Friday, March 5, 2021

Estes Hex-3, #7263, Build, Part 1, Parts


This was one kit I didn't pick up in the recent Cyber Monday sale. I was tempted.
I actually won this kit at a drawing at the December L.A.S.E.R. club launch. I thought it would be a good blog build, I'm sure many bought this rocket in the recent Cyber Monday sale.

The kit bag seems flat except for the BT-20 motor tube.




Only 100' altitude? Small field flyers have a place when launch areas are hard to find. The rocket is short with a lot of drag.



All the kit parts - 
When setting up the parts layout for the picture, the split centering ring should have been set at the top of the motor mount tube, the opposite of where it would normally be placed.

I didn't put together the reason behind the kit name until now - the "Hex" is the six sided center body, the "3" is the three wedge shaped fins.


The card stock base seems thicker than a standard centering ring.

I always thought the fin and body cardstock would be thicker than 110 lb. It feels like 110 lb. but this kit card stock has a shiny finish. The glossy coat makes it feel thicker and stiffer.

4 comments:

  1. I'd love to build one of those, paint it orange, put a rod through the middle and put another rocket on top :^)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Lonnie,
      Why Estes didn't go with a Porta Pad look is beyond me!

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    2. I thought the same thing! But it occurred to me after I built the kit. Fortunately I grabbed one during the Cyber Monday sale - it’s going get scanned before I build it so I can make a flying Porta Pad someday...

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    3. Oh, and they fly really nice on adapted 13mm motors - pretty much the same as on a B, maybe not quite as high but high enough to be fun!

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