TIP and Post Launch Pic

At the end of a launch, I'll walk the area picking up any igniters and wadding.

TIP: From sitting on the wet grass, the wadding is usually damp and great for wiping off the micro clips, launch rod and blast deflector.

It's much easier to get most of the blast crud off at the launch site before it "sets" on the exposed surfaces, especially the blast deflector.

When picking up the wadding pieces after last Sundays launch, I noticed something in the wadding.

That's what's left of the clay ejection cap. Somehow it stayed in the creases of the blown out wadding and made it all the way to the ground.

I have to wonder what the nozzles (and ejection caps) are made of now. Years back they were a consistent color of gray.
Now the nozzles look like compressed small pebbles in many shades of gray.
On YouTube I've seen amateur engine makers make nozzles out of compressed Kitty Litter granules. Makes you wonder if that's what's being used now, or something like that material.

Why not? For years Estes has used treated toilet tissue for wadding.
NOTE: Don't make your own nozzles or engines!