The last couple weeks I have been getting help on another threat on this site. You guys were good enough to take the time to help me get started in vacuum infusion.
While we were talking, someone showed some interest in rockets.
I thought I would post some pictures of my carbon rocket projects. . The airframes, Couplers , fin material , and assembly , were all home brew.
I have other projects but they are painted. I didn’t include them.
Anyway , Hope you like them.
Terry
The Sledghammer looks great .How high would somthing like that go.It looks like a pretty serious rocket . Thanks for the pics
Thanks for sharing tbone. They look badass! Can you share some of the specs on them? Altitude they can reach, g-force, speed, etc… I bet they have some impressive numbers. Also how big are the motors? I’m sure they ain’t Estees motors from wal-mart 
Do you need to be certified or have a license to buy/build/and launch this scale or notify the FAA/local airport? Anytime I want to fly over 500’ with my unmanned helicopter I have to notify FAA.
The Sledgehammer was pretty much a 2 stage show boat. It was 18ft tall, wieghed 170lbs on the pad. It flew to 15,000 ft.
A year later I modified it to hold larger motors. So it would have flown higher except it blew up.LOL
Actually my biggest feat was was last picture. It was a two stage rocket that flew to 70,000ft. at the blackrock desert.It had GPS in it so once it landed I just hopped in my car and drove right to it.
This rocket was a 4" mininum diameter rocket with an N motor in the booster and an N motor in the sustainer. Remember the estes A , B , and C motors? Rocket Motors double in impuluse as each letter gets higher. The motors were 40" long and 3.8" in diameter. The booster motor had almost 4000lbs of thrust alone.
The rocket pull about 30 Gee’s and busted mach 2.3
I also have a smaller 2" dia. rocket that pulled 70 Gees and flew to 22,000 ft in Illinois.
This is a very fun hobby. You have to join one of two national clubs and then you can fly at designated areas where your local club has an agreement with the local airport to have clear airspace.
You used to have to have a LEUP to buy the motors but as of a year ago they the government ruled that they are not an explosive . So now anyone can buy the motors .
Terry
Nice stuff. Just a little more involved that my 12" tall Estes rocket in the garage.
:laugh: That is fantastic! To be able to build something that pulls 30g’s, goes mach 2.3 and can reach 70,000 feet. lol I love it.
Do you test the motors on a bench at all? Cause I can’t imagine what your neighbors would think if you set a 4000lbs thrust rocket motor off in the back yard. :eek: haha I’m sure you wouldn’t do it there in anyways, probably highly illegal and unsafe. How do you store and transport the motors, are they very safe to handle? Cause a 40" motor sounds HUGE!
Ever put a camera in one so you can get some good pics of the horizon when it comes down?
Lots of people put video cameras in there rockets. I have’nt though.
The motors I use are bought commercially. They are made of solid fuel. The main ingrediant is ammoniun perchlorate.
I’m just now studying up to learn to make my own fuel. Hope to give my own home brew motor a try before the winter is up.
You don’t really test the motors you buy. But if you make your own you should have at least three tests on a stand before you dedicate one to the air.
AP motors are fairly safe to transport. The propellant is pretty hard to light and doesnt really blow up. But it will burn real hot and fast once it does light.You should tranport motors in an explosion proof container.
I sent you a PM with some links on rocketry.
Terry
What is the law governing/reguarding model rocketry? If you can reach a certain height do you have to have a special liscence or permission to launch? I had a room mate in college who flew at Blackrock a few times with E, and F motors i believe. Been so long ago i don’t really recall exactly.
Each local club has to work out land and airspace with the local airport. Some areas allow you to fly to 5000ft , and some as high as 30,000ft . I believe Blackrock has one of the highest waivers in the world. You can fly to 100,000ft. You most newton seconds of impulse you can fly per our national club is 40,000Ns. So over40,000 newtons and 100,000 ft you have to get your own insurance and your own waiver.
That last picture looks like an AA missile!