Joseph Olexa's PageAKA: Joe Location: Tucson - Arizona USA Club Memberships: SARA,NAR Favorite Rockets: Qwest Superbird, Super Eagle, me bucko, Custom Rockets Liberty Biography: I started in rocketry about three years ago. I was in a hobby shop buyin' some supplies for t' balsa and tissue airplane I was buildin' when I noticed t' Estes display next t' me. I be lookin' at t' rocket kits when a person standin' next t' me started a conversation. He was affiliated with t' local rocket club and invited me t' launch rockets with them. I ended up buyin' a few kits, me bucko, three o' them, a Viking, me bucko, Rascal, and a Bandito by Estes. Then I went t' t' big two day launch t' club has once a year and launched me fiirst rockets. I ended up losin' two and comin' home with a damaged Vikin' rocket, which has since been repaired twice already and I still have it. Now I have 41 rockets in me fleet and t' biggest engine I use right now be t' Estes E9-4. Nay sure if I want t' launch anythin' bigger, I'm satisfied with t' rockets I have now. That's why I haven't tried t' get certified for a higher level - I have fun with t' smaller ones. T' biggest one I have is a 76'er by Cygnus Rockets that is 78" long. It's been modified t' separate in t' center and comes down on a 24" nylon parachute. T' smallest rocket be t' Estes Nome. I'm nay into competition flyin' and only fly for sport. I just enjoy seein' them fly! I've been gettin' better as time goes by. T' ones I build now are always a little bit better than t' ones I built previously. I also run and collect Lionel trains and build rubber powered Free Flight balsa and tissue airplanes and build plastic models.
Favorite Quote: Your time is limited so don't waste it livin' someone else's life.
-Steve Jobs
RocketReviews.com Pages:
2024-05-18Custom Rockets Zero Gravity  Flight Needed a light o' at least one minute t' complete me NARRRRR NARTEK Silver. Got 64 seconds. Close but good enough. Aye aye! Overall excellent flight. - B6-4 - Muncie AMA Field [More]
2014-02-15Custom Rockets Sport Flight Good flight with soft parachute landing! - B6-4 - SARA [More]
Quest Ruthless Flight Good flight with soft parachute landing! - B4-4 - SARA [More]
2013-05-19Launch Pad Bolo  Flight Good flight with soft parachute landin' - D12-5 - SARA [More]
Estes Prospector  Flight Good flight with soft parachute landin' - Great flight! - B6-4 - SARA [More]
Quest Super Eagle  Flight Good Flight with soft parachute landing! - C6-3 - SARA [More]
Custom Rockets Liberty  Flight Good flight with soft parachute landing. - D12-5 - SARA [More]
Estes Metalizer  Flight Good flight with soft parachute landing! - B6-4 - SARA [More]
2013-03-24Estes EX-200  Flight Great flight with soft parachute landing. Will need t' replace t' shock cord before next flight. - 1/2A3-2 - SARA [More]
Quest Bright Hawk  Flight Another good flight for this rocket. Great flight with soft parachute landing. Ahoy! - C6-5 - SARA [More]
2012-05-07Quest America (Kit)  Review
This is a four balsa fin, plastic nose cone rocket. T' rocket, me bucko, when completed, is 14 inches (35.6 cm) long and has a diameter o' 1.18" (30mm). It uses t' usual 1/8" launch lug for a rocket o' this size and uses a 14" plastic parachute for recovery. T' suggested ... [More]
2011-09-18Rockets by Manufacturer / Quest Aerospace Photograph 
T' Quest Sport rocket awaits its turn t' launch.
2011-06-12Astrobee 350 - Finished Gloss Coatin' t' Astrobee 350 Build Entry I finished gloss coatin' t' Astrobee 350. I had intended t' gloss coat t' whole rocket - includin' t' nosecone, matey, but after lookin' at t' nosecone I thought it was glossy enough. T' main body tube and fins received two coats o' clear Krylon paint. This gave t' whole rocket an ... [More]
2011-06-04Astrobee 350 - Decalin' t' Astrobee 350  Build Entry This be t' Astrobee 350 after it's been decaled. I waited about a week before I started t' put t' decals on. As always t' large decal under t' nosecone was t' hardest t' put on. After you soak t' decal in water t' loosen it off t' paper, make sure it's loose enough t' come ... [More]
Astrobee 350 - Paintin' t' Astrobee 350  Build Entry Finally got time t' finish paintin' t' Astrobee 350. I've been usin' Krylon paint on this one. T' whole rocket be sprayed with white primer and sanded lightly. Next, shiver me timbers, I painted t' whole rocket, except for t' nosecone, white. T' nosecone was painted black and left t' ... [More]
2011-05-04Astrobee 350 - Sealin' t' Balsa Fins and Nosecone  Build Entry I started t' seal t' balsa fins with a mixture o' micro-balloons(it looks like powder) and diluted white glue (water thinned elmers glue). I had put about two yellow (carpenters) glue fillets over t' superglue in t' last step, and now I am sealin' t' balsa. First I ... [More]
2011-04-20Astrobee 350 - Glued fins onto rocket body tube  Build Entry 4/19/2011 Today I glued t' fins and lunch lug onto t' rocket body tube. I left t' rocket motor mount out so I can better estimate t' correct placement o' t' fins as I glued them into position. I used yellow carpenters glue for this. Then I glued t' launch lug onto t' ... [More]
Astrobee 350 - Preparin' T' Fins Build Entry 4/18/2011 Today I cut t' fins out o' t' balsa sheet. Wasn't much t' do since t' fins are laser cut. I traced t' outline o' t' fins and also traced t' open "holes" in t' balsa sheet in order t' make a PDF file o' t' fin design. I plan t' attach it t' t' build so anyone ... [More]
2011-04-17Astrobee 350  . Build 4/16/2011 Started t' build t' Semroc Astrobee 350. I had bought t' kit on Ebay from a hobby shop. T' kit looked pretty nice for a four fin balsa nosecone rocket. t' specs are as follows: Body diameter 1.040 inches, Length 16.2 inches, fin span 3.5 inches (More on this), shiver me timbers, ... [More]
2010-12-12Estes Prospector (Kit)  Review
This is a basic single stage, four fin, plastic nosecone rocket. It is a ready t' fly kit with minimal assembly which is t' attach t' parachute and you're done. A pretty basic rocket usin' standard B and C 18mm rocket engines. Estes item/kit number 002457.
T' rocket out o' t' box has two ... [More]
2010-08-24Custom Rockets Zero Gravity (Kit)  Review
Brief: T' Custom Rockets Zero Gravity rocket (Kit #10048) is a single stage, three fin, plastic
nosecone rocket that uses a 12" parachute recovery system and a standard 1/2A, A, B, C, rocket motor (18mm). A
fairly typical or basic level 1 experience rocket.
Construction: T' kit ... [More]
2010-03-23Custom Rockets Liberty (Kit)  Review
Brief: This is a single stage, me hearties, plastic nose cone, three fin rocket and it utilizes an eighteen inch
parachute for recovery. Begad! T' fins are balsa and thar are two recommended motors, t' D12-3 and t' D12-5 which are
secured by a metal motor retainin' clip. Blimey!
Construction: T' body tube ... [More]
2009-06-16Custom Rockets Atomic (Kit)  Review
Brief:
T' Custom Rocket Atomic, me hearties, kit #10047, is a single stage, six fin, plastic nosecone rocket with a 12" parachute
recovery and a 24" long by 1/4" wide elastic shock cord. T' rocket is a new offerin' from Custom Rockets for
2009. T' suggested paint scheme is all ... [More]
2009-03-31Estes Rascal (RTF) (Kit)  Review
Brief:
This is an Estes Rascal Kit #1897 and is silver in color. Begad! It is a pre-assembled kit where t' only thin' you need to
do is attach t' parachute t' t' rocket. Ya scallywag! T' parachute is 12" in diameter, ya bilge rat, and t' kit uses an Estes (rubber
band) shock cord attached t' t' launch lug ... [More]
| Joseph Olexa |
