Nose Cones are an important part of your rocket and often define its finished shape and aerodynamic properties.

Suburban Rocketry offers Balsa and Plastic Nose Cones as part of our standard range. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Generally, plastic Nose Cones are cheaper. They usually require less finishing apart from perhaps filling any seams or "flash" left behind from the molding process. You can use a plastic putty available from most hobby shops to do this. My personal favourite is the Tamiya Putty (described as Basic Type).

Balsa on the other hand does require some extra effort and is usually more expensive. Depending on the overall finish you are aiming for, balsa grain has to be filled before painting. This is not difficult using a mixture of  "dope" and talcum powder which can also be used on the fins of your rocket. You will also need the addition of a Screw Eye with your Balsa Nose cone for attaching it to the shock-cord where most plastic nosecones have a loop included that you can use.

One great advantage of balsa is that it is very light and easy to sand. With a little effort it finishes just as good as plastic. There is also a larger range of balsa Nose Cones to help give your rocket the special look you are after.

Both have a special place in model rocketry and I am pleased to offer a reasonable range of both.