One More

[accooper]

Need something to stir the epoxy with? Need a launch Lug stand off?

Look no farther than your local Star Bucks. Their coffee stir sticks work great for low power launch lug stand offs, and they work great as epoxy stirrers.

I have been trying to get John Lee to go to Star Bucks with me to take some of their sticks. But to no avail.

Here is a picture to show what I mean.

Andrew
Dark Lord Of The Scratch Builders

 

[MarkII]

There are no Starbucks within a 30 mile radius of my house, and there is only one within a 100 mile radius. I think I've been in a Starbucks once or maybe twice when I was traveling out of the area.

I bought a large box of round toothpicks a few years ago. I keep them in a bowl in my workbench, where they are within easy reach when I need to mix together small batches of epoxy and when I need to apply glue anywhere. I also bought a large box containing something like 500 craft sticks (aka Popsicle sticks) at a local store. These have a large variety of uses, and I keep a quantity of them in the same bowl as the toothpicks.

For launch lug standoffs and other uses, I picked up a couple of 1/8" x 4' hardwood dowels during a trip to Michael's Crafts. They were ridiculously inexpensive (something like $0.15 a piece). You can cut quite a large number of standoffs from a four-foot length of dowel.

MarkII

 

[accooper]

I feel for you man. No Starbucks for 30 miles. We need to let congress know so they can pass a bill to force Starbucks to build one for you.

Andrew
Dark Lord Of The Scratch Builders

 

[cornyl]

Next time some one hands you a buisiness card and you really don't want it????
Take it and think mixing epoxy. The back of a Buisiness card is great for mixing small amounts of epoxy.

CornyL

 

[MarkII]

I feel for you man. No Starbucks for 30 miles. We need to let congress know so they can pass a bill to force Starbucks to build one for you.

Andrew
Dark Lord Of The Scratch Builders

Actually, it's a blessing.

MarkII

 

[accooper]

Now I know what to do with all those unwanted business cards I get through work.

That is a great idea.

Andrew
Dark Lord Of The Scratch Builders

 

[luke strawwalker]

Need something to stir the epoxy with? Need a launch Lug stand off?

Look no farther than your local Star Bucks. Their coffee stir sticks work great for low power launch lug stand offs, and they work great as epoxy stirrers.

I have been trying to get John Lee to go to Star Bucks with me to take some of their sticks. But to no avail.

Here is a picture to show what I mean.

Andrew
Dark Lord Of The Scratch Builders

Might as well get some extra value for the price of their coffee...

I took my sister to her followup appointment after her surgery Friday... I pulled thru Jack In The Box and got a combo breakfast-- Breakfast Jack on sourdough toast (extra 29 cents), tater sticks, and a Dr. Pepper (for caffiene-- coffee is too acid for me most of the time so I don't drink it very often at all). My sister had me pull thru Starbucks to get her a mochachinowhateveritis...

My breakfast was $3.80 for the sandwich, hashbrowns, and drink-- her candied-up coffee?? $4.80!!!

Course maybe that's why they're so high-- trying to pay for swizzle sticks that the rocket guys keep pilfering from them... LOL

Later! OL JR

PS. Additional tip-- when gassing up at Walmart (cheapest around here, so 95% of the time that's where I gas up) I always check the top of the pumps and pick up the extra expended gift cards lying there... the kind everybody buys inside walmart to get the additional 3 cents off (which was a good deal when gas was $1 a gallon, BTW, since it was 3% off the purchase, but now that gas is $3 a gallon it's only 1% off the purchase and not worth the effort, IMHO... and as gas gets higher it's even less than that!) Anyway, those empty 'credit cards' are great for mixing epoxy, spreading glue, and jobs like that... Best of all they're free! OL JR

 

[Neutronium95]

My dad and I use chopsticks to mix epoxy and apply it. It works extremely well, and we have been building rockets for years this way.

 

[accooper]

I have a big ol' bag of those use once chop stix that I to use for many thing, including mixing epoxy.

Andrew
Dark Lord Of The Scratch Builders

 

[luke strawwalker]

Last summer I was building my Dr. Zooch Saturn V while vacationing at the MIL's house in Indiana... I goofed up and cut a number of parts off several of the included 'sticks' used to simulate tunnels and fairings on the Saturn V, not realizing the two of them were supposed to remain intact for LONG tunnels on the S-IC stage. I ended up with only ONE intact stick left-- what to do...

I looked at that stick and looked around and couldn't find anything suitable, but I KNEW I had seen a stick like that SOMEWHERE... Then the solution hit me!

I took my nephew to Bremen to the hobby shop there to get some supplies for his 4H rocketry project for the forthcoming county fair, and after we finished up with that, we went to the local Chinese restaurant for lunch, where I indulged in several of those chicken teriyaki skewers... Once the chicken was liberated from it's skewer, I chose several of the 'best looking ones' (least amount of dry chicken bits stuck to it) to take home for construction supplies... Once home, I sanded off the remaining dried chicken bits, washed it to remove any remaining grease, and let dry overnight. Next day, I trimmed the ends and trimmed the stick to length and voila-- instant cable tunnel for the S-IC... painted over it and it looks perfect...

How many parts on YOUR rocket have done time on the buffet line at the Chinese restaurant?? LOL LAter! OL JR

 

[Stymye]

plastic spoons can be used to mix epoxy and make beautifull fillets,
... $5.00 will buy alot of spoons.

 

[Dr.Zooch]

Last summer I was building my Dr. Zooch Saturn V while vacationing at the MIL's house in Indiana... I goofed up and cut a number of parts off several of the included 'sticks' used to simulate tunnels and fairings on the Saturn V, not realizing the two of them were supposed to remain intact for LONG tunnels on the S-IC stage. I ended up with only ONE intact stick left-- what to do...

I looked at that stick and looked around and couldn't find anything suitable, but I KNEW I had seen a stick like that SOMEWHERE... Then the solution hit me!

I took my nephew to Bremen to the hobby shop there to get some supplies for his 4H rocketry project for the forthcoming county fair, and after we finished up with that, we went to the local Chinese restaurant for lunch, where I indulged in several of those chicken teriyaki skewers... Once the chicken was liberated from it's skewer, I chose several of the 'best looking ones' (least amount of dry chicken bits stuck to it) to take home for construction supplies... Once home, I sanded off the remaining dried chicken bits, washed it to remove any remaining grease, and let dry overnight. Next day, I trimmed the ends and trimmed the stick to length and voila-- instant cable tunnel for the S-IC... painted over it and it looks perfect...

How many parts on YOUR rocket have done time on the buffet line at the Chinese restaurant?? LOL LAter! OL JR

Just an FYI- for anyone... if you ever need another few dowels for one of the Zooch kits- I'll send them to you at no cost... even if you're at the MIL's place. BTW- when I started the company, I bough 24,000 of those dowels... as of last week I have 2,000 left... time to re-order.

 

[luke strawwalker]

Great customer support there Doc... :clap: I figured I coulda counted on ya...

BUT, where's the fun in THAT?? You're just looking out for my health and trying to keep me from getting my Chinese food lunch aren't ya?? Gotta have my General Tsao's chicken...

Besides, now I have a great story to tell on the range... LOL OL JR

 

[JAL3]

Great customer support there Doc... :clap: I figured I coulda counted on ya...

BUT, where's the fun in THAT?? You're just looking out for my health and trying to keep me from getting my Chinese food lunch aren't ya?? Gotta have my General Tsao's chicken...

Besides, now I have a great story to tell on the range... LOL OL JR

I want to chime in on this one.

I too have to say that Dr. Zooch's customer support is superb. I have gotten great support from most of the rocket vendors I have dealt with, Semroc, Pemberton and Fliskits come to mind but they are NOT the only ones. Dr. Zooch, though, has been singular. He has helped when I have flubbed a step, has been patient and, strangely enough for a business man, refuses to take payment for replacement parts, even with me loudly protesting that I owed him.

My requests to let me pay for replacement parts have more than once fallen on deaf ears. Its almost gotten to the point where I'm afraid to build another one of his kits in fear that he will have to further bankroll my errors.:confused2:

Other vendors have graciously sent me replacement parts before gratis, even when I offer to pay. Most though, eventually come to the conclusion that JAL3, aka John Lee, manages to mess up enough projects that he (I) really ought to foot some of the bill. They are 100% right on this matter. I wish the good Doctor would be so reasonable!

Great kits, great support, great ethic and a pretty fair maritime historian as well.

NOTE: I have not received any prompting or goodies for this endorsement. It is heartfelt.

 

[Dr.Zooch]

Customer service is often a lost art... I'm just restoring the artwork a bit.

And remember... I put my pants on both legs at once... just like everyone else.

 

[rsynoski]

Walmart has Craft Stick (aka popsicle sticks) in a box of 1000 for around $5. It will last you for years.

 

[UPscaler]

And remember... I put my pants on both legs at once... just like everyone else.

WOW. That usually comes out a big problem for me.:roll:

 

[MarkII]

I usually put mine on backwards..........................Oh, wait, you're talking about pants?

MarkII