I came across this ad in an old Model Builder magazine. Did any of you guys ever get into this stuff?

Three of the " how to" books are for sale on Feebay for $500.00 to $700.00. Unreal!

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If it flies, I can crash it!

I bought both editions of the build-your-own-motor book.

They were both clearly written and complete, detailing exactly what you needed, and needed to do, to make your own black powder motors.

The later, giant edition detailed Sleeter's R&D project to perfect his BP motors.

Both left me with the same impression: This is something I could do, but only if I had lots of money and time and an isolated property to do the work on.

Oh! I also bought the "Five Cent Sugar Rocket" booklet. It was similarly well done, and a much more reasonable project. I unfortunately lent it (and the first edition of the BP motor book) to the wrong person and never saw it again.

There are plenty of how-to guides to sugar rockets on the web.

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NAR #27085 - Oregon Rocketry - SAM

I came to the same conclusion after reading that and McReary's book on composite engines.

I liken making your own engines to making cookies. I like cookies. I can read a recipe and make my own cookies but the cookies made by someone who has the time and tools to do the job right seem to taste better.

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Bill Spadafora
http://www.billsplumbing.com
billspad@comcast.net bill@billsplumbing.com

I purchased the books back in 85, made a couple hundred of the C9 motors. They were a deep cored motor and made around 9 lbs peak for about 1/2 sec, much like the old B3/B14. Had a lot of fun making them, and still have all my fingers. There is a pic of one on a test stand in another thread.

I tried to contact David Sleeter a while back without success. He seems to have vanished. I have both of his books on black powder, the 5 cent sugar motor manual and his homemade hydrogen report. Maybe he is working on a new book?

He is a very interesting person.