Wooden Rockets

After I got a lathe, I made this series of wooden rockets. These are built to accomodate standard Estes model rocket engines.

The yellow rocket is the only one that I launched. I  never gave a thought to what would happen when the heavy wooden rocket came down (nor did any of the other college educated people who were present).  I parked nearby because I used my car battery to ignite the rocket engine. 

Disassembled pieces of rocket on left. On the lower right is a brass bushing made to protect the wooden parts from the rocket’s exhaust.

After taking this photo, I remade the nosecone in order to fit the parachute.
Rocket with telescoping, 2-part fuselage.
Rocket with telescoping, 2-part fuselage.
In this design, the ejection charge causes one of the two parts of the fuselage slide lengthwise, deploying the parachute.
Rocket with telescoping, 2-part fuselage.
Rocket with tubes to channel ejection-charge gasses.
This technical drawing shows the interior of one of the designs along with the grandiose name and logo I used for the venture!
First rocket on welded steel stand.
This is the only one that I actually launched. The nosecone was solid maple, and there was no parachute. I never gave a thought to what would happen when it came down.