I picked this kit up for $10.00 at the May TTRA Tampa launch.
I'd seen a few on EBAY, but never closeup.
Stellar Dimensions is no longer in business, they had a half dozen kits in production in the late 1990s.
Their claim to fame was their rocket bodies were square. Most all parts were laser cut from basswood and thin ply. The visible side of the body parts had faint laser cut lines in geometric patterns.
Their claim to fame was their rocket bodies were square. Most all parts were laser cut from basswood and thin ply. The visible side of the body parts had faint laser cut lines in geometric patterns.
Here's all the parts laid out. If you count everything, there is 48 pieces to put together.
In the bag, the kit seems flat. There is no round body tube or nose cone to be seen. Some of the laser cut parts had broken free from the sheets. The loose pieces were taped together for the picture.
Along the bottom from left to right are the 4 engine mount sides, 4 fins, 6 engine block centering rings and 4 mid body pieces.
The four long tapered pieces above are the nose cone sides.
Here's some of the more interesting parts.One the left are the big shroud line tabs and plywood reinforcements. The tabs look like Breathe-Right nasal strips!
The white circular piece is the Teflon motor lock ring.
The black coil is the short shock cord. It's like a thin piece of licorice, too short for my liking.
On the far right is the "centering rings / baffle" pieces. More on those later.
I have the SID Xanadune and Spinnaker brand new in the bags. I also have a their Vector model which over the years has flown many times. Here is a recent picture.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rocketreviews.com/vector-2011-02-20-01jpg.html
There are many issues with the Vector. The grain of the wood for the fins was perpendicular to the root. Any part of the fin not directly attached to the root snaps upon landing. So I wound up putting vertical braces on the non-laser-etched sides.
The shoulder for the nose section is too short. The 'engine lock' broke within a flight or two. Now I use friction fit. And yes the shock cord is way too short. You can see in the picture mine has one fin completely replaced.
Basically the designer(s) seemed to know a lot about laser cutting and aesthetics, but not a lot about model rocket design.
Hi Jeff,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree,
. . . "The designer(s) seemed to know a lot about laser cutting and aesthetics, but not a lot about model rocket design".
My Xanadune doesn't have a typical nose cone shoulder. The lip of the nose cone goes over (not inside) the thinner middle section.
On the only flight I've made with one of these, most of the ejection charge blew out the back, down the square edge corners of the motor mount!
Very little room for the parachute, too.
Thanks for taking the time to comment -
Chris