Making a rocket

[Bruce Cohen]

The only rockets I'd mess with are L.A.W.S or Stingers

[Weverst]

The quickest and least dangerous method we found to shape either the Space or Pinwood Derby kits was m,ake sanding boards.

Tape (or contact cement) 1/2 or fullsheets of different grit sandpaper to a flat piece of either mdf or plywood. (junk box items) We used 80, on one side and 120 or 150 on the other side.
The balsa and pine blocks do have a grain to them and you should try drawing the blocks on the sanding boards so that they do not grab the grain too aggressively, leaving torn surfaces annd/or splinters. After inital shaping -- it surprisingly goes very fast --- flip the board over and lightly finish the shaping.

Hand sanding with a finer grit, say 200 or finer should give your model a nice "feel".
Then, paint as desired.

Sealing the wood with a primer or sanding sealer will give you a smoother finish, but if you are like my crew, you'll be making the rocket tonite and racing tomorrow.........

BTW- try using water based poly for a sealer. Dries quick and can be recoated in an hour or less depending on the humidity. Top coat with any acrylic paint for the custom look...
YIS
Tony

[dbhost]

It's been years since I have even looked at Balsa, but if I remember right, you could pretty much carve that stuff up with a dull butter knife...

[Daryl]

Center drill the block, glue a 3/8" dowel. Let dry! Chuck the dowel into the dril press, set the drill press for the slowest speed and sand away!

That is how I did it as a boy, except I used Dad's hand drill.

[mdutch]

My experience was with the Pinewood Derby, and I used additional balsa fins and fenders added onto the pine block.

My secret weapon for working with Balsa wood was soaking the balsa in "Minwax Wood Hardner" which is a highly volitile penetrating sealer/stablizer used for treating rotting wood. It makes the balsa less "shreddy" and allows you the ability to shape it with a dremmel if you want.