All Rocketry Blogs

Model Rocket Building: Stellar (Centuri) Wadding (2010-07-14)

Don't ask me where I found this. I have a second package marked down to $.25! Judging by the marked down price it had to be from a hobby store in the late 1970s.   At the time, Centuri ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: TIP: Budget Wadding (2011-02-20)

Well, maybe it's not entirely "homemade" but it is cheap! Recently there were forum posts about modelers trying to make their own homemade wadding. Trying to get the right mix of ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Before Wadding There Was . . . (2011-07-01)

I'm not a big fan of Estes Wadding. When packed correctly, it does work well. I just don't like paying $4.99 retail for treated toilet paper. So, I make my own from cheap crepe paper. See HERE In ... [Read More]

High Power Rocketry: How is hpr wadding (aka dog barf) made? (2011-07-15)

"Commonly used by model and high power rocket fliers to protect the recovery system from the ejection charge. It's biodegradable and fire resistant. Most other recovery protecting materials are a ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Wadding Tamp Tool Part 1 (2012-01-18)

I usually use a dowel to get wadding down inside a body tube. I'll try to pack it down a bit to get a better seal but still leave it loose enough to blow out easily enough at ejection. The dowel I ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Wadding Tamp Tool Part 2 (2012-01-19)

By using this tool you can gauge how deep the wadding will go inside the tube. Here I'm holding the dowel outside the body tube to the depth I want the wadding to go. Hold that position on the dowel ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Wadding Alternatives TIP (2013-02-02)

I'll need to buy some wadding soon and don't want to pay $5.49 retail for 75 squares of Estes wadding! That treated toilet paper will cost 7 cents per 4 1/2" square ! Five years back I bought ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Permanant Wadding? (2013-04-10)

Here's an idea I saw on TRF from Aleks in Slovenia: http://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?46420-Permanent-wadding [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: DIY Estes Style Wadding! (2013-11-27)

Apastusak on TRF found a link on how to make your own recovery wadding. "Just found this on instructables.com http://www.instructables.com/id/Model-rocket-recovery-wadding/ Not much to it, except ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Wadding Tips (2013-12-09)

I have used "Dog Barf" wadding before with good results. The dog barf is many shredded pieces of flame resistant treated paper. There is the chance of ejection charge "blow-by" especially in larger ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Unscientific Wadding Degrade Test (2014-05-02)

I'm no scientist - this is certainly not the best test for how wadding breaks down in the field. It was simply done out of curiosity. Estes toilet tissue wadding, Quest parade pomp wadding and flame ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Unscientific Wadding Degrade Test, Part 2 (2014-05-20)

The wadding degrade test was started on April 24, HERE On the right is the blue Quest wadding on the first day of the test. The Estes toilet paper wadding squares had broken down in a week. I ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Ongoing Wadding Test (2014-06-04)

Here's the Quest parade pomp wadding still taped to my patio chair. The test was started on April 24 HERE with two pieces of wadding taped to my outdoor patio chair. This picture was taken on May ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Wadding Test Part 4 (2014-07-16)

I arrived back home from Mexico on July 1. Here's how the Quest Pomp Wadding looks after being exposed to the outside elements in my open patio since April 24, 2014 - CLICK HERE One piece of the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Wadding Test - DONE! (2014-08-27)

I started the wadding test on April 24, 2014 to see if different types were biodegradable. Estes TP, Quest Parade Pomp and Dollar Store crepe paper wadding pieces were taped to the arm rests of ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Wadding Wrap TIP (2014-11-18)

In a previous post I mentioned that I wrap a square of wadding around the low end of a rolled parachute before sliding it into the body tube. This was just extra protection from the ejection ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Why You Need Wadding . . . (2014-11-28)

I haven't seen this one for a while, it's worth a re-visit: CLICK HERE This is another video from Roger Smith - He explains: " This video shows what happens inside a rocket when the ejection ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Crepe Wadding Update (2015-01-29)

Wadding alternatives come up on the forums and on rocketry FaceBook pages. I've done quite a few blog posts about cheaper wadding in the past. Lonnie B recently wrote: "I finally made use of the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Untreated TP Wadding? (2016-11-02)

On a Facebook Rocketry Page, a question was brought up about wadding alternatives. Dog barf and even lettuce leaves were suggested. I put in my vote for crepe paper. One post was about a hobby store ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Wadding Squares Getting Smaller? (2016-11-07)

Here's something I noticed when opening up a bulk pack of Estes C6-5 engines -  The new box says there are 72 squares  of recovery wadding included, not the old count of 75. I know what ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Estes Wadding Test (2016-11-12)

In a recent comment, Daniel (the Rocket Noob) wrote: "Well, I can't attest to White Cloud's usefulness as wadding, but Estes wadding will also burn really well if you touch a match or lighter to it ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Bubbled Paint? (2017-04-09)

After the last club launch I thought there were only two minor repairs. I looked a little closer at my GBU-24 Paveway III. There was a nickel sized blister in the paint! BT-55 tubing is fairly ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Dryer Sheet Wadding? (2019-07-25)

From the Facebook Estes Model Rocketry page: Mark E. Johnson asked: " Has engine thought about using crepe paper party streamers for recover wadding? Back in the day I don’t think it was ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Who Is Hoarding Toilet Paper? (2020-03-16)

If you run out -  Once in an emergency I used this treated toilet paper for it's original intended purpose. If you use recovery wadding for toilet paper you won't get super powers - but for ... [Read More]