| Construction Tips (generated through experience) 1. To ensure better parachute deployment, try dusting your parachute with talcum or baby powder before you roll it up. 2. Fillet all your fin joints with either white glue or epoxy (depending on which motors you fly on). If you fly on Aerotech "F" through "N" motors, use the epoxy. 3. If you use high-power motors, you might want to make your fins out of plywood, not balsa. (One man at the May 5 launch made a custom, G-powered rocket with balsa fins. Shortly after liftoff, the thrust (55 N) tore the fins in half and rocket was destroyed. At least his fillets held. Ha.) 4. After cutting body tubes, sand the edge where you made the cut. 5. To avoid recoil damage at ejection, replace all of your shock cords -- if too short -- with a much longer piece of sewing elastic. It's a lot cheaper than buying a crappy Estes cord. 6. When you tie an end of the shock cord to the nose cone loop, tie a triple or quadruple knot. A double knot is a risk of losing the nose cone and the parachute. Trust me -- it's a pain in the neck to replace. 7. Always sand the root edges of your fins. They will adhere better to the tube. 8. When building models with no motor retention hook, DON'T FORGET TO PUT THE MOTOR RING INTO THE BODY TUBE. The model will be rendered completly useless otherwise. 9. When putting in motor rings, use a spacer tube or a spent engine. The process should be done quickly so as not to cause the spacer to get glued inside the tube. 10. For small, lightweight rockets, use balsa fin stock that is no more than 3 mm thick. By doing this you will achieve the height you desire. Balsa that is 4-5 mm thick is used for large and/or high-powered models. 11. If your parachute shroud lines are destroyed, try rebuilding them with 6-lb. fishing line. Try making 18" lengths. |