Easy Homemade Rocket from CPVC pipe.

Step 3 Making the fins

Now it is time for the piece of balsa wood (or other light wood). I have uploaded a document with the dimensions if you want to trace it. You can design your own if you want. Cut three of these out carefully with a razor or sharp knife. Sand the edges of each fin smooth except for the 2 1/2 " edge that attaches to the rocket. You will need this edge to be flat, level, and having as much surface as possible. Preferably, the balsa (or other wood) should be at least 1/8 " thick (It depends on the strength of the wood you are using). I don't have any experience in balsa wood as it is rare in my area, so pardon any ignorance I might express. Because the rocket is heavy, thin balsa wood is very likely to break.

Comments

[mbainrot]

from my experience you will want to re-enforce the balsa with glue (kinda like fiberglassing) and insure that the grain is at a 90 degree angle to the rocket. If you have the grain parallel to the rocket it will split and fall off during flight, sending the rocket in a uncontrolled spiral with no predictability.

[ClCrow]

But balsa wood is so weak it will break if setting it down on the launch pad. I've never myself had a problem with the fins breaking in flight...perhaps in landing I have.