Here is a fun book to get you out of the house and get the blood pumping.  Using the directions in this book with its readily available supplies, making and flying rockets (without the use of expensive or explosive engines ) can be a dream come true.   Using empty 2 liter soda-pop bottles, duct tape, bicycle pump, wire coat hangers, water, and a bicycle tire value, full-time engineer Paul Travis  helps the reader put together one, if not several, rockets for some hands-on fun in the neighborhood.

The book is divided into three parts: Rocket Basics, Extending Your Repertoire, and Advanced Rockets. Each rocket begins with a list of supplies, step-by-step illustrated directions,  4 or 5  actual photographs of each specific rocket being fired, and finally a ‘firing report’ on what to expect from the rocket as to ease of firing, height results, and enjoyment factor. This reviewer feels confident I could make the first rocket in this book and successfully fly it without having to go to the store to purchase a single item. Most of the rockets consisted of similar supplies and progressed from simple to more elaborate in small steps.

The most difficult piece of equipment to locate was a 1/2 inch (13mm) brass compression water-pipe fitting. I took the book to Home Depot to make sure I could locate the exact part. I could find a 1/2 inch brass fitting, but it wasn’t 13 mm, for approximately $7. I could also find a similar part in plastic for approximately $3. I’m guessing the rocketeer could adjust for the size difference at the pressurization stage as it states, “a pressure of about 60 psi (pounds per square inch) works well. If you don’t have a gauge, you will need to experiment to find the optimum pressure. Keep a record…and then try repeat flights with more or fewer pumps to find the optimum pressure for each rocket.” (p.12)