Making a Solid Rocket Engine Abroad: What Can I Do?

[Andrew Buren]

I really enjoy building model rockets, however, I moved oversees and can't get premade engins. Nor can I get potassium nitrate or any other common combustable.
What can I do to make a small solid rocket engin??

 

[Borek]

Check archives of rec.pyrotechnics group, you should be able to easily google them. Note: I have never read this group by myself, but from what I was told by people I trust this is not a bunch of suicidal pyromaniacs, but group of professionals and hobbyists that know the subject.

 

[Proton Soup]

there is a book called amateur rocket motor construction that looks like maybe what you want

 

[Andrew Buren]

What I need is fuel out of very common things.
.

 

[mrjeffy321]

What I need is fuel out of very common things.
.

Common sugar (Sucrose) can be used as a fuel in rocket propellants. But you still need an oxidizer to mix with it in order to support rapid combustion. You already said you cannot get things like Potassium Nitrate, so that will make your endeavor much more difficult; you have bountiful fuel but no oxidizer.

Of course you could make your own oxidizers, providing you had the knowledge. We used to have a very nice thread on Potassium Chlorate…to bad it is not longer around.

 

[chemisttree]

So where are you in the world that won't allow Estes engines?

 

[Andrew Buren]

I'm in the countery of Kazakhstan. No hobby shops, or chem. departemnts to by this stuff.
Do you how I could make a simple oxidizer.

 

[Proton Soup]

oh boy...

 

[Borek]

I know it is a bad joke, but I can't help it. If you are in Kazakhstan, you are close to the Baikonur Cosmodrome

Speaking about nitrats - they are present in some fertiilizers.

 

[randeezy]

I know it is a bad joke, but I can't help it. If you are in Kazakhstan, you are close to the Baikonur Cosmodrome

Speaking about nitrats - they are present in some fertiilizers.

true, but what's the easiest way of seperating them?

you could make a hybrid rocket. use the sugar and maybe kerosene. it's used in lamps and stuff. i heard Sterno and the phosphor out of the old road flares works too.

now, my friend used to make small rockets using solid fuel made out of both sugar and potassium nitrate (the fertilizer). Thing is, I can't remember if it was 1/3 sugar and 2/3 potassium nitrate or the other way round.

 

[Borek]

true, but what's the easiest way of seperating them?

Recrystallization.

you could make a hybrid rocket. use the sugar and maybe kerosene

You are still missing oxidizer.

 

[berkeman]

Sorry folks. Getting a bit too close to the "dangerous activities" part of the PF Rules (see the link at the top of the page). Making rocket fuel is not something that fits within the PF Rules. Locked.

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