Reddit mentions: The best toy & model crafts books

I'll preface this with "to each his own". :)

I'd definitely recommend visiting a local club launch, NAR or Tripoli. I am a member of both our local chapters and the national organizations, so I can fly more often and meet more people.

Estes has a "designers special" that has lots of parts, cones, body tubes, etc. I'd encourage you, however, to not skip over their easy stuff (like the E2X Pro Series kits especially), they make a lot of great kits that you can learn a lot from. I'm Level 2 right now and I still buy simple kits sometimes just to have something easy to fly. Right now my favorite "quick" rocket is the Estes Majestic. Slapped it together in a short evening and was flying it the next day. Lots of fun.

I too am a "born again rocketeer", doing lots when I was a kid, stopping for a long time, then picking up again when I had kids old enough to fly, about 6 years ago. I re-started with the basic Estes kits and worked my way up. Now I'm about to do my Level 3 certification.

When we re-started, I had a hobby knife, cutting mat, and some glue. I bought a launch set kit so I had a launcher and pad. Everything I needed to build fit in a shoe box. Everything I needed to fly, including motors, fit in a shoe box. We hauled a "tv tray" table out to the launch site (a nearby park or soccer field) and flew. Simple.

Then I discovered my local Tripoli club. One visit and I was hooked.

Now half a room is dedicated to build supplies, materials and workspace, and a large number of various size rockets. Build supplies are on three different rack systems around the room, with bins dedicated to things like adhesives, sanding, measuring, airbrushing, electronics, clamps, and parts boxes full of hardware. I get new parts, tools, or other things on a very regular basis. You will always find something else you need. One thing I never knew I'd need was a razor saw with a mini miter box. Use it all the time now. The only thing I can say you will for sure need it a cutting instrument, appropriate adhesives, and time. :)

We haul two large toolboxes to launches, one with just motors and ignition stuff and another with other things like gloves, wipes, field repair supplies and radios. We also take a folding table, a portable shelter, rocket stands, chairs, and of course the mandatory Boonie Hat.

Everybody has their own thing, find your thing and enjoy it. I know guys who love steampunk rockets, or only do accurate scale rockets, or only low power, or only high power. One guy we see like once a year and he brings some monster rocket out and flies it once.

Me, I fly for fun, so I have Baby Bertha rockets and I have a 6+ foot tall 4" rocket with a 54mm motor. I'll fly them both the same day, for the joy of it.

You will also find LOTS of "religious arguments", things like the best this or that. Epoxy, fillet material, finishing method, spray paint, people who only fly Estes or hate Estes and only fly PML. Just do what works for you. Have fun and be safe, listen and learn, and share.

There are a few good books out there as well, depending on what you want to get into.

Handbook of Model Rocketry


Modern High Power Rocketry

I got started with friends, just going out and launching some kits a friend had built. Then I thought I should get my own to have some time, in case we did it again. I meant to just get a few pre-made rockets so I wouldn't have to do any building or mess anything up.

I went on Amazon, and saw a rocket called Der Red Max by Estes - it's in this video several times. It's a classic Estes rocket that's red and black and styled a bit like the Red Baron's airplane. It was so cool looking, and was only 17 bucks, but it required assembly - something I was nervous about. But they only had one left, so I bought it, carefully read the instructions, and put it together, and it turned out looking beautiful. Once I launched it, and it worked and flew so well, I was hooked.

From there, I started reading stuff online. There is a TON of information and resources out there. A good website to ask questions is The Rocketry Forum (TRF) - especially the beginner's section. There are a lot of experts there who will help you out.

There are lots of ways to start, but I recommend starting by getting something called a launch set or launch kit. With this, you get a rocket (or two), plus a launch pad and launch controller for less than you'd pay buying these things separately. I didn't have one right away, since I was using a friend's equipment, but I wanted my own, so I got one. I gave the rocket away to a kid who came to a launch, but I still have the pad and controller.

Several rocket companies, particularly Estes and Quest Aerospace, have these. My own recommendation is to start with Estes, as it's the most prevalent company, and you can get everything you need through them.

You can get an Easy To Assemble ("E2X) or Ready-to-Fly kit, or if you want to do some assembly, you can get what's called a Skill Level 1 kit. These are not difficult, but require a bit of cutting, sanding and gluing, and the ability to read and follow directions.

The Launch Kit gives you everything you need to get started except motors - sometimes called "engines" (doesn't matter - they make the rocket go up) - and recovery wadding. You'll need some of that (there's other stuff you can use - cheaper stuff, too, but when you're just getting started, it's the easiest).

Get the kit, follow the instructions, and buy the motors recommended on the package. Read and follow the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) Model Rocket Safety Code. This will help you avoid hurting yourself or someone else, which could put you off the whole thing.

Go out and launch your rockets. Then, when you've inevitably decided you want to do more and know more, check out TRF, and get yourself a copy of The Handbook of Model Rocketry by G. Harry Stine and Bill Stine. It's required reading. Won't tell you much about how to assemble kits - they all come with instructions anyway - but it will help you understand the important basics of the hows and whys of model rockets.

I've got a blog in which I've been detailing my learning process of building and launching rockets over the last six months, and I also try to pass on information to people just getting started - rocketry for beginners by a beginner - so that they can maybe learn from my mistakes. Check it out, if you want to, and send me an email, and I can send you some more information if you'd like.

This is a really fascinating, fun hobby, and there's so much to learn. It can get really sophisticated and amazing - I like to tell my friends "it's not just for Webelos any more."

Edit: Oh, and if you're already past the part of building and launching a couple rockets, then I'd get that book and head straight for TRF - those are the next logical steps, I think.

Edit #2: Here's a more detailed post on launching your first rockets.

Cosmetic wedges are infinitely superior to cotton buds (q-tips) when it comes to blending/cleaning up oil washes, watercolour washes or weathering powders.

I save the plastic-topped cork stoppers from whiskey and gin bottles, as they make excellent mounts to hold single models while painting.

Its good to have a supply of pokey sticks on hand. Toothpicks, bamboo skewers, coffee stirrers, bits of wire - they're all useful for stirring paint, prodding bits into place or encouraging superglue into the right spot.

Masking tape - Tamiya and 3M ScotchBlue are excellent for painting patterns like camo, hazard stripes or heraldry. Silly Putty is also amazing if you're airbrushing and need a quick mask.

Baking soda (not baking powder) makes superglue harden instantly and fill gaps. Don't use it for glueing miniatures, but it works very well if you're building your own scenery or doing a scenic base.

Model-making and working at small scale extends way beyond Warhammer. Look to model railways, historical stuff, architectural model-making, props, costume and theatre design, and you'll find masses of useful tips and ideas.

Edit:
This is one of the few very good books on model-making with loads of interesting tips and resources. The book's author David Neat has a great site with plenty of things to learn

I totally agree with what CiderDrinker said. I started out on a 4x6 and got a feel for what I liked, built some models, and really affirmed that I wanted to keep going with the hobby. I started out with Bachmann EZ track and I suggest you do the same. Actually I would recommend using Kato's version of EZ track, called Unitrack. I hear better things about the quality, etc... But the "plug and play" aspect will let you focus on the basics of setting up a layout without getting bogged down in things like electrics, feeder wires, etc.

My advice to you... Plan plan PLAN! Download one of the track planning softwares on the sidebar. I have the free version of AnyRail which is more than plenty. It has every track library possible including Kato and Bachmann. If you really want, get a basic layout going but don't lay down anything permanent. Then you can see things hooked up and working which is pretty satisfying. But in the meantime, plan out a more permanent layout with one of those track planners. I've made some mistakes in planning by just setting things up without really planning out how everything will work, and to be honest I'm kind of losing interest because I don't have a ton of things to "do" on my layout right now.

You'll hear this in any FB group or subreddit, so I'll just start the conversation. Buy a copy of Realistic Track Planning... I haven't read it yet but I have a copy and I need to get into it. Everyone tells me it's a great book to have around. Pick up a couple more of those books too. Maybe one on trackwork, one on realistic operation, one on scenery... whatever looks interesting to you :) . The moral of the story is, have patience and know that it might suck to wait so long but the end result will be far more fulfilling than just winging it and hoping it works out!

The best part about this hobby is all the learning and information. You will make mistakes and come across things you like and don't like, and can adapt from there

Model railroading is such a broad topic that has so many facets to it that you can get advice on. Even within scenery and laying track there is so much to discuss that it is dificult to give general advice. Here goes:

• Plan ahead. You will have a lot more fun running trains if you have a well designed track plan. If you plan even just a few well placed sidings you will have fun rearanging cars. You can get advice here if you draw up some track plans.
  
  
• Lay track well. Nothing will ruin the fun of running trains faster than poorly laid track. Kinks, s-curves and tight radius turns will lead to frequent derailments.
  
  
• Minimums. For HO scale a 4' x 8' layout is a tight minum. With modern equipment it will look unrelistic on tight radius curves and your trains could derail.
  
  
• Train shows and train clubs. Look for some in your area. A great way to meet people and have them give you hands on model train advice.
  
  
• Books. There are lots of great books out there on helping you build your first layout. These books I have and like: The scenery manual. Bench work. Track Planning.
  These books look interesting for a beginer: scenery. Step by step. If the books are out of print then search Amazon for a used copy or find them at a train show.
  
  Tell us about what your plans are. How much space do you have? Do you have track yet? What kind of track? Are you going to model a specific area or road? Do you have a DCC system? If you give us some specifics we can give you better advice on what you will be building.

While it's not the most scholastic source (the owner sometimes writes subjective things on objective topics), AmericanRails is probably the most comprehensive easy-to-navigate free site and is a great way to learn about general North American rail history for free. Wikipedia is hit-or-miss as always, with some very comprehensive articles and some that are just a few lines and a picture, but the fact that it's free makes it worth a look.

You mention the east coast, do you mean the Northeast Corridor specifically or the entire coast? If you mean the NEC, the line was operated for most of its history by the New Haven RR and the Pennsylvania RR, which would later both become Penn Central before Amtrak took over operations of the NEC. If you mean the entire coast, I'll need another comment for that.

Unfortunately this hobby's best information about historic railroading is almost entirely book-based, so to get everything you'll have to invest in some books. Anything by Kalmbach will be accurate, comprehensive, and hopefully not too hard to read, this is a good historical summary. I have this book, and I think it's a good summary; the language isn't difficult and there's plenty of pictures. I've seen people recommend this one, it's less of a history book and more of an encyclopedia of nearly every major North American railroad. These books cover general topics; there's been scores of books written about every railroad that exists/existed. If you can help refine the location/area, we can try to find more specific information.

There's a lot out there and it depends what sort of puzzles you want to make.

My favorites are the Burr Puzzles, especially the modern variants that have proliferated in the 21st century

Ishino's Site has hundreds of such designs - I believe the point of the site is that they are free for personal use - finding the simpler designs will be the hard part, but you can search by shape to keep things simpler. Designers to check out: Osamori Yamamoto, Gregory Benedetti, Jos Bergmans, Bill Cutler, Stephan Chomine, William Hu, Tom Jolly, Jeff Namkung....loads more, but I think all of these guys have a few relatively simple designs that are still worthwhile puzzles

Brian Menold's book has some great designs with step-by-step instructions. Little Kenny and Bundle of Sticks Jr. from this book are quite nice.

There's also the Charlie Self, Tom Lensch book

There are also the older books by E. M. Wyatt and Stewart Coffin that have puzzle designs like basic 6-piece burrs

Woodworking sites and magazines often have articles on puzzle-making

If you're more interested in making other types of puzzle, I'm sure you can find plenty of things on the web

Full disclosure, I'm editing a 1-year-old grassroots scale modeling magazine, so take that for what it's worth.

You can find some instructional books out there. In some ways, just pick the newest one, as the techniques, and more to the point, the products, that modelers use change over time. Although there are always some fundamentals.

A recent, beginners-level book is The Airfix Book of Scale Modelling. It covers a lot of the basics in a modern style: http://www.amazon.com/Airfix-Book-Scale-Modelling/dp/1844861260


Similarly, Finescale Modeler/Kalmbach have some beginer's books: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_12?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=finescale%20modeler&sprefix=finescale+mo%2Cstripbooks%2C150

There are also some lines of books that cover one modeling subject in depth, through multiple builds. Osprey has a series of Modeling the... books, such as Modeling the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. These will focus more on detailing, accuracy, etc., and less on pure basics. ADH Publishing has a series of How to Build... single-subject volumes covering some of the recent large-scale releases like Tamiya's 132 scale P-51D and F4U-1 Corsair, and Revell's 1/32 scale Spitfire Mk.IIa and Bf 109 G-6.

I'd recommend finding a magazine you like as well. The articles will tend to be recent, and the authors will usually cover the latest, greatest tips and techniques. There are several general interest magazines (Tamiya Model Magazine, Finescale Modeler, Airfix Model World, and of course, Scale Modeling Quarterly, etc.), and several specific subject ones (Scale Auto, Model Airplane Int., Model Military Int., Military Illustrated Modeller AFV & MIM Aircraft, Scale Aviation Modeller Int., etc.).

You also should take a look at some of the many youtube videos. In terms of a subscription video option, Florymodels.com is great. Phil Flory is a really down-to-earth modeler, focused on the basics of building. He has tutorial video builds that cover all the basic, and he posts multi-part builds of each of his projects so you can see the techniques he uses, problems he encounters, and his solutions. It's well produced, and worth the ~$5 a month.

You should keep checking out builds online as well. Most forums, like arcforums.com for a start, have in-progress build sections where you can follow along with a project.

Finally, if you're near an IPMS (International Plastic Modelers' Society) club, take the time to go to a meeting. Our local club regularly puts on demonstrations of techniques at the meetings.

This may be more than you're looking for, but you'll rarely find everything you need to know in once place. Learning to build scale models is long-term skill-building process. You need to practice; watching pros do it is great, but only putting glue to plastic will help you develop the skills. And there are hundreds of skills that you can learn, none of them necessarily the right or best way.

I enjoyed LEGO Minifigure Year by Year: A Visual History. It's more fluff, but the sheer number of figures is fun to go through. Add in the bonus minifigures and it's a good trip down memory lane. Plus it's easy to find below $25. Most of the DK books aren't worth it.

As /u/afuckloadoflego said, The Cult of LEGO is a great read and looks at the AFOL side of building. Warning: reading this may unlock a LEGO hungry monster in you.

Also Brick by Brick sounds fascinating, I need to pick that up.

I've now built (well, it might be more accurate to say, started building) three layouts.

This switching layout is, by far, the project that has given me the most satisfaction - even more so than my larger basement layout. The scope of the project allows me to make real progress, achieve a level of detail that I'm happy with, and still have an end in sight.

Having said that, I've made a number of mistakes that I could have avoided!

The top thing I've learned - make sure you do things right. I don't mean scenery or building structures, those are easy to repaint, repair, or even replace. But mechanically. Don't cut corners. Use high-end materials (even if that slows your progress, remember, it's still cheaper and quicker to do it correct once rather than twice the easy way).

Build solid benchwork, or if you're using the shelf method I've employed - make sure your brackets are level and your layout is well constructed. Make your wiring bulletproof. Ensure smoothly flowing track.

Start by doing your homework. Pick a prototype and era that interest you. Go from there. Post track plans or ideas on an internet forum (my favorite is Big Blue - http://bigbluetrains.com/), and then get to work!

If you want a comprehensive "how to" guide Lance Mindheim's "How to Build a Switching Layout" is a great place to start. It's self-published, and has a rather low production value to it, but don't be fooled - just because it doesn't have high-end graphic design or professional photos doesn't mean Lance's points are not valid. You can get it from Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/How-To-Build-Switching-Layout/dp/1453811346/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1409251754&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=lance+mindhiem

I hope that helps!

Not so ...

Engines have been around a LOT longer than the internet. Before you could google anything, you could find books on the subject. There are lots and lots of books on model engineering and building small engines of various sorts. I have some books on building miniature steam engines that are over 100 years old.

This one isn't terribly old:
https://www.amazon.com/Miniature-Internal-Combustion-Engines-Malcolm/dp/1861269218/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539635163&sr=8-1&keywords=building+internal+combustion+engines

And it's a pretty good book - not really a beginners book or detailed how to get started book, but good nonetheless. As others have mentioned, I'd recommend building a simple steam engine first.

Here's a good book for doing that:
https://www.amazon.com/Making-Simple-Model-Steam-Engines/dp/1861267738/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1539635352&sr=1-1&keywords=model+steam+engines

It is more of a beginner's book with complete plans for several simple engines.

Good luck!

Not that I know of. I use SCARM, which is free, and it's worked pretty well aside from a bit of a learning curve. I hear a lot of people use Anyrail but I like free :)

I also highly recommend the 101 Track Plans book.

Can't go wrong with the handbook if you like dead trees.
http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Model-Rocketry-7th-Official/dp/0471472425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416447676&sr=8-1&keywords=handbook+of+model+rocketry


For videos check out Apogee components youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/user/apogeerockets


Check out the National Association of Rocketry's website www.nar.org

Also www.tripoli.org but they are more focused on High Power, the NAR website has better beginner information.


I really like to point to starter kits as a good way to get started. They come with launch pads and proper ignition systems and instructions not only on how to build the rocket but also how to launch it.


Asking questions here is always a good idea!

If you're set on making pieces yourself, there are lots of books available via Amazon that have instructions for miniature furniture.

I personally own and recommend: Dollhouse Style, The Complete Book of Making Miniatures, Edwardian Era: MIniatures in 1:12 Scale, and Thirties and Forties Miniatures in 1:12 Scale.

And they aren't what you've asked about but, you eventually might find a desire for Making Upholstered Furniture in 1/12 Scale and Making 1/12 Scale Wicker Furniture.

I did find Doll's House Furniture: Easy to Make Projects in 1:12 Scale, but I've never looked through it before. Also there's Creating Doll's House Kitchens in 1/12 Scale which was just published last year and might be exactly what you're looking for. The same author has also published Step by Step Doll's House Furniture Projects in 1/12 Scale which also looks good.

As a backup plan, Hobby Builder's Supply has some kitchen cabinet kits for sale. Please note that the link will take you to a page where they're offering a large grouping of those kits as one whole mega kit. They are available individually. They're individual, modular cabinets that you can mix and match. And since they're kits, you can make templates of the pieces to make more of the same thing before you assemble them.

I hope this helps!

> How much does an average launch cost?

There is no such thing as an "average launch." Even if you restrict this to a specific motor class, there are many other things to factor in such as whether you factor in all of your shop supples, how much you need to spend on gas driving to a launch site, whether you factor in club fees, and countless other items.

> Is there any website better than amazon for buying engines, wadding paper, etc.?

For LPR motors, typically the best price can be had at Michaels taking advantage of their 40% off coupons. For MPR and HPR motors, you can often get your best deal purchasing from an on-site vendor at a club launch, particularly if HAZMAT shipping is required.

> How far can I expect the rocket to drift after the parachute deploys?

Depends entirely on the wind speed and the size of your parachute. This can be modeled in a simulator such as OpenRocket.

> And are there any good books/websites about this hobby that can possibly tell me more?

This is your best read for getting started:

http://homepage.usask.ca/~llr130/launch/wmci-estes_rocket_manual.pdf

Apogee Components has a huge amount of info on their website but unfortunately navigating it is an absolute nightmare. They also have a great channel on youtube.

This is pretty much the definitive guide in print:

https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Model-Rocketry-7th-Official/dp/0471472425

And when you move into larger rockets:

https://www.amazon.com/Modern-High-Power-Rocketry-Mark-Canepa/dp/1412058104

I'm pretty sure the Handbook of Model Rocketry (made by NAR) is pretty good; I have an copy which I've looked at a little bit and it seems pretty thorough in covering the subject. It looks like there's also a kindle version, here's the amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Model-Rocketry-7th-Official/dp/0471472425

I would highly highly highly recommend picking up the book ["101 Track Plans for Model Railroaders."] (https://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Track-Railroaders-Railroad-Handbook/dp/0890245126/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503265427&sr=8-1&keywords=101+track+plans) There is essentially a whole chapter dedicated to 4x6 sized layouts, as well as 4x8s, and it is a resource that will pay dividends if future space opens up as well.

It's a great idea book, and with only so much space to work with, a lot of interesting designs have already been created for that space.

Another resource you might consider, especially since you already are using Atlas track, is any of the Atlas HO track planning books. They may not have as much variety as 101 Track Plans, but some of them show you how to build a complete railroad from start to finish, which could be useful.

Hope this helps!

This is more focused on rocketry than space; however, this might be interesting. I have only read bits of it, but this sub has recommended it before as a relatively "gentle" introduction into rocketry, but also contains more technical material in the appendices if your child would like to forge ahead.


http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Model-Rocketry-Edition-Official/dp/0471472425


Though it concerns model rockets, many of the basic principles are all still relevant.


There are plenty of cheap older versions out there too that cover similar material, maybe just lacking a bit on electronics and internet resources.



Edit: if they are interesting in astronomy and those aspects maybe a basic introductory parent-child project on radio astronomy or a simple telescope would be fun too!


Here is an "Itty Bitty Telescope" project to make basic radio telescope if you happen to have an old TV Dish:
http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/epo/teachers/ittybitty/procedure.html


Other radio astronomy ideas too: http://www.radio-astronomy.org/getting-started

I like learning from books.

I suggest first going through this book: Handbook of Model Rocketry

Learn the concepts (things like CG, CP, thrust vs impulse, etc) and apply them by building multiple rockets with different aspects.

Once you've gotten everything you can out of that book, get this guy: Modern High-Power Rocketry 2. Work your way through it by joining a local NAR/Tripoli chapter. Get your L1 cert, spend some time there doing multiple projects. After you've done a fair amount, go get your L2. Maybe a year later, go for your L3. Projects you can do in each cert level:

• Go for speed
  
• Go for altitude
  
• Two stage
  
• Dual deploy
  
• Cluster
  
  Or just have fun building rockets you think look cool or are fun to fly!

Look at getting this book: http://www.amazon.com/Model-Making-Materials-Methods-David-Neat/dp/1847970176/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394646633&sr=8-1&keywords=modelmaking+materials

That would be my approach but I would also create a jig to hold the windows while they dry. I would also take my time. Allow each piece to dry well before moving on.

Also I never use CA (super glue) for anything clear. It usually fogs and unlike the solvents (welding type adhesion), it adds material to the pieces you are gluing. Here is a lot of good info for your next attempt: http://www.bcae1.com/plexi.htm

That looks great! I love making felt stuff - I made my little a laptop. Jeannette Lim has great felt books, and the library usually has a bunch of them.

CG is easy -- put a motor in, pack the recovery system and find the point where it balances. That's the Center of Gravity.

CP is calculated via modeling. The easiest way is RockSim or Open Rocket. It's the center of aerodynamic pressure.

Do you understand the significance of CP and CG to flight stability? If not, I'd suggest you pick up and read a copy of either Modern High Power Rocketry 2 or The Handbook of Model Rocketry

Both are very good reads with a lot of great info.

I'm just looking forward to a nap and cuddles with my dog. And I'm feeling motivated to start a few craft project this weekend. Thanks for the contest! I hope your week gets better :)

catdog god I miss that show.

If you've never built a boat before I would recommend getting "Building the Six-Hour Canoe".

$100 and 20 hours of work (never trust a designers building estimate) will give you a surprisingly able little boat and a pretty good feel for what you're letting yourself in for before you write a check for $1300.

Which, incidentally, seems a lot of money to pay for the materials necessary to build a plywood canoe.

The best answer I can give you is to look at 101 Track Plans for ideas. While most of the layouts featured are based around HO scale, a 4' x 8' HO layout fits fairly comfortably in a 3' x 5' area in N scale, and with a few changes, can often be made to fit a 2' x 4' area.

In a small space, you have to be selective about what you put in. It will likely mean tight turns, so running big steam locomotives and the larger diesels are probably out of the question. Passenger cars and long freight cars are going to look funny on tight curves, and some may not run well at all.

Other ideas for you:

• Mike's Small Trackplans
  
• Carendt.com micro & small layouts

Interesting, there is also a book about knots by a Kat Winters: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Knots-Kat-Winters/dp/1930408404/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506618691&sr=1-4&refinements=p_27%3AKat+Winters

Perhaps a love of knots made Kat aware of and interested in EAR/ONS back in 2005? If only this were true, how life can be so random and arbitrary!

Some resources:

Edit: based on comment below where you said it needs to be done by next tuesday, more advice: there may be kits and engines at wal-mart. If you can buy motors locally, do that since they need to be shipped ground and may not arrive in time. You can order kits & supplies from amazon today and they'll be here by friday; just make sure you get a kit that can use the engines you can get locally.

1. You can order kits, engines, and/or raw supplies for making rockets from several places online; I've ordered a few times from here: http://www.hobbylinc.com/model_rockets
   
   
2. Book: The Handbook of Model Rocketry by Stine. I used this book when I was starting out to build my own launch system, and learn how to build a model rocket. http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Model-Rocketry-Edition-Official/dp/0471472425/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396546539&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=handbook+of+model+rocketry+sixth
   
   
3. Open Rocket software: Rocket CAD design plus flight simulator. Useful for designing a rocket and checking your design. http://openrocket.sourceforge.net/download.html
   
   
4. Estes educator info, some good overview and tech docs there: http://www2.estesrockets.com/cgi-bin/wedu001P.pgm?p=publicat
   
   
5. Ohio 4H "design your own rocket" pdf: http://www.ohio4h.org/sites/d6-ohio4h.web/files/Designing%20Your%20Own%20Model%20Rocket.pdf

If you want an good first project that incorporates several building techniques that are used in boat-building but not-so-common in traditional construction, check out either the 6 hour canoe (amazon) of the Bevin's Skiff (asf.org). Both boats are great in the water, use very similar build techniques, and don't require many tools.

BTW, what is your current tool inventory? The Bevin's Skiff can be bought as a kit that requires only basic tools, yet provides more boat-building techniques than a stitch and glue boat.

I strongly recommend starting with a simple operations plan that covers what trains will do on your layout. You don't need to use prototype rules but if your trains have nothing to do besides go round and round for no reason, you will get bored after a couple weeks. Knowing why your railroad exists will inform your track plan much better than what will fit in your space.

For example, I'm building a railroad which carries supplies to a dam construction site.

Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong is the bible for model railroad track planning.

I also like Byron Henderson's website for learning basics while waiting for the book to arrive from Amazon, and for tips and tricks which the book doesn't cover.

John Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operation is a great book:
https://www.amazon.com/Track-Planning-Realistic-Operation-Railroader/dp/0890242275

I like Lance Mindheim's books for modern operations on smaller layouts too:
http://lancemindheim.com/book-store/

That looks pretty awesome- did you also write the book about knots or is that just a freaky coincidence?

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Knots-Kat-Winters/dp/1930408404/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506605930&sr=1-5&refinements=p_27%3AKat+Winters

I believe this is pretty much required reading around these parts. If nothing else it'll give you some good ideas to build upon.

Handbook of model Rocketry is a good book for basics
One of the guys on my rocket team lent me his when I wanted a good overview of everything

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0471472425/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7q0dAbT602S5E

It takes longer than 6 hours,
https://www.amazon.com/Building-Six-Hour-Canoe-Richard-Butz/dp/0961039671

It takes longer than a weekend.
https://www.amazon.com/Building-Weekend-Skiff-Richard-Butz/dp/1888671106

They're not free, unless you can get then from the library, but the boat isn't going to be free either. As an intro to boat building it doesn't come much simpler.

the Handbook of Model Rocketry, which would be geared more toward the scale you are looking at building, would also be a great place to start.

Yes, that's much clearer. I also very good reviews of this book.

These forums are worth gold.. Take a look at the other ones too.

I'm a bit short on resources on this topic unfortunately, but I guess you have to make up your own Google requests based on these little starting points. Don't hesitate to ask questions here too.

try the six-hour canoe. It's a stable little vessel, easy to understand the construction, and very little spiling needed to lay it out. Built one when I was 13 for my first boat, and I still have it (31 now)

"Model Aircraft Aerodynamics" by Martin Simons is brilliant.

Amazon link

This may not be quite what you have in mind, but I have made two of these boats and they are cool. They take more than six hours though.

http://www.amazon.ca/Building-Six-Hour-Canoe-Richard-Butz/dp/0961039671

http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Model-Rocketry-Edition-Official/dp/0471472425/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1335721652&sr=8-4 Has all the info you need for basic info. As for kits, Amazon has a number of rocketry kits for starting off.

Start here, and try out Kerbal Space Program If you want to go further (as in get a real rocketry-related job) realize that you'll need to specialize in something (structural engineering, fuel chemistry, electronic telecommunications, etc) to get a job.

>Will that be enough?

Not far off.

Check with the National Association of Rocketry http://www.nar.org/ and look for a club near you. Attend a launch, and ask questions.

Pick up a copy of the Handbook of Model Rocketry.
https://smile.amazon.com/Handbook-Model-Rocketry-7th-Official/dp/0471472425/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=handbook+of+model+rocketry&qid=1566343391&s=gateway&sprefix=handbook+of+mo&sr=8-2

Handbook of Model Rocketry