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Peak of Flight Newsletter #509:

Fin Sealing Press 
Modifying The Sky Launch Controller for Bigger Batteries
 

Peak-of-Flight Newsletter

Special Bonus Issue! - Two articles and a rocket plan!

Article #1 - Hassle Free Fin Sealing Press
By Bill Heath

Bill is perfectly capable of getting a nice smooth surface on balsa fins. But the ordeal of sealing, sanding, sealing, sanding, and repeating as necessary gave him no joy. Papering the fins was just as tedious and never gave him the results he was looking for either. After trying several ideas and getting mixed results, he came up with something that we think you will love. While the edges of the fin still need sanding, the faces come out very smooth with a satin finish that is ready to paint. If you are going to sand airfoils on your fins, this won’t work for you, but for square or rounded edges it’s a simple solution.

Article #2 - Modifying Those Simple Launch Controllers for Cluster Motor Models
By Allen Wallace

The economically affordable, and simple Sky Launch Controller (and similar single igniter systems) is well suited for a single rocket engine with one igniter. Bht the small AA type batteries do not have enough energy to reliably fire two or three igniters. By fitting a small DC socket to the hand controller and feeding it with 12 volts from a small Lithium pack (cheaply procurable from online sources), the Sky Controller can be used for clusters of igniters as well as single motors with the internal batteries.

Also in this issue: F-1 Starfighter Rocket Plan

In our last issue we featured the Alliance Raider. This week, the rocket is the F-1 Starfighter, which completes the story of the two enemies. "What story?" you ask. Well, you'll have to read about it in this issue. The story of the two rockets and the design are by James Bassham. The awesome renderings in the newsletter are by our own artist, Mathew Martinez.

Read the rest of this week's article, either on a downloadable PDF for printing out, or on our website (great for viewing on your phone)!

Previous issues of our newsletter are found at our archive page.

 

Get Our Christmas Ornament with purchase!Plan Included in this Issue - F-1 Starfighter

Submit a Rocket Design and Get Paid!

Newest Products From Apogee Components

Check out the latest products to hit Apogee's shelves!

36" X 36" Parachute Protector

54mm Fly-Away Rail Guide

This 36" X 36" Reusable Nomex® parachute protector is for large rockets that are up to 12 inches in diameter. Nomex products last longer than other comparable flame resistant products. They can also be washed at home or by dry cleaning. The flame resistant properties of Nomex products are not removed by washing.

54mm Fly-Away Rail Guide

54mm Fly-Away Rail Guide

The 54mm Fly-Away Rail Guide can be used to launch those 54mm diameter rockets that do not have a rail button or rail guide. The advantage of removing the rail buttons is that it reduces the drag of the rocket and allows it to soar higher. Package contains one set of rail guides that will fit on a 54mm (thick-wall tube) rocket.

56mm Clear Airframe Tube

56mm Clear Airframe Tube

This clear polycarbonate tube makes a great payload bay, because you can see what is on the inside of the rocket. Compatible with Estes BT-70 tubes and nose cones. The perfect size to carry a raw hen's egg.

18mm Engine Retainers

18mm Engine Retainers

The Estes 18mm engine retainers are used to prevent rocket engines from sliding rearward out of the rocket. The advantage is they are cheaper in price than aluminum retainers, and that will save you money for your other projects. Now you can make your low power rockets look like they are high-power!

#4-40 Nylon Shear Pins

Nylon Shear Pins

Nylon shear pins are used to temporarily hold sections of the rocket together until the ejection charge within the rocket blows them apart. They are often needed on high power rockets because the sections can separate prematurely due to the air pressure differences within the rocket. This is a larger size shear pin for those wanting to fly bigger high-power rockets.

RockSim for Mac Catalina

RockSim for mac Catalina OS.

Apple Macintosh users, we now have a version of RockSim that runs on the new 64-Bit Catalina OS. You can download it using the link you received when you purchased RockSim, or download the free trial version when you are ready to install on Catalina. This was the only change to the program - no other changes were made. Windows users: you do not need to do anything!

Apogee Maker's Dozen Bulk Pack

Maker's Dozen Bulk Pack

Are you looking for a bulk pack of rocket kits for your classroom where each rocket is different looking?

The Maker's Dozen rocket bulk-pack does just that - 13 unique rockets! Even though all the fins are different shapes, they each have the same surface area and the same span. This allows all the rockets to be compared to each other based on their flight performance. So fly them against one another to see who’s rocket can go the highest or the fastest. But be ready for some fantastic altitudes, as each of the rockets in the Maker’s Dozen can easily go over 1,300 feet in the air on a C6-5 rocket motor.

Customer Comments

“I just started building mid power rockets and running a rocketry group. Apogee’s team has been wonderful in promptly and thoroughly answering all my questions, whether simple or complex. Their products are also top notch. I will do much more business with this great company.”

— Jeremy Green

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Wanted: Igniter and Battery Expert

We're looking for someone to write a definitive guide to selecting igniters, controllers and batteries for rockets. We'd love to have a newsletter article on that topic, because we get lots of inquiries about it. Is that you? Do you know how many e-matches can be set off in a cluster by a 3.7v 400 mAh battery? See our Newsletter Guidelines on how to submit an article on this topic and get paid upto $350 for your time. 

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