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OK,
Here goes my first build thread. Nuthin special, just a L3 rocket that started off as a crazy wild hair (when you're bald, you listen to all the remaining hairs) at MWP 5 (I think, Gary from Top Flight can correct me if I'm wrong). Gary was selling a PR 8" Mad Maxx. So, with out any hesitation, I jumped on that bugger. I don't know why, just seemed like a good idea at the time.
Disclaimer: I'm the worlds slowest typist.
So problems were encountered and overcome, mostly involving piles of cash. No slight is intended to anyone, and offers were made and turned down to make things better. I bought a kit unseen, so it is what I had to work with. It was my desire to make the parts I got closer to the PR description of the kit.
First problem was the coupler. Only 10" long on a 8" dia rocket. :surprised:
So I talked to Wildman. Got a 16" long coupler. Did I mention that the kit was old enough that it was G10? The Wildman coupler was G12. Somehow G10 is bigger inside dia than G12. No one has G10 couplers any more. Hmmm.
Second problem (not a problem as much as, again, to match the PR description), the upper body tube was 34" long instead of 48". So another call to Tim. 48" tube on the way. G12. Do we remember the G10/12 difference? Well, OD is also different on the body tubes. Hmmmm.
So I called Ken at Performance Hobbies. Just as great to deal with as Tim. He had a 48" G10 tube, but shipping was gonna kill me, plus I still had the 48" G12 tube. A little more phone time with Tim; found out he was going to a launch out east that Ken was also going to be at. A little horse trading and transporting by Tim, and Wahla!!! a G10 48" long upper body tube. One problem down, one to go.
So I bought some fiberglass cloth to make the OD of the G12 coupler a little bigger. I had mentioned to Ken that I was looking for a G10 16" long coupler. He said he'd look in his warehouse and let me know. So as Jason can tell you, a little time went by without any progress.
A year later, Ken from Perf Hobbies called me and asked if I was still looking for a G10 coupler. HECK YEAH!!!!
So more horse trading and one G10 coupler was on its way to my abode :horse:
So now I'm out of excuses to start building :eyeroll:
So build I did. All parts sanded and washed. Centering rings sanded to fit and tacked on.
More later. Sorry about the long post, but I thought it might be interesting :yawn:
Here goes my first build thread. Nuthin special, just a L3 rocket that started off as a crazy wild hair (when you're bald, you listen to all the remaining hairs) at MWP 5 (I think, Gary from Top Flight can correct me if I'm wrong). Gary was selling a PR 8" Mad Maxx. So, with out any hesitation, I jumped on that bugger. I don't know why, just seemed like a good idea at the time.
Disclaimer: I'm the worlds slowest typist.
So problems were encountered and overcome, mostly involving piles of cash. No slight is intended to anyone, and offers were made and turned down to make things better. I bought a kit unseen, so it is what I had to work with. It was my desire to make the parts I got closer to the PR description of the kit.
First problem was the coupler. Only 10" long on a 8" dia rocket. :surprised:
So I talked to Wildman. Got a 16" long coupler. Did I mention that the kit was old enough that it was G10? The Wildman coupler was G12. Somehow G10 is bigger inside dia than G12. No one has G10 couplers any more. Hmmm.
Second problem (not a problem as much as, again, to match the PR description), the upper body tube was 34" long instead of 48". So another call to Tim. 48" tube on the way. G12. Do we remember the G10/12 difference? Well, OD is also different on the body tubes. Hmmmm.
So I called Ken at Performance Hobbies. Just as great to deal with as Tim. He had a 48" G10 tube, but shipping was gonna kill me, plus I still had the 48" G12 tube. A little more phone time with Tim; found out he was going to a launch out east that Ken was also going to be at. A little horse trading and transporting by Tim, and Wahla!!! a G10 48" long upper body tube. One problem down, one to go.
So I bought some fiberglass cloth to make the OD of the G12 coupler a little bigger. I had mentioned to Ken that I was looking for a G10 16" long coupler. He said he'd look in his warehouse and let me know. So as Jason can tell you, a little time went by without any progress.
A year later, Ken from Perf Hobbies called me and asked if I was still looking for a G10 coupler. HECK YEAH!!!!
So more horse trading and one G10 coupler was on its way to my abode :horse:
So now I'm out of excuses to start building :eyeroll:
So build I did. All parts sanded and washed. Centering rings sanded to fit and tacked on.
More later. Sorry about the long post, but I thought it might be interesting :yawn:
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