Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!ucbvax!husc6!yale!mfci!rodman
From: rodman@mfci.UUCP (Paul Rodman)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Model Rocket Engines
Keywords: model rocket safety
Message-ID: <611@m3.mfci.UUCP>
Date: 9 Jan 89 16:05:42 GMT
References: <17612@vax5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU> <374@avsd.UUCP> <101@stanton.TCC.COM> <7993@edsews.EDS.COM>
Sender: rodman@mfci.UUCP
Reply-To: rodman@mfci.UUCP (Paul Rodman)
Distribution: sci
Organization: Multiflow Computer Inc., Branford Ct. 06405
Lines: 38

In article <7993@edsews.EDS.COM> charette@edsews.EDS.COM (Mark A. Charette) writes:

>I must have missed this Amateur Scientist column, but I have a short story
>printed in 1961 (Reader's Digest Treasury for Young Readers - I was pretty

>The story mentions "several pounds of sulfur and zinc dust" and a "six foot
>tall rocket". Any ideas if this story could be true??

----

Yes, it is true. I have read every Am. S. from 1955 at one time or another 
and I remember this one, although I don't know the date.

Please keep in mind that what the Amateur S. column calls "safe" has 
changed over the years. For example:

    - Would you like to build your own X-ray machine using and old TV tube,
      some aluminum foil and a 10Kv power supply? YIKES! You can find
      a whole article , complete with X ray views of your typical 50's
      alarm clock! (I think it was late 50's).

    - How about your own plasma jet? That is hotter than the surface of
      of the sun (6000F ++). Oh, by the way, you will need some welders
      glass due to the soft X rays emitted by the flame.


    - The aformentioned Zinc Sulfer rockets.

    - 10 W CO2 lasers that can shatter microscope slides.


All of these can be done safely enough, with care, but they are a LONG
way from being as safe as a simple model rocket. (They are much more
difficult to construct, fortunately.)


    Paul Rodman
    rodman@mfci.uucp