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The Right Stuff - Hints and Tips from APOGEE, the official 
newsletter of the Miami Valley Rocket Society. 

Questions or comments? Send E-Mail to Bob Hegwood, CIS: 76276,2552 
 
Or write to: Bob Hegwood 
             31 Pagett Drive 
             Germantown, Ohio 45327 
             (513) 855-7105 
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Supplies 
 
1. Throw away those rubber band shock cords. A stronger,
lighter substitute is as close as your neighborhood shopping 
center. For as little as 59 cents, you can purchase 9 feet,
that's right, 9 FEET of braided elastic in the sewing department
at your local K-Mart. (Compare that to 95 cents for a single 18"
rubber band from Estes) This stuff resists flame better than a
rubber band, is MUCH stronger, is lighter, is cheaper, is more
durable, and can be found in various widths. You can use epoxy
on knots with no ill effects, and you don't have to wait weeks
to get your order. Try it! You'll LOVE it. (Bob Hegwood) 
 
2. Also in the "Throw Them Things Away" department: Estes tape
discs, used to attach shroud lines to a parachute, are heavy,
expensive, and lose their adhesiveness after a short time. Do
yourself a favor, and use Scotch Brand, "Magic Tape" instead.
This stuff is again available at your local K-Mart, and will
cost somewhere between 99 cents and a buck and a half for a
roll which is 18 YARDS in length. (Estes tape discs are listed
at $1.65 for 24 discs.) The "Magic" tape will remain attached
in hot, humid, or cold weather, and is much lighter. It is MUCH
cheaper to use, and is easily dispensed from the plastic container.
(Bob Hegwood) 
 
3. Some useful items for the range kit: 
 
       a) Spare batteries for the launch control system. 
       b) Wooden clothes pins for use as stand-offs. 
       c) Extra micro-clips. 
       d) An Emery board for use in cleaning dirty micro-clips. 
       e) Steel wool for use in cleaning your launch rods. 
       f) An extra launch key in case you lose one. 
       g) Extra chutes, launch lugs, and shock cords. 
       h) Yellow glue and a 5-minute epoxy for quick repairs. 
          (Paul Lutz) 
 
Construction 
 
1. Here's a way to hide those seams in your body tubes. Fill them
in with a filler like "Squadron Green Putty." Make sure it is pressed
in well, and allow it to dry overnight. Sand off the excess putty,
using a 400-grit sandpaper for the final sanding. Apply an overall
coat of clear dope (thinned 50%) for sealing. For best results,
fill the seams before attaching fins, lugs, etc. (Fred Williams) 
 
2. Competition launch towers made simple: Glue four 4" lengths of
body tubing together so that one tube is surrounded by the other
three. (See Fig. 1) Make as many of these assemblies as you'll
need to properly align your tower's stainless steel guide tubes.
When ready, strap the guide tubes to the body tubes using rubber
bands. (See Fig. 2) Lower the completed assembly into a can filled
with Plaster of Paris. When dry, remove the body tubes and rubber
bands, and your tower is ready for use. (Jim Breckenridge) 
 
(All tips from Volume 1, Issue 3)