AC Supply engines

In an effort to stem the tide of money I'm spending on engines I found this site
https://www.acsupplyco.com/estes/engines.htm

It looks like they have some good deals. Has anyone had any experience with them?

Great place. This is where I get all my A-C motors.

You do race timing as a hobby? Or are you referring to your job as your "other hobby"?

I've ordered a lot of bp motors and Estes kits from them. Good experiences each time. Shipping may not be "fast" (can't recall the shipping time off-hand), but I'm not usually in a rush for anything I order from them.

ActingLikeAKid said:

You do race timing as a hobby? Or are you referring to your job as your "other hobby"?

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It's a side gig, and The quotes are definitely sarcastic...though it is nice to get paid to be outside. The story of why we started doing it is on the website, so I won't rehash it here. It was definitely a "We're not paying that, I can do it better for less'" kind of moment. Mercifully, I was right.

I highly recommend them for all of the Estes rocketry products they carry. Free shipping over $100 and discount prices. Only a couple of places carry Estes engines around here. They are expensive and they often don't have the delays I'm looking for. Also you can't beat acsupplyco.com's kit prices.

LOL. They love me. I regularly order (twice a year or so) 8-10 of the Blast off Flight Packs. Best deal out there.

swatkat said:

LOL. They love me. I regularly order (twice a year or so) 8-10 of the Blast off Flight Packs. Best deal out there.

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As I was reading "I regularly order (twice a year or so)" I thought :eyeroll:, but then I continued and read "...8-10 of the Blast off Flight Packs" and thought :eyepop:.

ActingLikeAKid said:

In an effort to stem the tide of money I'm spending on engines I found this site
https://www.acsupplyco.com/estes/engines.htm

It looks like they have some good deals. Has anyone had any experience with them?

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My daughter can blow through motors like you wouldn't believe... I've been trying to limit myself (her) to one big order per year. They have great prices, and free shipping if you spend over $100

This year we wound up placing a "spring" and a "fall" order and got free shipping both times.

Note: some larger motors require a hazmat fee, and you don't get that for free.

KenECoyote said:

As I was reading "I regularly order (twice a year or so)" I thought :eyeroll:, but then I continued and read "...8-10 of the Blast off Flight Packs" and thought :eyepop:.

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Yes I think I posted a photo of the last order. There are only parts of 2 of those nine boxes left. And we've got a launch next weekend that may consume most of those! I'm just grateful that they are 2 bucks a motor or so. Not 40 bucks a pop! I remember when Toys r Us used to have the pink boxes of BOFP for 16.99. Times have indeed changed. Those came with 1/2 A's though if I remember right. My Mosquito and Swift got a good workout.

I have used them for several years with good results to order motors for my physical science and physics classes. I have also ordered a few kits.

Personally I'm surprised that they can offer 40% off Estes Retail. The discount is hard to believe...you can get the same discount with a Hobby Lobby coupon; however that's only 1 item at a time.

Now if they'd only update the retail prices of the Mega Der Red Max and PSII Nike Smoke...

I started using AC Supply after getting tired of the Mom and Pop hobby shop charging me full retail for a limited selection of Estes motors. (The motors were also behind the counter and off limits to customers - annoying). Before anyone asks, I will tell you there are no motors at my local Michael's, Walmart, or Hobby Lobby. My jaw hit the floor when I saw AC Supply's prices. Awesome. Mom and Pop need a clue.

Buckeye said:

I started using AC Supply after getting tired of the Mom and Pop hobby shop charging me full retail for a limited selection of Estes motors. (The motors were also behind the counter and off limits to customers - annoying). Before anyone asks, I will tell you there are no motors at my local Michael's, Walmart, or Hobby Lobby. My jaw hit the floor when I saw AC Supply's prices. Awesome. Mom and Pop need a clue.

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Mom and Pop buy from a distributor....at the same price AC supply sells direct.

KenECoyote said:

Personally I'm surprised that they can offer 40% off Estes Retail. The discount is hard to believe...you can get the same discount with a Hobby Lobby coupon; however that's only 1 item at a time.

Now if they'd only update the retail prices of the Mega Der Red Max and PSII Nike Smoke...

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They shouldn't be selling at those prices, as it is about the same as dealer pricing. Distributors get them for lower and have ruined the market for any dealer to carry the product. Estes doesn't help by giving the kits away at 25% lower than dealer costs direct to public.

AC Supply is my go-to for ordering engines and related stuff!

I used to mail order most of my BP motors at huge discounts like this.

<Soapbox> After seeing most of our LHSs go out of business, I now do most of my Low Power shopping at the remaining good LHS. While his A/B/C packs are full retail, he does discount D and up, along with blast off packs, more expensive kits, parts, etc. I've told the owner directly that I'll do my shopping there, and spread the word, as long as he can discount even a modest amount. He's returned the favor by increasing his motor variety to include every Estes engine made, and nearly the complete AT hobby-line.

If we don't help keep these places in business when we can, this hobby, and others, will keep declining. It's great to be able to send kids/parents from our launches to this local place. Just another way to pay forward. <\Soapbox>

tbonerocketeer said:

They shouldn't be selling at those prices, as it is about the same as dealer pricing. Distributors get them for lower and have ruined the market for any dealer to carry the product. Estes doesn't help by giving the kits away at 25% lower than dealer costs direct to public.

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I carry Estes motors and a few kits more for convenience for folks at the launch site more than anything. I take 10-15% off but Estes and AC supply sells for less then what most distribritors including Great Planes (Esteses owner). And Estes had the gall last year to make (most of) there dealers not to sell under 20% below retail without getting there dealership pulled.

I always keep a running list of Estes products, in which I'm interested, with my rocketry log book. Then when Estes introduces new produces, and/or I scrape together a couple hundred bucks, I head straight to ACSupply every time. I've also grabbed some neat educational doodads from them on occasion, "for my kids". I've never had any problems with their packaging or customer service.

tbonerocketeer said:

They shouldn't be selling at those prices, as it is about the same as dealer pricing. Distributors get them for lower and have ruined the market for any dealer to carry the product. Estes doesn't help by giving the kits away at 25% lower than dealer costs direct to public.

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bob jablonski said:

I carry Estes motors and a few kits more for convenience for folks at the launch site more than anything. I take 10-15% off but Estes and AC supply sells for less then what most distribritors including Great Planes (Esteses owner). And Estes had the gall last year to make (most of) there dealers not to sell under 20% below retail without getting there dealership pulled.

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Believe it or not, I actually agree with you guys on this. I was amazed when they were allowed to continue after "MAP" was put in place. Additionally, I think Estes selling directly at what seems like cost/below wholesale is an even worse idea and a poor business practice.

As a side note, I try to patronize all forms of business. My local vendor can vouch that I've emptied my wallet at the last two (or three) club launches and I've spent a lot at a local neighborhood hobby store that looked like it's hobby business was waning away.

I've found another company that sells at even lower prices than AC Supply:

https://bellevillehobby.com/

Although they charge taxes, which ends up with slightly worse prices in the end. I haven't bought anything from them, but a local group uses them as supplier for school kid rocket projects.

dpower said:

I used to mail order most of my BP motors at huge discounts like this.

<Soapbox> After seeing most of our LHSs go out of business, I now do most of my Low Power shopping at the remaining good LHS. While his A/B/C packs are full retail, he does discount D and up, along with blast off packs, more expensive kits, parts, etc. I've told the owner directly that I'll do my shopping there, and spread the word, as long as he can discount even a modest amount. He's returned the favor by increasing his motor variety to include every Estes engine made, and nearly the complete AT hobby-line.

If we don't help keep these places in business when we can, this hobby, and others, will keep declining. It's great to be able to send kids/parents from our launches to this local place. Just another way to pay forward. <\Soapbox>

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I hear ya, bro. However, my LHS offers none of that. Parts? I think I saw a two pack of launch lugs one time. Motor variety? No D12's on the rack. AT? Phhht. I haven't seen an Aerotech motor at any hobby shop in 15 years.

I don't mind paying higher prices when I get something tangible or intangible in return. Mom and Pop offer me nothing, so I might as well save some dough with the nameless, faceless internet vendor.

Hobbylinc is where I find the cheapest price for bulk packs of 18mm's.

I have bought from AC Supply several times over the years. Hobbylinc is the place for ordering E12s w/o added hazmat charge.

Also have bought from Belleville and had to pick up the package at the nearest post office. Free shipping on your birthday month.

RocketT.Coyote said:

Hobbylinc is the place for ordering E12s w/o added hazmat charge.

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And this is illegal. These motors along with the E9 cannot ship Usps, but this company continues to do so anyway. Why support a business that can jeopardize our ability to ship motors?

Wow, thanks for the interesting discussion, all!
As far as I can tell, there are 2+ (I'll explain) hobby shops within a half an hour of me that carry rocket stuff: Hobby Lobby (there are 3 within half an hour) and Hobbytown. If there were a nearby Mom&Pop (and my google-fu has come up empty) I'd definitely patronize it. I have distant, fond, dusty memories of trips to the hobby shop when I was a kid - the cramped aisles, the shelves stacked high with models, the huge rack of paint... I miss places like that. But at the end of the day, I'd probably rather my money go to AC than HL.

If someone's not charging the hazmat fee because they're covering it, cool. If they're not charging the hazmat fee because they're not following protocol, then yeah, I wouldn't want to do business with a place like that: If they're cutting corners on something as critical as appropriately shipping explosives, then what else are they skimping on?

OK, time to place an AC order

Cripes, I remember when one could get E's without the hazmat and they were 16.99 a three pack. Kurt

Hazmat charges seem to be relative to the vendor or mode of shipment. I once tried to order a Quest Micro Maxx starter set which included an Apollo Little Joe II. The vendor was going to add hazmat because motors were included. So I had to pass.

We note that while one may be charged hazmat on gallon model plane fuel, buying it in quarts gets around the fee somehow.

RocketT.Coyote said:

Hazmat charges seem to be relative to the vendor or mode of shipment. I once tried to order a Quest Micro Maxx starter set which included an Apollo Little Joe II. The vendor was going to add hazmat because motors were included. So I had to pass.

We note that while one may be charged hazmat on gallon model plane fuel, buying it in quarts gets around the fee somehow.

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Yeah, I remember getting that in 4 gallon cases in the 90's without any additional shipping charges outside of lading.

Gave up R/C 'cause the cost of crashing helicopters became prohibitive, sailplanes required too much space and glow motors made too much noise. Plus I moved from a place where there was an open, mowed field I could walk over and fly any of those items as long as school wasn't in session. Kurt