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 Rocketry Product: Apogee Components - Payload Altitude Rocket {Kit}

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket, Build, Background (2018-05-22)

I'm going to enter the Altitude Payload event at NARAM this August. It's been a long time since that last contest, things have changed! I don't really know what I'm doing so I'm taking the easy way ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket Build, Part 2, Tube Cutting & Kevlar Tie (2018-05-23)

The tubes are almost completely pre-cut by a laser. Cut through the hold down ticks and separate the 18mm lower tube into three parts. The upper shortest part is the nose cone shoulder. The middle ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket Build, Part 1, Parts (2018-05-24)

EDIT: Well, I screwed up! This parts post should have been first. So #2 and #3 will follow tomorrow to put everything in the correct order. The above picture shows all the parts. All seem to be very ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket Build, Part 2, Tube Cutting & Kevlar Tie (2018-05-25)

The tubes are almost completely pre-cut by a laser. Cut through the hold down ticks and separate the 18mm lower tube into three parts. The upper shortest part is the nose cone shoulder. The middle ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket Build, Part 3, Payload Assembly (2018-05-25)

The fit of the bulkhead and red coupler tube were a little loose. A bead of glue was run around the outside of the bulkhead wall. The coupler was marked 1/2" from the top with pencil. More beads of ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket Build, Part 4, Nose Cone Sleeve, Smoothing The Edges (2018-05-26)

The short section of BT-20 is glued into the thin vacu-form plastic nose cone with some medium super glue. The fit seemed loose so I added some white glue to to the shoulder to increase the outside ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket Build, Part 5, Fins (2018-05-27)

The supplied kit fins are 1/16" thick balsa. I wanted something thinner for less resistance. I bought some 1/32" thick plywood for my competition builds. This stuff is so thin and stiff I can cut it ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket Build, Part 6, Shock Cord and Parachute (2018-05-27)

The Kevlar shock cord is glued into a tri-fold mount. TIP: Glue the line (whether it's elastic, rubber or Kevlar) diagonally down the card stock. When the mount is folded and glued, the line will ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket Build, Part 7, Pop Launch Lug (2018-05-28)

I'm going old school, I hope pop lugs are still allowed in competition! I hope to find out find out before going to NARAM. In the comments below, let me know if they are still used in contest flying. ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket Build, Part 8, Pop Launch Lug (2018-05-29)

The doubled tip of the top wire is bent to allow an easy insertion and removal in the hole in the body tube. I'll be using the altimeter vent holes already in the upper payload tube. This is the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket Build, Part 9, Paint and Weight (2018-05-30)

I didn't use CWF in the body tube seams. Primer/Filler was sprayed and most all of it sanded off. I wanted to paint the model with fluorescent paint, but you have to use a white undercoat with ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Payload Altitude Rocket, Finished (2018-05-31)

I hope readers are seeing something different in these competitions builds. They are a good change from ordinary sport rocketry. Light weight and low drag. Decals have been printed but not yet ... [Read More]