How do you guys get your engines and other supplies?

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Vigilante_A-20_DEMON

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I ask this because many hobby store here don't or have very limited choice. I can get stores to order them in for me but that's quite expensive and have to wait almost a week or more. I also DO NOT TRUST online web store sites where you have to use credit cards, NO SITE or so called %100 safe is just THAT!! It's no more like the 80's to early 90's when all stores where I'm at were very well stocked, they had every engine sizes. Some have no rocket stuff at all, they just stock what sells WELL and just do not want to be overstocked and stuck with slow moving stuff. Maybe I'll have to check out the big city shops! it's almost spring time and time to head out and fly some of my rockets! Thanks!
 
Most people here buy from vendors at club launches. But I have my credit card on file with many vendors, and I haven't had any problems.
 
Most people here buy from vendors at club launches. But I have my credit card on file with many vendors, and I haven't had any problems.

+ 1. Do you fly low to mid power. Most hobbie shops ( what is left of them) will carry at least Estes kits
 
Try Hobbylinc.com, don't know if they ship to Canada or not but they have good prices on BP motors. I'm assuming of course you do mean low power motors.

Mike

*edit* oh never mind, you don't trust websites. Well good luck with that.
 
I picked up another Estes Mercury Redstone tonight at Hobby Lobby. I managed to get one last Saturday as well. Their shipment comes in on Thursday and their shelves are stocked by Friday by the time I arrive after work. I go online while at work and take a picture of the 40% off in-store coupon with my phone to get the code off of it first.
 
I shopped at Hobbylinc.com for the first time last night and bought a Estes Little Joe II for around 35.00, Estes Nike Smoke for 35.00 and a couple of scale Honest Johns for 17.00 each. I almost paid full price for them until I found out about Hobbylinc and saved about 50.00.
 
One option to online purchasing is to pick up a pre-paid visa card in your local stores; then use that to make online purchases. If the number were to get out; it'd never be attached to your account and you'd be protected. Sadly brick and mortars are slowing down. Bat-Mite said it best; local vendors supply a whole lot of stuff at events. If you know who supports a site you can make it to; contact them ahead of time. I did and everything I wanted was waiting for me at the launch.
 
One option to online purchasing is to pick up a pre-paid visa card in your local stores; then use that to make online purchases. If the number were to get out; it'd never be attached to your account and you'd be protected. Sadly brick and mortars are slowing down. Bat-Mite said it best; local vendors supply a whole lot of stuff at events. If you know who supports a site you can make it to; contact them ahead of time. I did and everything I wanted was waiting for me at the launch.
I buy from online stores that use the paypal option like Hobbylinc.com. If somebody steals my account, they only run off with a couple hundred dollars max that I keep in that account at a time.
 
I use PayPal a lot to limit CC exposure , most of my transactions are from checking account

What size are looking for ABC 's ?
 
The OP is in Canada, so Hobbylink is not an option, beside we have 2 of the best vendors in Canada , you can call both and give your CC on the phone.

Pavel , who sell AT + Estes and keep mostly all of them in stock
https://www.allrocketengines.ca

And Angello who sell CTI + Estes
https://www.sunwardhobbies.ca/

I second this. I order from these two exclusively. Last time I ordered, I got a few things from both of them, placed the orders within minutes of each other and both arrived the next day. I happen to live less than an hour from both so maybe that's why shipping is so quick.

No complaints whatsoever from these two. There is also another site that's based in BC: www.coastrocketry.com. They only do orders by phone, fax, or email. I haven't tried them yet but I may in the future.
 
PayPal backed up by AmEx, when possible. Usually if there's a problem, PP fixes it. If PP can't take care of it, tell AmEx what the problem was and have them beat up on PP.

Never had an issue so far ( knock on wood ).
 
+1 on Pavel. I have a dedicated CC for online orders only. Have never had an issue with it as its tied to paypal only. Get one with a low limit (mine is $1000.00) and is used for anything online or deposits for hotels etc.
 
Most credit cards cover fraud fully; I've never had a card in recent years where the exposure for fraud was more than $50.

Having a dedicated card for one-time orders (as opposed to things that are charged on a recurring basis like gym memberships etc.) is a great idea, because if it does get hacked and you have to replace it, you don't have to go through the trouble of changing all the recurring expense payments.

Generally, while some flakey store websites are out there, the major ones well known to our community are as safe as any other form of payment in terms of credit cards.

Marc
 
While we're on the subject, stay away from Alibaba. Shortly after ordering there once on a card I never use, someone was trying to hack my card. The account kept getting locked from failed attempts so many times that I almost just closed the account.

The only other time I've had credit card problems was when someone used a skimmer or NFC scanner to get my card info in person, and then attempted to buy $2200 of stuff at Costco. Didn't cost me anything but a few phone calls.
 
I buy everything in bulk.
It's the only way to get building supplies at prices that don't put a big dent in the Hobby budget. I do buy most of my supplies from on-line "Trusted" sites.

As for motors. I only buy BP motors for Micro, LPR and some MPR models. but I always try to purchase my BP motors from the manufacturer or a Vendor that I can know for sure when they recieved their motor shippments. I only buy motors in the Late Fall, Winter or very early spring to ensure the motors I have did not spend 3 to 10days sitting in 145deg. trailers on the way to me or the vendor. This method has eliminated dreaded Heat cycled BP Motor Cato's. It also is the best way to get the very best pricing on yearly bulk motor orders.
 
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While we're on the subject, stay away from Alibaba. Shortly after ordering there once on a card I never use, someone was trying to hack my card. The account kept getting locked from failed attempts so many times that I almost just closed the account.

The only other time I've had credit card problems was when someone used a skimmer or NFC scanner to get my card info in person, and then attempted to buy $2200 of stuff at Costco. Didn't cost me anything but a few phone calls.
There we go! an example of why i have mistrust for online payment has been shown....... ONCE AGAIN. ; ) It's okay, i get my local hobby shop to order stuff for me, still won't chance it with my credit card online, thanks for the replies so far!
 
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There we go! an example of why i have mistrust for online payment has been shown....... ONCE AGAIN. ; ) It's okay, i get my local hobby shop to order stuff for me, still won't chance it with my credit card online, thanks for the replies so far!

Wow! you really didn't read his post did you! His card got skimmed In Person not on-line. The Only time I've ever had a credit card problem was also IN-PERSON. Some Son-of-Sea-Cook skimmed or scanned my card in my wallet. That won't happen again, but I've never had an on-line problem. Particularly when using Known Trusted Vendors or suppliers.

As an Company Purchasing Agent; I've had to ordered stuff from around the world on company and personal cards without a single problem. As Long as you Know the people you are dealing with.

I'm not afraid to buy supplies and especially Motors from my trusted vendors as it is the only way to ensure getting motors that have not had a chance to be heat cycled.

I'd suggest visiting the vendors of your choice, READ their entire information sharing & credit card use and/or storage policy. talk to their manager, order a couple things checking the outcome and looking at your statements closely for a month or two. Once you have an established record with you vendor(s) you shouldn't have much of a problem unless their computer system is hacked which can happen to just about anyone these days.

I'm also for supporting your local Hobby Shop(s). That said; I don't think i've been in one in the last 4 or 5 years.
 
Post #20, i know you have well meaning intentions, but, yes i did read his post, i meant on-line also BESIDES what was done in PERSON, it's all the same risk IMO ; ) I'll just continue letting my hobby shop order stuff for me, as i know the guy pretty well after thinking about it. Nothing is %100 these days, there's always crooks who figure out weaknesses and attack. It's not so much the vendors i'm talking about here BTW, it's more the cyber criminals who f up a good thing. I'm old school and believe in cash as much as i can do it, i'll do it.
 
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A-20 You sound like how I used to be. Been paying bills online for awhile now and when big sales come up I use my CC.
I just recently got a PP acct for a pond pump/filter combo off EBay. I had put that off for far to long.
Many online vendor's still accept M.O.s & checks. A pre-paid card is a good idea to, if your worried about security.
 
I typically go up to the peg board wall of all the Estes kits we have. Take a kit down, remove the part(s) I need and then throw the rest of the kit parts in box(s). I also have most of the full size tubes available that I can but down to length if needed. After a whole year worth of doing this we gather up all those excess spare parts and other parts gathered through out the year, stick them in six large boxes and then donate them to NARAM Auction to raise money.

Of course not everyone out there works for Estes.:wink:

John Boren
 
I typically go up to the peg board wall of all the Estes kits we have. Take a kit down, remove the part(s) I need and then throw the rest of the kit parts in box(s). I also have most of the full size tubes available that I can but down to length if needed. After a whole year worth of doing this we gather up all those excess spare parts and other parts gathered through out the year, stick them in six large boxes and then donate them to NARAM Auction to raise money.

Of course not everyone out there works for Estes.:wink:

John Boren

You have the dream job, unlimited rocket stuff abounds. Back in the late 60's my uncle said that Pueblo West was going to be a little slice of Heaven and he was right!
 
Credit card fraudsters and hackers are going to go for the big fish. Places with millions of customers like Target and Home Depot are their goal (both online and in-store). Some online rocket store or hobby store with a few thousand customers are too small for them to bother. The hackers and fraudsters also aim for the banks, so if you just have the credit card sitting in a drawer, you are open to getting ripped off (it happened to me) without even using the card. These scammers also go for TurboTax (again it happened to me) and to the IRS (yes they hit me there also). When they break into these big companies it takes much longer for them to be noticed, and these have lots of people to steal from. After all that, I use my credit cards all the time to buy rocket and hobby stuff online and have never had a problem in over 15 years.
 
Yep, a friend of mine stared getting fraudulent charges on his credit card after shopping at TARGET here in Canada, and many others in the city as well. The store is now gone from Canada foe a couple reasons not related, BUT, the stores security breach didn't help them last either.
 
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Yes, pre-paid cards are good. Those are what i use for STEAM PC game purchases. i don't think all stores offer those though, that's mostly the big chains. I see pre-paid cards all over like at WALMART. Sorry guys, i'm so painfully old school! So many crooks out there and it's only getting worse, so is my trust, and i do however value my personal info.
 
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