My neighbor Christine has three young boys. In a previous backyard conversation I told them I'm busy with rockets. I promised to take them to a schoolyard launch but that is yet to happen.
I saw Christine today, she told me the boys were given a rocket. I asked if I could see it. It is a PVC bodied rocket with primitive parts and instructions. The vendor name is Rockets-R-Us.
The first page of the instructions is all text.
The resolution is higher than usual so you can blow them up to read it.
Check out Step 4C - a pressure "bleed" hole?
Step 8A - Flaming toilet paper wadding?
Step 8B - Don't use cornstarch for powdering your parachute, it's flammable.
Step 9A - Elmer's glue sanding sealer?
Here's the side view and parts list.
The nose cone is to be turned from a block of balsa.
The launch lugs are striped soda straws, much like what came with the original Estes Scout.
There is a suggested nose cone shape.
You are told to cut the parachute from a garbage bag.
There is no mention of engine retention, how to launch and no NAR Safety Code.
The engine block is a straight pin. Heat the pin and press through the PVC and out the other side. The exposed sharp end of the pin is bent over.
After looking over the PVC "kit" I went home, grabbed up a E2X kit and gave it to Christine and the boys. When they get it assembled we'll have a neighborhood launch at the schoolyard.
EDIT: Scroll down to Harold's comment about two different vendors using the name "Rockets-R-Us".
I had no clue things like this existed! Not even sure why you’d think somebody would buy it - other than easy availability at the local home store, what advantages are there from a hunk of pvc over a paper body tube? What motor would you use with this contraption? Thanks Chris for heading this off at the pass.
ReplyDeleteHi Openroad,
DeleteThere is no advantage of PVC over Kraft paper body tubing, except it's waterproof! I didn't see any engine recommendations in the instructions. It would have to be an 18mm, judging by the PVC tube diameter.
I searched on TRF a bit and from what I gather Rockets-R-Us was a small (one-man show?) but decent vendor of EX motor-making supplies a few years back. I could find no mention of their "kits".
ReplyDeleteIn any case, this thing is an abomination. I wonder how it came to be in your neighbor's possession.
Hi Neil,
DeleteI also searched and saw a reference to Rockets-R-Us and motor making supplies. No website or kits mentioned.
This kit was given to my neighbor's husband where he worked. She said her husband was going to take the nose cone to work and turn the balsa block into a nose cone.
A PVC rocket kit? Wow.
ReplyDeleteIt’s bad enough that this kit is a tragedy-in-waiting for kids, but to add insult to injury (literally!) and make a kid carve his own balsa nose cone? I’m so bad at carving that I would have given up on the hobby right then and there. You did the right thing giving those kids an RTF.
So…you gonna put a G motor in it and glass the fins? ;^D
Hi Lonnie,
DeleteIf I had a kit like this when I was in my early teens, turning my own nose cone would have been the deal breaker. "Here kid, I bought you some PVC glue to build your rocket!"
I assume we'll see an enthusiastic build of this kit on the blog... ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Neil,
DeleteNo blog build on this one! It wouldn't be worth the effort. In place of a build, I took pictures of the instructions.
That's a nice block of balsa if nothing else...
DeleteMy name is Harold. I cannot speak to the kit specifically but I can speak to Rockets-R-Us. There are 2 vendors by this name. One is defunct and was located in Ft. Myers, FL. (the one you spoke of) The other vendor is (I think) somewhere out west and still sells on eBay. I do not know the later but I know the former very well and motor making supplies was always his main focus although he also sold other things (like kits) both online and at the launches. I have never seen a pvc kit produced by him but I do know he started out making pvc sugar motors and also used pvc for rocket airframes. I can try to contact him to see if he produced that kit but, either way, I would never build and fly a pvc rocket, regardless of who produced it.
ReplyDeleteHi Harold,
DeleteThanks for clearing this up. I had a feeling there were two different "Rockets-R-Us" vendors. After a few searches I saw one vendor selling motor making supplies. This low power PVC rocket didn't seem like something he would sell.
The "easy method" suggestion shaping the nosecone by chucking it into a drill (while a friend holds it securely against workbench) and using box cutter... YIKES! Quite a start for being cringeworthy. The rest of the instructions have additional cringe-inducing elements (albeit not as severe as that first one)
ReplyDeleteHi Naoto,
DeleteYikes is right! I tried to turn a nose cone in a drill when I was in my teens. The center dowel broke, the nose cone hit the ground hard and dented it. I tried again, the dowel broke again!