Just picked up a Mini Honest John

[Odo]

I just picked up a Mini Honest John, Ive never flown anything under a B power so this is my first low low power rocket.
Is there anything obvious I should know? The engines I picked up for it are A3-4T.
Is this a good engine for it? Thanks for any responses

 

[ereinert]

Hey Odo! I just finished building this. I haven't flown it yet so i cant give any engine advise. I can tell you that it is a cool looking rocket after the paint and decals. I was kinda surprised that there is no motor retainer of any kind so i'm kinda curious as how it flies. Hopefully someone who has flown this will tell us about there launch. Here is a pic of my build..

 

[Odo]

Hey Odo! I just finished building this. I haven't flown it yet so i cant give any engine advise. I can tell you that it is a cool looking rocket after the paint and decals. I was kinda surprised that there is no motor retainer of any kind so i'm kinda curious as how it flies. Hopefully someone who has flown this will tell us about there launch. Here is a pic of my build..
View attachment 141941

Looks great! I was also pretty curious about the lack of the little metal clip which I suppose is called the motor retainer.
I test fitted an engine and its very snug, the instructions also suggested putting a piece of tape around the engine, so I guess itll be okay?

 

[NAR29996]

Add nose weight, about 1/2 oz. I have seen several of these (including mine) be borderline unstable without it.

 

[mikemech]

Looks great! I was also pretty curious about the lack of the little metal clip which I suppose is called the motor retainer.
I test fitted an engine and its very snug, the instructions also suggested putting a piece of tape around the engine, so I guess itll be okay?

It's called friction fit and it was the only way back in the day. It really works quite well for LPR. The problem was always getting the motor tight enough so it would not eject instead of the laundry, and loose enough so I could get the @#$%^& thing out after the flight. I found that taping only the nozzle end of the motor makes it much easier to remove and still holds it tight through the ejection event. If the BT crumples on insertion or removal, it is too tight.

Mike

 

[46u]

Very nice is this a MicroMaxx or a low power. I have a low power on the way to me but I all so want the MicroMAxx one as well.

 

[Odo]

Very nice is this a MicroMaxx or a low power. I have a low power on the way to me but I all so want the MicroMAxx one as well.

I believe its a low power? As far as I know MicroMaxx is only the quest micro motors.

 

[Odo]

Ive primed my rocket for painting.

I didnt put any primer on the cardboard tube, or at least not as much as on the white nose cone, balsa fins, and launch lug, mainly because I figured the cardboard tube wouldnt need it as bad. (idk if my reasoning is sound or not. :eyeroll

 

[chrism]

Hey Odo! I just finished building this. I haven't flown it yet so i cant give any engine advise. I can tell you that it is a cool looking rocket after the paint and decals. I was kinda surprised that there is no motor retainer of any kind so i'm kinda curious as how it flies. Hopefully someone who has flown this will tell us about there launch. Here is a pic of my build..
View attachment 141941

That's a nice build, did you sand the fins in the diamond profile?

 

[46u]

I believe its a low power? As far as I know MicroMaxx is only the quest micro motors.

Yes only one that makes MicroMaxx motors is Quest but Fliskits makes a MicroMaxx Hones John. https://www.jonrocket.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_38_15_18&products_id=64

So yours is just like the one I have coming if it is a Estes.

 

[Odo]

Yes only one that makes MicroMaxx motors is Quest but Fliskits makes a MicroMaxx Hones John. https://www.jonrocket.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_38_15_18&products_id=64

So yours is just like the one I have coming if it is a Estes.

Right, its Estes!
Wasnt aware of the Hones John. Good to know

 

[ereinert]

That's a nice build, did you sand the fins in the diamond profile?

Hey Chrism, Thanks! Yes I did.. I always add an air foil to the fins and they were coated with diluted wood filler and sanded prior to painting.
I tend to go over board with my builds..

 

[dgreger]

I've flown mine on the A10-3T and it flew great built per instructions to about 250ft. Didnt need any tape on the motor.

 

[Odo]

I dun goofed.

 

[46u]

Right, its Estes!
Wasnt aware of the Hones John. Good to know

Sorry type O. LOL At my age my fingers go faster then my brain. Yes that is the model I have coming.
Thanks
Jeff

 

[46u]

I dun goofed.
View attachment 141951

Mine are not that bad but I sure got a lot of paint on my hands today painting rockets.

 

[Odo]

Mine are not that bad but I sure got a lot of paint on my hands today painting rockets.

Lather the paint afflicted area with olive oil, let set for about 60 seconds, then sprinkle salt all over the olive oil, dont be frugal with it, the more salt the better, then scrub the salt all over your hand as though it was soap, it stings a bit but it really wokrs! I just did this and my hand is back to normal hehe

 

[46u]

Lather the paint afflicted area with olive oil, let set for about 60 seconds, then sprinkle salt all over the olive oil, dont be frugal with it, the more salt the better, then scrub the salt all over your hand as though it was soap, it stings a bit but it really wokrs! I just did this and my hand is back to normal hehe

I just use lacquer thinner then when I take a shower scrub with a nail brush. LOL

 

[Odo]

I just use lacquer thinner then when I take a shower scrub with a nail brush. LOL

Welp whatever floats yer boat

 

[ereinert]

I dun goofed.
View attachment 141951

Awesome! So i'm not the only one.. Lol! My hands end up like that everytime i paint my rockets..

 

[Fred Garvin]

Get a couple dowel rods from Home Depot.....make them about 24".......makes a nice long handle stuck up the motor mount. Mine are multi colored now.....

 

[Getmore]

I have not had the chance to fly it. This coming weekend is high power for me so I might try the next weekend to play with my low power rockets

 

[Odo]

I have not had the chance to fly it. This coming weekend is high power for me so I might try the next weekend to play with my low power rockets

That looks really nice! I like the light green with white nose.
I just got on applying those pain in the A@$ water sticker things.
Holy s$%& those things were so annoying!!!
I gave up on the pattern the instructions wanted and just through them on wherever I thought was good, those stupid little things kept creasing and folding and AAAAGh.
I finally got them on, just not all of them. I ended up decorating only one side and leaving the other one with only one small sticker on it as to not drive me entirely insane.
Whoever thought of the water decal idea needs to go think about what they've done in the naughty corner.

 

[RocketMike]

Put a little dish soap in the water next time.... They still take some patience though. Took me years to develop my patience with them.

 

[JStarStar]

Waterslide decals can be a pain in the neck (or someplace much lower) but they are really the best way to get realistic looking markings on models without the thick stuck-on look of the press-on vinyl stickers.

There is definitely a skill and art to getting the decals to slide off just right and then to press/dab them on to make sure you have no air bubbles.

As RocketMike says, drop a drop or two of dish soap in the water to make it a bit slipperier (not too much though because too much soap will make the decals not stick at all). Also be sure to use warm (borderline hot) water.

And of course after the decals are good and dry (a day or so) you need to hit the whole rocket with a coating of clearcoat to 'seal down' the decals. Otherwise in fairly short order they will start to shrink, curl up and peel off.


As far as flying the Mini-HoJo, either of the Estes 13mm A motors should do OK -- it is not a big heavy rocket so you should get decent lift out of both the A3s and the A10s.

 

[Fred Garvin]

And the key to waterslide decals is in the name....waterslide.......

 

[krusty]

I dun goofed.
View attachment 141951

Been there, done that

I've got one of those little HoJo's too. Had it built almost 2 years and yet to fly... It's currently on loan to a library for a model rocket display. When I get it back, I should launch it

Krusty

 

[JStarStar]

I really liked the original Estes BT-50 size HoJo back in the 1960s/70s. Think I'll order up a set of parts to make a clone.

 

[Odo]

Heres a finished picture of it.
In between my 2 Dr Zooch rockets

 

[krusty]

I just use lacquer thinner then when I take a shower scrub with a nail brush. LOL

Lacquer thinner can be absorbed into the skin and cause all sorts of nasty problems.

https://www.uic.edu/sph/glakes/harts1/HARTS_library/solventhazards.txt

If you don't wear gloves (I never remember to put them on!) then a good quality hand cleaner is your best shot.

I have this at home -



It's made from natural orange oil and pumice and has other things like lanolin to moisturize and protect your skin. This is an Australian product, I would imagine that something virtually identical would be available locally to you.

I also use it before I handle an un-painted rocket to reduce oils from my skin contaminating the raw parts.

Krusty