Quest motors VS Estes ?

[sodmeister]

I`ve never used Quest motors before ,always Estes (Quest were never really readily available online or locally) but I now deal with a great online store that has good prices on many LP items ,and Quest is one of them (not to mention Aerotech G-Forces for $84.99 Cdn)

How do the Quest motors differ from Estes ,any major differences ?

I also like that the Quest motors come with the Q igniters !

Thankyou

Paul T

[chadrog]

I've personally never flown them, but others in our club do. From what I've seen of them flying, there's nothing markedly different or exceptional that would make me pay more for them as opposed to Estes. Now if they could make a C6 Skidmark, that'd be a different story all together!

[chrism]

I use and have flown with both and I don't see a difference in performance. The Quest motors are usually cheaper to buy.

[BrianURocket]

I tried Quest. I like the ignitors and straw to hold them in, but other than that, I prefer Estes, maybe because I have more experience with them and didn't notice much difference. Estes engines are made in the US, Quest in China, so I prefer the Estes since price differential is minimal.

[gpoehlein]

The Chinese Quest motors can be interesting. They have a bit less of a thrust spike at the beginning (check out the thrust curves at NAR.org) but a bit longer thrust. They are smoker than Estes motors and are fantastic in clusters where the spike isn't as crucial to getting the rocket off the pad. Also, in certain circumstances, the A6-4 is really nice with the four second delay (again, in a cluster - the Ranger flies great on three A6-4 motors). Biggest downside is that Quest does not have the selection that Estes does - notably no B6-6 or C6-7 for two stage models.

[sodmeister]

The Chinese Quest motors can be interesting. They have a bit less of a thrust spike at the beginning (check out the thrust curves at NAR.org) but a bit longer thrust. They are smoker than Estes motors and are fantastic in clusters where the spike isn't as crucial to getting the rocket off the pad. Also, in certain circumstances, the A6-4 is really nice with the four second delay (again, in a cluster - the Ranger flies great on three A6-4 motors). Biggest downside is that Quest does not have the selection that Estes does - notably no B6-6 or C6-7 for two stage models.

It`s like you read my mind ,as I`m making some scratch cluster rockets for our smaller LP/HP field and Quest bulk packs came to mind ,although Estes has them also.

Going to need a whack of 18mm and 24mm motors !

I`ve never flown clusters ,so I`m pretty stoked about this !

Paul T

[RocketManDan]

It`s like you read my mind ,as I`m making some scratch cluster rockets for our smaller LP/HP field and Quest bulk packs came to mind ,although Estes has them also.

Going to need a whack of 18mm and 24mm motors !

I`ve never flown clusters ,so I`m pretty stoked about this !

Paul T

GFORCE is $64 at Hobbylinc

[sodmeister]

I tried Quest. I like the ignitors and straw to hold them in, but other than that, I prefer Estes, maybe because I have more experience with them and didn't notice much difference. Estes engines are made in the US, Quest in China, so I prefer the Estes since price differential is minimal.

I did not know Quest was made in China.The Quest motors are cheaper than the Estes(minimal as you say) ,although that has no bearing in my purchase ,but I do like the igniters that come with them !


Paul T

[chadrog]

I've never seen a lower than Estes price on the Quest motors- everywhere I've seen them they are considerably more, Hobbylinc included.

[sodmeister]

I've never seen a lower than Estes price on the Quest motors- everywhere I've seen them they are considerably more, Hobbylinc included.

The Quest motors are maybe .60 cents a pack cheaper in the 3 packs and a few bucks on the bulk packs ,here in Canada at least.

But then at the cost of reloads for HP over the season ,the price between Estes and Quest is not a factor

Paul T

[MarkII]

I did not know Quest was made in China.The Quest motors are cheaper than the Estes(minimal as you say) ,although that has no bearing in my purchase ,but I do like the igniters that come with them !


Paul T

Quest motors are made under contract with a Chinese supplier. They also contract with a German supplier for their MicroMaxx motors. Quest Aerospace is an American-owned and US-based company.

[luke strawwalker]

I bought a pretty big mess of Quest motors a year or so ago on a special. They're okay but not "all that". Honestly I prefer the Estes motors.

Took me three dinged rockets from "partial deploys" (nose cone popped off but everything else still stuck in the end of the tube) to figure out that the ejection charge is maybe "half" what an Estes ejection charge is, at MOST. People thumb their noses at Estes "shotgun" ejection charges, but lemme tell ya, Quest "flea fart" ejection charges are worse when your rocket comes in hot due to the laundry not coming out. (and yeah, I prepped the rocket IDENTICALLY to how I do it with Estes motors and haven't had the Estes motor fail to deploy everything in recent memory... using both 20 year old Estes motors and newly purchased ones.)

The first of the "long burn" Quest C6's we flew (me and another club guy) in his Estes Metalizer (with the plastic lock-ring motor mount), the casing got SO HOT during the flight that when we got the rocket back and he went to remove the motor, found it had softened/melted the plastic ring enough to weld it to the motor casing... I told him to let it cool thoroughly and then gently wiggle the casing til it turned loose from the ring, hopefully without cracking it. The casing itself got SO HOT that it "carmelized" the white paper motor label, turning it a chocolate brown... we split the casing lengthwise and found that the thinner casing was VERY VERY CLOSE to burning through, as evidenced by VERY DARK brown "char spots" on the carmelized motor label. The Quest casings are thinner than Estes and combining this with the "longer burn" is NOT a good thing IMHO...

The fact that the motor is longer burning but with the same overall propulsive power (total impulse) means that the motors have a lower overall thrust. SO, while they'll just go and go with a lightweight streamlined rocket and really put it up there, for a heavier, draggier rocket, they seem rather underpowered... sorta stagger into the air... SO basically *I* wouldn't recommend them in heavier, draggier rockets that would fly perfectly fine on an "equivalent" Estes motor...

SO, basically I'm going to have to build some "motor burners" for these Quest motors... I don't trust them enough to fly them in my Dr. Zooch rockets and scratchbuilts... Don't get me wrong, they're fun motors and it's good to have choices, but realize their weaknesses and differences and use that information accordingly.

LOVE the Q2G2 ignitors... not as crazy about the "straw" method of holding the ignitor in-- I think the Estes "plug tacks" are better... but they work adequately and they ARE neat that they protect the pyrogen in storage. Too bad Estes hasn't come out with and equivalent ignitor to the Q2G2...

JMHO and experience...

Later! OL JR

[sodmeister]

I`m pretty much leaning towards good old Estes me thinks...hey ,I`ve been using them since the 70s ,never had a problem with them then or now.

I have a few birds that need to be sent skyward ,canary in a coalmine kinda thing ,so I`ll try out a pack or two of Quest motors and see for myself.

I do sure like those Quest igniters though.

Didn`t George Washington once say "In Estes we trust" ?


Paul T

[BEC]

In my experience Quest B6-4s are equal to or slightly better performing than the Estes ones and have a real four second delay (or a bit longer). They are pretty much interchangeable in application with the Estes equivalents. In a B-impulse competition, I'll go Quest. Otherwise, whatever I have.

The A6s and C6s are NOT freely interchangeable with their near Estes equivalents.

The C6 has a good initial kick but then a long, lower thrust "cruise" burn. This makes for spectacular flights in light rockets and big arc-overs in heavier ones or on very stable ones on windy days. I would not fly a Metalizer on one, for example. For something light and low drag they are really impressive.

The A6-4s are a disappointment to me. Others have said they're perfect in something like an Alpha but they build thrust so slowly that if there's much of a breeze even a light rocket will pitch over. Their time-thrust curve is triangular. But in a cluster - nice!

And yes, they're smoky. They are also all noticeably louder than their Estes counterparts - which has a certain appeal to some .

I occasionally buy bulk packages of Quest motors when they go on sale, and then I reserve the supplied Q2G2 igniters for clusters (and drag races). A slightly melted Estes B6 plug (the purple/pink one) and an Estes igniter work fine in the Quest motors, so I can then have the marvelous Q2G2s available for special purposes. Every cluster flight I have flown as a BAR has been with Q2G2s (including two today - using 3x 1/2A3-4Ts) and every one has lit all the motors.

My opinion and experience as someone just over 3.5 years back in this madness after a 30+ year hiatus.

As always, YMMV.

[powderburner]

Quest motors have always performed just fine for me. I like them (especially the new & improved igniters they come with now) a lot and don't have any "preferences" of Q versus E, I just buy what I can find.

Biggest difference I can think of is that Quest used to get their motors from other manufacturers and then wrap a wrinkled Quest paper label on the outside, often making the motor too large to fit into the MMT. You were supposedly allowed to peel off these outer wraps but I never did hear how that practice was OK per the NAR safety code and the warnings about motor modifications. Anyway, if you can get 'em to fit the MMT (and all the newer Quest motors have worked fine for me) they will work just fine.

Some folks have commented that they think the Quest ejection charges are weak, or at least weaker than the equivalent Estes. This may be true (OTOH, Estes has been making monster ejection charges for years now) but the Quest ejection charges have worked just fine in my experience.

[Zonie]

More like Nuclear Ejection charges...

[hcmbanjo]

In my experience Quest B6-4s are equal to or slightly better performing than the Estes ones and have a real four second delay (or a bit longer). They are pretty much interchangeable in application with the Estes equivalents. In a B-impulse competition, I'll go Quest. Otherwise, whatever I have.
The A6s and C6s are NOT freely interchangeable with their near Estes equivalents.
The C6 has a good initial kick but then a long, lower thrust "cruise" burn. This makes for spectacular flights in light rockets and big arc-overs in heavier ones or on very stable ones on windy days. I would not fly a Metalizer on one, for example. For something light and low drag they are really impressive.
The A6-4s are a disappointment to me. Others have said they're perfect in something like an Alpha but they build thrust so slowly that if there's much of a breeze even a light rocket will pitch over. Their time-thrust curve is triangular. But in a cluster - nice!
And yes, they're smoky. They are also all noticeably louder than their Estes counterparts - which has a certain appeal to some .
I occasionally buy bulk packages of Quest motors when they go on sale, and then I reserve the supplied Q2G2 igniters for clusters (and drag races). A slightly melted Estes B6 plug (the purple/pink one) and an Estes igniter work fine in the Quest motors, so I can then have the marvelous Q2G2s available for special purposes. Every cluster flight I have flown as a BAR has been with Q2G2s (including two today - using 3x 1/2A3-4Ts) and every one has lit all the motors.

As always, YMMV.

My thoughts exactly!
At first I was happy with the Quest A6-4s, loud and slower off the pad. But I have had models pitch over also.
I like the Quest B6 engines, except for the soot.
I save my Q2G2 igniters for clusters. With the longer wires on a three engine cluster I don't need clip whips.
The longer wires also make for easier connections (with no extension wires added) on models like the Point and Up! Cup.

[Zonie]

I wish they would bring back the C5's...

I usually use Estes, the Old German made Quest motors seemed to fit sorta loose in the rockets.

Back in my early rocketry days, I bought only Centuri, here in Phoenix. Now talk about local! Remember the Sure Shot Igniters you had to build?

[The Rocket Kid]

Not a big fan of Quest stuff mostly because it's not as easily avalible as estes stuff.

[JStarStar]

Not a big fan of Quest stuff mostly because it's not as easily avalible as estes stuff.

That probably varies by region and maybe by individual retailer.

I talked to the owner of a fairly new (1 year or so) actual brick and mortar HOBBY SHOP in my town about the topic when I came in and found him carrying a fairly even split of Estes/Quest stuff, which in my experience is kind of rare. He said both companies are supplied to LHSes through some of the same distributors and sometimes prices fluctuate on one vs. the other -- he said, "a few months ago they had Quest stuff at good prices so I loaded up, then a couple months later it was Estes who had the good prices," so he has ended up with a fairly decent mix on the shelves.

But of course this may or may not be true in your area. If your local hobby shop works with distributors who carry only Estes, that's what you'll get.

[luke strawwalker]

That probably varies by region and maybe by individual retailer.

I talked to the owner of a fairly new (1 year or so) actual brick and mortar HOBBY SHOP in my town about the topic when I came in and found him carrying a fairly even split of Estes/Quest stuff, which in my experience is kind of rare. He said both companies are supplied to LHSes through some of the same distributors and sometimes prices fluctuate on one vs. the other -- he said, "a few months ago they had Quest stuff at good prices so I loaded up, then a couple months later it was Estes who had the good prices," so he has ended up with a fairly decent mix on the shelves.

But of course this may or may not be true in your area. If your local hobby shop works with distributors who carry only Estes, that's what you'll get.

That, and a lot of the hobby shops in THIS area simply don't want to tie up the shelf space or tie up the money in inventory to carry two "competing" lines of rocket stuff... so they usually just get Estes stuff and call it good... I've seen ONE brick-n-mortar shop in the Houston metro area that carries two competing lines (meaning both LPR manufacturers; there is another store that carries Estes LPR and LOC/Precision HPR stuff but these aren't "competing lines" since they're in two different categories). They carry Estes motors and kits and have a few Red River kits on the pegs in the corner behind them...

Later! OL JR

[Zonie]

I haven't flown more than a few Quest motors, given that I cleared the shelf at walmart when they blew the estes motors out at $2 per pack a while back. I have a buddy that usually flies quest motors, and always seems to be melting chutes. perhaps more flaming debris is going up the BT at ejection? He has used my method of wrapping dog barf with a few layers of estes TP, and yet still melted and burned chutes...

Just an observation.

I do like Quest's new igniters, though. They are good for non-rocketry related pyro-effect projects...

[GDJ]

I've used a few Quest C6-5 engines. They work well for lighter models, but they seem to really have a place as a upper stage engine.

[JStarStar]

I haven't flown more than a few Quest motors, given that I cleared the shelf at walmart when they blew the estes motors out at $2 per pack a while back. I have a buddy that usually flies quest motors, and always seems to be melting chutes. perhaps more flaming debris is going up the BT at ejection? He has used my method of wrapping dog barf with a few layers of estes TP, and yet still melted and burned chutes...

Just an observation.

I do like Quest's new igniters, though. They are good for non-rocketry related pyro-effect projects...

I have seen several reports that Quest ejection charges seem to be more "roman candle" style as opposed to the shotgun-cannon style seen in many Estes motors in recent years.

As far as the chute melting problem I think I would be more inclined to wrap the chute itself in a couple squares of Estes TP style wadding than the dog barf.

[CarVac]

Quest motors do have pretty coarse ejection charges: my friend wanted to hook his keychain camera to an LPR, so he borrowed an 18" chute of mine in order to give a decent descent rate.

The ejection charge properly pushed the chute out without issue, but when the chute was fully extended the BP particles were still burning and poked a few holes in the nylon; no wadding could do anything to stop that.

[luke strawwalker]

I haven't flown more than a few Quest motors, given that I cleared the shelf at walmart when they blew the estes motors out at $2 per pack a while back. I have a buddy that usually flies quest motors, and always seems to be melting chutes. perhaps more flaming debris is going up the BT at ejection? He has used my method of wrapping dog barf with a few layers of estes TP, and yet still melted and burned chutes...

Just an observation.

I do like Quest's new igniters, though. They are good for non-rocketry related pyro-effect projects...

Personally I think it's a sort of "hibachi effect"... where the slow-burning delay grain continues to burn after the ejection charge has fired... the continued slow burn would also account for the "carmelized" casings that are very nearly burned through that you sometimes find when you pull the motor casing out of the rocket after using a Quest motor. Their delay and ejection charges DO burn MUCH more smoky and nasty and leave more residue in/on the surface of the rocket... that much I've seen for sure.

Later! OL JR

[Gus]

We've used Quest motors for our Make-It-Fly-It events at the Detroit Maker's Faire for the last two years. IIRC we did >200 the first year and ~250 the second year. Great motors and igniters, all day long! The A6-4 is perfect for small rockets like the Quest Starhawk. Very reliable motors and the igniters were perfect for this kind of event where you want as close to zero failures as possible. I use, and love, Estes motors as well but thought I'd share my experience having flown hundreds of Quest A6-4 flights.

[MarkII]

The casing itself got SO HOT that it "carmelized" the white paper motor label, turning it a chocolate brown... we split the casing lengthwise and found that the thinner casing was VERY VERY CLOSE to burning through, as evidenced by VERY DARK brown "char spots" on the carmelized motor label. The Quest casings are thinner than Estes and combining this with the "longer burn" is NOT a good thing IMHO...

I have heard this from quite a few folks, so obviously it's a thing, but so far I haven't seen it in the Chinese-made Quest motors that I have used. All were long-burn, too: D5s and C6s. Granted, I haven't flown all that many yet, so perhaps it's just a matter of time.

Quest Q2G2 igniters are hands down the very best igniters ever created for black powder model rocket motors. They are unsurpassed for reliable cluster ignitions.

[BEC]

A black Cobra! Cool!

[dpower]

Quest Q2G2 igniters are hands down the very best igniters ever created for black powder model rocket motors. They are unsurpassed for reliable cluster ignitions.

And they're great for single motors too! Easier to use, and nearly impossible to break. I like the straw retainer better too.