VT Propellants  are proving popular with NZRA members in sizes ranging from 38mm to Nike size motors.  Ethan is providing the hardware and VT Propellants manufacture the propellant. The motors have all gone through extensive testing with around 200 test firings to obtain propellant characteristics. 

2,  3 and 4 grain 38mm and 54mm motors are available to fly at launch days with other sizes, colours and characteristics available to pre-order.   Your motor is assembled by VT Propellants and you return the casing after flying.

Further information is available on the members only website. 

Members Only Website VT Propellants 

Reliable Rocketry supplies NZRA members Altus Metrum and Stratologger flight computers and other rocketry parts.  Products are supplied to NZRA New Zealand residents only, no international sales.  

By sharing international shipping cost and bulk discounts an EasyMini v3.0 dual deployment altimeter with USB interface is 30% cheaper in New Zealand compared with buying and shipping direct.  The EasyMini is smaller and NZ$ 100 less than a RRC3 altimeter with USB interface. 

A number of NZRA members have purchased Eggtimer altimeter and GPS kitsets.  Talk to Simon Willoughby-Martin to find out more.  

Apogee offers a huge range of model rockets and components from low power to high power. They also offer a huge range of 'how to' videos and newsletters. Shipping can be expensive so it pays to check if you can share shipping costs with another member. 

NZRA members Stuart and Robert Lloyd provide quick build parts, 38mm motor retainers and rocket stands. Feature products include the Bunker Workshop 38mm motor retainer, rocket stands and 1/4 Patriot parts which many NZRA members are running. 

Excellent build videos here. Bunker Rocket Works Youtube

Haris at Vinyl Wraps has supplied Vinyl Wraps to a number of members via his Trademe store https://www.trademe.co.nz/stores/vinyl-wraps 

You can view his range online or at his warehouse in Sandringham. 

3d printing allows you to create plastic parts at home. They are ideal for prototyping your own designs, printing tools and gadgets and creating low power rocketry parts. Using a 3d printer to print plastic parts is unlike most modern devices where if you follow the manual it works every time. These machines squeeze hot plastic out of a tiny nozzle where tolerances of a few microns can make the difference between success and failure. Belt tension and frame rigidity are tricky to get right and and variables like fan speed, first layer calibration,  build surface, bed and nozzle temperature often need to be adjusted for different filaments. There is a lot of help online but a lot of well intentioned advice is contradictory or wrong. It's a great skill to learn but don't under estimate the time it will take to master. This troubleshooting guide gives you an idea of the issues you will learn to overcome. https://www.simplify3d.com/support/print-quality-troubleshooting/ 

Which Printer to Buy ?

Consider these factors 

There are many different brands of printer. Examples listed here have been run and recommended by NZRA members.  In recent years Chinese brand Bambu lab have become a dominant player creating reliable printers with many sensors and 'appliance' quality engineering.  Prusa offers a reliable European printer at a premium price.  Brands like Creality and Elegoo offer lower cost models but they typically require more user maintenance.

• Material Type

  • PLA and PETG can be printed without an enclosure if you have a well ventilated room

  • High temperature materials such as ABS and engineering materials need to be printed in an enclosure with air filtering and stable temperature control. Check for reviews of users printing the materials you want to print on the printer you are considering.

• Multi-Colour

  • Multi-Filament feeders such as the Bambu lab AMS allow your printer to switch between colours but if there are a lot of colour changes this is slow and material is wasted during the changes. 

  • Multi-Nozzle solutions can change filament in seconds without wastage

  • Dual-Nozzle printers are the fastest multi-colour, multi-material printer and ideal for printing engineering materials and support filament. 

• Build Plate Size

  • 180 x180x180mm 

    • Bambu Lab A1 Mini at $ 349 will reliably print PLA, PETG 

  • 256 x 256 x 256mm

    • Bambu Lab P2S at $ 1,199 

  • 300 x 300 x 330

    • Prusa Core One L $ 3,885 (European)

  • 340 x 320 340

    • Bambu Lab H2S $ 2,940 

• Multi Nozzle/Multi-Material  

  • 340 x 320 x340 (2 Nozzle)

    • Bambu Lab H2D 3,898

  • 360 x 360 x 360

    • Prusa XL (5 Nozzle) $ 6,000

• NZ 3d Printer Suppliers & Service

  • 3d Printing Specialists

    • Marvle3D, Auckland

    • MindKits 

    • 3d Printing Services

    • 3d Printer Store

  • Electronics Retailers

    • PB Tech 

    • Jaycar