Homemade Rocketry

[Christopher Johnstone]

Hello everybody, I'm Christopher Johnstone.  I'm a graduated senior, off to college here at the end of the summer.

My current project is my plan to build a high-powered rocket, from scratch.  I'm making everything from the motor casing and fuel (currently sugar and potassium nitrate) to the main body and flight computer without prebuilt parts or kits.

Up until recently, I have been using PVC pipe as a motor casing.  Unfortunately, I'm running the PVC pretty close to its burst pressure, so about 50% of the motors had a tendency to explode
 

So I've decided to move onto making a metal rocket casing, which requires more tools than I have access to at home.

Here's what I'm planning on making.

Most specifically, I need access to a metal lathe, which you guys have.  Is there metal stock available, or do I need to bring my own?

[Sam Harmon]

We have a few small bits of stock (maybe 1/2” diameter or so) you could use to learn how to use the lathe, but nothing of the size in your drawings. It might even be a challenge to get parts that big into the lathe.

Sam

> On Jul 21, 2015, at 3:50 PM, Christopher Johnstone <meso...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hello everybody, I'm Christopher Johnstone. I'm a graduated senior, off to college here at the end of the summer.
>
> My current project is my plan to build a high-powered rocket, from scratch. I'm making everything from the motor casing and fuel (currently sugar and potassium nitrate) to the main body and flight computer without prebuilt parts or kits.
>
> Up until recently, I have been using PVC pipe as a motor casing. Unfortunately, I'm running the PVC pretty close to its burst pressure, so about 50% of the motors had a tendency to explode
>
>
>
>
>

> So I've decided to move onto making a metal rocket casing, which requires more tools than I have access to at home.
>
>
>
> Here's what I'm planning on making.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> Most specifically, I need access to a metal lathe, which you guys have. Is there metal stock available, or do I need to bring my own?
>
>

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[Christopher Johnstone]

Ok, that's fine, I can get the stock.

On Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at 5:19:16 PM UTC-4, Sam Harmon wrote:

We have a few small bits of stock (maybe 1/2” diameter or so) you could use to learn how to use the lathe, but nothing of the size in your drawings. It might even be a challenge to get parts that big into the lathe.

Sam

Is this the right lathe specs?

I probably can't show up today, but I'll come to the open hours next week.

Thanks,
Christopher