Rocket Manual For Amateurs
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I've been emailing Kevin Kelly about old science books, and he recommends this one:
"I have another book I got as a kid (junior high school). This is 75 cent paperback called Rocket Manual For Amateurs, published in 1960, written by Bertrand R. Brinley. I've seen used copies of this paperback listed in the $200-300 range. It's the real thing. Not whimpy Estes rocket engines. These are huge things you fill with powder zinc and sulfur; where you engineer and manufacture the nozzles, that require real chemistry and physics to design, and will go miles into the sky. True rockets. If you saw the movie October Sky, this is what we are talking about. You really could build something dangerous with it. I never actually built anything with it because it is aimed not at kids but at adult amateurs with access to lathes, chemcials, and some money.
"I tried to also get official permission to reprint this book. I finally tracked the copyright down to the author's son, who wasn't interested in reprinting. His excuse was that the illustrations were not owned by him and he could reprint it without them. I know there are scans of this book out there, even though it is 382 pages, but I haven't looked for them.
"I just checked Alibris. They have four copies. Highest is $159, lowest is $33. Rocket Manual For Amateurs
"If you are collecting old science books they won't make anymore, this is a keeper."
Kevin also pointed out that Bertrand R. Brinley was the author of the amazing Mad Scientists' Club book series
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I have two copies of this; one, found just last year by my parents at a garage sale, will go on auction eventually. Maybe as a benefit for the local rocket club.
Now, at the risk of pissing on the high-tech granola: Zinc-Sulfur is dangerous to work with and -- while it burns way fast -- isn't as performant as the composite fuels cooked up by modern amateurs. The stuff doesn't scale well and is hard to get consistent, so sometimes your rocket will go up 20,000 feet and sometimes it will split a casing. You need to have a metal shop to make casings and nozzles and such.
So, look at this book as a historical curiosity. If you have budding rocket scientists, guide them toward things like Terry McCreary's great book on motor design.
Yes, I'm a frigging rocket nerd:
http://home.comcast.net/%7Estefan_jones/hustler_pose.jpg
Maybe I'll point Mark at some specific titles my motor-building friends recommend.
Stefan
I have been looking for a copy of this for ages. Would it be possible if someone could scan the pages and make a high-quality pdf torrent? I would love to have a copy of this.
I would even be willing to trade my hard-copy (Unapproved reprint I found) of "The Golden book of Chemistry" for a copy of this. True its not an original, but its still very well done, and so much easier to read than a computer screen.