From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Newsgroups: rec.models.rockets
Subject: Re: Fuse
Date: 10 Apr 92 19:03:17 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Parkard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA

ah157@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Rob Henry) writes:
: 
: I'm not saying to just yell at kids near the pad,if you're not ignorant you
: don't launch from a field packed with little kids,I launch in isolation from
: the public.If anyone comes and decides to watch they usually stay in their
: cars unless they're with me.If they
: do get out,most people have enough sense to stay away from a rocket,most
: parents are responsible and don't let
: their kids run free.I stay close enough
: to it that I could stop them anyway.

Most is not good enough. Most people don't drive automobiles when drunk
either - but when one does, the result is sometimes catastrophic.

: I don't run half a mile away,I go about 50 to 100 feet and could easily
: stop anyone from getting within 15 of
: the pad,especially a toddler.

Maybe - are you willing to bet your future income for the rest of your life
on this ability? If an accident occurred and someone sued you, that is exactly
what could happen.

What do you do if a gust of wind causes the launch rod to bend or break - or
it breaks the mount so that the rocket topples? With fuse, you have to get to
the rocket to stop the launch - with the electrical igniter, you simply do not
press the launch button.

: The stores don't say it's for rockets exclusively,it hangs on the wall next to
: them.In fact,this store is in a suburb of cleveland and has much tougher cops
: and laws than cleveland who doesn't
: allow it's sale.

If they say it is for model rockets at all, then they are breaking the law.

: I guess everyone has their own preferences,I've never seen anyone get hurt
: from using fuse.You can't tell me it's any different than an igniter in that it
: takes a long time to burn and in case of a misfire you can't be sure.
: A fuse just won't sit there and smoulder for 5 minutes if it does not ignite
: the engine,some may take a little longer than other pieces,simply wait until
: you see no smoke,then wait 3 or so
: minutes before going near the pad.

Here is where you show that you know little about fuses. I guarantee that a
fuse can smolder for 5 minutes or longer - with no sign of it burning. I have
had firecracker fuses, which normally burn in 2 or 3 seconds, smolder for 
over a minute with no easily visible sign that they were still burning.

I am sure C.D. could tell you of a few instances. I recall one somewhere in
the early 80s - at an international event.

: You said to wait a minute with an electrical igniter so what's 2 minutes?You
: have to wait either way.

The difference is that, with an electrical igniter, you know that it is safe
after a minute. With the fuse, there is no reasonable expectation.

: I wouldn't reccomend fuse for children in the hobby,let them have the joy :)
: of pressing the button and going ooh ahh.They don't know how to figure the 
: seconds etc that have to do with fuse.

Neither do you - all the time and accurately. Most of the time, yes. Within
a few seconds, yes. That is all you can honestly say.

: As for the law,I've never seen or heard of any law like this,although other
: stupid laws exist so I guess this one could also.

Try reading the National Fire Protection Act Part 1122? - this contains the
regulations that cover what is allowed with model rocketry. Some states do
not follow the MFPA - but those that do usually have even more stringent
regulations.

The government has felt fit to write laws in an attempt to stop people from
performing stupid acts for which they have not thought out the possible
consequences.

It is true that some of the laws themselves are stupid. I personally feel
that a person should have the right to do anything they want, as long as
they are not endangering the lives or property of someone else.

Bill