cyberteque:
I would suggest you NOT switch the igniter directly with a transistor though, you can loose a bit of skin if the rocket exhaust shoots across your fingers as you attach your alligator clips.and yes, that was from personal experience!
and it did hurt...
Actually that did happen to us the other day, we had fired off a couple of rockets using the control box, but the switch was left on so when the when Mike went to attach the alligator clip, the rocket fired! Luckly no on was hurt or burned. Just the shock of the rocket being fired.
Yep w'ere just using a relay to fire each rocket. We use a digital pin to send a signal to the relay and fire the rocket it pretty safe unless you leave the control box on, armed and ready to fire...