Have you heard of Eastern Ballastics? They were located in Sparta NJ back in the early 60's. Keith Wolos built a machine to produce motors. From what I understand, he also built a machine for Cox, but, I cannot verify that.

I have only seen some Eastern Ballastic motors on this forum, no other information.

Biggest problem with the sugar-based propellant is that it is hugely hygroscopic. Also, to get enough thrust, you have to make the engine a core burner as opposed to an end burner. It wasn't suitable for a production engine, though it was interesting to experiment with.

In today's political environment, it is easier for the would-be engine manufacturer to obtain black powder than it is to obtain KNO3.

Points well taken. I wonder, though, if end-burning (and thus long-burn/low-thrust) sugar motors might work well for Jetex-type F/F (Free Flight) model aircraft in a manner similar to the Rapier motors?

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I don't remember anything regarding Eastern Ballistics, and they certainly should have been on our radar if they were actually producing and selling engines. It's possible G. Harry might have convinced someone to make a stab at entering the engine business (I don't think he ever forgave Vern for making a financial success in MR). As I recall, Cox didn't make their try at model rocketry and world domination until 1967, at which time they were going around telling everyone that "in three years, Estes will be no more."

Incidentally, I think that the entry of Cox into the hobby could be considered the beginning of the end for the pure form of the hobby, because to compete with Cox, Estes was compelled to create ready-to-fly and ARF models, as well as go to selling through the big distributors.

Can we get a bigger quick reply window on this forum? It's hard to write a coherent message when you can only see 5 lines at a time.

IF you could keep the moisture content controlled. Problem is with the sugar you are packing along 22 H2O's for every 12 C's. If I were wanting to put my body at risk, I think I'd start out by trying some combinations with starch instead of sugar (Higher proportion of carbon).

Bill,

If you click the "Quote" button instead of the Quick Reply button, you'll get a much larger editor. You'll have to either put up with the quoted message that you're replying to, or you can learn to cut it out entirely, or cut parts of it, like I did above.

Of course, you can also get the full editor by using the Post Reply button.

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Roy
nar12605

I'm sure you could if you solve the hydro problem as Bill pointed out. Although according to the FBI sugar rocket ingredients are considered an explosive(although all they could do is get it to burn) and the BATFE seems to be sniffing around in that same direction.

It seems that the only substance a person can use anymore that isn't considered an explosive anymore is APCP..... so how about some warp-9 or eb-75 endburners?

why go "back to the past" when you can see the future?

Bill, I do like the idea of a single shot automatic motor making machine...

terry dean

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"Old Rocketeer's don't die; they just go OOP".....unless you 3D print them.

Bill

Dale has posted photos of Eastern Ballastic motors under "Ask The Doctor" under the Eastern Ballastic title, check it out.

Thanks again Dale for your help.

RD

1) Today, casings are available from New England Paper Tube Co. Tubes in custom sizes. The tubes of interest would be convolute virgin kraft. Their minimum order is $385 and the unit price at the minimum order tends to be in the neighborhood of $.12 - $.16 per engine tube.

I don't have any real interest in building an engine machine, except as a thought experiment. Doing the thought experiment, I continue to wonder how one shovels in a measured amount of a powder with a mechanical dingus. If one does it volumetrically, how does one control the density? How do you get it to flow down a tube, or do you build little mechanical shovels?

I'm sure this a long-ago solved problem, probably with solutions in a mechanical engineering book, but I don't know how it's done.

Another consideration if local, state and federal regulations as well as liability insurance, and magazine and shipping documents.

Also, finding a source for a machine, I had a source, but, the gentleman will be retiring soon and doesn't want to get involved in making a machine.

There are many sources for tubes as well beside the one stated.