Semroc Update

SemrocCarl McLawhorn started Semroc Astronautics in 1967 in his college dorm room.  Today Semroc manufactures many of the model rocket kits we sell including replicas of classic designs from Estes Rockets, Centuri, and others. Carl died earlier this year, but his wife Sheryl, and son Bruce, along with other members of the family, continue to operate the company to the high standard set by Carl.

Unfortunately, the McLawhorn family has once again been hit by tragedy as Bruce is in the hospital in serious condition. His prognosis for recovery is good and we wish him a speedy recovery.

In the mean time, Semroc’s web site is off-line due to an issue with the domain name registration. The problem should be resolved soon.

In order not to burden the family during this time, we are not placing any restock orders with Semroc. But, we have every reason to believe that Bruce will be okay and that Sheryl and Semroc will be back as strong as ever.

If you wish to make a contribution to help Bruce and his family with their medical bills and other expenses, you may send a donation through PayPal to Semroc’s email address, sales@semroc.com. Sheryl will forward the money to the family’s church which is administering a fund to support Bruce’s family.

DFR’s Atlas V New Horizons Kit

On January 19, 2006, an Atlas V launched from Cape Canveral Air Station to prepel NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on its three billion mile journey to Pluto. When New Horizons reaches Pluto in the Summer of 2015 it will be travelling about 30,000 mph, too fast for it to be able to slow down to got into orbit around Pluto.  Instead, New Horizons will snap photographs and capture data as it passes within 6000 miles of Pluto’s surface.

DFR’s scale model of the Atlas V in its “New Horizons” AV511 configuration is JonRocket.com’s latest addition to our online catalog. This is DFR’s most detailed kit to date with many 3D printed parts and a pre-applied vinyl wrap on the body tube.

DFR Technologies New Horizons Atlas V

 

Parasite Gliders

Guillow Delta DartWhen I was young, my favorite rocket was the Estes Omega.  I had saved for weeks to purchase the Omega and the Cineroc movie camera payload for it.  I flew the Omega only once with the movie camera. But, I flew it many more times without the camera.

At the time, it seemed like a really big rocket. And it flew using really big (and scary and expensive) D motors.  Although it was a two-stage kit, I always flew it as a single stage rocket.  After all, two D motors were even scarier (and more expensive).

For some of the later flights of the Omega, I attached two small gliders to the rocket. The little foam gliders would separate and glide back to earth as the rocket came down under its parachute.

The little foam gliders I used back then were delta shaped, looking sort of like the Space Shuttle’s orbiter which was still just a design on the drawing board at the time. Manufactured by Guillow, the gliders cost 25 cents each.

The gliders were designed to be hand-launched or launched with a rubber band. But, I stuck a small dowel into the foam hook on the bottom of the front of the glider. Then I cut a small section out of a launch lug.  I glued the launch lug section onto the rocket’s body tube centered between two fins and just high enough above the fins so that the glider would hang on the lug with the back of its wing resting on the fins.

After I placed the rocket on the launch pad, I’d hang the glider on the launch lug segment.  At apogee, the glider would fall off and glide down on its own.  The Omega’s mighty D engine was powerful enough to allow the rocket to carry two parasite gliders at once.

We recently added Guillow’s Delta Dart gliders to our online catalog. These are almost the same as the gliders I used so many years ago.  The are are a little lighter than the ones I remember.  And they cost a little more than 25 cents each. But, they work just as well as parasite gliders.

 

Shopping at a Launch

JonRocket.com TrailerLook for the JonRocket.com trailer at local launches in Central Florida.

On-site at launches, we sell a large selection of model rocket motors as well as many of the other supplies and accessories you may need for the launch. The items we normally stock include:

  • Model Rocket Motors (up to G total impulse)
  • Igniters
  • Recovery Wadding
  • Parachute Protectors
  • Parachutes (from 6 to 120″ in diameter)
  • Streamers
  • Streamers
  • E-Matches
  • Ejection Charge Refills
  • Ejection Charge Cannisters
  • O-Rings
  • Motor Adapters
  • Launch Lugs and Rail Buttons
  • Adhesives and Tape
  • Batteries

For convenience, we normally keep most things that we sell in the trailer, so please feel free to ask Bracha or I for whatever you need at a launch.

To make it a little easier for you to see what we have available on-site, you can visit the JonRocket.com Mobile Web Site on your smart phone or tablet. The mobile web site allows you to browse the selection of items that we have available at launches.

In addition to the items listed on the Mobile Web Site, we usually also bring a small selection of rocketry kits, parts, toys, and other items which we display on tables under our shade canopy. If there is anything from our on-line catalog that you would like for us to bring to a launch, please let us know.

We usually attend each ROCK launch in Oviedo, Florida, on the first Saturday of the month.  We try to attend the NEFAR launch on the second Saturday.  We occasionally attend the TTRA or SRA launch on the third Saturday.

We accept cash and credit cards for your on-site purchases.

Quest Water Rockets

We recently Quest Water Rocketsadded Quest’s Water Rocket kits to our catalog. We didn’t sell them in the past because we thought they were just cheap toys.

But, a few weeks ago we watched our grandson and his friends play with a set and we were impressed. The water rocket sets are well designed and constructed. And kids love them.

We found that you do have to be careful. Follow the directions to the letter and you’ll be safe and have fun.  Specifically, make sure that you use the included stake to hold the launch pad to the ground so that it doesn’t tip over when the rocket is launched. Make sure that the nut and bolt on the top of the pad are tight.  And, before each launch, ensure that the string is threaded through the hook near the bottom of the launch pad.

 

OOP Quest X-30 Aerospace Plane Kits in Stock

Quest X-30 Aerospace PlaneOne of the newest additions to our online catalog is the Quest X-30 Aerospace Plane flying model rocket kit. Although new to our catalog, the X-30 kit has been out of production for several years. We were fortunate to have acquired a number of these vintage kits which are now for sale at JonRocket.com.

Chris Michielssen built the X-30 shown in the photograph. He describes building and finishing the kit in a series of articles in his Model Rocket Building Blog. Chris illustrates his blog posts with step-by-step photographs of the construction of the kit.

Assembled, the X-30 is a little over 17″ long. It flies on a C6-3 motor and is recovered using two 12″ parachutes. An Estes C6-3 is probably better-suited for this draggy model than a Quest C6-3. And, you may wish to replace the two small parachutes with a single 18″ parachute. A single parachute is easier to fit in the rocket and less likely to tangle on deployment.

While it is challenging to build, and can be a finicky flier, the Quest X-30 kit will make a unique addition to your rocketry fleet.

 

JonRocket.com Reward Points Program

RewardsWe are thrilled to announce our new JonRocket.com Rewards Points program.

As a way to thank our loyal customers for coming back to shop at JonRocket.com, we’ve developed the Rewards Points program. When you shop online at http://www.jonrocket.com/ you will earn Rewards Points.

Earning Points

You earn one Rewards Point for every dollar you spend. If your order’s total is under $10, you will earn one point. If the total is $10 or more, but less than $20, you will earn two points. And, so on.

Occasionally, we will offer other ways for you to earn points.  For example, during the month of October, 2013, we will reward you with five bonus points if you are a previous customer.  More on the October Bonus later.

Using Points

You can redeem your points for credit in your Gift Certificate account. Currently, each point that you redeem adds one dollar to your Gift Certificate balance.  You can use your Gift Certificate balance to pay for purchases at JonRocket.com or use credit in the account to send a gift certificate to someone else by email.

We’re working on ideas for other exciting ways that you will be able to use your points in the future. So, you can choose to convert them to credit in your Gift Certificate account now, or you can choose to save them to use later.

And Here’s the Best News of All …

During the month of October, 2013, we are encouraging you to visit JonRocket.com and view your Rewards Points balance.  If you’ve ordered from us before, you will received the October Bonus of five reward points just for logging in and viewing your Rewards Points history.

Log in using the link at the top of the page at http://www.jonrocket.com/.  Be sure that you log in using the email address and password that you last used when you placed an order at JonRocket.com.  If you create a new account, you won’t see your existing Rewards Points and you won’t earn the bonus.

After you have logged in, click the “My Account” link at the top of the page. On the My Account page, you will see your Rewards Points total displayed as well as a link to View or redeem your Rewards Points.

A few people have created multiple accounts throughout the years.  We’ve tried to merge them into a single account for each customer with the most-recently used email address and password.  If you have any problems logging into your existing account, please email us at sales@jonrocket.com.

The October Bonus will automatically be added to your Rewards Points when you log in and view your Rewards Points history by following the link on the My Account page.  You’ll only receive the bonus if your Rewards Points balance is greater than zero and if you haven’t already received the bonus.

If you haven’t ordered from us before, your Rewards Points balance will be zero and you won’t receive the bonus.  But, you will receive Rewards Points for any orders you place in the future.

And Here’s the Even Better Best News of All …

You have been earning Rewards Points with each purchase since July of 2009 (that’s when Bracha and I began operating JonRocket.com)!

To see how many Rewards Points you’ve earned, log into the JonRocket.com web site then click the “My Account” link in the upper-right corner of the page. You’ll see your Rewards Points balance listed on the page and a link to “View or redeem your Rewards Points.”

The Obligatory Small Print

Rewards points awarded are based on the total of the order less taxes, shipping, and any gift certificate balance applied to the order. Rewards Points are added to your account when your order ships. Returns, refunds, and multiple orders within a short period of time may result in points being removed from your account.

 

Finish Your Rocket in Style

We’ve recently expanded our selection of Rocketry Supplies by adding products to help you build and finish your rockets.

Aerogloss Balsa Filler CoatAerogloss Balsa Fillercoat is a sealer and filler for paper, fabric, and woods such as balsa and basswood.  Balsa Fillercoat is lightweight and it dries quickly.  Applied to balsa, it fills the grain and is easily sanded to create a smooth finish. Balsa Filler coat is available in 1 ounce jars as well as 1/2 and 1 pint cans.  Currently, the small jars are unavailable, so we are stocking the large cans.

Aerogloss Sanding Sealer

Balsa Fillercoat is often used with Aerogloss Sanding Sealer to help achieve a smooth, catalog-quality finish on model rocket fins and balsa nose cone.  For the best results, apply a few coats of Fillercoat (letting it dry then sanding between coats) then add two coats of Sanding Sealer (again letting it dry then sanding between each coat).

We don’t have the Sanding Sealer in our catalog right now, but is on order.  It should be available from our web site soon.

Ultra Fine Abrasive Sheets

Alpha Abrasives’s Ultra Fine Waterproof Finishing Set is an assortment of reusable, ultra-fine grit sand papers.  The set contains one sheet each of 320, 400, 600, 1000, 2000, 4000, 6000, and 12,000 grade sand paper. The sheets are waterproof so they can be used for wet sanding and are easier to clean for re-use.

We’ve also added adhesives, decal-making supplies, and masking tools. Please visit our online model rocket store to see our entire selection of Model Rocket Building and Finishing Supplies.

Now Shipping to Australia and Japan

PackageWe recently updated our international shipping policy. We added Australia and Japan to our international destinations (joining Canada and Mexico) and formalized how we handle shipping charges that are significantly different than wgat our web site adds to international orders.

For international orders, our site charges a standard shipping fee based on the cost of shipping an average package (about 1 pound, one ounce) to the destination country via Priority Mail International.  We prefer using Priority Mail because it is more relliable and faster than other methods.

Sometimes our actual cost of shipping will be significantly lower than the standard shipping fee. If this is the case, we will refund a portion of the shipping fee. Our goal is that you will end up paying no more than about $5.00 over the actual cost for us to ship the package.

If the actual cost of shipping is significantly more than the standard shipping fee, we will contact you before shipping and inform you of your options which will include cancelling or changing your order.  If you agree, we will send you an invoice for the additional cost of shipping and will wait to ship the order until we have received the payment.

Our Deepest Condolences to the Friends and Family of Carl McLawhorn

It’s with great sadness that we learned today of the passing of Carl McLawhorn.

Carl founded Semroc Astronautics Corporation in his college dorm at North Carolina State University in November of 1967. Semroc produced a line of model rocket kits and motors. Quickly growing to a company with twenty-five full-time employees working at two facilities, Semroc faced some fiscal challenges and, in early 1971, the company became insolvent and closed its doors.

A little over three decades later, Semroc returned. Reincorporated on April 2, 2002, SemrocSemroc currently produces a large line of quality model rocket kits including many reproductions of the classic kits of the 1960s and 1970s.

We never met Carl in person, but, through all of our dealings with Semroc, we always found him, and his wife, Sheryl, to be friendly, courteous, and professional.  Carl contributed much to the model rocketry hobby and will be sorely missed.

— Roger and Bracha
jonrocket.com