Aerotech kits without baffle

[s...@soundingrocket.com]

Aerotech kits use a baffle system consisting of wad of steel wool/mesh inside the engine mount and a plastic baffle at the end of the engine mount. One drawback is that the steel wool can get clogged and requires periodic cleaning -- a real pain.

I was thinking of building my next kit without the steel wool/mesh and without the plastic baffle, and attach kevlar cord to the engine mount. This will require dog barf or a nomex sheet, but I won't have to deal with a clogged mesh.

Is this a good idea? Comments?

Greg

[Doug Wade]

I tend to build those with the baffle but without the wool and then I use nomex since the baffle will just be less effective.

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[Greg Wong]

Doug,

Without the steel wool, do you find that the plastic baffle wears out or melts from the hot ejection gas?

Greg

Sent from my iPad

On Mar 16, 2023, at 11:00 AM, Doug Wade <do...@eljay.org> wrote:

I tend to build those with the baffle but without the wool and then I use nomex since the baffle will just be less effective.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/lunar-general/7E0330F5-A98A-4389-B014-EADFC1D6C2BB%40eljay.org.

[Doug Wade]

No, but if you are concerned back the plastic with a coating of epoxy.

Doug

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/lunar-general/9DD3C503-49B3-49B1-9D5F-6EBFEA7A72D4%40soundingrocket.com.

[Cliff Sojourner]

Quick note, it's stainless steel, not steel wool.  Very important, steel wool will burn easily.

I never tried going without it.  I found fishing it out was easy enough.  Anyway, few of my Aerotech rockets ever got really clogged.

Cliff

[srkendal]

Hi Greg,

I quit using the baffles pretty much after my second kit. It inhibited my ability to use bigger motors, and while it was pretty easy to replace the "filter" media (see Cliff's email) I just found it to be a hassle. I used "dog barf" initially, but eventually started using nomex or kevlar instead. 

I also started extending the MMT tube so that I could epoxy a kevlar strap to the outside of the tube near the top. To save money, I typically just put a loop at the far end, then used tubular nylon to the nose cone.

I still have a rocket with the baffle... The Astrobee D kit, that I've never flown. My first kit (the Arreaux) met its demise out at Robertson Park a million years ago. Took my first hobby reloadable case with it.

BTW, many of the Aerotech kits also used a piston, which I really liked at first, but when they switched to the plastic BT's, I bailed on because of the tube's tendency to change diameter with temperature. YMMV.

Have fun,

Steve Kendall

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