New from Vancouver Island

[frank.faubert]

Thanks for having me aboard.

I'm looking forward to get back into rocketry after a 25 year hiatus.

Frank

 

[smstachwick]

Thanks for having me aboard.

I'm looking forward to get back into rocketry after a 25 year hiatus.

Frank

Welcome back. Have you got rockets ready to go?

 

[Hobie1dog]

lots of us took 25 years off.

 

[frank.faubert]

Welcome back. Have you got rockets ready to go?

Not at this time. We have a fire ban on right now so I couldn't fire them if I had them. Lots of time for building, lol.

 

[frank.faubert]

lots of us took 25 years off.

Thanks hobie1dog. About what level are you? I'm hoping I'm around an intermediate. The last one I made was an F-14 Tomcat glider with fold out wings.

 

[smstachwick]

Thanks hobie1dog. About what level are you? I'm hoping I'm around an intermediate. The last one I made was an F-14 Tomcat glider with fold out wings.

Skill levels have inflated a bit in the last 25 years. Now an intermediate is an up-and-down kit with balsa fins instead of an all-plastic tail fin unit.

I’d call that an advanced or expert-level build by today’s standards.

 

[frank.faubert]

Skill levels have inflated a bit in the last 25 years. Now an intermediate is an up-and-down kit with balsa fins instead of an all-plastic tail fin unit.

I’d call that an advanced or expert-level build by today’s standards.

I've been looking for some of the kits I used to make but I'm not seeing a lot.

I see some of the beginner kits I used to make like the Alpha3, Big Bertha and the Astrocam but none of the more complex kits. I haven't seen any tri-stage kits at all.

 

[smstachwick]

I've been looking for some of the kits I used to make but I'm not seeing a lot.

I see some of the beginner kits I used to make like the Alpha3, Big Bertha and the Astrocam but none of the more complex kits. I haven't seen any tri-stage kits at all.

Estes Comanche-3. Many kits can also have boosters added pretty easily, it just takes a tube, fins, and motor mount. Just make sure to check stability, and better mind rod exit speed too.

 

[frank.faubert]

Estes Comanche-3. Many kits can also have boosters added pretty easily, it just takes a tube, fins, and motor mount. Just make sure to check stability, and better mind rod exit speed too.

Thank you. I'll check into that.

 

[RocketDad]

Hi Frank, great to hear from someone else in BC !

 

[frank.faubert]

Hi Frank, great to hear from someone else in BC !

Where abouts are you? I'm on the island near Parksville.

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of us around and no CAR, NAR or Tripoli groups that I could find in the province.

 

[Bruce]

Wasn't there a Rocketry Club in Abbotsford?

 

[tsmith1315]

I've been looking for some of the kits I used to make but I'm not seeing a lot.

Hi Frank, you have an exciting journey ahead!

There is a good bit of older stuff out there in one way or another. Most any old model rocket kit any can be copied, with information from a couple of websites.

My favorites, and if you haven't seen them, buckle up you're about to go down a couple of rabbit holes

http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/rockets.html

http://spacemodeling.org/jimz/

There are some companies making clones or upscale versions,like Semroc, but availability is spotty.

Erockets is a good place to look for those: www.erockets.biz

There are a lot of good companies producing good model and mid-power rocket kits. Do you have a preference, like scale or sci-fi/fantasy?

Oh, and Estes just released the Orbital Transport in an upscale size!

 

[frank.faubert]

Wasn't there a Rocketry Club in Abbotsford?

I thought there might have been something on the lower island or on the lower mainland but nothing popped up in a search.

 

[frank.faubert]

Hi Frank, you have an exciting journey ahead!

There is a good bit of older stuff out there in one way or another. Most any old model rocket kit any can be copied, with information from a couple of websites.

My favorites, and if you haven't seen them, buckle up you're about to go down a couple of rabbit holes

http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/rockets.html

http://spacemodeling.org/jimz/

There are some companies making clones or upscale versions,like Semroc, but availability is spotty.

Erockets is a good place to look for those: www.erockets.biz

There are a lot of good companies producing good model and mid-power rocket kits. Do you have a preference, like scale or sci-fi/fantasy?

Oh, and Estes just released the Orbital Transport in an upscale size!

Thanks for the links. I love rabbit holes lol.

I suppose scale and self design would be my main preference although some of the sci-fi/fantasy kits have a lot to teach about aerodynamics.

I'm going to get my feet wet again with a few kits and work up to something like a Falcon Heavy with three bodies, independent motors and breakaways on the side boosters. Maybe even try powered recovery

 

[tsmith1315]

I suppose scale and self design would be my main preference

Aerospace Specialty has some nice-looking scale kits and some good reference materials with data for scaling. Shipping may be prohibitive.

https://www.asp-rocketry.com/

Balsa Machining Service has great prices on raw tubes, couplers, cones, etc. Same shipping caveat.

https://www.balsamachining.com/

I know I've seen a Canadian hobby store advertising here, but I can't remember their name. They may be listed in the vendor forum .

Plenty of folks out there now with good products, it can be overwhelming!

 

[frank.faubert]

Aerospace Specialty has some nice-looking scale kits and some good reference materials with data for scaling. Shipping may be prohibitive.

https://www.asp-rocketry.com/

Balsa Machining Service has great prices on raw tubes, couplers, cones, etc. Same shipping caveat.

https://www.balsamachining.com/

I know I've seen a Canadian hobby store advertising here, but I can't remember their name. They may be listed in the vendor forum .

Plenty of folks out there now with good products, it can be overwhelming!

Thank you very much for the information. I'll look these up

 

[RocketDad]

Where abouts are you? I'm on the island near Parksville.

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of us around and no CAR, NAR or Tripoli groups that I could find in the province.

Hi Frank, I am based in North Vancouver and yes, it’s tough to find somewhere to launch. A couple years ago I heard there was a group of flyers on the island, but I have not heard from them recently. There is a Fraser Valley Rocketry group, which has a facebook page but I am not aware of them launching for a couple years given fire bans and covid. If it is HPR you are interested in then you will either have to travel down to Washington (with Tripoli) or across to Alberta (CAR).

 

[frank.faubert]

Hi Frank, I am based in North Vancouver and yes, it’s tough to find somewhere to launch. A couple years ago I heard there was a group of flyers on the island, but I have not heard from them recently. There is a Fraser Valley Rocketry group, which has a facebook page but I am not aware of them launching for a couple years given fire bans and covid. If it is HPR you are interested in then you will either have to travel down to Washington (with Tripoli) or across to Alberta (CAR).

Thanks. I'm just getting restarted so it will be kits and nothing higher that a C engine for a bit.

 

[Sandy H.]

Thanks. I'm just getting restarted so it will be kits and nothing higher that a C engine for a bit.

Nothing wrong with flying ABC motors! If you've been out a while, you've got some botique vendors that do this out of love for the hobby that you may never have heard of. I'll list a two and I'll also apologize for missing many more options and hope someone adds them:

Fliskits: Originally started by Jim Flis and now run by Eric Henderson and Ray Dipaola. Lots of cool stuff, many of which were pretty cutting edge!
Semroc: When Carl passed away, eRockets.biz bought some/much/all(?) of the Semroc products. Again, some cool stuff, much of it vintage Estes stuff.

Happy building/flying!

Sandy.

 

[rharshberger]

I thought there might have been something on the lower island or on the lower mainland but nothing popped up in a search.

Washington Aerospace Club aka WAC- high power and sport/model rocketry.
Boeing Employees Model Rocket Club aka BEMRC- predominantly LPR and MPR (low power aka model rockets, and mid power model/sport rockets)
Gorge Rocketry- LPR to HPR, Goldendale, WA
Oregon Rocketry aka OROC- LPR to HPR a couple of launchsites one at Brothers OR, and and another closer to Portland, OR.
Washington High Power aka WHiP- LPR to HPR, Touchet, WA
TriCities Rocketeers aka TCR- LPR to HPR launchsite near Pasco, WA. We have our annual 4 day rocket festival SodBlaster IV coming up on Labor Day weekend, lots of flights A to N (last year) and lots of fliers!

Most if not all of these clubs have websites. And all are in the Pacific Northwest.

 

[frank.faubert]

Washington Aerospace Club aka WAC- high power and sport/model rocketry.
Boeing Employees Model Rocket Club aka BEMRC- predominantly LPR and MPR (low power aka model rockets, and mid power model/sport rockets)
Gorge Rocketry- LPR to HPR, Goldendale, WA
Oregon Rocketry aka OROC- LPR to HPR a couple of launchsites one at Brothers OR, and and another closer to Portland, OR.
Washington High Power aka WHiP- LPR to HPR, Touchet, WA
TriCities Rocketeers aka TCR- LPR to HPR launchsite near Pasco, WA. We have our annual 4 day rocket festival SodBlaster IV coming up on Labor Day weekend, lots of flights A to N (last year) and lots of fliers!

Most if not all of these clubs have websites. And all are in the Pacific Northwest.

Thanks for the info.

Are engines available in the area of these clubs that you know of?

I'm in Canada so getting the airframe across the border shouldn't be too much of a hassle but I think HLS would take a rather dim view of me transporting explosives through customs, lol.

 

[rharshberger]

Thanks for the info.

Are engines available in the area of these clubs that you know of?

I'm in Canada so getting the airframe across the border shouldn't be too much of a hassle but I think HLS would take a rather dim view of me transporting explosives through customs, lol.

Motors are available at OROC, WAC, TCR and WHiP launches typically from either Scott Binder of SBR Fusion Rockets or through Bob Grosfeld of Sun River Nature Center and Observatory. SBR does attend some Gorge Rocketry launches...I think. BEMRC most of the motors for LPR are available at hobby shops and Hobby Lobby among others. I know that SodBlaster IV we will have both SBR and SunRiver Bob vending motors, SBR is an Aerotech/Quest dealer, and SunRiver Bob carries Aerotech, CTI (Cesaroni), and Loki (some), both vendors have a large selection of kits of all skill levels and power levels.

There may be other vendors in the PNW but SBR and SunRiver are the two we see the most of.

Once you get to know a fellow fliers at the club launches they may be willing to let you ship motors to their home, that you can pick up at a launch (like maybe motors ordered through AC Supply or other suppliers like Balsa Machining or eRockets).

As for transporting across the US and Canadian border some of our Canadian members would be better to chime in, but I believe most of them purchase their motors before and have the vendor or another flier hold onto them until the launch or in some cases between launches. Many (maybe most) vendors will allow a flier to buy online and pickup the motors at a launch (a great way to avoid HazMat shipping, and or International shipping).

 

[frank.faubert]

Motors are available at OROC, WAC, TCR and WHiP launches typically from either Scott Binder of SBR Fusion Rockets or through Bob Grosfeld of Sun River Nature Center and Observatory. SBR does attend some Gorge Rocketry launches...I think. BEMRC most of the motors for LPR are available at hobby shops and Hobby Lobby among others. I know that SodBlaster IV we will have both SBR and SunRiver Bob vending motors, SBR is an Aerotech/Quest dealer, and SunRiver Bob carries Aerotech, CTI (Cesaroni), and Loki (some), both vendors have a large selection of kits of all skill levels and power levels.

There may be other vendors in the PNW but SBR and SunRiver are the two we see the most of.

Once you get to know a fellow fliers at the club launches they may be willing to let you ship motors to their home, that you can pick up at a launch (like maybe motors ordered through AC Supply or other suppliers like Balsa Machining or eRockets).

As for transporting across the US and Canadian border some of our Canadian members would be better to chime in, but I believe most of them purchase their motors before and have the vendor or another flier hold onto them until the launch or in some cases between launches. Many (maybe most) vendors will allow a flier to buy online and pickup the motors at a launch (a great way to avoid HazMat shipping, and or International shipping).

Thanks!

 

[Bartlebear]

Hi Frank.

I live in Victoria so greetings from The Island.

BC Shaver and Hobbies in Hillside Mall (Saanich) had a Commanche 3 and a Saturn V as of a couple of days ago. I’ve called and ordered stuff in a few times and it’s been a good experience.

Have fun!

(Do rocketeers have a catch phrase?)

 

[frank.faubert]

Hi Frank.

I live in Victoria so greetings from The Island.

BC Shaver and Hobbies in Hillside Mall (Saanich) had a Commanche 3 and a Saturn V as of a couple of days ago. I’ve called and ordered stuff in a few times and it’s been a good experience.

Have fun!

(Do rocketeers have a catch phrase?)

Fantastic! Thank you.