Tinder Rocketry FAQ

Will you send me CAD drawings for your devices?

We can send you PDF drawings of the devices. If you need a 3-D drawings, you can easily make them from these drawings.
Do you offer school sponsorships?

Sorry, but out of consideration for our dealers/resellers, we do not.
How much powder does the vial hold that you supply with your devices?

It is VERY important to follow the directions for the device in question. In most cases, you will be instructed to fill the Powder Measure Vial (PMV) "to the line" with BP or one of the listed BP substitutes ONLY. The volume of the PMV when "filled to the line" is .2cc. Yes, you read that right .2cc. It is a very small qty of BP or BP substitute. I do NOT offer a weight for this volume because the weight varies depending which pyro powder you use. Do not weigh the pyro powder, use the volume measure! In the cases of the line cutters, the PMV is offered as a convenient way of filling the cutting piston cavity. The cavity on the cutter is the measuring device! It takes a very small qty of the approved pyro powder to fill the cavity. And again, I do NOT offer a weight for this volume because the weight varies depending which pyro powder you use. Do not weigh the pyro powder, use the volume of the cavity as the measure!
Do you sell diamond hole saws for your other devices?

Yes. Give us a shout and see if we have one in stock that will work.
Do you sell replacement parts for your devices that are not offered on your website?

Yes. If you need a part for a Tinder Rocketry device that is not on the website, just give us a shout!
Your website does not allow me to make a purchase, do you ship internationally?

YES! We do ship internationally! We do not allow purchasing directly from the website because of the wild variation of shipping costs depending on package size, weight and destination. Just shoot us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as possible to help you with your purchase!
How much CO2 do I need for my rocket?

Choosing the Right CO2 Cartridge for your Rocket "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." This is a quote from a really smart guy with bad hair, Albert Einstein. Simple is good and simple is what we are going to try and do here... So, how do you choose the right CO2 cartridge for your rocket? Method 1: You may choose this method if you have flown your rocket (or you have ground tested it) and a known qty of BP has been determined for deployment. The factor is 5. Whatever the qty of BP that you have used in your rocket, measured in GRAMS, multiply that by 5 to get the equivalent grams of CO2 needed for the same deployment pressure. For example: A rocket that has been flown (or ground tested) with 1.5 grams of BP, would need about 7.5 grams (1.5 gms x 5) of CO2 to achieve the same ejection pressure. In this example you would choose an 8gm CO2 ctg and that would very likely work just fine, but you will still ground test this in your rocket! Example #2: A rocket that has been flow (or ground tested) with 2 grams of BP, would need about 10 grams (2 gms x 5) of CO2 to achieve the same ejection pressure. In this case, round up and choose the 12 gram CO2 ctg and then ground test! Method 2: You may choose this method if you have never flown nor tested you rocket and have no idea as to even a starting point of how much BP you might need for adequate deployment. I recommend that you first follow this link to the Rocketry Calculator website (https://rocketrycalculator.com/rocketry-calculator/bp-estimator/) where they have a very useful BP calculator and thoughts about how to determine how many grams of BP your rocket might need for BP deployment in your rocket. Warning: Do not let your head explode with all this discussion! Simply use this discussion to determine a STARTING POINT for your ground testing. Once you have determined how many grams of BP that you would need to use in your rocket, use this number and go to Method 1. Then you must GROUND TEST! There you go. The focus here is to get you to a starting point where you will then ground test this CO2 deployment system in your rocket before flight. (Have I mentioned that you should ground test?) A word on CO2 cartridges: For rocketry flights using CO2 for deployment, more is OK! Unlike BP, it is really difficult to use too much CO2. Always use enough gas and error on the high side when choosing a CO2 ejection cartridge! Another word on CO2 cartridges: The CO2 cartridges that are used in the Peregrine CO2 Ejection System are very easy to find locally. In addition, if you buy local, you help to support your local merchant and you don't have to pay shipping. If you cannot find these common CO2 cartridges locally, you can always order replacement CO2 cartridges directly from Tinder Rocketry.
What are the differences of your CO2 ejection systems and how do I know which device is right for my project?

All Tinder Rocketry CO2 ejection systems are completely sealed and have been tested down to almost 29 inches Hg, which simulates to about 100,000 feet! In addition, these devices have been subjected to extreme cold and THEN tested in a near perfect vacuum. Many of these tests can be seen on the testing pages of the particular device. The Peregrine is well suited for somewhat smaller rockets up to 5" diameter. The Peregrine, unlike ANY other CO2 ejection device, uses the very common and inexpensive non-threaded 8 & 12 gram CO2 cartridges commonly found at your local hardware or sporting goods store. The Peregrine CO2 ejection systems are ALWAYS a great choice for 3 & 4 inch rockets! The RAPTOR and Eagle CO2 ejection systems are well suited for rockets over 4 inches in diameter. These CO2 ejection systems are acceleration immune regardless of orientation. (Please see the FAQ regarding the Peregrine) They both use threaded CO2 cartridges. The Eagle has adapters for both 3/8" and 1/2" threaded cartridges, the RAPTOR uses 1/2" threaded cartridges. The Eagle CO2 ejection device mounts completely and safely INSIDE the avionics bay, where the RAPTOR is partly inside and partly outside the avionics bay.
Is the Peregrine acceleration immune regardless of orientation, like the RAPTOR and the Eagle are?

If the Peregrine CO2 Ejection device is mounted "hanging from" the bulkhead (At launch), then yes, the Peregrine CO2 ejection system is for all practical purposes completely acceleration immune. If, on the other hand, the Peregrine CO2 Ejection device is mounted "on top of" the bulkhead at launch, mathematically the device should be able to withstand as much as 100G's of acceleration. This said, you are strongly advised against mounting the Peregrine CO2 Ejection device "on top of" the bulkhead if you think your rocket could pull as much as 30G's of acceleration at launch.
Can the Mako Paracord Cutter cut Kevlar?

The Mako Paracord cutter is VERY powerful and has been tested with and it was found that it can cut several 200# Kevlar cords at the same time with no issues. This said, and this is very important, Kevlar will dull the cutting edge of the cutting piston VERY quickly. It's just like when you borrow your wife's really nice sewing scissors, the scissors will cut Kevlar really well... until they get dull which happens quicker than you might think! It's for this reason that cutting Kevlar or any of the other super strength cords is specifically NOT recommended!
Can the Piranha cut the larger cable ties? (Zip Ties)

The cutting hole in the Piranha cutter is 1/8" diameter. If the zip-tie will fit in the hole, the Piranha will cut it!
Can the Piranha Cutter cut small diameter steel cable?

No
Can the Mako Cutter cut small diameter steel cables?

NO! While the Mako cutter may indeed cut the steel cable, in doing so the cutter will be permanently damaged!
Can the Mako Paracord Cutter cut two 550 cords at the same time?

The Mako Paracord Cutter is very powerful - if you can get two 550 cords through the cutting hole (You surely can) the Mako will cut them!
What is the weight of the powder that goes into the cavity of the line cutter?

We offer a Powder Measure Vial (PMV) as a convenient way of filling the cutting piston cavity in the cutter. The cavity in the cutting piston is the measuring device. It takes a very small qty of the approved pyro powder to fill the cavity. I do NOT offer a weight for this volume because the weight varies depending which pyro powder you use. Do not weigh the pyro powder, use the volume of the cavity as the measure!
Can the Piranha cutter cut Kevlar?

The little Piranha cutter has been tested and it was found that it can cut two 200# Kevlar cords with no issues. This said, and it's important, Kevlar will dull the cutting edge of the cutting piston VERY quickly. It's just like when you borrow your wife's really nice sewing scissors, the scissors will cut Kevlar really well... until they get dull which happens quicker than you might think! It's for this reason that cutting Kevlar or any of the other super strength cords with the Piranha cutter is specifically NOT recommended!
I see that you are out of stock on the L1 and L3 Tender Descenders, will you be stocking them again soon?

The short answer is yes, the long answer is yes, as soon as I can get to making more. Truth is it is a matter of priority. Priority is given to keeping in stock the more popular devices and making all the parts for them. Once I get caught up with all of the other devices that are much more in demand, I will get to making these old style Tender Descenders just so that I can have them in stock again.