk/?product=loc-park-flyer-series-1-6-iris