Model Rocketry

[FliegendeWolf 0]

I spent last week visiting my parents in Connecticut. While I was there, my mother gave me the ultimatum: either take my shit or it gets thrown out. So I spent a lot of time sorting through desk drawers and my closet. I threw out most of the stuff, but I found my old model rockets.

I was so excited, and was ready to take them to the field and launch them. However, over the past 8 or 9 years, they all managed to get damaged-fins missing, body tubes squashed, etc. I thought-no problem-I can pick up a model kit or two and be ready to launch in no time. Then I looked at my launch system which was in shambles as well. The only things I had left (and I figure these are probably the best things to have left over) were engines, igniters, and wadding.

So I trucked to the hobby shop and picked up another Estes starter set. I put the rockets together and launched them and had a great time, but I got the sense that the company has changed a great deal since the last time I interacted with them (which was sometime around 1996). In 1998, I guess they acquired Cox, so they began selling a lot of RC planes and the like, but it seems like they've really scaled back on their advanced rocketry kits while pushing starter sets and ready-to-fly rockets. Also, they used to have a quarterly newsletter that they sent to their customers including news and plans for non-stock rockets. I haven't been able to find this. Lastly, they used to sell directly to the customer, and it doesn't look like they do this with the exception of very few pieces of merchandise-mostly airplanes.

Are there any model rocket enthusiasts here who have been active recently? Have you noticed a decline in Estes's customer relations? Are any of the other companies worth looking into?

A One that Isn't Cold is Scarcely a One at All

[Guest]

Time to move up. Check out Tripoli.org for serious fun.

Have a look at this. Don't it make yer heart beat fast?

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[Thanatos340 1]

I have an 11 year old Daughter that loves to spend a weekend building estes rockets and going to launch them at the park. Together we have built at least 20 of them over the years. Most of them only last a few Launches because we tend to over-power them and loose them or they get lost to the great Kite/Rocket eating Trees.
Estes was having a really big problem after 911 shipping their engines because they were classified as Explosives.
Just find a local Hobby shop and they should have what ever you need (and could probably really use your business).

[kallend 2,150]

Quote

I spent last week visiting my parents in Connecticut. While I was there, my mother gave me the ultimatum: either take my shit or it gets thrown out. So I spent a lot of time sorting through desk drawers and my closet. I threw out most of the stuff, but I found my old model rockets.

I was so excited, and was ready to take them to the field and launch them. However, over the past 8 or 9 years, they all managed to get damaged-fins missing, body tubes squashed, etc. I thought-no problem-I can pick up a model kit or two and be ready to launch in no time. Then I looked at my launch system which was in shambles as well. The only things I had left (and I figure these are probably the best things to have left over) were engines, igniters, and wadding.

So I trucked to the hobby shop and picked up another Estes starter set. I put the rockets together and launched them and had a great time, but I got the sense that the company has changed a great deal since the last time I interacted with them (which was sometime around 1996). In 1998, I guess they acquired Cox, so they began selling a lot of RC planes and the like, but it seems like they've really scaled back on their advanced rocketry kits while pushing starter sets and ready-to-fly rockets. Also, they used to have a quarterly newsletter that they sent to their customers including news and plans for non-stock rockets. I haven't been able to find this. Lastly, they used to sell directly to the customer, and it doesn't look like they do this with the exception of very few pieces of merchandise-mostly airplanes.

Are there any model rocket enthusiasts here who have been active recently? Have you noticed a decline in Estes's customer relations? Are any of the other companies worth looking into?

If you want to do anything serious then:

1. Check out the composite motors by Aerotech - they start at "E" and go up to "O" in size. An "O" will lift a small car into the air.

There is also a bunch of companies that make decent sized rocket kits. Estes is limited to really small stuff.

2. Write your US Senator right now and ask his support for Senator Enzi's bill to keep BATFE (the friendly folks who brought you the Branch Davidian fiasco) out of hobby rocketry. Hobby rocketry is about to be killed off by government (over)regulation, thanks to the Homeland Security Act. Someone in DC clearly imagines hordes of terrorists armed with Estes Big Berthas coming after the US.

3. Take a look at my rocketry page

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[FliegendeWolf 0]

I've done plenty of surfing about rocketry lately, so I've seen a lot of clubs for high powered rocketry (one not too far from me, actually...I think I'll head on out for one of their launches). I wonder if I'm ready to move into that what with the cost (I'm still on student status looking for a rig) as well as the amount of space required to launch big rockets.

Also, the other thing I like about the Estes kits are their nontraditional recovery systems, like this one. Do you get this sort of thing in high powered rocketry?

BTW, what's the difference between Tripoli and NAR?

A One that Isn't Cold is Scarcely a One at All

[Gress 0]

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An "O" will lift a small car into the air.

Maybe with the right adjustments you can get a group of skydivers to 12500' ?

[kallend 2,150]

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I've done plenty of surfing about rocketry lately, so I've seen a lot of clubs for high powered rocketry (one not too far from me, actually...I think I'll head on out for one of their launches). I wonder if I'm ready to move into that what with the cost (I'm still on student status looking for a rig) as well as the amount of space required to launch big rockets.

Also, the other thing I like about the Estes kits are their nontraditional recovery systems, like this one. Do you get this sort of thing in high powered rocketry?

BTW, what's the difference between Tripoli and NAR?

See my web site for bigger non-traditional recovery rockets (they glide down under radio control).

Difference between Tripoli and NAR? NAR is not run by crooks.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[FliegendeWolf 0]

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Difference between Tripoli and NAR? NAR is not run by crooks.

Ouch... Care to expound?

A One that Isn't Cold is Scarcely a One at All

[Dumpster 0]

Man- I think things have changed quite a bit since I was into rockets- ( about 25 years ago--)

Estes had just come out with the "D" engine- That was the big one at the time-

Centauri was still in business-

Mail-order was the way to go for kids like me who lived in the boonies - no "real" hobby shops for 100 miles-

I should take a trip with the kids on thier next visit out this way--

Easy Does It

[FliegendeWolf 0]

When I walked into the hobby shop (actually, this place specializes in rocketry) last week, I was blown away by the amount of big stuff they had in there. The flagship of the collection was a kit with a cardboard tube about one foot in diameter and twelve feet tall. I asked the shopkeeper about the rocket and me told me it runs on N engines (like yourself, I didn't realize engines went that big-when I stopped launching a few years ago, I thought that E was the biggest engine...it's the biggest one that Estes makes, anyway). I asked him about N engines and he said that they are refillable, and that to fill the engine with enough propellant for one launch could easily run $600-$800!

I spent the rest of the day flabbergasted by that... and I thought that $20 to 13K was expensive...

A One that Isn't Cold is Scarcely a One at All

[kallend 2,150]

Quote

When I walked into the hobby shop (actually, this place specializes in rocketry) last week, I was blown away by the amount of big stuff they had in there. The flagship of the collection was a kit with a cardboard tube about one foot in diameter and twelve feet tall. I asked the shopkeeper about the rocket and me told me it runs on N engines (like yourself, I didn't realize engines went that big-when I stopped launching a few years ago, I thought that E was the biggest engine...it's the biggest one that Estes makes, anyway). I asked him about N engines and he said that they are refillable, and that to fill the engine with enough propellant for one launch could easily run $600-$800!

I spent the rest of the day flabbergasted by that... and I thought that $20 to 13K was expensive...

Yes - but when you see the flames and hear the sound of a big motor....

BTW in answer to your question about Tripoli, try asking it on rec.models.rockets and see if you touch a nerve there.

Finally, I am dead serious about writing to your senator about BATFE intrusion. Check out www.nar.org for a run-down on the threat to the hobby.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[FliegendeWolf 0]

Well, I think the excitement of the smoke and flames plus the excitement of getting to look at my Visa bill that much would be too much for my heart! I think I'll play it safe and keep skydiving as my expensive hobby.

A One that Isn't Cold is Scarcely a One at All

[Casch 0]

With this engine: "US Rockets N9600USR" you could lift a 200lb person up to around 1500 ft