Tackle Box Support Supplies

OK, so this may seem like an odd or weird question, but here goes....

After a couple of years in the low power end of this hobby, I'm completely content to work in Low Power with "black powder" motors.

But my roving eye has spotted that more than one older rocketeer keeps his supplies in various sizes of tackle boxes with closable clear plastic partitions.

And recently, one such retiring rocketeer has donated his "jump kit tackle box" to me. To my surprise, it is chalk full of motors, plugs, igniters, recovery wading, nosecones, launch lugs, fins, starters, and all the rest.
This is great, cause you can spot what you're looking for at one glance and open up only the compartment that you need to retrieve something.

But then it dawns on me. With all the various motors, different sizes, strengths, boosters, and all.... this guy must have either bought a helluva lot of blister packs and broken them apart to store in his kit...
or, bought a lot of variety packs and again, sorted them out into various smaller trays. But all the igniters and starters have been lumped into two separate compartments....

...and it just seems like an incredibly expensive way to go.

IS there a bulk supply for various motors....or bulk variety packs?

Or is there a better way to store your supplies, and this system has just evolved over time?

I use large-ish portable tool boxes for my various HP stuff. One for motors, one for starters (and some misc motor hardware), one for tools and hardware, one for my launch controller, and a rifle case for motor casings. This has evolved a little for me over time.

As far as bulk packs, there are bulk BP motor packages. Here's a multi-power example: https://www.estesrockets.com/001672-blast-offr-flight-pack

Bulk packs? Sure. Just like in the above link. But it's likely that the previous owner started obtaining motors to a point where he needed some place to organize them. I feel certain he didn't just go invest in them all at once. My tackle box became too small for my ongoing needs and I too had to upgrade to a new box....or 3. I basically outgrew it. The box below was perfect for the BP motors up to the 24mm E's. I have a second box for larger motors and any other composites I use. Got this at Home Depot on sale for 19.95. Usually 29.95. You'd think it was designed just for these motors. Everything fit so nicely. There were boxes I used for igniters and plugs as well. They are also removable in case you need even more space.



Got this one at Lowe's for the composites and misc tools. There's a tray inside and a slide out tray on top that works perfect for tools you'll need on the range. Granted, none of these were bought for any HPR supplies since I don't do HPR.

Tonimus said:

I use large-ish portable tool boxes for my various HP stuff. One for motors, one for starters (and some misc motor hardware), one for tools and hardware, one for my launch controller, and a rifle case for motor casings. This has evolved a little for me over time.

As far as bulk packs, there are bulk BP motor packages. Here's a multi-power example: https://www.estesrockets.com/001672-blast-offr-flight-pack

Click to expand...

Yeah, that combo flight pack has all As, Bs, Cs.... but the few that I saw were all Ds and Es with only a few of the smaller ones as well...and a whole lot of boosters as well. D12-0 or C6-0 type stuff. (Maybe I should make a list of what he had...)

Any other bulk sources? for Estes stuff?

If you Google "Estes Bulk Engine" you'll find a great many retailers. The hobby doesn't really support bulk purchasing of anything larger than Cs. I usually just end up buying a bunch of carded motors.

I generally promote supporting your vendor on the field when you can, but that is not always practical. For most Estes products, including motors size D and below, I have been very happy with AC Supply. If you have a local Hobby Lobby you can get a 40% discount coupon from their website valid for one single item per week.

Cheers,
Michael

+1 on supporting the local vendor/hobby shop, and the Hobby Lobby 40% coupons!

TangoJuliet said:

+1 on supporting the local vendor/hobby shop, and the Hobby Lobby 40% coupons!

Click to expand...

All good ideas. Unfortunately, the nearest Hobby Lobby is 45 miles away , and I don't get up that way much any more.
(Plus, there's another rocketry hobby shop within 3 miles of Hobby Lobby and I tend to want to give them my business,
because of the personal touch... as well as knowledge of the product!)

[And....there's always the business/politics of Hobby Lobby's ownership in the back of my mind...]

But a 40% off coupon is great, if you're gonna go by there...

The LHS and Hobby Lobby are equidistant from me, and the LHS owner is a member of our R/C club. I support them both.

Hobby Lobby also sells bulk packs of As and Bs, so with the 40% off coupon you can end up with about $2 per engine.
HobbyLinc.Com has fairly decent prices on the bulk packs as well. The mixed pack (six each A8-3, B6-4, C6-3 and C6-5) tends to be the cheapest per engine.