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Model Rocketry/Questions Answered by Expert James Bell
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Model Rockets and Fins | 12/14/2011 |
| Q: I am doing a model rocket related science fair project at my school. I am designing am planning on ... A: Libby - You've asked a lot of good questions, and I shall try and answer all of them. Many of the ... | |
| Back in 76 u could go to a hobby shop and see really advanced rockets. The andromedone,Moonlander with shock exsorbers and more.Now days all i see is boring 1,2 stage rocket at the stores.What gives and where can i go in NE Tex. to see advanced estes rock | 9/8/2011 |
| Q: I screwup! A: John - Although Estes is probably the most well known maker of rocket model kits, there are ... | |
| rocket igniter position | 5/27/2011 |
| Q: For igniting model rockets I saw two designs, one placing igniter through the nozzle into the motor ... A: Veeru - The first one, from Purdue University, is looking at high-end motor designs for NASA-grade ... | |
| rocket igniter position | 5/6/2011 |
| Q: For igniting model rockets I saw two designs, one placing igniter through the nozzle into the motor ... A: Veeru - I'm not exactly sure of what you are describing. I am familiar with two types of igniters, ... | |
| Making Deployment Charges | 4/5/2011 |
| Q: I need help making my own Deployment Charges for my model rockets. Is there any websites that you ... A: Justin - Sorry for my delay in responding. I would suggest you visit the site for Public Missiles ... | |
| Problems with first flight | 4/4/2011 |
| Q: I'm trying to help my son launch his first rocket. Today we went through 3 ignitors and tried 2 ... A: David - It appears you have the the proper equipment, and a fresh 9-volt battery should work with ... | |
| Problems with first flight | 4/3/2011 |
| Q: I'm trying to help my son launch his first rocket. Today we went through 3 ignitors and tried 2 ... A: David - Ignitors can be tricky things. You didn't specify what type of motor you are using, but I ... | |
| Science | 1/8/2011 |
| Q: Is it possible for a rocket to fly win only 2 fins & can it fly with 5 fins? What would happen? A: Monica - Three fins -- equally spaced -- is traditionally the smallest number of fins you can have. ... | |
| home made rocket question | 12/1/2010 |
| Q: Our daughter has a school project to make a rocket out of things around the house, although we are ... A: Laura - Depending on how old the question was that had the link to my "tips" page, I did undergo a ... | |
| launch pad for estes 43.25" saturn V rocket | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: I just purchased the new estes saturn v model. I have launched smaller rockets but this is my first ... A: Dan - The kit specifies a 3/16" Maxi Rod, attached to whatever launch pad will accept it. The ... | |
| rocket adhesive | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: with all the instructions of the model rockets it suggests plastic cement is the preferred. With all ... A: Steve - Just like the brand of oil you use in your car, everyone has a favorite they like to use. ... | |
| calculations | 5/13/2010 |
| Q: how do you find the center of pressure & how many nseconds there are in an engine. A: Hayden - There are many ways to answer the question of CP calculation. Some use a cardboard cutout ... | |
| Rockets | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: Why would launching rockets from outer space be more effective than launching them from Earth? A: Dakota - The "effectiveness" of launching a rocket from outer space depends on the destination of ... | |
| Rockets | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: What is the advantage of 3 fins on a rocket? What is the disadvantage? A: Dakota - Three fins is the minimum number equally spaced 120 degrees apart to provide stability for ... | |
| Number Of Rocket FIns VS Altitude | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: James my question is that "How does the number of rocket fins compare to the altitude?" and also ... A: Bobby - The main purpose of tail fins is to stabilize the rocket as it flies through the air. The ... | |
| level 3 certification | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: I'm planning on getting my level 3 cert bit later this year,what is the most cost effective way of ... A: Donovan - I really can't speculate on how well your smoking tracker might work. The design looks ... | |
| kit modifications | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a kit for a Mean Machine and would like to make it one body tube section shorter (18"). ... A: Kerry - With the exception of some additional fin area, the Mean Machine is not much more than a ... | |
| Model Rocketry | 6/23/2009 |
| Q: How does weight effect altitude on rockets, and can you give me sites pertaining to your answer or ... A: Bobby - I'll do you one better. Download the following program ... ... | |
| Starter | 6/16/2009 |
| Q: hey! I'm starting model rockerty And i was looking at some rockets and stuff This is what for sure I ... A: Alex - Model rocketry is a great hobby, and you will quickly get hooked. My first was an Estes Big ... | |
| building a bungee rocket | 6/2/2009 |
| Q: Bell, I am 10 years old in 4th grade. This year, all of the 4th graders will have a contest to ... A: Isabelle – I must say, in all the years I have been answering questions, most are sent to me in a ... | |
| Cluster 25%N total impulse | 5/2/2009 |
| Q: ...since then i have been shooting rockets to 5600feet its my personal best so far ...and im working ... A: Donovan - I am a huge fan of using electronics to assist me in a successful launch and recovery. I ... | |
| rocket fins | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: What do you think would happen if you moved the fins on a rocket to the top, middle, and bottom? A: Devon - Rocket stability of one of the basics of rocketry design you need to have a good grasp of. ... | |
| Re: Got answer-- ejection charge/black powder | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: I did some more searching last night and finally came across my answers about how to set up the ... A: Greetings again, Glenn - You seem to have your path well plotted. I flew a LOC IV for my Level I ... | |
| Got answer-- ejection charge/black powder | 12/2/2008 |
| Q: I did some more searching last night and finally came across my answers about how to set up the ... A: Glenn - You are pretty close on your solution. I prefer FFFg (3Fg) powder, but 4Fg works well ... | |
| Level 1 certification Model rockery | 11/22/2008 |
| Q: I need to find the C/G of my Level 1 rocket. I do not have a level 1 certification yet. How do I ... A: Bill - You ask questions that are both involved and complex. Here is the best way to tackle them ... | |
| mid power rocketry | 11/11/2008 |
| Q: i was wondering if you could tell me what i would need to make a custom mid power rocket. i am big ... A: John - I have a webpage set up at ... http://64.41.64.113/home/tips.html You can look over the ... | |
| partial success | 10/31/2008 |
| Q: i have had some success on building my own rocket engines, but i can not get enough thrust to fly. i ... A: Miss Markie - I never dabbled in making my own rocket motors. I have enough problems with ones ... | |
| fin can | 10/21/2008 |
| Q: We would like to use a fin can for a 3" body tube with replaceable fins. Any suggestions on where ... A: Esther - My apologies for not getting back to you sooner. It appears my Spam filter is working ... | |
| Launch Tower | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: I am wanting to design a tower which would be a three railed design and be able to hold small model ... A: Ali - I have seen many different variations of launch towers. The most popular involve a nippled ... | |
| Engine | 8/9/2008 |
| Q: I would like to know where to get an Aerotech J-275 rocket motor. And how much would it cost. thank ... A: Jacob - You can purchase the Aerotech J275 from RocketMotion.com ... | |
| Multiple Rocket Engine Launch | 5/19/2008 |
| Q: For class i have been challenged to launch an egg 100 feet in the air, have it detach from its ... A: Greetings Jason - I would suggest you visit the webpage I have set up for model rocketry ... ... | |
| COMPUTER PROGRAMS | 3/13/2008 |
| Q: HEY JAMES I JUST GOT MY OLD TANDY TRS 80 OUT OF MOTH BALLS AND TO MY SURPRISE IT STILL WORKS AND ... A: Chris - Oh my gawd ... a Trash-80? I feel I should get out my Atari 800 and daisy chain the 5.25 ... | |
| recovery system | 3/10/2008 |
| Q: i have a small rocket(390mm in lenght and 20mm outside diameter with a 2mm wall thickness) and i ... A: Donovan - Okay, now you are into an entirely different realm here. I assume you are outside the ... | |
| After school instructor? | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: I am the director of an after school program and would like to include Model Rocketry. Could you ... A: Greetings Karen - I would suggest you visit the National Association of Rocketry's website ... | |
| recovery system | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: i have a small rocket(390mm in lenght and 20mm outside diameter with a 2mm wall thickness) and i ... A: Greetings again, Donovan - Yes, the location of the CG is very important, especially in ... | |
| recovery system | 3/6/2008 |
| Q: i have a small rocket(390mm in lenght and 20mm outside diameter with a 2mm wall thickness) and i ... A: Greetings Donovan - If the rocket you have is from a kit, it should have included a recovery system ... | |
| PARACHUTES AND FINS | 3/1/2008 |
| Q: HEY JAMES ITS ME AGAIN I WAS WANTED TO MAKE HOMEMADE KITS AND SELL THEM I ASKED THE OTHER EXPERT A ... A: Chris - Anyone can make money selling anything ... just look on eBay. I'm constantly amazed at ... | |
| launch controller | 2/18/2008 |
| Q: hey james i have a question i have decided to build your model rocket controller with the two nicad ... A: Greetings Chris - It looks like the best choice for you would be my "economy" launch controller. ... | |
| Launching safely | 2/17/2008 |
| Q: Is there a way to make a wireless launch button? I s please tell me how. A: Greetings Brad - With the advances in wireless technology, I have no doubt that the ability to ... | |
| launch controller | 2/4/2008 |
| Q: hey james i see your model rocket launch controller i want to make one close to yours but i dont ... A: Chris - I tried using a car battery once when my regular launch controller died. I'm not sure what ... | |
| Rocket fins | 12/19/2007 |
| Q: My friends and I are building a model rocket and i was wondering what type of fins has the best ... A: Greetings Aaron - The type of material I use depends on the power and size of the rocket. Most ... | |
| rocket materials | 11/27/2007 |
| Q: My classmates and I are building a rocket. We are having a hard time coming up with something to use ... A: Greetings Danielle - I apologize for taking so long to respond. Nasty cold ... what can I say. As ... | |
| Multi Stage Model Rocket | 11/4/2007 |
| Q: I would like to build a 2nd stage model rocket for physics.. and I am encountered with the question ... A: Greetings - There are two ways you can ignite a rocket motor inflight: The Estes way, and a more ... | |
| rocket fin | 9/27/2007 |
| Q: I made some rockets with different fin designs. I wan't to add fins just behind the nose cone apart ... A: Greetings Veerendra - Without getting into the CG/CP (center of gravity/center of pressure) ... | |
| homemade rocket | 9/13/2007 |
| Q: i was thinking about making a homemade rocket, with everything homemade except the engine. Do you ... A: Greetings Alex - The body tube is just one small aspect of the overall rocket. You have the motor ... | |
| Plans to make a Launch pad... | 7/9/2007 |
| Q: Do you know of any plans for building my own launch pad? The ones from Estes and such are too small ... A: Greetings D.J. - My apologies for taking so long to respond, it's just been one of those weeks. I ... | |
| Altimeters and modified uses | 6/21/2007 |
| Q: I'm in need of an altimeter that will take measurements from the diverted airstream a pitot tube or ... A: I would suggest you get in contact with Adept Rocketry at ... http://www.adeptrocketry.com/ ... | |
| home made rocket tips | 5/11/2007 |
| Q: I am from India and there no stores supplying rockets kits so please suggest some home made methods ... A: Greetings Sarang - I have never delved into making my own rocket motors, as they can be very ... | |
| starters | 5/3/2007 |
| Q: My friend tommy and i are trying to launch a rocket we made, It has a e engin, but we dont have any ... A: Greetings Mason - Personally, I wouldn't try alternate ways to ignite a rocket motor. Getting more ... | |
| Launch Controller | 4/8/2007 |
| Q: My question. What kind of launch controller do I need for those engines? Can I use my Estes launcher ... A: Greetings Todd - Trust me, this is NOT a stupid question ... quite the contrary, it's one that I ... | |
| cluster rocket | 4/4/2007 |
| Q: i am building a 5 ft, 5l b rocket that has a diameter of 4 inchs and i am using 4 E rockets. i ... A: Greetings Richard - Forgive my tardiness at answering your question. You might want to rethink the ... | |
| Deployment charges | 3/23/2007 |
| Q: Does anyone make deployment charges or do you have to create your own? I would like to have a dual ... A: Greetings David - Most people find it's easiest to make their own charges. I use a specified ... | |
| Rocketry Motors | 2/10/2007 |
| Q: i was wondering what all components are in the model rocket engine so i could make one for the next ... A: Greetings Matthew - Personally, I never got into making my own rocket motors. I found even the ... | |
| Motor Mount | 1/25/2007 |
| Q: i still cant find one please help mehi, i am a student building a hypertek rocket and i cant find a ... A: Jorge - Many sites don't list everything on their websites. I would recommend you call one of the ... | |
| High Powered Rockets | 1/23/2007 |
| Q: I have bought two books to help me build my rockets, and they have been worth every cent. Would ... A: Bob - So, you're 15 huh? I wish you luck. High-power isn't a hobby that is cheap. I once ... | |
| Motor Mount | 1/22/2007 |
| Q: i am a student building a hypertek rocket and i cant find a good motor mount so what would be a good ... A: Greetings Jorge - Personally, I've never launched a hybrid rocket before, so I have no personal ... | |
| Recovery System | 1/22/2007 |
| Q: For A Rocket built in highschool, how would you arrange eveything?Materials? A: Greetings Jules - I assume by "everything", you mean the sequential layout of the recovery system? ... | |
| Rocketry Motors | 1/21/2007 |
| Q: I'm in a class called princable of tecnology and I am not sure where to get an engine A: Greetings Brandon - I assume you mean "principles of technology" (please check spelling and ... | |
| Rocket Engine Help | 12/2/2006 |
| Q: I just received a North Coast Rocketry Big Brute. From what I understand the F62-4 or G70-5 engines ... A: Greetings Joseph - Yes, I am a huge fan of Aerotech, as their motors are the choice of serious ... | |
| home made rocket body | 12/1/2006 |
| Q: Many years ago, I taught rocket flight to Jr high students and we would make our own rockets from ... A: Greetings Robin - I haven't made my own rocket bodies, so I have no experience in this particular ... | |
| high atitude record info request | 11/15/2006 |
| Q: I would like to know what is the world record for altitude and max speed for ametuer or ... A: Greetings Josh - I would suggest you visit the Tripoli Rocketry Association website ... | |
| rocket fin | 10/26/2006 |
| Q: i am currently stuck trying to calculate a thickness for our fin design. If there is anywhere you ... A: Greetings Greg - I have made a few high-powered rockets, but none that have attempted an altitude ... | |
| Fin Design | 10/13/2006 |
| Q: Right now, i am currently working on designing a hybrid rocket single stage, motor size is roughly L ... A: Greetings Bruce - As luck would have it, I happen to have two shareware programs on a rocketry ... | |
| Home Made model rockets | 10/3/2006 |
| Q: I teach at a school and we are making home made rockets. I do a lot of model rocketry my self out of ... A: Greetings Jeremy - I know several hobby stores that carry packs of motor mounts and clips. I know ... | |
| rocketry lessons | 9/25/2006 |
| Q: Do you know of a rocketry expert or instructor in New Jersey? A: Greetings Melissa - Boy do I have a site for you ... http://www.sojars.org/ The South Jersey Area ... | |
| Launch towers | 7/9/2006 |
| Q: I am contemplating the construction of a model/mid power launch tower to eliminate the use of lugs. ... A: Greetings Paul - Yes, launch towers are expensive and have a much tigher tolerance in the design. ... | |
| Aerotech engine launching | 7/7/2006 |
| Q: I have a question about aerotech engines and how to launch them. I have no aerotech experience at ... A: Greetings Rich - Realize that the picture I have posted on the site depicts the "coppertop" igniter ... | |
| gyroscpes | 7/3/2006 |
| Q: I am interested in any information regarding use of gyroscopes in model rocketry A: Greetings Jerry - I have read of them being used in the larger projects ... "M" and higher motors. ... | |
| 4 stage model rocket | 6/6/2006 |
| Q: James, I have just completed building my 4-stage model rocket. I built it out of 2 estes cc express ... A: Greetings Steve - You definitely have much greater ambitions than I. I never dabbled in ... | |
| Speed | 5/23/2006 |
| Q: I have a starter rocket and it has a engine a tube, fins, and a cone at the top, I have everthing to ... A: Greetings Josh - Realize one thing when it comes to rocketry: ADDING anything to a rocket will ... | |
| Model Rocketry and regulations | 5/22/2006 |
| Q: I have a assignment in class and i need to know who regulates model rocketry? Also my teacher asked ... A: Greetings John - Normally I don't answer homework questions, as you are supposed to find these ... | |
| Launch Box | 5/14/2006 |
| Q: I have nearlly completed the control box found on your web page(with a few slight changes), i found ... A: Greetings Harlan - The key merely allows you to have something to remove to disable the controller ... | |
| Smoke Trail | 5/4/2006 |
| Q: I would like to have a smoke trail come from the centre tube of my rocket.I have built my own rocket ... A: Harlan - Just for the record, High-Power doesn't start until you reach "H" motors. E, F and G are ... | |
| Smoke Trail | 5/3/2006 |
| Q: I would like to have a smoke trail come from the centre tube of my rocket.I have built my own rocket ... A: Greetings Harlan - I haven't found a reliable way to get smoke trails from my rocket. Everything I ... | |
| Clustering | 4/25/2006 |
| Q: Yet another question from myself, It reguardes the Saturn V on your web site, ... A: Harlan - I had a set of engine mount rings made for a five cluster motor from the custom precision ... | |
| Fin And Body Tube Selection | 4/24/2006 |
| Q: My Question is, What would be the best fin material to use for a scratchbuild rocket that is powered ... A: Harlan - My personal favorite for fin material is called G10 phenolic. If you look on some of the ... | |
| Launch Controller | 4/23/2006 |
| Q: it is the one with the two Ni-Cd battries. My question is how did you get the wires to stay inside ... A: Greetings again, Harlan - I switched the battery connections to some generic connectors I got at ... | |
| Cluster Engine Rocket | 4/23/2006 |
| Q: I am wondering if 3 C11-3 engines could lift a 325gram rocket, say 1000' or around that... What ... A: Greetings Harlan - At your age, with a limited budget, I'm sure you would like to hear the word ... | |
| gap staging (urgent) | 3/19/2006 |
| Q: Do i absolutly need that hole in the body tube to vent the gas? A: Greetings Kurt - When it comes to staging using closely spaced motors, there are many atmospheric ... | |
| overweight rocket | 3/12/2006 |
| Q: I have a model rocket that's 50 grams above the recommended amount of weight the engine can lift. ... A: Greetings Kurt - There are many variables you haven't given me, such as the maximum weight, so I ... | |
| Black powder engines | 3/5/2006 |
| Q: I wanted to know if estes booster stages are black powder ones and not the compisite, because a ... A: Kurt - All Estes motors are made of black powder. Composite motors are made of amonium ... | |
| Air powered rocket engones | 2/25/2006 |
| Q: Do you have any ideas for a simple design for an Air powered rocket engine, that will fit in an ... A: Greetings Elizabeth - I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "air powered rocket engine." I have ... | |
| Rocket Science and Physics | 3/13/2005 |
| Q: I am doing a science project for my fourth grade class on Rocketry. I want to answer the Question " ... A: Greetings Eddie - Since there are very few rocket motors made that are exactly twice as powerful as ... | |
| 4 stage rockets | 3/3/2005 |
| Q: I have been working with model rockets for about 5 years now and was looking in to getting a new ... A: Greetings Jake - I have seen a high-powered two stage rocket that screamed off the pad and easily ... | |
| Rocket Motors | 2/26/2005 |
| Q: James: Thanks for taking my question. Do you ever use Red Phosphorous in preparing rocket motors ... A: Greetings Michael - I have never used any additives to get a tracer effect on my rocket motors. ... | |
| parachutes | 1/10/2005 |
| Q: what four materials for parachutes on a model rocket work best? Example: nylon, cotton, silk, etc. A: Greetings Jake - Actually, the best material for the panels is call rip-stop. It is the material ... | |
| reloadable motor case dimensions | 12/27/2004 |
| Q: A: Greetings Opie - Here is a link to Aerotech's website ... http://www.aerotech-rocketry.com/ They ... | |
| about the rocket | 12/20/2004 |
| Q: hi how are you doing i am doing a project on rockets and i found your idea on the web and i was ... A: Greetings Ryan - I assume you are referring to the Saturn V model? Yes, I had extensive plans but, ... | |
| Casing | 12/9/2004 |
| Q: My team is competing in a 2 stage-high powered rocket competition. We are allowed to use H and J ... A: Greetings Vishal - I have a webpage set up at ... http://64.41.64.113/home/tips.html Scroll down ... | |
| Model Rocketry | 11/30/2004 |
| Q: Can you teach my how to test the stability of my model rocket before I fly it. Also, can you teach ... A: Greetings Kevin - You have asked a lot of question, so I will answer them in turn. I have a ... | |
| Launch Controller | 10/7/2004 |
| Q: ------------------------- Followup To James Bell, Your website has been very helpful - ... A: Greetings Everett - Your launch controller electronic schematic looks very good to me, although I ... | |
| Fin Tapering | 9/30/2004 |
| Q: I've read several books that say model rocket fin's should be tapered radially ( i.e. tip edge ... A: Greetings again, Bart - When I started making rockets, I wanted those edges perfectly shaped to ... | |
| Iigniters | 9/29/2004 |
| Q: Just getting back into Model Rocketry after being absent from it for about 20 years. Need advice ... A: Greetings Everett - Now THAT is a question I can sink my teeth into. I started with the Estes ... | |
| Fin Tapering | 9/27/2004 |
| Q: I've read several books that say model rocket fin's should be tapered radially ( i.e. tip edge ... A: Greetings Bart - The technique I use to sand an edge onto a fin depends on the fin material. I am ... | |
| I purchased a North Coast... | 7/2/2004 |
| Q: I purchased a North Coast Rocketry Phantom 4000 several years ago. I have never been able to find ... A: Greetings Scott - North Coast Rocketry went out of business many years ago, along with their motor ... | |
| What materials can you use to male a model rocket? | 4/17/2004 |
| Q: Bell Our school is making model rockets out of scratch. What is the material that will give you ... A: Greetings Daniel - There are many materials available to make model rockets. While some try to ... | |
| Direct Staging | 4/5/2004 |
| Q: I read a prior email where you answered a similar question to mine about staging, and claimed it was ... A: Greetings again, Sinan - First, I would experiment with the two motors, and see if the hollowed out ... | |
| Indirect Staging | 3/28/2004 |
| Q: A few friends and I are participating in the Team America Rocketry Challenge. Last year we competed ... A: Greetings Philipp - I love questions from people who realize a REAL rocket project isn't something ... | |
| finding Altitude | 3/3/2004 |
| Q: I was wondering if you knew how to find the altitude that a multi-stage rocket would go with the ... A: Greetings Andrew - Drag factors are always a dynamic thing. It varies with temperature and ... | |
| Staging | 12/20/2003 |
| Q: Im wondering if it is possible to have a Estes D12-0 engine on the lower stage light a Estes E9-4 ... A: Greetings Andrew - Any Estes "0" delay motor should be able to light another motor on top of it, ... | |
| Homemade model rocket | 9/30/2003 |
| Q: i was thinking of building my first "Homemade" Model rocket using Estes model engines and some Pvc ... A: Greetings Raymond - That is a good question. Many people think of various different things that ... | |
| North Coast Rocketry | 1/26/2003 |
| Q: I was into model rocketry a couple of years ago and then when other things happened I got out of it ... A: Greetings Ron - Yes, Estes did discontinue their line of motors sold under the name of North Coast ... | |
| E engine ignition | 12/3/2002 |
| Q: Why is it that an E engine requires more energy to ignite than a A-D engine? Are the igniters for ... A: Greetings again, Tony - It is not the size of the motor that requires a different igniter, but the ... | |
| Model rocketry | 10/26/2002 |
| Q: James Bell, I am an amateur rocket modeler. I think of myself as an absolute beginner, for I ... A: Greetings Andrew - You seem to have been bitten by the rocketry bug about as hard as I was when I ... | |
| Fin design | 10/15/2002 |
| Q: I have built a number of Aerotech rockets and am currently building the Initiator. I have read in ... A: Greetings Radic - Yes, putting a knife edge on any fin will considerably improve the aerodynamic ... | |
| Altitude | 6/29/2002 |
| Q: How big of a field do I need for rockets that attain an altitude of 1500ft? I have a fairly big ... A: Greetings Dave - According to the National Association of Rocketry's Safety Guidelines, the minimum ... | |
| Launcher designs | 5/14/2002 |
| Q: James, I am building a new launcher box for igniting my first multi engine rocket. What I am ... A: Greetings Joe - Boy are you in luck. There are many questions I get over and over, so I set up a ... | |
| model rockets | 2/14/2002 |
| Q: I am in the fourth grade and am doing a science fair project on model rockets. I was wondering if ... A: Greetings Matt - There are many ways to fold a parachute, but the one I have found to be most ... | |
| Launcher Lugs | 12/6/2001 |
| Q: Scratch built 4" Rocket 52" High CP 12.808 from aft. Would like to use two 3/8 lugs CG about 1.5 ... A: Greetings Ernie - I like to keep my launch lugs small but strong. I use copper tubing (nice and ... | |
| rocket ground control system | 12/5/2001 |
| Q: Bell, I would like learn where I can find the necessary information both in introduction and in ... A: Greetings Elif - There are a multitide of websites out there that give lots of information. I have ... | |
| CP/CG on oops on motor mount of PLM Quasar | 11/29/2001 |
| Q: James, After building many rockets I got to building my cert. 1 rocket the PML Quasar. I goofed, I ... A: Greetings Mike - A half inch on the motor mount shouldn't make enough of a difference on the CP/CG ... | |
| Recovery + Quest web address | 11/8/2001 |
| Q: Firstly, is there any kind of tracking devices I can use to help me locate my rockets after flight ... A: Greetings Radic - Yes, there is a company which specializes in electronics for rockets ... Adept ... | |
| smoothing of body tube | 10/23/2001 |
| Q: What do you use to fill in the spiral seams of cardboard body tubes to make the body tube smooth? A: Greetings David - That's an easy question. I use Elmer's wood filler, although any wood filler ... | |
James Bell
Top Expert on this page
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.
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