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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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Construction

1. The Aerofoam nose cones from North Coast Rocketry can, on
occasion, break from the impact of a hard landing. To strengthen
an Aerofoam nose cone, drill a 1/2" diameter hole in the center
of the base of the cone, and extend it up to about 1" from the
nose tip. Then, epoxy a wooden dowel into the hole, and attach
your screw eye to the dowel. With this arrangement, the Aerofoam
nose cone will probably last longer than your rocket does. (Matt
Steele, HARA)

2. For payload models, consider adding a spare shock cord between
the payload compartment and the nose cone. Since most payload models
make use of a friction fit between the nose cone and the payload
compartment, it's possible to lose the nose cone during flight. An
extra shock cord between the nose cone and the payload compartment
will eliminate this possibility. (Bill Curtin, CSAR)

Tools

1. Use a handle to grip your models while spray painting. A simple,
inexpensive handle can be fashioned from a used motor casing and a
coat-hanger. Just straighten out the hooked end of the coat-hanger,
and insert it firmly into the nozzle-end of a used motor. To keep the
coat-hanger firmly attached, simply fill the motor casing with epoxy
and allow to dry in an upright position. This tool allows the
spacemodeler to hold and position a model with one hand, while spray
painting it with the other hand. Simply insert the used casing end of
the handle into the model's engine mount, and then grasp the assembly
using the coat-hanger as the handle. You can easily bend the coat-hanger
to whatever position you need, and the motor casing effectively prevents
any overspray from coating the inside of the engine mount. (B.H.)

Flight Techniques

1. This tip may be of some use to you crazy Ohio people who like to fly
in sub-zero weather. The Consolidated Royal Corporation has a product
out on the market which is called "baby corn starch powder." Now, I don't
know what this stuff does for babies, but it's great for coaxing those
frozen plastic chutes open on a cold day. It looks and smells like the
Johnson and Johnson baby powder we've all come to know and love, but its
main ingredient is corn starch. My wife, God love her rocket-hating soul,
told me to try some of this stuff after she had seen a few models go
ballistic when their chutes failed to open. You don't suppose she
actually knows anything about model rocketry do you? At any rate, give
it a try. You'll love it. You can buy a 4-ounce container for 59 cents
at Drug Mart. (B.H.)

2. Since I recently gave MIVARS members plans for the old "Evel Knievel"
Sky Cycle, I thought I'd pass on a word of advice. Add some weight to the
nose cone before flying this model. The Cycle, even when built according
to instructions, is definitely UNSTABLE without nose weight. (B.H.)

(All tips from Volume 2, Issue 1)