AboutDave Landgraf Expertise I will be happy to take on questions about low-power rocketry in general, including rocket design, operating characteristics of blackpowder motors, low-power motor selection, rocket construction, aerodynamics, parachute and streamer duration competition, boost glide (and a little rocket glide), egg loft, altitude competition, and scale competition. I can help you with Barrowman stability calculations, but I am not a rocksim user. I know the basics of mid-power rocketry and small composite motors but I don't fly them much (I'd rather stretch my money by sticking with low-power). I believe I can explain many concepts in a way that just about anyone can follow (and maybe even over-explain?). I absolutely do not mind "newbie" questions one bit; the only bad question is the one you don't ask!
Experience I have flown model rockets for some 40 years, including a few early years of NAR competition. I have been active at the local club level as well as in the NAR. I enjoy designing and developing unconventional designs (the kind of thing you look at and say "it won't fly!").
Organizations National Association of Rocketry
Publications Model Rocketry (magazine)
Education/Credentials I am an aerospace engineer who has worked professionally in the field for over 30 years. I have worked often with local school, church, and scout groups to lead introductory build-n-fly sessions.
Question what are som good materials ror body tubes and fins out of commen household items?
Answer Hi Derek,
You can make your own body tubes from several different paper materials, and a few plastic ones. If you roll plain old copy machine paper you can make a decent tube (spray one side with contact adhesive first, and put one layer of waxed paper on your forming tool so the paper will release). If you use cardstock you can make some very strong body tubes, but it will not roll into small diameters very easily. Many serious rocketry competitors roll their own body tubes from drafting vellum.
Fins can be made from thick plastic packaging used to protect many modern items. This plastic may require a special glue to get a good connection to a cardboard body tube.
Fins can also be cut from picture framing cardboard. Stores like Hobby Lobby put this material on sale quite often for half price, and a 30 inch x 40 inch sheet will make a lot of fins. It is available with many different colors already applied to one side, and a rear surface that has very smooth, good quality paper and is great for drawing the fin patterns. I select the thicker forms of matte board (about 1/16th inch thick), and I use this material to make fins for introductory rocket classes.
The only problem with these materials is that it can be a little hard to make a precision body tube that fits well with other rocketry parts like centering rings and nose cones. Body tubes are fairly inexpensive, and probably not worth the trouble to try to make your own. You can order them easily from places like Fliskits (and many other rocketry vendors).
One cool plastic body tube material that is easy to find is the clear plastic tubing sold at the hardware store as a sleeve to cover fluorescent light bulbs (if the bulb cracks or shatters, the plastic tube holds the pieces safely). One size of this tubing is very close to BT60 size and only costs a few dollars, but then you are back to the problem of how to glue different plastics together.
I hope that answers your question, but I would still strongly recommend buying some pre-made cardboard body tube. It is inexpensive, it is the right diameter to fit other rocketry parts, and it is light weight.
