>Sugar rocket knowledge dump<

[Micahama]

Anything regarding sugar rocket production, modifications, applications, or any other knowledge/information is to be left here for the amateur rocketeers use of study

 

 

 

My general knowledge upon the subject of sugar rockets is simple, yet I have built effective, repeatable, cost efficient, low time consuming, 1 diameter 6 length cardboard tube bodies with ~20 length ~8mm diameter bamboo stabilization sticks. The bentonite clay end plugs Are made 1inch thick within the tube upon both sides of 4 inches of propellant Which consists of a powdered fuel grain chemically consisting of 65%+35%+1% KNO3:Dextrose:Fe2O3 by weight, I mix the powders together in a Tupperware for atleast like five minutes of severe shake-mixing then I sift them together only to put the sifted mixture back in the Tupperware for another 5+ minute interval of crazy shaking. After this I ram the fuel in the tube after a powdered bentonite clay Plug with a measurement marked 1 inch aluminum dowel rod and hammer, making sure to hammer well after each tablespoon increment of fuel or clay added into the tube for ramming (small increments are really important to add in so your rocket doesnt blow out from uneven fuel packing, its for-sure worth the extra time 1000%), after this I drill it with small, thinner

metal bit of which I forgot the diameter of Currently. After Drilled I prepare a fuse wrapped with tin foil as to detonate the motor from the inner most core for maximum initial thrust. Now after I all tape it to a stick and launch from an 90 degree staked pvc pipe.... while they soar I do wonder the potential applications these sugar rockets hold for A.) Model rocketry B.) Fireworks C.) Tube vectored horizontal rockets as I have seen a sugar rocket sustain a horizontal flight and have since wondered if I can make these launch from tubes in my desired direction....aside from that Ill probably end up leaving more information along with photos and or videos for your research viewing pleasures

[Micahama]

https://share.icloud.com/photos/00hFL37319N5RbGR-0KK8QS6A

If you message me I can put any of these videos into iPhone grade slow motion for you otherwise, I hereby present to you, both failed and successful videos of sugar rocket launches, keep an eye/ ear out for Motor blowouts

[Micahama]

I want my future designs to be made of metal tubes with the same dimensions as the cardboard, but with thinner walls since its a type of metal. The future design needs to somehow utilize melted r candy and a nozzle. I want to give it javelin style pop out stabilization wings that deploy upon the rockets exit from a vectoring launch instrument, Im wondering if these potential upgrades or improvements you can theorize would make a vectored rocket/launch platform that can be used to propel the rocket any degree from horizontal to 90 degrees vertical with a decently straight trajectory, as to the launcher itself, it would be hand held and any designs on that or ignition systems would be appreciated

[SeaMonkey]

Micahama,

 

Your rocket fuel mix consisting of powdered Potassium Nitrate, Dextrose

and Iron Oxide is similar to what I've done in the past. I didn't use Dextrose,

however, but Confectioner's Sugar or Powdered Sugar (Powdered Sucrose

with a small amount of added Corn Starch as an anti-caking agent) from the

grocery store.

 

The results were very satisfactory for the rockets I made with the mix.

 

I never saw any need to attempt melting the sugar to produce R-Candy.

Thorough mixing of the powdered ingredients such as you described

always yielded good results.

 

I'd occasionally vary the mix slightly with small amounts of Charcoal added

or a small amount of Sulfur, not more than about 5% for either.

 

Although not a Sugar-Rocket, does anyone here remember the Jetex-50

rocket engine from the 40s and 50s for small model airplanes? I had one

in the mid 50s and it was a lot of fun. I wonder if such a design could be

used with pellets of the Sugar Fuel MIx instead of the Guanidine Nitrate

pellets it was designed for? It would probably be necessary to increase

the size of the exhaust nozzle to be safe. It would also be necessary

to assure that the Sugar Mix intended for such use would burn slowly

enough to not become hazardous.

 

I don't have mine any longer but it would be fairly easy to fabricate

something similar with Aluminum tubing or even Copper Tubing

which is readily available at hardware stores.

 

Some videos of the Jetex engines which have survived:

 

Jetex-50 powered model race car

 

Jetex Jetmaster test firing

 

How to load a Jetex-50

 

Model Jets at Old Warden

 

And some Ads:

 

An archived Jetex Ad from the day

 

Archived Jetex-50 Ad

 

Last model of the Jetex-50 series

 

The Re-born Jetex since 1999

 

Here is a discussion of the new Jetex Motors.

At the bottom of the page are photos of the motors being tested.

 

Does the appearance of the exhaust flame look like it could be a

sugar mix?

Edited May 17, 2020 by SeaMonkey

[Micahama]

The model you mentioned looks like a good way to mount mini solid fuel rocket motors generally but Im sure the nozzle geometry for a sugar rocket must be tuned to the fuels specifications And so therefore I raise the question on how to create an efficient sugar rocket nozzle with a hardware store part, for my 3lb design I was considering using one, two, or consecutive 1 inch exterior diameter washers with a 3/16th inch interior diameter glued as to replace the need for bentonite clay, which when inhaled is toxic... another method to phase out bentonite clay would be to use, also toxic, but more manageable, refractory brick cut to 1 inch cylinder nozzles to glue into the bottom of rocket motors after fuel ramming then to core-drill through with a hand-drill........ I reallllly want to phase out bentonite clay, and I know the perfect solution exists somewhere and is readily available...

[SeaMonkey]

The use of iron/steel washers sounds good to me.

 

Inexpensive, practical and non-toxic. Those should

be capable of withstanding several seconds of hot

exhaust gases.

[BetICouldMake1]

There are probably more risks from inhaling KNO3 than bentonite. There are definitely more risks of injury using steel nozzles on rockets rather than bentonite.

[SeaMonkey]

I would only use a metallic nozzle on very low thrust rockets such as are

used to propel model airplanes. For the very high thrust fireworks style

of rocket I agree, they would be out of place. I really like the idea of ten

to twenty second burn times with low thrust.

 

It is interesting that the New Jetex Rocket Engines for models have

abandoned the re-usable metallic engine for the traditional paper

tubes and clay nozzles. Probably for both safety and cost considerations.

Even though their fuel mixes are cool burning and low thrust, one can

never know what a curious "amateur" might do in order to get "more power."

[SeaMonkey]

Micahama,

 

I downloaded your graphics files but my old (more than 15 years) computer didn't

have the horsepower to play them. Fortunately I have an Android TV Box with

an h.265 graphics capable processor that played them and oriented them

properly as well.

 

Your vids remind me of my own early rocket trials when I was young. My very

first rocket was a Sodium Nitrate fuel mix that went sideways about six feet into

its ascent and did some spectacular loop de loops for several seconds. It

was a slow burner that moved rather slowly by rocket standards. Though I

tried many times to make another that did the same sort of antics I never was

able to figure out what made it so strange. All my later rockets went straight

up.

 

I noticed some of your rockets had what looked like a longer burn time well up

into their altitude. Were those core burners also?

[Micahama]

I have no clue what a core burner is, but all my

Videos in that file have been made the with the same methods

[SeaMonkey]

Whether your rockets are "core burners" or "end burners" would depend

upon how deeply you drill into the rammed propellant mix to create a

hollowed out core.

 

If you drill into the propellant only a short distance to establish a site for

fuse placement for ignition then the rocket would be an "end burner."

Once ignited the propellant would burn progressively up the tube from

the nozzle end up through the propellant until extinguished.

 

If, on the other hand, you drill deeply into the propellant all the way to

create a fully hollowed out core, then the rocket would be a "core burner."

 

End burners have a longer burn time than core burners with moderate

thrust.

 

Core burners have a shorter but very powerful burn with intense thrust.

[Micahama]

Core burners in that case then sir

[Dipsomaniac]

Guys. Check out this FREE PDF on Sugar Rockets. Very informative.

 

 

http://ftp.demec.ufpr.br/foguete/bibliografia/Easy%20PVC%20Rockets-Book.pdf

[Dipsomaniac]

https://ibb.co/YpwnZ2X

https://ibb.co/5L6bGRQ

https://ibb.co/c2xmZpx

[SeaMonkey]

Tech Ingredients has put some new video on his YouTube channel on making Sorbitol fueled rockets and electrical ignitors

 

DIY Rocket Engines - easy and cheap

 

Igniting our own Rocket Engines - DIY

 

Rocket Ignition System on steroids!

 

 

Tech Ingredients Channel Video List

 

Technical aspects very well explained with some new formulations for Sorbitol Rocket Fuel as well as detailed instructions for making Ignition System and Ignitors.

[BenLagging]

Intro - Just saying that my experience is limited to making rockets as a kid back in the day. Used the book by the Col Air Force. Handbook of Model Rocketry. Loved it and still interested. I did make the 24 inch model in the book and it worked great. I also remember the gov going around and removing the page on Specific Impulse. ;-) Used the sugar mix with good results. Was starting to make cast core with Zinc Sulfur. Never lost my interest in this.

[SharkWhisperer]

Tech Ingredients has put some new video on his YouTube channel on making Sorbitol fueled rockets and electrical ignitors

 

DIY Rocket Engines - easy and cheap

 

Igniting our own Rocket Engines - DIY

 

Rocket Ignition System on steroids!

 

 

Tech Ingredients Channel Video List

 

Technical aspects very well explained with some new formulations for Sorbitol Rocket Fuel as well as detailed instructions for making Ignition System and Ignitors.

Good links. This guy's slow and methodical in his explanations. Easy to follow. Has good resources.

 

Was funny the lengths he went to prevent static while mixing AP flash in his igniter video and then at the end just abandons all caution with several grams of FP sitting open in glass beakers.

 

Think he should've tried dialing down the barium nitrate in his supplemented AP/5-micron atomized Al slow flash igniter mix, though.... 5AP/5Al/4BaSO₄...? Wonder what the ignition temperature is of that formulation. Just got some fresh BaSO₄ today, so might need to play around some.

 

His sorbitol rocket candy video is pretty good, too, though most newbies are probably going to stick with PVC (cringe) and manual core drilling.

[SharkWhisperer]

Intro - Just saying that my experience is limited to making rockets as a kid back in the day. Used the book by the Col Air Force. Handbook of Model Rocketry. Loved it and still interested. I did make the 24 inch model in the book and it worked great. I also remember the gov going around and removing the page on Specific Impulse. ;-) Used the sugar mix with good results. Was starting to make cast core with Zinc Sulfur. Never lost my interest in this.

Welcome back, amigo! I shoot a bunch of finned rockets toting homemade BP motors in addition to pure fireworking if you find that catches your interest.

[TheDude]

End vs core burner rockets,

 

Its my understanding that core burners work best with a slower 65/25/10 BP mix (I may have goofed the percentage on that I cant recall without looking in my notes) vs end burners like to run on hot fast with the classic version of 75/15/10 BP. Does it matter if you do a core or end burner when making sugar rockets? Im new here and just whipped up a couple sugar rockets this weekend and when I saw them take flight well the fire was lit, pun intended 😉 Anyway my end goal is to make some whistle strobe rockets but only when I feel confident in my ability and have a proper space set up, and a better understanding of everything, the proper chemicals help too. I had to reply before I can post anything so this is killing 2 birds with one stone. Thanks for any input anybody can give!

[MadMat]

I always put cores into my sugar rockets. Without a core my sugar rockets usually perform poorly, even with red iron oxide added as a catalyst.