All Rocketry Blogs

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 1 Parts (2016-02-11)

This build was actually done back in 2012 but never posted on the blog. As it turned out, the finished model wasn't stable! I'll still post the build as a reference for those wanting to make carded ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 2 Internal Supports (2016-02-12)

The internal strengthening rings were glued onto cereal box cardboard. I'm rolling a clean dowel over the glued rings to smooth out and remove excess glue. The circles in the middle will be enlarged ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 3 Internal Rings (2016-02-13)

You are given the choice of leaving on or cutting off the Gimbal Motors from the bottom of the B3 Lower Body piece. Here I'm scoring the fold lines with the rounded back edge of a razor blade. I ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 4 Internal Rings (2016-02-15)

The Support Strips were already glued inside the B3 Lower Body. The rings you made will sit against these rings. TIP: I found I had to sand away a little of the edge to fit better against the B# ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 5 End BP Plate (2016-02-16)

I had to cut a circle in the center of the BP end piece to fit the BT-5. As before, the tube was centered and a line drawn around the end. Cut and sand round to fit the tube. This is the notched BP ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 6 Upper Internal Support Rings (2016-02-17)

Disk 1 and Disk 2 are glued to the star shaped 1A and 2A. While those dry, the connectors B1 and B2 are glued into the upper two transition pieces. Here's the internal support "star" ring being ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 7 Upper Body and Conduits (2016-02-18)

The upper body separation point is above the B2 section. Here's the pre-shaping the B1 shroud for gluing. All the shrouds in this "kit" have internal tabs so the shroud seams edges butt up against ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 8 Upper Stages (2016-02-19)

The A1 section was pre-shaped and rolled around a dowel. This model will need nose weight and clay would probably be used. A plastic Bic pen barrel was just about the right diameter to glue the A1 ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 9 Upper Stages (2016-02-21)

Forming the nose cone takes just a few minutes. A clean dowel was used to start rolling over the nose points. After they start holding the rounded shape, apply some white glue and continue rolling ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 10 Antenna (2016-02-24)

From the back end of the A1 tube you can see the Bic pen barrel inside. Because this is a hard plastic, the antenna holes will have to be drilled. I used my small pin vise drill to make the antenna ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 11 Upper Stage (2016-02-25)

These boxes are small! Score the fold lines before cutting them out. One box is shown, glued in place below the antenna. The finished upper stage. It's pretty clean - for now. I can't stress enough, ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 12 Separation Point (2016-02-26)

A rolled clay weight "snake" was pressed into the Bic pen tube inside the top section. I used the plastic pen barrel so the clay wouldn't discolor the white cardstock over time. The model will ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 13 Main Nozzle Detail (2016-02-29)

Now that the internal BT-5 upper length has been established, fillet the tube where it exits the lower ind of the BP plate. The BT-5 going out the back will end up being the nozzle. It's not the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 14 Nozzle Hat Bands (2016-03-01)

Using string for "hat bands" has been used on carded models for some time. Many of the Dr. Zooch kit nozzles get the same treatment. When properly done it looks very good and adds some strength to ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 15 Nozzle Hat Bands (2016-03-02)

I used the small scissors on my Swiss Army knife to trim off the overhanging string. The picture shows the cut overlap area of two nozzle bands. Here's the finished nozzle with the smaller Gimbal ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 16 TX Tube (2016-03-03)

The TX tube is a little hard to roll. This probably should have been printed on 65 lb. cardstock, I used 110 lb. Here it is rolled around a small diamond file. The TX tube is glued so it angles away ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Part 17 Fins (2016-03-04)

The fins were traced and redrawn in Corel Draw. I knew for the rocket to be stable the fins would have to be larger. Four different upsizes were made. I ended up using the next larger size. The fins ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Thor Able Carded Build Finished (2016-03-07)

A simple crepe paper streamer was installed for recovery. With a 1/2A3-2t engine installed, a small launch lug was glued onto the main body at the C/G location. The model was flown at the ... [Read More]

High Power Rocketry: Project Farside in Popular Science (1957) (2009-01-25)

Here are some additional materials that I recently found for Project Farside. This comes from the October 1957 Popular Science. The details here are great: note the remarkable little payload ... [Read More]