WHEW!

Today was the Eugene Mini-Maker Faire. A small local version of the huge Maker Faires in New York and the Bay Area.

It was hosted at a little hands-on science activity center.

There were only about a half-dozen "makers" showing off their stuff. It is the first Maker event in Oregon; hopefully next year word will have gotten around to nearby offbeat DIY types and there will be a wider variety.

Of course, there were rockets. The local Make Shop made a electrically triggered air rocket launcher, and invited kids to make paper and masking tape "rockets." They launched lots of them through the day.

EuRoc, the new Eugene area NAR section, had a booth to show off their stuff. They recently got a new low / mid power field right in the city, and were heavily promoting the monthly launches there.

I drove down from the Portland area -- about 110 miles each way -- to launch some low powered models. Science museum's lawn was small, so I brought appropriate models.

I did two demo launches. Pretty much the same models at each session:

Cloud Buster on a 1/2A6-2. The Cloud Buster is kind of like a Mark with trapezoidal fins. This is a really nice small field combo. Perfect flight both times.

Buchanan Buster: A8-3. The motor kicked the first time, and the bird went ballistic and one the side-rockets busted off. It should be repairable.

Estes Arcas: B6-4. Substitute for the Buchanan Buster in the second session. It flew straight and very high, greatly impressing the crowd. It ended up on the roof of the science museum; the staff was able to fetch it for me before I left.

Space Twins: A8-3. I love this model, an old MRN plan. Probably the earliest twin-glider rocket. On an A it flies low but safely; the gliders spiral nicely, meaning they don't need to be chased.

Estes Snitch: The plastic saucer, lent by Gary Lech. Another low altitude crowd pleaser.

Quest Zenith II: A8-0/A8-5, with a huge nylon streamer. Believe it or not, this is a great small-field model. The model stages about 20' up, and in both cases the sustainer landed within 50' of the launch pad.

Badger. C11-3. My stubby, big-finned BT-80 demo rocket. Big yellow nylon parachute. Smoky, loud, low flight whose every detail is visible from the ground. Finishing the sessions with this left people wowed.

Oh, I also launched the Cloudbuster between sessions for a local television news stringer. I'll see if I can get footage from their website.

GOT IT!

http://kezi.com/news/local/248992

You can see me launch a rocket at 00:29 seconds, and two of my models are briefly shown at 00:55 seconds.

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NAR #27085 - Oregon Rocketry - SAM

Ooh! A celebrity! Any pics? I'd like to see the Badger in flight. I wish I had a staff at B6-4 Field. Preferably of woodsmen.
I had River Sweep today and since tomorrow is Fathers Day, I think I'm on hold for the time being. I did have the brilliant idea to tell my kids to get me two packs of B6-4 motors each. (Stop me if you've heard this.) With the 40% Hobby Lobby coupon it brings the total to around $12, which I consider reasonable. Figures that the Florence Hobby Lobby was OUT OF B6-4 MOTORS!!!!!!! Who ever heard of that? It's like a pizza place being out of pepperoni. (Which happened to us once.)
Speaking of crowd pleasers, you should give something like the Cosmic Cobra a look. I never launched that one to anything less that total kid satisfaction. It occasionally helicoptered in with the nose cone point up, which the kids thought was MAGIC! Well, it kinda was.

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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

Wunderbar! As well as introducing a new generation of kids to model rocketry, I'm gratified that you did it with nearly half-century old designs (the Cloud Buster, Buchanan Buster, Space Twins, and Arcas) *and* recent ones!

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Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR