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Woody's Workshop

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I've noticed that BT-56 is being phased out.
Not just with Estes, but it's getting harder and harder to find stuff for that size.
UMRS has a closeout sale on all engine mounts for BT-56.
I went looking for a specific nose cone today, and didn't find much.
Basically, the 4 pack from Estes. I wonder how long them are going to be around?
I could only find 1 package of BT's from Estes, and they are no longer available on the web site.
Looking at other suppliers, I only found 1 vendor that has stock, and he closing them out!
What is up with doing away with it? Is there a conspiracy of we hate BT-56 going on?

I've got an Astro Cam nose cone that has 18 picks left on the loaded film.
I wanted to build a rocket and finish up that cartridge, and then convert it into a movie camera cone.
And it won't fit in a BT-55 no how.
 
What is your BT print out? Is it shareable?

Yes, I printed it from Semroc years ago.
I'm suprised it still exists.
It's "HERE"

I also have a spreed sheet of Semroc kits, specs, and link to each rocket if anyone is interested.
Send me a pm with your email and your request for the "SEMROC SPREEDSHEET" and I'll email it to you.
 
The BT-56 Eliminator is also going out of production. But there are MANY MANY BT-56 kits out there from recent production, especially of the E2X variety. Just look for diameter 1.35" in any catalog. I got my first pack of BT-56 tubes from Sunward (nice and white) and as others have mentioned eRockets is a good source too, if you are wanting to build from scratch. You could put together a short length of BT-56 with a balsa reducer to fly on BT-50, for example.

And the PNC-56 plastic nose cone in the Estes 4-pack has historically been the primary BT-56 cone, even going back to the old Centuri and Enerjet #13 models - there has never been a big variety of them.

And what are picks?
 
And what are picks?

Pics, added a k. Pictures.

I've gotten BT's from almost every supplier out there.
And I would have to say Sunward has the best tubes.
But from a recent email from Angelo, looks like he isn't going to carry the BT-56 when sold out.
eRockets don't list a BT-56, but am told an ST sized tube is the same. I need to check on that still.
 
Last edited:
Pics, added a k. Pictures.

I've gotten BT's from almost every supplier out there.
And I would have to say Sunward has the best tubes.
But from a recent email from Angelo, looks like he isn't going to carry the BT-56 when sold out.
eRockets don't list a BT-56, but am told an ST sized tube is the same. I need to check on that still.

That's right, the ST-13 is very nearly identical. My understanding is that Estes created the BT-56 specifically to mesh with existing ST-13 parts from Centuri. Famously, the PNC-136 nosecone and F413L fin unit seen on the Centuri Phoenix Bird and Estes Challenger II from the period.
 
Yes, I printed it from Semroc years ago.
I'm suprised it still exists.
It's "HERE"

I am very grateful to Randy for keeping the Semroc site going. Carl spent many hours gathering all the info that is contained on the site.

Sheryl

I use that body tube reference page all the time!

Another huge resource is the few hundred scripts/classic parts pages, an example below. You want to clone a classic kit, and someone (Carl again I presume) has put together a full parts list, with Semroc/eRockets part numbers!

https://semroc.com/store/scripts/ClassicParts.asp?ID=109
 
Also, the pdf instructions still on the Semroc site has the parts list as well.
I've downloaded most everything I could find just in case if someday it is no longer available.
But Randy has done an excellent job of incorporating Semroc site with his so all the info is still available.
 
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