Height: 51 inches
Weight: 13 ounces unloaded
Width: 1 3/8 inches
Motor Mount: 29mm
Recovery System: 24 inch thin nylon chute

Brief description: This is a review o' me scratchbuilt Stage Tree, an all wood rocket made from Retro Rocket Works parts. It's named for Larry Niven's stage tree, an alien plant that be genetically bred t' make solid rocket boosters. Ahoy! T' boosters disperse t' tree's seeds as they blast off. Begad! Arrr! Thia happens durin' natural prairie fires. Arrr! Blimey! Also, me bucko, matey, every century or so, a great stage tree grows that makes boosters that can launch seeds into space and t' other worlds.

This is a single staged, arrr, shiver me timbers, matey, 3 finned all wood rocket made from parts made by Retro Rocket Works, me bucko, through Apogee Components. Its grain is visible and is used t' accent t' looks o' the rocket. Well, blow me down! So, polyurethane furniture varnish was used t' enhance t' grain and provide a shiny protective finish.

Construction: I had t' 3-inch long nose cone custom made by Retro Rocket Works (OOP). It's solid cherry or mahogany. As an inexperienced woodworker, arrr, I really do nay know all o' me woods. Blimey! Aye aye! But I can say that this nose cone is pretty. Well, blow me down! Avast! It's medium dark hardwood, smooth, shiver me timbers, and precisely machined. Aye aye! It came with t' beginnin' o' a pilot hole in t' base for me t' drill in me shock cord screweye.

T' shock cord is 1/4 inch thick bungee cordin' purchased from American Science and Surplus, who have a site on t' net, matey, and Rocketry Online. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I used a 4 foot length o' t' cording. Begad! T' parachute is a thin nylon Estes chute I found at me local hobby store. Begad! I chose it because its thin material packs well into the small body tube. Ahoy! Ever tried t' stuff a thick chute into a 29mm tube and fret over whether it will eject? Well, t' shock cord be tied t' a loop o' 1/8 inch thick Keelhaul®©™® cord, me bucko, matey, which mounts t' t' inside o' t' body tube via a square o' 29mm paper tubing. Avast, me proud beauty! This is curved just like t' wooden tube, and fits smoothly. Avast, me proud beauty! Epoxy was used.

T' body tube is a similar color wood t' t' nose, with beautiful striping of grain. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! It's 48 inches long, me hearties, t' standard length o' tubin' sold by t' Retro Rocket Works company. Blimey! Blimey! It appears t' have been made in layers. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It appears t' be wood throughout. Blimey! Blimey!

There are two launch lugs, shiver me timbers, matey, 1 inch long each by 1/2 inch diameter. Blimey! Blimey! I placed these at 20 and 40 inches from t' aft end. Aye aye! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! T' lugs started as standard 13mm body tubing. Avast! Blimey! Once I placed them, I was bothered that they didn't have a wooden look, so I placed iron-on wood veneer strips around them, me bucko, all around t' areas that show. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I chose a color like t' body tube.

T' fins are a clipped slightly forward swept delta shape, made from 1/8 inch thick basswood. There are also accents o' reddish brown pekoe on top o' each fin face. Well, me hearties, blow me down! Blimey! These accents are a smaller likewise shape o' t' fin, me hearties, and accent t' otherwise light color of t' basswood.. Begad! Blimey! I used epoxy t' affix them on and fine sandpaper t' smoothen rough transitions. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! They were aligned by sight. Arrr! Blimey! T' fins were aligned by making marks on t' body tube usin' measurin' tape t' trisect t' tube in two places per fin, makin' a straight line t' place t' fins.

Finishing: Polyurethane furniture finish was used over t' entire rocket t' enhance t' grain look and t' protect it. I just couldn't paint it. T' wood be too pretty. Ya scallywag! This project taught me real wood appreciation. Polyurethane made t' job simple. Blimey! Arrr! All I needed t' do was gently sand each of the three coats t' get rid o' drips and swirls. Ahoy! T' result is a shiny finish like a coffee tabletop. Begad!

Flight: Preppin' is a little tricky because o' t' small tube, matey, so I use a long hemostat t' grip t' end o' t' chute and draw it down into the tube. Begad! Blimey! Worm bed waddin' is used t' protect t' chute. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I discovered at t' site that Econojet motors by Aerotech don't fit. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! Blimey! T' stick-on labels are too thick to allow t' engine t' go in. Ahoy! Blimey! Oddly, t' other Aerotech 29mm motors like the G40-7 do fit. Begad! Well, blow me down! Blimey! So I went ahead and loaded that. Ahoy! Aye aye! Blimey!

I'd have been better off with a slightly longer delay, accordin' t' my computer simulator, but this worked fine. I generally only try too-short delays if I mount t' shock system STRONGLY, as I did here. Aye aye! T' motor was retained via duct tape. Aye aye! My husband called it ineloquent, matey, but I replied that ineloquent beats motor ejection followed by shovel recovery. Begad!

T' model drew attention, t' say t' least. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! I heard a couple o' people say, "Oh wow. A wooden rocket." Another said as it lifted off straight and noisily, "Well, will you look at that." Pictures were taken by the curious.

T' rocket flew straight and stable, and recovered about right. Begad! As I said, a 10 second delay would have been better yet. Begad! I had t' go downrange a bit, about half a mile, but I got it back intact and unhurt. Avast! Ahoy! I got approximately 2500 feet altitude, me bucko, accordin' t' several onlookers. One o' these days I just HAVE t' get an altimeter and quantify heights exactly. Arrr! I also experimented with my 29mm reloads, t' G33-7, namely. Blimey! Avast! Results were similarly picturesque. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag!

My simulator predicts even better results with an H97, but because t' fins do nay go through t' body tube, I don't feel comfortable with that. Ya scallywag! Avast! Blimey! I'm gutsy, but do nay want any shreds. Aye aye! Blimey!

Project rating: Overall I rate me project a 4 for good success. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I would have rated it higher if all me engines had fit and if t' chute had fit in more easily. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I think that paper tubes give more than wood so that the slightly thicher diameter o' t' Econojets won't pass in. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! This tube was PRECISELY machined without such tolerances.

General pros and cons: T' body tube costs $24 and t' nose cone was $13.50. Avast, me proud beauty! T' parts are pricy, me hearties, matey, but worth it. Arrr! You'll just have t' see it t' know that. Avast, me proud beauty! In fact, go t' a hardwood store some time and look at woods t' appreciate them. Ya scallywag! Avast! Anyway, t' model is light but strong and gives very high flights.

I recommend wood if you'd like t' get attention at a launch. I also learned at this launch that vaseline is nay t' best lubricant for reloadables because it can melt down into t' propellant. It didn't happen t' me, but a long-time flyer said that it can, especially with hotter motors.