AboutJames Bell Expertise I am a member of Tripoli Rocketry Association, and am certified to fly hi power rockets. I can answer questions anyone may have about design, materials selection, stability calculations, motor selection, altitude and performance predictions, and parachute and recovery options.
Experience I make my rockets from existing kits or parts readily made through commercial channels. I do NOT make my own motor propellants (they are challenging enough even for the companies that do this for a living), and I do not advocate making rockets using "typical household item" such as paper towel rolls.
Question hello,
i have had some success on building my own rocket engines, but i can not get enough thrust to fly.
i have been using pyrodex, my exhaust nozzels are 3/32", if i pack it dry, explosion usually occurs, but if i pack slightly moistened H20, i get ignition and very low thrust, i wanted to use black powder but pyrodex was only available but federal governmnet rules, i have thought about making my own black powder, would this solve my problem ?
Answer Miss Markie -
I never dabbled in making my own rocket motors. I have enough problems with ones made by professionals with millions of dollars worth of research and manufacturing equipment available to them, I never considered it worth my meager efforts to attempt in my kitchen.
If your question is centered around Pyrodex versus black powder, however, I would definitely go with black powder. Goex is my favorite brand, and you might want to work with either FFFg (3F) or FFFFg (4F) grades. Or, if you have a granulation that you have worked with in Pyrodex, stay with that.
I fire a variety of black powder firearms, both percussion and flintlock. Pyrodex is great in percussion or metal cartridges, because the contained spark is hot enough to get a good ignition. In my flintlock, it won't fire at all. Black powder is much easier to ignite, but it also burns much more explosively, so be warned. You definitely want to wet and mix it into a mash and avoid air pockets.
I'm not sure what reference you are making regarding federal government rules. Black powder is available at most sporting goods stores that support black powder firearms. The cost varies, but it's roughly $15 a pound. Some states have a 5-pound limit due to its explosive properties.
