Sport Rocketry

Sport Rocketry 3.2022

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38 MAY/JUNE 2022 SPORT ROCKETRY e High Roller rocket, built from recycled toilet paper roll interior tubes. I'm certainly not the first to make a model rocket from a scrap tube, but the toilet paper shortages and hoarding at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic inspired me to write this article. Let's recycle those toilet paper tubes! e construction on this model is a bit different from a stan- dard toilet paper tube rocket. In some ways it resembles the stacked angled segments of the FlisKits A.C.M.E. Spitfire. But, this trash can build is simpler. Making Centering Rings I've read that paper towel rolls are very close to the diameter of a BT-60, but toilet paper rolls are a little smaller. I made some centering rings out of scrap cardboard. It may take a few tries to cut out custom cen- tering rings, but the practice may come in handy on future builds. Trace around a T.P. roll end with a sharp pencil. Center a BT-20 inside the larger circle you just drew. Trace around the BT-20 tube. is may take a second try to get the interior circle centered. It's easier to cut out the interior circle first, then cut the outside larger circle. Be- cause your pencil outlines are a little wider than the actual tube, make your cuts just inside of the pencil line. Use a #11 style blade, making short "saw" cuts. Test the fit the centering ring on the BT-20 internal tube. If the fit is too tight, enlarge the hole with some 220 grit sand- paper wrapped around your finger. Test fit the centering ring inside the T.P. roll. If too tight, you can trim it down with scissors. Go easy, making very slight cuts. Do not glue the central BT-20 tube in yet. Engine Mount e engine mount is standard and simple: an engine block with a Kevlar line tied on. Notch the engine block ring and tie on the Kevlar. Mark a hollow engine casing 1/4" from the bottom. is will be a depth gauge for the engine block placement. Apply a glue line about 2" up inside the low end of the BT-20. Push up and slide the engine block in using the marked engine casing up to the HIGH ROLLER BUILD by Chris Michielssen Materials List Main Body Tube Parts: 8 Toilet Paper Roll Interior Tubes (Save more, you might need some extras) 1 BT-20 Body Tube, 15 3/8" long 1 Engine Block, to fit BT-20 tube 1 1/8" diameter Launch Lug, 2" long 1 12" Parachute 1 Kevlar Shock Cord, 13" long 1 1/8" Elastic Shock Cord, 24" long Nose Cone Parts 1 Toilet Paper Roll Interior Tube 1 BT-20 Body Tube, 2" long 1 20/50 Centering Ring 1 BT-20 Coupler, 1" long 1 Small Tri-Fold Shock Cord Mount HIGH ROLLER BUILD HIGH ROLLER BUILD

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