Rocket Building Supplies

Building Supplies:

If you're building your own designs, you're going to need parts. Apogee Components is the leading seller of rocket parts because we have always encouraged modelers to build their own unique designs. We know modelers are looking for quality parts, and a wide selection of sizes and shapes. Click on the buttons below to take you to more information about each of the types of parts we offer to designers like you.

For articles on building rockets check out the Peak of Flight index. This is a list, by topic, of all of the great articles the Peak of Flight put out over the years.

	Body Tubes (Thin Wall for Small & Mid-Power)
	Standard size tubes that fit the most common Estes nose cones. Our tubes have perfect dimensions - meaning nose cones fit without being tight or too loose. The white surface is smooth so you don't have to do a lot of prep prior to painting your model.

	Body Tubes (Thick Wall for High-Power Rockets)
	These tubes from LOC Precision are perfect if you are just getting started in high power rocketry and are on a budget. Made from paper, they are easy to cut, sand, glue, and paint. They will allow you to experiment with your own designs and construction techniques without putting you in debt.

	Fiberglass Body Tubes
	Fiberglass is the strongest rocket tube we sell. It is super tough and strong. It is used when you know in advance that the rocket you're building is going to be severely abused. It is also RF transparent, so it makes a great payload bay when you have telemetry transmitters on board.

	Blue Tubes
	While they cost a bit more than the paper tubes, Blue Tubes are a durable alternative to those phenolic and carbon-fiber tubes. Used by the military in tank ammunition, this material is abrasive resistant and will not crack. They are great for high power rockets where you need super durability.

	Tube Couplers (Thin Wall for Small & Mid-Power)
	Tube couplers allow you to join two tubes having the same diameter, thereby making a longer rocket. Our couplers fit just right, so your long tube is perfectly straight and ultra strong.

	Tube Couplers (Thick Wall for High-Power Rockets)
	Tube couplers allow you to join two tubes having the same diameter, thereby making a longer rocket. These are made by LOC Precision and are good in high power rockets.

	Blue-Tube Couplers (Thick Wall)
	Tube couplers allow you to join two tubes having the same diameter, thereby making a longer rocket. These are made from the "Blue Tube" material of our high power tubes, and match the sizes.

	Transition Sections
	Transition sections are used to join the ends of two tubes that have different diameters. The balsa transitions make great boat tails on the back end of your rocket. This makes the look sleek, and makes them more aerodynamic -- so they fly higher!

	Centering Rings
	Rings allow a small tube to nested within a large one. Our rings have a perfect fit, allowing your rocket to be assembled faster and without any fuss. Low power, high power, custom and variety packs available.

	Nose Cones
	We offer a huge selection of different size and shapes of nose cones. Low, mid and high power nose cones available!

	Bulkheads
	Balsa Nose Blocks, also known as solid bulkheads or tube connectors are used to make payload bays for model rockets. They block off the air flowing through the tube, protecting the delicate payload from the heat of the ejection charge. All you need is a screw eye to attach the shock cord or parachute, and you're ready to go.

	Launch Lugs
	A launch lug is glued to the side of your rocket and keeps the rocket on the rod while it builds up speed. We have two sizes: one for small rockets that use engines smaller than a "D" motor, and one for larger rockets that use up to a "H" size engine.

	Rail Buttons
	Rail Buttons are used in place of launch lugs on larger rockets. The reason is that big rockets need a stiffer launcher so they don't sway around in breezy conditions. A launch rail is much stiffer than a circular rod, and therefore are used on big rockets.

	Rail Button Standoffs
	Rail button Standoffs are posts that allow the rail button to be positioned further away from the body of the rocket. They are used on rockets where the nose cone has a bigger diameter than the rear of the rocket where the rail buttons are usually mounted.

	Parachutes
	Parachutes bring your rockets down slowest. But if your model flies really high, you might want to switch to a streamer to minimize the drift. We have a wide selection of both, so you can choose the best size for your rocket.

	Parachute Variety Pack
	Parachutes bring your rockets down slowest. But if your model flies really high, you might want to switch to a streamer to minimize the drift. We have a wide selection of both, so you can choose the best size for your rocket.

	Streamers
	Streamers are used on rockets that fly high and would otherwise drift away if they used a parachute. The Apogee Aspire kit is a good example of a rocket that would use a streamer instead of a parachute.

	Kevlar^® Shock Cord
	Used to keep the nose cone attached to the bottom of the rocket. That way, you only have to retrieve one model instead of two or more pieces. This shock cord is stronger than steel, and doesn't burn.

	Parachute Swivels
	Keep your parachute suspension lines from twisting up with these high-strength barrel swivels

	QuickLinks
	Use Quick Links to quickly attach and detach components of your rocket. Great for connecting parachute shroud lines and electronic or payload bays to shock cords and swivels or replacing lost quick links in your Tender Descender.

	Nomex Wadding
	While not required, this would be a useful addition to this kit. If you don't use a heat shield, you'll have to use disposable wadding to protect the parachute from the heat of the ejection charge. And for a large diameter kit like this, it will take a lot of disposable wadding.

	Disposable Wadding
	Recovery wadding is used to protect the parachute from the intense heat of the rocket motor's ejection charge. Without wadding, the plastic chute in this kit will quickly melt into a ball, and will not open properly. This is laughingly called "plastic wad recovery" because it doesn't work. A pack of wadding is enough for about 30 launches in a small &rocket kit.

	Shock Cord Protectors for High Power Rockets
	If your big rocket uses a nylon strap as a shock cord, it may need a little extra protection from the ejection charge. A shock cord protector is a sleeve that fits over a nylon strap to give it extra heat resistance.

	Ejection Charge Baffles
	Ejection charge baffles eliminate the need for flame proof recovery wadding. They are a physical barrier inside the rocket that trap burning particles and slow down the gases to give them a chance to cool.

	Parachute Deployment Bags
	A deployment bag is a device to help ensure that parachute inflates properly and in the correct order. It forces the lines to completely stretch out first, and then the canopy is released so that it can properly inflate. It also minimizes the loads on the suspension lines to prevent tears, and it gives additional protection from the heat of the ejection charges. If you're doing high power rockets, you really need this extra insurance to make your project a success.

	CD3 Ejection System
	Eject your high-power recovery system with CO2! It's more safe and reliable than a black powder pyrogen for your ejection system, particularly in larger diameter and high-altitude rockets. It's easy to clean up afterwards, plus you won't have that burnt smell in your rocket and there's no risk of your parachute or shock cord getting singed either!

	Motor Mount Kits (Glue-in)
	These adapters allow you to put a smaller diameter motor into a rocket that has a motor mount tube up to two sizes larger. This is a great way to save money by putting a smaller motor in a big rocket.

	Motor Mount Adapters (Removable)
	The Aero Pack Quick-Change Motor Adapter allows you to change motor size in an instant! Just drop the adapter into your kit, and double the number of motors you can use.

	Metal Engine Hooks
	Our metal engine hooks are made out of spring steel, not stainless steel. This makes them springy and prevents them from kinking when you bend them to insert the rocket engine.

	Reload Case Engine Retainers
	Engine retainers hold rocket motors in the engine mount, preventing them from being kicked out backward at ejection. They are more professional looking than metal engine hooks, but cost a bit more. The work best on metal reload casings.

	Engine Retainer (Tailcone)
	Want to hold in your rocket engines securely and reduce drag at the same time? Then the Aero Pack Tailcone retention system is you're looking for. They currently come in sizes for 38mm and 54mm engines fitting body tubes with approximately 3" and 3.9" I.D.

	Engine Retainer (Flush Disks)
	These engine retainers hold reloadable rocket motors securely in the model so they can't be kicked out by a strong ejection charge. These are much less expensive than other engine retainers, and can be retrofitted onto rockets that are already constructed and ready to fly. They also work great on flat-bottom rockets where the engine tube is flush with the centering ring.

	Glider Pod Hooks
	These are used to attach the rocket motor to a glider. When the motor burns out, the hooks release, allowing the glider to come down on its own. Our competition style hooks are light weight, and minimize drag.

	Rocket Fins - Plastic
	No-hassle fins for quick assembly and perfectly straight flights! This fin unit comes pre-formed with 3 fins. The unit is ready to be glued into your 24mm body tube!

	Pre-cut Balsa Fins
	Great for schools where all the students are required to use the same style fin on their rockets. Pre-cut balsa wood fins save you time and frustration.

	Balsa Sheets
	So you've got your design in RockSim, and you're ready to start building. While tubes and nose cones come in pretty standard sizes and shapes, the sky is hardly the limit on how your fins will look. Pre-designed, pre-cut fins just won't cut it for your rocket, so you'll need sheets of balsa to cut out your own!

	Corrugated Vacuum Formed Wraps
	Add a bit of surface detail to your simple rockets, and it will jazz them up. It also makes them look like stringers used on real NASA rockets. Finally, it is a great way to hide the seam where two tubes are joined together.

	Resusable Plastic Rivets
	Used on large high power rockets to hold the sections together - great for holding electronic bays! They are the fasteners that allow you to quickly assemble the rocket on the range without having to drive in a number of screws. Just push them in the holes in the rocket, and they grab to hold the tubes together for the entire flight. After the flight, just pull them out with your fingers. Yes, they are reusable for the next flight too!

	Templates & Patterns
	More than just fin templates. Our unique cardboard sheets that allow you to customize the appearance of your rocket. Do you want to be different, or should your rocket look like everyone else's?

	Rubber Bands
	Helicopter models need rubber bands. They need to be replaced about every four flights just to be safe. Here is a supply of hard-to-find rubber bands, including the small orthodontic variety.

	Epoxy Clay
	Epoxy is a very strong adhesive. Our epoxy clay has the advantage that it doesn't run and make a mess. Perfect for making fin fillets that reduce drag and add strength to the fins.

	React-A-Pack Epoxy
	When you have a tiny emergency repair and only need a itty-bitty around of epoxy to fix your rocket, then here is the product you've been looking for!

	Modeling Tools
	Find essentials for the construction of model rockets here. We currently have hobby knives, replacement blades and tube & fin marking guides.

	Ulf's Fin Jigs
	Fly Higher with Perfectly Aligned Fins Every Time! The mini jig will give you vertical alignment that can't be beat, but the angular alignment is completely arbitrary.

	Guillotine Fin Jig
	The Guillotine Fin Jig is one of the most versatile alignment fixtures that we've ever seen. It allows you to put fins on straight, on any size tube, not just the standard sizes!

Do you want tips for making dazzling rockets from your parts?
	Having Apogee's quality parts to work with is only one piece of the puzzle in making a stunning rocket. Now you need techniques and skills for assembling them into an eye-popping model. Our video books can show you the procedures and methods the experts use when they build rockets. Don't you want your rockets to be the center of attention? Check out our video book collection (click here).

Actual Customer Comment:

"My package arrived...and everything was GREAT!!.. I SURE APPRECIATE the level of customer care that you have given me in processing my order and the FOLLOW UP email's!! GOOD customer service ...I find is hard to come by in a lot of respects today. There are many companies that SHOULD take lessons from you on customer care!!

I WILL MOST DEFINITELY use your company again as soon as I need more supplies (which is generally often) so you will be hearing from me in the future!! Thanks Again!!"

-- Brad Burtnick

Nylon^®, Nomex^® and Kevlar^® are registered trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company for its brand of aramid fiber.

We're Here To Help You