Dick Stafford's Rocket Dungeon Blog 
Rocket Dungeon Posts
Sport Rocketry / Tools / Range Boxes
Prep day (2009-04-17)
In preparations for Red Glare VI tomorrow, I lugged rockets and range boxes up from the Dungeon, made sure I had all the motors I'll need and built G185-5, G67-7G, G69N-P, and F39-6 reloads. All ... [Read More]
Sport Rocketry, July/August 2009 (2009-07-11)The main theme of this issue is NARCON 2009. Unfortunately, the descriptions of the sessions can only provide a hint of what was covered. I really would like to have seen the 'dumpster diving' ... [Read More]
Launch Report 2009-4 (2009-07-18)Location: Great Meadow, The Plains, VA ( NOVAAR ) Weather: Min 70's to 80's, wind 5 - 10 mph Total flights: Today - 9; YTD - 33 Total motors: Today - 11; YTD - 40 This was a great day, although a ... [Read More]
Vintage range boxes (2009-10-07)In the spirit of the coming Holiday, LA Weekly features a compendium of range boxes...for hunting VAMPIRES! If you can't afford the ones shown, they tell you how to stock your own. Ooops, I ... [Read More]
Sport Rocketry March/April 2010 (2010-03-13)In this issue: Performance analysis of 6 vs. 7 tube fin rockets by Larry Brand; a 'bulletproof' Estes build; a Member Photo Blast featuring plastic and cork; Baffles and More ; rockets to ... [Read More]
Finding the speed of Quest plastic (2010-07-07)Not long ago, I decided to fly all my 'collectable' motors. Next up is a G125-15. I think I'll put it in my 29mm Quest Nike Smoke . I'm going to try to restrain myself and keep ... [Read More]
Solo launch report - FLICS and Q E-Z edition (2010-07-14)Location: my driveway Weather: hot and raining Total flights: Today - 3; YTD - 55 Total motors: Today - 3; YTD - 69 I only flew the FLICS and my Q E-Z Monocopter . I was going to dig up a couple of ... [Read More]
Too Rolling (Red)Stoned - a little progress but lots of stuff to do (2010-08-19)Progress: I started cutting and installing the fin mounting guides to the rear thrust plate. Glue is setting on two, 14 more to go. Marked the remaining foam rings. One is ... [Read More]
Laser ignition of APCP propellants (2010-11-04)AeroTech recently posted the attached video to FaceBook . It shows the ignition of various AT propellants using a 1.1W hand held Survival Laser . Gary mentions the possibility of head-end ... [Read More]
Review: Madcow AQM-37 Jayhawk (2010-12-16)My review of the Madcow AQM-37 Jayhawk is below the page break. You can also find out more about this kit by following the tag at the bottom of this post. Enjoy! Brief: This is a nice ... [Read More]
Review: Odd'l Rockets Birdie (2010-12-18)This is Odd'l's take on what is possibly the original oddroc - the flying Badminton Birdie. Birdie + 13mm Mini Motors = quick and easy flying fun. Construction: The kit included the shuttlecock, a ... [Read More]
Review: Odd'l Rockets Raise (2010-12-18)The Odd'l Raise is an adjustable standoff for 1/8" rods. One of them apparently dropped into the box when my Wedgie kit was shipped so I thought I'd add a short review. You can now put your clothes ... [Read More]
Review: First Flight Hobbies Semi Sonic (Beta) (2010-12-18)The First Flight Hobbies Semi-Sonic is a sleek 18mm rocket that sports three split-fins (6 fins total) and a long balsa nose cone. Mine was a beta test-build, so some minor details may vary. ... [Read More]
Review - Public Enemy Ultra Fayboy (3") (2010-12-19)The Public Enemy 3" Ultra Fatboy was my first high power rocket and was purchased for my TRA Level-I certification. I picked this kit primarily because of its sleek design and capability to fly on ... [Read More]
Review: Deuce XL5 (2010-12-24)The Deuce XL5 was my Descon-13 entry and, for the record, the following were the attributes as they applied to the contest: no Micro-Maxx, x2 cluster, sci-fi, comedy(?), most parts from a ... [Read More]
Review: Mini Marz Lander Launcher (M2L2) (2011-01-03)For this 2-stager, an Estes Mini Marz Lander serves as both the nosecone and second stage. The main rocket has a 29mm motor mount, while the Lander flies on 13mm motors. This review will focus on ... [Read More]
Review: Mirror Image (2011-01-04)I couldn't believe it when my wife spotted the Guillow's foam Shuttles on clearance at Michael's Crafts. I am finally getting her fully trained to spot rocket components. Anyway, I bought two more ... [Read More]
Mega Review: Component Reviews (2011-01-13)This is an aggregation of all my old EMRR reviews of miscellaneous components: Giant Leap Rocketry - Honeycomb Composite Fins Giant Leap Rocketry - Slimline Retainer (38mm) Hartle Engineering - Solid ... [Read More]
Review: Art Applewhite Qubits (2011-01-18)The Qubit is another saucer-like object from Art Applewhite's lab . Once built, the Qubit resembles a cube that flies with one of its corners facing upward. I say the Qubit resembles a cube because ... [Read More]
Mega Review: When a Stock Saucer Isn't Enough (2011-01-20)This post will describe goofy modifications to otherwise normal flying saucers. Three started life as Art Applewhite paper kits and one was a Quest MicroMaxx 'brick'. Crew Exploration Saucer I really ... [Read More]
Reviews: Bic Pen-Rocs (2011-01-21)This post present two rockets based on BiC® pens. Once is scratch and one is from Art Applewhite. Double Tree Pen-Roc This is a total rip-off of the cool Bic Arcas from DesCon7 . The ... [Read More]
Review: 58mm JATO (2011-01-23)The 58mm JATO is a 29mm-powered rocket that resembles a rifle cartridge. The lower section is 3" in diameter and it transitions to 54mm. I bounced around between names and settled on this one, which ... [Read More]
Review: Squishy Foam Rockets (2011-01-28)Rigid foam is commonly used in rocketry, mostly for custom nose cones. However, you don't see flexible foam rubber, such as that used in pool noodles, very often. Way back in 2001, EMRR ... [Read More]
Review: Three Estes MODifications (2011-01-28)This post includes: Big Dipper Daddy Fat Boy 7x18mm Motor Eater Phinagain Cruise Missile Big Dipper Daddy I bought this Big Daddy (on sale, of course) as a test-bed for a Micro-Hybrid motor. This ... [Read More]
Reviews: MODifications to the Apogee V2 and Semroc Tau Zero (2011-01-29)On the 10.5mm Micro V2, I added a stretched fin section (the Blitzkrieg Booster ) to allow it to fly on 13mm motors. On the Tau Zero, I merely put the fins on upside down. This is now a designer ... [Read More]
Review: Two models made from Aquapod bottles (2011-01-30)Aquapods are short, stubby, bulbous bottles whose shape is self-described as orbastic . These things scream ROCKETS ! I've used them for a nose cone , a tail cone , and for the bodies of the ... [Read More]
You can do this, or you can do that (post-launch update) (2011-06-19)As noted in my launch report, the Ankyo234 was, well, unstable. Is my RockSim model was flawed? The fins too floppy? The nose weight shifted? The model certainly may not reflect the ... [Read More]
Harbor Freight trip (2011-08-03)I went to Harbor Freight today, coupons in hand: I intended to pick up their oscillating multi-tool that was on sale for $19.99. Found it had no attachments. The version with ... [Read More]
Roll your own with 'RolaTube' (2012-01-23)This may not make it to your workbench or range box, but I found it quite interesting. British company RTL Materials has developed “bistable reeled composites”, which roll ... [Read More]
24mm Paper Honest John, Part 2 (2012-08-12)I made good progress on the 24mm paper Honest John today. As I mentioned in the previous post, I attached three centering rings to the 24mm tube. I didn't fully think out the recovery harness but ... [Read More]
Two kludged-up air rockets (2012-08-22)I wanted to try a few smaller air rockets but I didn't want to fiddle with a graphics program, didn't have plans for smaller rockets that would fit my 1" barrel and didn't want to buy more stuff to ... [Read More]
Launch Report 2013-3 (solo) (2013-06-26)Location: The Original Rocket Dungeon Weather: hot Total flights: Today - 2; YTD - 16 Total motors: Today - 2; YTD - 17 Motors by class YTD: MMX-2, B-1, C-4, E-5, F-2, G-1, H-2 I began investigating ... [Read More]
Launch Report 2017-9 (solo) (2017-10-05)Location: My driveway Weather: overcast; high 70s; wind 0 Total flights: Today - 2 ; YTD - 32 Total motors: Today - 2 ; YTD - 39 Motors by class YTD: MMX-1; A-2; B-3; C-17; D-3; E-4; ... [Read More]
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