The price of Estes engines

[Tarasdad]

*sigh* I'll be lucky if I can afford a 3-pack a month the way things are right now.

[scsager]

The reason I DON'T belong to Sam's or Costco! Not because they don't have good deals, but because it is hard to have the discipline to just get what you NEED, and not what you don't need but is such a good deal.

There is a Costco in Grafton near where I live - we're members. Every time we go there on a Saturday, it's amazing... The 300 spot parking lot is full. You have to drive around a while or park next door. Tons of folks loading up the shoping carts inside. All 20 registers have lines 10 shoppers deep. Probably hundreds to thousands of dollars worth of stuff in most carts.

Based on media reports, we have a bad economy... but judging by the shoppers at Costco on any given Saturday, you would never know it.

[Tarasdad]

The reason why we like Sam's Club and Costco is that we can purchase a month's worth of groceries for 1/2 what it would cost at the grocery store - and we usually have enough to share with family. Now if we could only get them to carry rocket motors....

[georgeb]

I shop online at Don's Hobby alot. The sales cycle on an off alot but the discounts are huge. No tax an NO shipping.
http://www.nwtrainsntreasure.com/servlet/StoreFront
The Boy Scouts I think wised up,there isn't any rocket stuff for sale.

[shreadvector]

I shop online at Don's Hobby alot. The sales cycle on an off alot but the discounts are huge. No tax an NO shipping.
http://www.nwtrainsntreasure.com/servlet/StoreFront
The Boy Scouts I think wised up,there isn't any rocket stuff for sale.

The Boy Scouts did not "wise up". They had a huge quantity of old stock, some from 1994. They were not selling much because of all the discount online vendors. SO, the rocketry stuff went on clearance nationwide (central warehouse and all scout shops in the USA) and everything should be gone now, except for the wadding packs.

Personally, I have a huge bag with at least 100 wadding packs inside. I use 90% cellulose "dog barf") and 10% Estes or Quest wadding or flameproof crepe paper.

[Flhyr]

Ha!, I found this on that nwtrainsntreasures.com site, I think I'll passs!

Price: $219.99
Retail: $199.99
You Save: ($20.00) (-10%)
This item is in stock

[georgeb]

The Boy Scouts did not "wise up". They had a huge quantity of old stock, some from 1994. They were not selling much because of all the discount online vendors. SO, the rocketry stuff went on clearance nationwide (central warehouse and all scout shops in the USA) and everything should be gone now, except for the wadding packs.

Personally, I have a huge bag with at least 100 wadding packs inside. I use 90% cellulose "dog barf") and 10% Estes or Quest wadding or flameproof crepe paper.

I did't know that,glad I bought a couple of boxes of engines from them. Mixed wadding is a good idea,I put a couples of squares of Estes then dog barf on top.

[LaunchPad]

I am discovering that the constant buying of a one time usage expensive rocket engine is one of, or maybe the only, con of a model rocket hobby.
Launching the rockets so that I can really feel that I'm getting my monies worth will be something that I'll do but only with a lot of moderation.
Fly a kite? Just a one time purchase and no cost to fly over and over again.
A model train? Sure it costs a lot or if your lucky like I am the majority of the set with accessories were gifts. But there is no cost to run it each time around the track. Maybe some for electricity but that might be small compared to rockets and you don't have to wait to buy a device to run it for each time at the store. Just pay the bills and everything is fine.
I don't mean to be a Donald Downer. I'm just pointing out how it is for this rocketeer who likes to be frugal and very careful with his money.
So I will reluctantly pay a bunch for the engines since there may not be much choice and enjoy it with a launch here and there without using up too many or all the engines for every loft to the upper deck from the ground.

[rockets4kids]

Rockets. Like crack for geeks.

[AfterBurners]

I agree. Being my age, I can't exactly afford to buy very large motors, but I thoroughly enjoy LPR, and now some small MPR rockets, since that's what agrees with my budget. Toilet paper tubes? Been there done that. I practice what I call "extreme budget rocketry." I build pretty much exclusively scratchers, and using things like $1 poster boards with formers and an internal BT, I can build a 3" diameter 40" tall rocket for under $4! True, it would be nice if motors were cheeper, but between Michael's, Hobby Lobby, and Hobby Linc, it's possible to get some pretty good deals.
As nraymondb says, whatever size rocket you fly, it's a great hobby.

I think that's cool...this hobby is only as expensive as you make it.

[cwbullet]

Rockets. Like crack for geeks.

Very true. The large the motor I use, the more I want to use a more powerful I want to use the next time.

[aditat2]

There really is a great deal of "sticker shock" attached to this hobby - especially after being away from it for so long. When I first started doing this stuff I could get a three pack of B's or C's for a buck or two, But then I was lucky to be making $2.35 hr at my afterschool part time job. When I decided to get back into it recently I was amazed at how quickly the costs added up. As far as motors go it's reloadables for me, sure the initial cost is high but after a few launches it starts to even out and eventually get a little cheaper. I don't have deep pockets either so $60 - 100 or more for a kit is just too much - and scratch building becomes a necessity. That way I can spend my limited budget on re-loads and paint.

[MarkH]

Is the link below where I would find the wadding? It doesn't show anything. Might that mean they have no more wadding?

http://www.scoutstuff.org/bsa/crafts...cessories.html

The Boy Scouts did not "wise up". They had a huge quantity of old stock, some from 1994. They were not selling much because of all the discount online vendors. SO, the rocketry stuff went on clearance nationwide (central warehouse and all scout shops in the USA) and everything should be gone now, except for the wadding packs.

Personally, I have a huge bag with at least 100 wadding packs inside. I use 90% cellulose "dog barf") and 10% Estes or Quest wadding or flameproof crepe paper.