27 replies to this topic

[maxman]

Gareth, I might be missing something here but you mention no listed explosives involved. Where can I see this list?

Rod

[digger]

I will check as I am still adjusting to the new regs, but I was under the impression it does not fall under COER.

[digger]

Sorry Rod, my bad.

 

You are correct COER is required. The schedule 1 opt in for COER replaced with schedule 2 opt out as you know.

 

I guess it will sink in soon, must follow you guys for COER so that I can do some experimenting at home.

 

I wonder where this leaves manufacturing sites that previously did not need COER. Police and HSE licencing!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

Edited by digger, 27 October 2014 - 09:10 AM.

[maxman]

The way I read it is Anything any mixture not on schedule 2 would need a certificate as it is a relevant explosive. A pyrotechnic article is not a relevant explosive and requires no certificate unless it is a pyrotechnic article on schedule 3. But of course to make the pyrotechnic article a certificate is needed to make the powder to be used in said article.

This is just how I read it so more than happy to be corrected if anyone can prove it wrong.

Rod

[digger]

Yep I agree

[arkcreations]

OK.

 

You are correct you can effectively make a 100gram (fuel weight) rocket motor with rocket candy without the need for any form of licence for experimental testing purposes. There are no listed ingredients or explosives involved.

 

The issue could be, where are you going to fly it?

 

The rocket motor would be considered an unclassified explosive and hence can only be transported by road to a place of testing with the prior approval of the HSE.

 

Nope you can't add any dye to rocket candy to make coloured smoke. It unfortunately burns to hot, which destroys the dye.

Yeah i'm only looking to make 100g at a time, at least this means i don't need to acquire a license.

Just for knowledge sake, when would it be necessary to obtain a license, or would it only be needed if i was going to make over 100g of fuel.

 

The rocket i made is no more thn 6 inches long and 2 inches wide. I am launching it from my back garden, and will be pointing it towards unused fields. I do have a neighbor but i respect that and will only launch the rocket after i have spoken to them and let them know if they don't mind the noise. 

I luckily live in the countryside in a small village, so i'm not close to a main road, and 60  miles away from the closest airport.

 

So i should be ok without a license with all this in mind?

 

Sorry to repeat, i just want to make sure i do everything above board

 

Oh and do you know of any way i can color the smoke? or isn't it possible due to the heat.

 

Regards!

[digger]

No sorry, I was wrong you do need acquire and keep for 100g. The rules have recently changed.

 

No way as far as I know to colour the smoke (maybe black is possible), due to the heat.

[maxman]

You need an explosive certificate for any amount even less than 100g

Rod

[arkcreations]

I just received this email "Irrespective of the weight of the model rocket fuel,(less than 100grs) it has a practical application and therefore will require a HSE’s manufactures license. 

You will therefore be required to contact the HSE Explosives Inspectorate at Bootle to make the necessary arrangements.  There will then be a requirement to have the rocket fuel classified.  It maybe, that the formula has already attracted a UN Classification.  Once Classified, the model rocket motor may or may not be subject to an explosives certificate."

 

So that means i now need a HSE Explosive inspector to judge whether i need a Certificate or not?.

What does the inspector look for? And does he mark via a scoring system? 

I will only be making 100g and using it on the day, I won't be keeping it.

Also, if there is any advice you could give me on what to expect during a visit, that would be great

Oh and where do i find the contact details for an inspector?

 

Many regards

Edited by arkcreations, 27 October 2014 - 02:46 PM.

[maxman]

You may be getting mixed up with and explosive certificate and a manufacturing licence. For practical use if you need a licence then you will need very deep pockets and several acres of land which will also need planning permission from your local council. I also seem to remember that the inspector charges several hundreds of pounds per hour! The process will also likely take years.

 

Rod

[digger]

This is the area that UKPS has spent a great deal of time to resolve.

 

If you intend to manufacture these devices to a specific pattern each and every time then it could fall under practical use.

 

If you are designing your own rocket motor for testing then this is not practical use. You could for instance be testing the repeatability of the design and try 10 motors and monitor the results of the flights to determine the process of production is sound. You could also try different grain structure to observe how this alters burn rate and consequently performance of the motor, nozzle shapes, sizes etc etc etc so you should be able to do almost endless experimentation which means that it is not for practical use!.

 

However you will still have to apply for and get an explosives certificate to allow you to do this as has previously stated in the post.

 

You definitely won't be getting an explosives licence with great expenditure of time and as Rod says Money

[rocketpro]

 

So that means i now need a HSE Explosive inspector to judge whether i need a Certificate or not?.

What does the inspector look for? And does he mark via a scoring system? 

I will only be making 100g and using it on the day, I won't be keeping it.

Also, if there is any advice you could give me on what to expect during a visit, that would be great

Oh and where do i find the contact details for an inspector?

 

Many regards

As Rod mentioned Certificate and License are very separate things - this caught me out big time when I was trying to understand the new Regs (especially when a certificate was being referred to as a License) If you do a few back searches on posts you`ll soon figure out what you need.

[Robert Blackman]

This is a use full link and a great website. http://www.ukrocketm...teurmotor.shtml