I want to build an Astron Scout since it was my very first rocket. I can find the plans on line but how do I go about getting the parts? If I ask a vendor like Semroc will they know what I need?
Thanks in advance

SEMROC has the nose cone and the body tube already on their website. All you need to do is go order a set directly, and Carl will have it to you quickly.

Nose Cone: BNC-30D $2.05
Body Tube: BT-30A $0.60

You'll have to bend a piece of music wire for the motor hook, and get some 3/16" thick balsa to make those fins (BFS-60 = 3/16"). You'll have to provide your own vent hole at the top of the tube.

__________________
Craig McGraw

BARCLONE Rocketry -- http://barclone.rocketshoppe.com
BARCLONE Blogsite -- http://barclone.wordpress.com
BARCLONE Forum -- BARCLONE Forum

BARs helping BARs

SAM 0044
AMA 352635

I got the parts to build me a clone of the Astron Scout, I just haven't gotten around to
getting started......

__________________
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

We should have all the parts before too much longer. It is a very high priority.

__________________
Carl McLawhorn
NAR#4717 L2
semroc.com

Hmm, guess I'm not the only one thinking about this. I ordered parts from semroc a while ago to build two of these. I found 3 sets of plans online, and the fin sizes & shapes all seem a bit different, so I went off an original that I built around 1975. I decided to go with 3 vent holes; my original has only one, and when I launched it last year, the 1/2A6-2 ejection charge tore the music wire engine hook right through the gauze reinforcing. I noticed that Carl has laser cut fins now too!

__________________
Paul
If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane - Jimmy Buffett
NAR #87246 www.wooshrocketry.org

Another shotgun ejection charge. (Doesn't that make them fireworks? )

That's why I made the hole in my Scout oversize, hoping that would provide some defense against the shotgun motors. I only flew it once or twice, then retired it. I built it mainly for nostalgia, and can't fathom the thought of tearing it up.

Those of you who can fly these regularly get my kudos. My experience with them is that they're kind of finicky. Sometimes the motor slips the hook and they lawn dart in. Sometimes the motor doesn't shift aft (and they lawn dart in). The fin joints tend to crack due to the G loads when lawn darting. And even when they do tumble as designed, they tend to crack fins. So my take is they're kinda high maintenance. I have enough trouble putting up with high maintenance women; I don't need that in a rocket

Doug

OB pic

My Astron Sprite was built in 1967 and has flown probably a couple dozen times. Ever since I bent the end of the hook upward slightly and inward where it meets the body tube, I haven't had a motor slip past the hook.

It wasn't the greatest contruction job when it was built (sandpaper?? whats that?) but it hasn't needed any repairs in all of those flights.

Of course I never flew it over any real hard surfaces either.

My Astron Scout, on the other hand, mostly spit the motor no matter what I did. I don't recall exactly what happened to it but my guess is that I lost it rather than broke it.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Anybody ever try a wire twisty thingy tied around the motor and music wire? Tied loosely, it seems to me it would permit the motor to slide back but also keep it against the motor hook so the hook catches the motor.

__________________
Don
NAR 53455
"Carpe Diem"

Do you mean like a loop under the aft end of the body tube? GREAT IDEA!! I will try that on my FlisKits Tumbleweed, which always loses the motor.

Mark K.

__________________
SAM # 0011

Astron Scout! My very first rocket that I built and flew! I still recall pushing the button and watching that rocket drive itself into a clear blue spring sky, out of sight and lost, but forever in my heart.

Nice clones folks! Thanks for the memories!

__________________
Tim Quigg
Section Advisor
Blue Mt Rocketeers
BMR # 615
www.bmr615.org