The Thrifty Rocketeer

 The Thrifty Rocketeer blog continues... We've all done it before... rushing a little too fast... or forgetting to double check... Suddenly we step back and realize that we've assembled that rocket kit wrong! Now, it's not that we don't understand how kits go together, but sometimes, you're just not thinking it all the way through and see the error before you make it. It seems like there's always been a practice of posting a picture on line and asking "Can you spot what I did wrong?" Usually, it's fairly obvious, and most of us have been there. But there's a new wrinkle that seems to have reared its head recently. All too often, it's that we've glued a fin onto a body tube along the wrong edge.  That is, the proper edge is termed the "root edge", and it usually involves the wood grain running perpendicular to the root edge. If you glue along the wrong edge, specifically along the wood grain, your fine is not strong in the righ

 The Thrifty Rocketeer blog continues... So this entry is going to concentrate on "da Leaper". No, not the 'Evil Leaper' from "Quantum Leap" fame.... this is the MARS LEAPER, from Estes. Let me apologize to Estes right up front for this, cause no one likes to see their product in a bad light, but I want to share my impressions and explain how I came to this. You see, it all started with my regular semi-weekly trip to our nearby HL (do I really need to hide their identity from y'all?)... where I regularly check the Rocketry sales area, as well as a stroll to the back corner of the store for "clearance" items.  Sometimes, I spot a bargain, but usually, I just glance at what's there and try to imagine how I could use them in some other manner. But today, I spotted no less than three Estes products setting in a row on the Clearance shelf. There were THREE Mars Leapers new in the box.   I glanced at them, and determined rather quickly that this