New Estes 2012 Catalog

This morning on TRF, Bob Sanford (Initiator001) announced the new Estes 2012 catalog is available for download on the Estes website HERE

Items already shown on the forums are the Pro Series, Nike Smoke, V2, Solar Warrior, Asteroid Hunter, Dark Energy and E12 engines.
Two not unveiled until this morning are the individual BT-5 based Mosquito and arrow inspired Fletcher.
A #3552 Pro Series II Launcher is listed, but no picture yet.

Many of the Classic Series I thought were discontinued are still listed. The Saturn V and both Interceptors are not in the catalog.
Two surprises were the (not just spare parts) Designer's Special and re release of the (Astron) Sky Dart II.

Estes is certainly on the right track, some re releases for the old timers and plenty of great new designs.

Semroc Booster 16 in the Centurion

The old Semroc Centurion was refinished recently.
I wanted to use the Semroc Booster 16 I built and reviewed three years ago HERE

While I now cover the open back areas of rockets so paint won't get inside, the Centurion still had paint all over the engine mount from the first time it was finished.
The Semroc Booster 16 wouldn't slide in with all the paint around the body tube lip.



Some 220 grit sandpaper was wrapped around a dowel.
The inside edge was carefully sanded to remove the lip of paint around the edge. I was trying to get a sliding friction fit of the black coupler on the Booster 16 unit.
I checked the fit while sanding until it slid in easily but would still stay in even if shook.


Here's the Booster 16 first stage unit in place with a A10-0t engine installed.
In the Centurion engine mount is a B6-4 for the upper stage.

On the RocketReviews.com comments I read where the Booster 16 unit will stage at 25 feet with an A10-0t engine installed - so there's not much difference in the altitude.
Still, it'll be fun for a change and the Centurion looks great with the large booster nozzle installed.

I wanted to use the re-released A10-0t engines in something other than a small saucer. Maybe I should build the Astron Beta?

Super Alpha Build Part 3 Engine Mount

The engine block was notched for a better fit when butted up against the upper bend of the engine hook. This idea came from Todd. (Bradycross on TRF)

On the left you can see the split body tube over the engine hook.

The Kevlar went underneath the forward centering ring instead of tied onto the engine block ring. On larger diameter models it makes sense to keep the Kevlar away and outside the path of the ejection charge.

On the right is the finished engine mount.
Enlarge the picture and you'll see the filled spirals in the 3/16" launch lug.

Refinishing the Red Max Part 2 Epoxy Fillets

A 1/4" diameter dowel was picked to even out the epoxy fillets.
It was marked with a wide tip Sharpie pen to transfer the width lines onto the fillet area.
This idea comes from Crazy Jim's tutorial on TRF HERE

I thought I'd have to continually add more marker to the dowel, but one application did the trick for all six root edges.
Gently rub the marked dowel on the body tube and fin and the black lines are transferred. Be careful not to "scar" the balsa.

Masking tape was applied down the faint black lines to control overlow of the the epoxy.

When you use the dowel to even out the epoxy, it will go over the masking tape. I'm using 15 minute epoxy. When the epoxy just starts to set up, just a few minutes, remove the tape. Otherwise - the tape might get glued to the fins.



After pulling the tape, ther'll be a slight epoxy ridge where the tape edge was.

Dip your gloved finger into a small cup of rubbing alcohol. Shake off the excess.
Run your finger down the epoxy fillet. This should knock down the epoxy ridge left after removing the tape.

Super Alpha Build Part 2 Engine Mount

I wanted a vintage look to the upscaled Alpha so that finger tab on the engine hook has got to go.
I can usually "score" both sides of the tab with my wire cutters.
With pliers, bend the tab along the scored line and it will break apart.
Follow with light filing to smooth out the edge and round the sharp corners.


Two 1/8" ply 50/60 centering rings were found in the spare parts box.
The plywood is probably overkill, but it was handy.
The engine hook notches were made with my small diamond files.
The corners of the notches were a little round after the filing so the were sharpened up with some small notch cuts with my hobby knife.

In the picture a small notch in the upper ring is made for the Kevlar to pass through. At the right of the same ring is the notch for the upper part of the engine hook.


Here's all the engine mount parts for a 24mm engine.
The split tube (at left center) will hold down the engine hook between the centering rings. It's simply a split piece of BT-50 and stronger than a wrap of tape.

The engine block is a 1/4" piece cut from an old D engine casing.

NAR Membership Goal Reached

From the NAR Electronic Rocketeer Issue #44 -

I am delighted to report that the membership of our NAR has now reached the goal that we set in 2008, an active membership of 5200. This is the largest that the NAR has been in the last 12 years; our records from the "boom" days that we went through a few times before then are not complete so we are not sure it is the largest that we have ever been but if it isn't, it's close. Congratulations and thanks to all the thousands of NAR members, the supporting manufacturers, hobby shops, and others who have contributed in some way to the steady growth that has brought us to this point. Word of mouth from satisfied members is our best recruiting tool, and member satisfaction is our best retention tool.

It has been the goal of the NAR Board to do everything in our power to deliver the services that our membership tells us in our biennial online surveys and constant in-person communication to Board members that they want from their NAR. Member satisfaction is our top priority. The larger we become the more services we can afford to deliver. Let's keep growing so we can keep improving our services!

Be safe, have fun, and pay forward.

Trip Barber
NAR 4322
NAR President

Not a NAR member yet?
Check out all the benefits of membership at www.nar.org

Super Alpha Build Part 1 Parts

I'll be doing a conversion from 18mm to 24mm engines.
I've got plenty of C11 and D12 engines that should do well in this upscale.

Here's all the parts including the re-shaped nose cone from my old Red Max clone.
The nose cone posts are here:
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3

I had some plywood 50/60 centering rings, BT-50 tube, Kevlar and a 3/16" launch lug.
The picture shows some 1/8" elastic. I'll have to get some 1/4" elastic to replace that.



These are the parts left out from the stock 18mm version. Everything will go into the spare parts box for a future build.

That's a 24" long rubber shock cord, still a little short for me.






This will be painted like the Alpha I never built from the 1974 Estes catalog.