When you bought your first rocketry starter set, it probably included a launch pad, a launch controller, a model rocket or two, some motors with igniters and a small package of recovery wadding. Everything, it seems, you would need to launch a rocket.

Well, maybe.

When you get out on the rocket range, what are you going to do when the nose cone comes loose, the parachute sticks together or the igniter clips get dirty? That's when you're going to need a well-equipped range box – portable container that has the tools and supplies to handle minor rocket-range calamities.

The range box itself can be as simple as an old cardboard shoebox. But cardboard boxes are not very durable, nor do they have compartments to organize supplies. A plastic fishing tackle box or toolbox makes an ideal range box. Most have small trays to separate their contents, and plastic can be cleaned and won't rust.

Range Box Essentials

Your range box should include some obvious items, like motors, igniters and recovery wadding. A spare launch controller key isn't a bad idea, either. There are a few indispensable supplies you should always keep in your range box.

Masking tape has many uses on the rocket range. A small piece of masking tape placed on a nose cone shoulder can help tighten up a loose nose cone fit. Masking tape wrapped around the motor will create a friction fit to keep the motor in a model without a motor retention clip. A piece of tape wrapped around the base of the launch rod can make a standoff to keep the igniter clips from contacting the blast deflector. Buy a quality brand of 12mm wide tape, because cheaper tapes tend to tear when you use them. Put your name on the roll; otherwise, it will tend to walk away.

Sandpaper is another must for your range box. In most situations, wet-and-dry sandpaper in a 320- or 400-grit is adequate. You'll need sandpaper to lightly sand the nose cone shoulder or the inside of the body tube if the fit of the nose cone is too tight. Sandpaper is also useful to clean a rusty launch rod or dirty igniter clips. (Emery boards can substitute for sandpaper to clean the igniter clips.)

Talcum (or baby) powder is also an important item to keep in your range box. Talcum powder can be dusted over a parachute to remove the stickiness present in a new parachute or in humid weather. A little powder dusted inside the body tube removes stickiness from glue smears and helps lubricate the fit of the nose cone. To save room in your range box, keep your powder in a plastic spice jar with a sprinkle top.

Other Items for Your Range Box

There are several other items you can include in your range box to make life on the rocket range a lot easier.

A wooden dowel – at least 200mm long (longer if it fits in your range box) and 12mm in diameter – is useful for pushing, not ramming, wadding down the body tube. The dowel can also be used to remove a tightly installed motor (push from the front of the model). Pliers, especially long-nose pliers with a 100 to 150mm reach, are helpful in removing a stuck motor.

Borrow some spring-clip clothespins from the clothesline. They can be clipped to the launch rod to provide a standoff from the launch pad. That prevents shorting of the igniter clips against the blast deflector.

It would be a good idea to include some or all of these items in your range box: a small penlight, pens or pencils, permanent markers, cotton (substitutes for Estes igniter plugs), a hobby knife, tweezers and a couple of Band-Aids.

For the Advanced Modeler

Advanced modelers using reloadable motors will need two other items in their range boxes. The first is a good temperature-resistant lubricant to use during assembly. (Petroleum jelly tends to melt in hot desert summers.) The second item is premoistened wipes (sold as Baby Wipes or Wet Naps), which are handy for cleaning reloadable motor casings after a flight.

Glider fliers will probably want to put some modeling clay in their range box. The clay is used to "trim" the model's glide. Helicopter fliers (the Estes Skywinder, for example) should carry spare elastics or rubber bands for the rotor deployment.

Last but Not Least

Don't forget the spare parts. Some pre-built parachutes with snap swivels can be easily used to replace a model's damaged parachute. A small roll of streamer material can replace a torn streamer or make a substitute for a parachute in a light model on a windy day. Other spare parts might include launch lugs and shock cords.

You'll need adhesives to make those field repairs. Brand-name "super glues" or cyano-acrylate adhesives are fast curing, especially with "kickers," but are not recommended for poor-fitting parts or shock cords. Five-minute epoxy is a good for most emergency repairs. A lid from a margarine tub makes a good, reusable mixing surface. Add some toothpicks to the range box to mix the epoxy.

As you gain experience and build new models you'll add items to your range box that will make your flying day easier and more fun. In the meantime, see you on the rocket range!

And pass the masking tape, please.

Stephen Lubliner is a member of the Southern Arizona section of the National Association of Rocketry.

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