Coming Soon from Estes

Estes has some new kits unveiled in their Coming Soon page - CLICK HERE 

A larger Maxi-Brute sized HONEST JOHN was shown at a past NARAM.
This one is smaller, BT-60 based. To me, a more manageable size.
The website copy adds: "More scale kits and this is just the beginning."
Let's hope so!

Skill Level 3

Length: 22.9 in. (58.2 cm)
Diameter: 1.64 in. (42 mm)
Estimated Weight: 4.4 oz. (124.7 g)

Laser cut Wood Fins, Waterslide Decal, 15 in. Parachute Recovery
Recommended Engines: C11-3, D12-5 (First Flight), *E9-6, *E12-6
Projected Max Altitude: 1400 ft. (427 m)

The SKY WARRIOR is BT-55 based.
The landing leg dowel placement reminds me of the old Starship Vega.

Skill Level 2
Length: 19 in (48.3 cm)
Diameter: 1.33 in. (34 mm)
Estimated Weight: 1.9 oz. (53.9 g)

Laser cut Wood Fins, Waterslide Decal, 
12 in. (30.5 cm) Parachute Recovery
Recommended Engines: B6-4 (First Flight), C6-5 
Projected Max Altitude: 850 ft. (259 m)

The most impressive new design is the SLV.
Does anybody else see some of the old Enerjet Athena?

Skill Level 4

Length: 34.2 in. (86.9 cm)
Diameter: 1.33 in. (34 mm)
Estimated Weight: 6.4 oz. (181.4 g)

Laser cut Wood Fins, Waterslide Decal, 
18 in. (46 cm) Parachute Recovery 
Recommended Engines: C11-3, D12-3, D12-5 (First Flight), *E12-4 
Projected Max Altitude: 1000 ft. (305 m)

Also returning is the BT-55 GOBLIN and the NEW mini engine SEQUOIA. 
Thanks to Estes for continuing to produce new builder's kits.

Alaska Update - Trip Home

I'm in the Juneau Airport awaiting the long flight back to Orlando.
The internet is FREE here, I'll take advantage of it while I can.
Hopefully when I get back home the blog posts will be regular again.

I ran into fellow entertainer Mike Robinson when leaving the ship. Mike is a great magician, comedian and ventriloquist. I apologized for not emailing him when I got on the ship. We sere supposed to meet for lunch on June 17 when I replaced him for the week. His response: "I wouldn't pay for that overpriced ship Internet either!"

I did have the chance to do some drawing, that's a feather I picked up while walking around.
I've started a major re-write of the "How To Build Model Rockets" feature now on the NAR website. New pictures will be taken to better match the new copy.
The fins for a new Carded Downscale were made. The body tube skin will be rolled on and test flights will be make when I get back to Orlando.

Update: It's 6:00 p.m. at the airport in Seattle. With a four hour layover I wanted to stop by the nearby Museum Of Flight to see the Model Rocket display. Great idea but I'm too late. They closed at 5:00 p.m.

Estes Crossbow SST #7207, Build Part 1, Parts

Estes is reissuing the Crossbow SST kit. This is a downscale (sort-of) of the Satellite Interceptor without the short tubes on the main fins.

I'm building a boxed kit version I picked up at WalMart in 2008. While this one is kit #7207, the new kit will be number 7234.

I was surprised by how much extra space there was in the box!

Here's all the parts. All are high quality.
The BT-20 tube is two parts, the yellow coupler also acts as the engine block.

The white parachute is from the lead ink period. No printing!






The specs are on the side panel of the box.
The new kit is 15" long. This version is 14.6" tall.
I don't think I'd ever fly this one with a C6-5.







The box picture of the fin sheet have the parts named. There is no printing on the supplied laser cut fins.

3 or 4 "Starters" (Igniters) In Each Engine Package? Part 2

Years back Estes did package four NWI-1 igniters in a 18mm three engine package. These NWI-1 (blue or brown coated) igniters were better than bare nichome but not as reliable as the newer Starter igniters.
Mini "T" engines had five NWI-1 igniters in a four engine package.

From the 1972 catalog:

On the next page of the same catalog:

The NEW Solar Igniters!
(Check out the price - 6 for 30 cents!)
When Estes started inserting these into the engine packages, the "extra" igniter was gone.
3 Igniters were in a 3 engine (18mm and 24mm) package.
4 Igniters were in a 4 engine (13mm) package.

And a final post from Fred Shector:
"I loved the NWI-1 igniters. They came in at least two versions.
The original was around 30 ga with a smashed section that was coated with the blue flexible pyrogen. you bent it at the smashed spot and that spot had higher resistance and heated a bit faster than the rest of the wire.
The later version was 31 ga and had no smashed section.

The original solar igniters were not so great and would break apart - even when new. They improved the tape strip and the weld of the bridge wire to the lead wires and they got better. Except for a bad period with the reddish pyrogen that would corrode the lead wires after sitting around. I think the lead wires are more of an iron-based wire and they would rust if exposed to the elements, but that red pyrogen would just decompose itself and the lead wires.

The last 20+ years of black tipped solar igniters were superior - especially when used with the plugs.

But I still love nichrome wire with a little loop formed around a straightened paper clip. I pre-load hundreds of motors a year with those so we can have faster club launches. The newbies alos love the demo I do where the loop of nichrome turns to molten metal when I hit the launch button."

3 or 4 "Starters" (Igniters) In Each Engine Package? Part 1

From YORF, I had an interesting exchange with Fred Shector:
My first post:

All of the recent engine packages I've purchased now have the clear tip starters.
I've been using those at the club launches where they have a 12 volt system.
I've still got a pretty good supply of the old Estes igniters and Q2G2s.
Most of my solo schoolyard launches use my older 6 volt Estes controller and the old black pyrogen tip igniters.
The new "Starters" remind me of bare nichrome. They take a moment longer to ignite.
Interesting to note, four of the Starters are included in each three engine package, like Estes used to do. Maybe anticipating ignition problems?
In the end I still might buy some dip and make my own.

Fred Shector's response:
"They have always packed 4 igniters in the 3 packs of motors because they packaged them for stores that did not sell igniters. This continues with the starters.
4 packs of mini motors also have 4 starters, not 5.
The new twin packs of 24mm motors have 2 starters . . ."

My reply:
The pictures show what I meant -
Most all the engines I buy are from Hobby Lobby with the 40% off coupon.
First picture: Older 3 engine package with 3 igniters (black pyrogen tips) and four plugs.
Second picture: Newer package with four starters and four plugs.
As long as I have gone to Hobby Lobby, they have sold extra igniter packages next to the engines.
These engine packages were sealed and opened to take the pictures.














Fred Shector's reply:
"Yes, I was not clear.
Estes sells/sold two version of the 18mm motor three packs;
One for hobby shops and other online retailers (including Hobby Lobby) who sold igniter packs as well as motor packs. Those have (or had) 3 igniters.
Another for mass merchandisers who do not sell igniter packs because they do not have room or they will just be stolen (Wal-Mart, Target, Fred Meyer, etc.). Those had 4 igniters and now have 4 starters. These also had the mini packet of wadding since these stores did not sell wadding, just like they did not sell igniter packs.

Of course, things change. The same packaging may now be multi-purposed. I think the current 3 motor 18mm motor package is now deeper so it can also be used for the twin packs of 24mm C11 and D12 motors. I have not checked to see if the hobby shop version now has 4 starters instead of the 3 igniters they used to have. your photo clearly shows the hobby shop version (no wadding) and it has 4 starters, so perhaps they are now doing this for all the 18mm motors. Interesting.

I am positive that the Wal-Mart packages currently sold have the wadding and 4 starters for the 18mm and also for the 13mm motors. Michaels now sells these as well, but they used to sell the hobby shop versions with separate wadding bags and igniter packs sold as well. not any  more..."

Alaska Cruise Nonsense!

I joined the HAL Zaandam in Skagway, Alaska on June 17th. I spend a LOT of time preparing for these shows. My band books are very involved. I packed for the standard Holland America five piece band - Piano, Bass, Drums, Guitar and Sax.
When I checked in at the Cruise Directors office I was informed that the band format has changed.
No Sax! The band now has a second keyboard, a synthesizer.
I have a synth book but didn't bring it.

The show length had also changed. Six months ago there were three 35 minute shows. Now there is two 45 minute shows. It took three hours and a few cups of coffee to change and write up some "get-by" charts for the show the following night.

There's a good reason why there hasn't been any posts over the last four or five days.
The HAL Corporate office has changed how you buy internet time.
Before you'd pay $20.00 for 200 minutes, enough to get you through a seven day cruise.
Now you pay $55.00 for 500 minutes!
No unused time can be rolled over to another cruise or different ship. I refused the offer.

I'm in Seward, Alaska today at the National Park Office using the free internet.
I'd rather make a donation to the park service for their help.

Rant Over!!!

Rusto 2X Cottage Cheese - TIP

A forum post from Rich Holmes:
"Most of my rockets I paint with Rusto 2X, and mostly it works out fairly well. But the white sometimes is fine and sometimes isn't. Sometimes it's rough, sometimes an orange peel or cottage cheese texture. I'm thinking it's not a clogged nozzle, because in fact it seems to occur more with a new can, and because I haven't seen convincing evidence that changing nozzles helps (though I haven't been systematic about studying that.) I'm painting over Rusto primers. I paint in temperatures above 60F and humidity below 50% if at all possible. I shake the can for about 2 minutes before starting. I've had the same can, same nozzle, similar surface prep, give me cottage cheese one day and smooth gloss texture the next. Other colors same brand seem to be less susceptible.

Are there better gloss white rattle can paints that don't cost an arm and a leg? (If you want to propose non rattle can paints go ahead, but in another thread, please, I want to focus on rattle cans here. And let's not get too verbose about paint that is no longer on the market, either, OK?) Am I missing something in my technique? What works for you... if anything?"

Rich Holmes

I've drawn some conclusions after spraying many models with Rustoleum 2X:

• The only color I seem to have the orange peel or "cottage cheese"results with is the 2X Gloss White. Sometimes I may see a small glob when using red or orange, but not the cottage cheese rough finish I can get with the gloss white.
• The cottage cheese spray happens most often when the can is new. Newly purchased, right off the shelf. The can may have been sitting idle in the store for a while. Some of the thick pigment might be stuck up in the interior straw, the solvents have separated to the bottom. The first spray out of the can (or after being stored for a few months) could be rough.
• While I do recommend shaking the spray can before spraying, no amount of shaking is going to move that pigment out of the straw.

Lonnie Buchanon came up with a good suggestion:

Hang on to the interior cardboard tubes from paper towel rolls.

Spray the scrap tube before spraying your model to clear any thick pigment from the interior straw. 

After the thick pigment is clear, then spray the rocket.
Sometimes you can hear a difference in the spray "hiss" sound.

Why stay with the Rusto 2X paint?

Most Krylon is crap, Valdspar takes too long to dry and WalMart Colorplace takes too many coats to cover.

I'm used to the Rusto 2X and pretty much know what to expect.

The Rusto 2X is reasonably priced, easily found and comes in many colors. So far it seems to be compatible with other colors in the same line.

Note:
The Rusto 2X paint will build up on the nozzle quicker than other brands. You can't turn these new cans upside down and press the nozzle to clear them. Before spraying I usually chip off any caked on paint with a fingernail. Just don't press down on the button and spray the paint!