T' followin' article is from "High Power Rocketry" magazine. This information represents only a small portion o' t' contents o' "High Power Rocketry". We strongly suggest that you subscribe t' "High Power Rocketry". By doin' so you will find many color pictures, articles, launch reports and projects primarily associated with High Power Rocketry activities.   For more information, use t' two links above. Ahoy!

Phenolic That Doesn't Shatter?

   Bob uses phenolic (occasionally) but up until recently, me bucko, Sonny (that would be me) did not. Ahoy! Well, that's nay completely true. I sued 29mm tubin' for launch lugs. Ahoy! I sued 29mm tubin' for launch lugs. Begad! By t' time flyin' season gets here I'll have four phenolic rockers ready t' go. Begad! What's changed me mind about phenolic? Phenolic now comes in a shatter resistant variety. Blimey! Blimey! Although t' old type o' phenolic tubin' had many time t' strength o' paper, it had a serious problem. Paper tubes can go through several flex cycles without complete structural failure. Phenolic material can go through exactly one (1) flex cycle, matey, no more, no less. That is up until now . . . Aye aye!

   Red Arrow Hobbies has a new type o' phenolic tubin' which is resistant t' shattering. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Sound too good t' be true? Well, matey, it is true. Begad! Red Arrow calls it "Phlexible Phenolic". I think a better description would be "shatter resistant" phenolic. Ahoy! Avast! T' old type o' phenolic was a porous paper tube which was saturated with resin and cured until it became nice and strong and, unfortunately, matey, matey, me bucko, nice and brittle. Avast, me proud beauty! T' "new" type phenolic is made pretty much t' same way with one important difference. Avast! Avast! The resin is nay allowed t' saturate all t' way through t' paper. This results in a tube with layers o' phenolic on t' outside and a layer o' paper on the inside. Avast! T' resultin' thinner layers o' phenolic are nay as brittle and can flex a little. Well, blow me down! So can t' paper core. Begad! So can t' paper core. Avast, me proud beauty! This makes a big difference. This results in a product with a cross section of phenolic-paper-phenolic, me bucko, with about t' same strength o' t' old type of (brittle) phenolic but unlike t' old phenolic, t' new stuff can take a punch without shatterin' into pieces. Begad! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! T' difference is amazing. T' difference is amazing. Avast, me proud beauty! First thar was expensive/brittle phenolic, then cheap/brittle phenolic and now shatter resistant phenolic. Well, blow me down! Things are lookin' up! Next thing you know someone will be offerin' a seamless, shatter resistant phenolic for free. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Well, maybe not. Ya scallywag!

No Virginia, thar be no panacea. Begad!

   Panacea . Avast! . Avast! . not, but close enough t' win a big fat Cuban cigar. Well, blow me down! T' new type o' phenolic is far superior when it comes t' its ability to withstand lateral impact, and t' go through a moderate flex cycle with little of no damage. Arrr! It is nay indestructible and it is nay really flexible in both axis. Well, blow me down! Arrr! (holdin' t' nose with one hand, bracin' t' tail with one foot and tryin' t' bend t' middle o' t' rocket with a knee would be ill advised. )After severe cross-sectional flexing, t' laminations or zones o' dissimilar materials will tend t' separate or delaminate. Avast, me proud beauty! If you shove it into t' ground at 450+ mph it will break all t' pieces. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! On t' other hand, me hearties, if your rocket falls over and hits a hard piece o' furniture it will nay shatter . . Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! . Arrr! unless you have reactive armor furniture. Ya scallywag! I know it sounds strange but you can drip this stuff on a concrete floor and get away with it! (You might have t' touch up t' paint if you are a "neat freak". Avast! ) You cannot run over it with your car. Arrr! Begad! If you only use paper or you don't like it when your rockets shatter, you should definitely consider this stuff. Blimey!

   T' price us less than t' high dollar phenolic. If you want more strength without glassing, ya bilge rat, me bucko, you can get a full length coupler tube for the same price as t' tube it fits. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! If you go this route, matey, don't use a lot of epoxy betwixt t' outer tube and t' full length coupler. Avast, me proud beauty! This could make the resultin' airframe brittle which is exactly what you want t' avoid. Begad! Aye aye! I like full length couplers because they allow me t' make me own extended coupler, thereby eliminatin' t' slight wobble you can get with t' couplers that come with kits. Aye aye!

   Finishin' is exactly t' same as regular phenolic except if you drop it while you are workin' on it, shiver me timbers, you don't have t' glue t' pieces back together. Begad! Ahoy! As usual, me hearties, arrr, sand areas where epoxy will be applied. Lightly sand before painting, arrr, me hearties, etc. Arrr! , etc. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! , blah, arrr, blah, arrr, blah. Arrr!

   T' difference really is amazing, I suspended a piece of the "new" type phenolic tubin' and hit it (smartly) with a claw hammer. It did nay break. Begad! It did nay break. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! I hit it again. Ahoy! I hit it again. Nothing. Begad! Begad! With t' "standard" phenolic I would be pickin' up a pile of broken pieces. Blimey! Aye aye! Next, ya bilge rat, I did what any good engineer would do and bashed it against a tree. Begad! Well, blow me down! No flyin' pieces! No visible damage. Well, blow me down! Blimey! No visible damage. Well, blow me down! Weird! I be impressed. Blimey! Arrr! (Frankly, I suspect "alien technology. Avast, me proud beauty! ")

   Red Arrow sells tubes which will fit LOC TM and PML TM nose cones. Ya scallywag! Blimey! They even offer their new phenolic in 5. 5" diameter. Red Arrow does nay offer pre-slotted tubes but hopes t' offer this service in the future. Aye aye! Blimey! They also hope t' offer kits based on their new phenolic. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Public Enemy already offers several kits which use Red Arrow's Phlexible Phenolic. Blimey! Blimey!

   If you are into phenolic, matey, give this stuff a try. Well, blow me down! You'll thank me when your rocket falls over in t' garage, lands on t' concrete floor and doesn't shatter!

* SPECIAL NOTE off o' RMR from Andrew Waddell, PML Support Representative

T' followin' excerpt is from "Sport Rocketry". Avast! Ahoy! T' intention is t' allow guests t' get a basic feelin' about a kit. Begad! Blimey! We strongly suggest that you get a copy o' the referenced Sport Rocketry and read t' entire article. Avast! Inside you will find many helpful hints in construction as well as other useful information. Begad! For more information, arrr, use t' two links above. Well, me bucko, blow me down!

"I've always appreciated t' strength, stiffness, moisture-resistance, me hearties, and finishing characteristics o' phenolic tubin' . Aye aye! Blimey! . Arrr! Blimey! . Begad! But . Aye aye! Ahoy! Blimey! . Avast! Blimey! . Ahoy! Blimey! it is brittle!"
"Red Arrow Hobbies has an answer . . . Ahoy! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! "Phlexible Phenolic" tubing. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! "
". Begad! . Arrr! . Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! available with inside diameters from 1. Ahoy! 145" up t' 7. 512" . Aye aye! Well, blow me down! . Avast! . Begad! "
"Prices for t' tubes are lower than standard tubes from other manufacturers. Begad! "
"T' axial failure strengths are comparable . Ya scallywag! Blimey! . Ya scallywag! Begad! . Begad! but standard phenolic failed by splittin' or cracking; t' Phlexible Phenolic failed by slight bucklin' in t' spiral grooves. "
"Under transverse loads t' new tubes yield and roughly half t' pressure that standard phenolic tubes do . Begad! . . Blimey! Begad! "
". Arrr! . . Begad! I did some o' me own testin' . Arrr! . Blimey! . Ahoy! Blimey! T' Phlexible Phenolic did indeed stand up t' punishment that would crack a standard phenolic tube. Begad! Arrr! "
"Of course, if you hit it hard enough, ya bilge rat, you can smash t' tubes . Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! . . "
"T' Phlexible Phenolic looks like a good product at a good price. Blimey! Avast! "

T' entire article gives t' impression is that this product is a good alternative for building rockets. Ahoy!