Anybody else notice problems with the Estes STM-012?

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Oldschool77 said:
Since this model has been brought up. Has anybody turned this into a gap staged version yet? Nose weight(Removable for single engine flights)would of course be required. I plan on ordering one someday, soon I hope.
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That seems to be a problematic situation... This would be a gap of ~14-15 inches, which would be tricky If I'm not mistaken, and you'd have to figure out how to recover the booster.

According to the info I've read, 12" is about the maximum people have successfully staged.
 
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Micromeister said:
What your calling damage is nothing new to Estes, Centuri or other kit manufacturers. nor is it something that has only started since going to china for kit packaging. Granted some of the stuff I've seen from china is Way over packed but guys unless the tube is actually creased any out of round tube is easily brought back to round by simply inserting a mandrel for a day or two. I've been using slightly out of round to Oval shaped tubes for years from just about every model maker out there with no adverse effects once they are allowed to re-round on a mandrel for a day of so.
Looking at the OP's first pictures I just laughed out loud at the thought of returning such a tube for another kit or tube.

I know I've mentioned before the pleasure of having a set of internal mandrels for cutting tubes for scratch building but they also work for rounding out minor problems like you see in those first post pictures. Customer service from Estes is and has alway been first rate but this kind of minor thing really doesn't need anything other then a little time on an internal mandel to fix.
If you do not have a set of 20 or 36in long mandrels for the size model bodies you use, start making them! Once you have a set they will last a very long time. OBTW even a full set (T2-through BT-101) doesn't take up much room or weight enough to be a problem even for those in school.
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My body tubes were not just out of round, they were creased and dented. I've yet to learn a way to remove a crease (even a small one) from the middle of a tube. I've been able to hide them under a fin, and the MMT would force it round, but never halfway up an 18" body tube (short of cutting the tube down and splicing in a new section)

If you want the affected body tubes they're yours for the cost of shipping, but only as is... no refunds.

The couplers I think I can salvage with baffle plates.
 
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Well dang. Thanks for crashing my fantasy. LOL. Hmm I might try this on something... SMALLER! someday
 
K'Tesh said:
My body tubes were not just out of round, they were creased and dented. I've yet to learn a way to remove a crease (even a small one) from the middle of a tube. I've been able to hide them under a fin, and the MMT would force it round, but never halfway up an 18" body tube (short of cutting the tube down and splicing in a new section)

If you want the affected body tubes they're yours for the cost of shipping, but only as is... no refunds.

The couplers I think I can salvage with baffle plates.
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Really! I can't believe you've never heard or seen ways to remove small dent and dings.
Actually small creases and dents can be STEAMED out with an old steam iron. If Steam isn't available creases and dents in body tubes can be filled with medium or thick CA and sanded out smooth without any problem. Either or both methods do not show in the finished primed & painted model.
Again going back to the original photos you took, I do not see any major problem with your tubes other then being a little out of round.

This entire thread reminds me of the difference between a good auto Mechanic's and average Parts Changers. The Mechanic can fix whatever part happens to be broken where as a parts changer can only replace entire units.
No I don't need your affected body tubes, I have a huge stock of tubes of my own 36" long body tubes. I would suggest you keep and experiment on them to learn how to fix and save them from such minor imperfections.
 
Last year I bought the entire stock of a fellow rocketeers inventory who'd thrown in the towel and which included a completely assembled Nike Smoke Pro Series II. On its first flight, the nose rebounded hard and apparently knocked off one of the four TTW fins. I contacted Estes by email and told them my problem. I didn't hear a word and had almost forgotten about it when one day a bubble pack envelope arrived in my mailbox containing the part I needed for the repair. I call that good customer service.

You must learn patience, Grasshopper. :wink:
 

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