All in all, it went pretty well. Some observations...
Prep Time.
Everything takes three times as long as you expect. Expect
delays from sanding parts to fit, lubricating various components, and field
modifying everything else.
Electronics.
Build your own. In duplicate. You need to be able to diagnose and correct
electronics problems.
Darren mailed his malfunctioning altimeter back to Transolve: the problems
were due to black powder residue on the circuit board. A cleaning and layer
of epoxy restored the board to good condition.
Tools.
A minimal kit is:
- A good pocket knife
- A few screwdrivers
- A portable drill with a few bits (1/8", 3/16", 1/4")
- A coping saw
- A towel
- Masking tape
- 5 minute epoxy
- Dowel
- Various sandpapers
- Teflon lubricant
- A box to put it all in
First Aid Kit
We didn't need one, thank God, but this is a good idea. Sharp tools and
low explosives are hazards.
Flight Data
We need ways to record what the rockets did in flight. "Wow, that went
really fast" is not really adequate.
Reusable Motors
Don't buy the plugged ejection port version.
It's easy to convert a motor ejection charge based rocket to electronics:
just fill the ejection port with wadding and tape it in place. The converse
is impossible.
Mistakes
I made one safety mistake: I set my rocket up on the last available 3/8"
rod in the cluster, well after all the other rockets had been prepped. I
forgot to check/disarm the launch power before connecting the power circuit to
my ignitor. I DID rub the alligator clips together to check for sparks (old
EE habits die hard,) but this was a stupid mistake. Next time I will use a
printed checklist.