Recovery Wadding

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In another thread not too long ago I posted a Borax and Boric Acid solution formula, of course a 30 second internet search will turn up several variations. Most solutions require the water to be heated to improved the dissolution of the borax and boric acid and it also increases the saturation of the chemicals.
 
If you're willing to spend extra money and don't like packing stuff into the rocket every time, you can use a nomex fire-resistant cloth from Top Flight Recovery (https://topflightrecoveryllc.homestead.com/page3.html). I like these because they feel more durable and authentic.

OTOH they also have more mass, so not a great solution for altitude records or very light rockets.
 
Update: I shot the rejuvenated Patriot with a C6-5 and the Home made wadding. It failed to eject the parachute. Fortunately we found the rocket in the residential street. I used an entire sheet of paper towel which I think was too much for the charge to eject. I am please with the flame resistance.

F5473423-12D1-420B-833A-497F0BB0F5A8.jpeg
 
Update: I shot the rejuvenated Patriot with a C6-5 and the Home made wadding. It failed to eject the parachute. Fortunately we found the rocket in the residential street. I used an entire sheet of paper towel which I think was too much for the charge to eject. I am please with the flame resistance.

The flame resistance isn't going to be very helpful if your rocket goes boom on landing. I think the estees stuffing / dog barf is meant to be light enough that it is pushed out easily by the charge, and yet still be flame resistant.
 
Update: I shot the rejuvenated Patriot with a C6-5 and the Home made wadding. It failed to eject the parachute. Fortunately we found the rocket in the residential street. I used an entire sheet of paper towel which I think was too much for the charge to eject. I am please with the flame resistance.

View attachment 419031
If the inside of your model is clean, ie: no shock cord mount in the way, you can use 2” foam from Home Depot that is shaped to slide between the motor and the recovery device. The foam get pushed out along with the parachute/streamer.
 
A suggestion that goes along with wadding … pour a small amount (say 1 teaspoon full) of colored chalk ((yellow/red/orange) you can buy from HD or Lowes) along with the wadding when you pack the rocket. It makes a more visible "puff of smoke" when the ejection charge goes off.
 
Update: I shot the rejuvenated Patriot with a C6-5 and the Home made wadding. It failed to eject the parachute. Fortunately we found the rocket in the residential street. I used an entire sheet of paper towel which I think was too much for the charge to eject. I am please with the flame resistance.

View attachment 419031
That is an awful lot of wadding, and also I'd worry that the one giant piece of paper towel is kind of stiff and prone to jam. You should definitely use less, and also maybe cut it into smaller pieces.
 
It’s an experiment in low cost and eco-friendly alternatives. Sacrifices must be made in the name of science.
[/QUOTE Yes but if you thought about it...go with toilet paper, I would guess Paper Towel is too bulky..
 
A suggestion that goes along with wadding … pour a small amount (say 1 teaspoon full) of colored chalk ((yellow/red/orange) you can buy from HD or Lowes) along with the wadding when you pack the rocket. It makes a more visible "puff of smoke" when the ejection charge goes off.
Just also be aware that the chalk dust will be on every part of the rocket, its great for visibility especially when in competition events where flight are visually tracked for altitude and timing.
 
I bought talc from Amazon and use it liberally with the parachutes. Will definitely use smaller bits of paper towel instead. I tried using TP but was too fragile when wet and stuck together as a roll.

I have to be sure to take the vinyl parachutes out before the launch and apply talc. I had 3 out of 5 parachute failures. 1 failed to expand, 1 was stopped by the wadding, and I think 1 got wrapped up in the cone.

 
Just buy a bale of blow-in attic insulation at HD or Lowe's, aka dog barf. It's a few bucks, it's bio-degradeable (flame retardant treated cellulose) and it's easy to use. A bale will probably last you a lifetime (seriously!). Spend less time fiddling and more time flying is my motto...
 
Just buy a bale of blow-in attic insulation at HD or Lowe's, aka dog barf. It's a few bucks, it's bio-degradeable (flame retardant treated cellulose) and it's easy to use. A bale will probably last you a lifetime (seriously!). Spend less time fiddling and more time flying is my motto...
Cool. I wasn't sure if it was bio-degradable. It sounds messy but willing to try it.

Anyone have a link to Amazon? Not sure when I'll make it to HD anytime soon and shipping to Hawaii is problematic.
 
Cool. I wasn't sure if it was bio-degradable. It sounds messy but willing to try it.

Anyone have a link to Amazon? Not sure when I'll make it to HD anytime soon and shipping to Hawaii is problematic.
Dog Barf aka cellulose insulation is treated with a product similar to boric acid and borax, and its shedded/recycled newspaper, its "green" as far as biodegradeable and effect on the enviroment. Lowes and Home Depot usually have it or building materials suppliers probably have it too.
 
You can get some modest-sized bundles of the stuff from erockets, e.g.: https://www.erockets.biz/erockets-d...-wadding-for-model-rockets-1-5-lb-box-er9066/
Yeah, $20 shipping, for a gallon sized bag of fluff.

Lowes and Home Depot usually have it or building materials suppliers probably have it too.
I'm trying to avoid excessive visits to stores during these times. I mostly use Amazon Prime, but the USPS has lost several packages lately so Amazon is sending me replacements.
 
Amazon won't sell it. It is, after all, a bale, the size of a bale of hay (actually, bigger). Not very ship-able. I would check to see if HD will do curbside pickup. Just don't take a tiny car to pick it up.
 
Look you need something to protect your chute or like everyone says it will fry. Break down and buy it and don't be a cheap penny pincher. It's part of the hobby deal with it. Really? Learn to build a baffle.
 
Check your local lumber yards. Often they'll have a ripped / partial bale of dog barf that you can get pretty cheap. When I fly LPRs using dog barf I do put some wadding in first & then the dog barf so the wadding will act like a piston & push the dog barf out. When I fly my HPR all I use is dog barf.
 
The ads appearing in this thread for cellulose wadding have to be in error. I paid $8-10 about 20 years ago and nowhere can it be $450-$500 per 30 lb bag. If you buy Estes Blast off pack, you get a good amount of wadding. To afterburner, I believe and maybe the poster believes..once you pay for your kit...why should you spent a penny money...penny pinchers unite
 
The ads appearing in this thread for cellulose wadding have to be in error. I paid $8-10 about 20 years ago and nowhere can it be $450-$500 per 30 lb bag. If you buy Estes Blast off pack, you get a good amount of wadding. To afterburner, I believe and maybe the poster believes..once you pay for your kit...why should you spent a penny money...penny pinchers unite
Island prices. The shipping cost to Hawaii would probably be double that for a pallet.

Kuririn said he has a bunch to share.

I picked up a roll of party streamer for 99c at Walmart. It was marked “fire retardant” and seems to hold up To the flame better than the Estes paper.
 
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