Mike Meyer posted on the Facebook Estes Model Rockets page:
"I was finishing up the Super Orbital Transport today.
I got the bright idea to stuff a D engine in. It went in flush with the tube and wouldn’t slide back out. Tried a few knives and then knew what I had to do. I used a cork screw to yank it out. But then I noticed the retainer clip slid out a 1/4 inch. And I was able to clear everything. Still not sure how the clip slides but here’s a few pics to illustrate my wine bottle cork removal process."
It was worth a try, but maybe not the best way to remove an engine. The corkscrew also pulled and tore the engine hook down the engine mount tube 1/4".
How is the motor supposed to fit in this model? Flush? If it’s supposed to sit flush, then I presume the motor hook is also flush. Removing the motor in that case (assuming it’s not loose enough to slide out on it’s own with the hook retracted) would require either retracting the hook with a tool in one hand and pushing the motor out with a dowel in the other hand. That at least would save an unused motor. Otherwise the corkscrew could work but you’d still have to use something to pry up the motor hook. Awkward no matter how you do it.
ReplyDeleteThe instructions call for the hook to be positioned with the front of the engine hook 2 3/8" from the rear of the motor mount tube -- this should lead to the motor projecting out of the motor mount tube by 3/8".
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if in this particular case, the engine hook was positioned relative to the front of the motor mount tube (e.g. cut slit for forward end of engine hook inset from the front of the motor hook by the depth of the engine block). If the motor mount tube just happens to be the same length as an engine plus the depth of the engine block -- the engine would end up with the rear flush with the motor mount tube.