10-19-2010, 08:33 PM
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Master Modeler
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: MA, NH
Posts: 1,532
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Interesting thread!
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Originally Posted by Doug Sams
Baffles: I've never used one. I've always thought they were a solution in search of a problem. Saving a few pieces of treated toilet paper...well, it ain't much of a savings. And, I'm pretty sure they don't really keep all the burn off the chutes all the time. Right?
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I agree for smaller rockets, but I disagree for larger rockets. Using a baffle cuts way down on the use of wadding and saves your chute and shock cord from potential burns.
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Originally Posted by Doug Sams
Tapered fins: Yeah, I've done a few. Guess what? Unless you're flying competition, they're more trouble than they're worth. They're more prone to breaking, and, as a sport flier, the added altitude only makes them harder to track. Sure, the occasional indulgence is perfectly acceptable, but for those who have a life, square cut fins work danged fine 
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If the build calls for tapered fins I usually comply, but I do hate the extra sanding.
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Originally Posted by Doug Sams
Long shock cords: Whoever came up with the foul notion that making the shock cord longer solves the problem of high speed deployment needs to take a high school course in physics. If your rocket is plunging toward the earth at 400mph, I don't care if the shock cord is 300 feet long, when the rocket gets to the end of the cord, there's gonna be one heckuva a jerk on the airframe, the suspension lines and the recovery harness. You can quote me on that.
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I find that longer shock cords help to prevent damage to the rocket and cone (if it's balsa) from the nose cone whipping back and hitting the rocket. It also seems to prevent zippering. Although I can't back that up with anything more than my own personal experiences. 
The only thing that I can think of as being on my list right now would be excessive sanding and sealing to obtain that perfect finish. I'm just not all that fond of repeating the process enought to obtain the "perfect" finish. Maybe because in the past when I've done that something else always knocks my fnish down a bit. It could be anything to a run in the paint to a bug landing in the final finish coat. 
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I plan ahead that way I don't have to do anything right now.
Oh by the way, I'm not here just for the "olde" rocket discussions.
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