Model Rocket Shopping List

• Metal Ruler
• Mineral Oil
• Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty
• Organizer for engine tubes / engines

This is a list of ingredients needed to build small model rocket motors. These are similar to the commercial model rocket engines sold in toy and hobby stores.

salt peter (potassium nitrate) [tree stump remover]    Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Home Depot
flowers of sulfur                                     Wal-Mart, Walgreens
powdered white confectioner's sugar (iceing sugar)    Wal-Mart
brown paper shopping bags                             Wal-Mart, Walgreens
elmers white glue                                     Wal-Mart
1/4" hardwood dowel                                   Home Depot
scotch tape                                           Wal-Mart
single edged razor blade                              Wal-Mart, Home Depot
ruler                                                 Wal-Mart
epoxy (not 5 minute)                                  Wal-Mart, Home Depot
ungalvanized nails, 3/32" thich	                      Home Depot
7/64" drill bit                                       Home Depot
1/8" drill bit                                        Home Depot
masking tape                                          Wal-Mart, Home Depot
FFFF fine black powder                                Wal-Mart, Sportsmans
coarse steel wool [fine soapless steel wool]          Wal-Mart
Hibachi Sticks (Shish Kabob Skewers)                  Wal-Mart
large sewing needles / pins (safty pins)              Wal-Mart
kitty litter (beta-something clay)

I was able to find all the items on this list at Wal-Mart, except for the Potassium Nitrate (Salt Peter) and Flowers of Sulfur. I (think) I found Potassium Nitrate at Home Depot in a granular form called “Grants Tree Stump Remover”. No ingredients were listed on the box, so I've got to verify. I also purchased nails at Home Depot, although those are probably available at Wal-Mart too.

Total cost, about $30. Should make a couple hundred rocket engines.

I'm having trouble finding sulfer, however. Been all over the place. It is winter here. Many garden stores will likely sell it in the summer (Dallas Greens said they stock Garden Sulfer in the summer). They have 50lb bags of 90% sulfer that they use as a mix, but I didn't want that much.

I use Greenlight Co. stump remover sold at Lowes in 454 gram bottles for $4.50, it comes in a fine crystalline form. Home Depot sell Grant's which is also okay. Stump Out brand sucks it contains no KNO3.

Greenlight stump remover at Walmart = KNO3.

Fertalizer 13-0-46 = potassium nitrate.

Get either Grant's or Green Light, they're >98% KNO3.

Hi-Yield Brand (of stump remover) always worked for me. I bought it at ACE. The MSDS says it is 95.5-99.2% PURE Potassium Nitrate.