Anyone Remember The Eggspress???

JumpJet said:

I agree with Fred on this one. A BT-56 nose cone isn't going to fit inside a BT-55 body tube. There may be a slim chance and I do mean slim chance that there is enough thickness on the plastic shoulder that you can sand it done enough to fit inside a BT-55 body tube. An alternative would be to remove a layer of paper out from the inside of a BT-55 body tube just at the top where the shoulder fits into. Of course I believe Semroc sales the original Centuri equivalent diameter tube.

John Boren

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Even discussing BT-56 in this thread has been rendered moot, as this nose cone clearly fits BT-55.
Don't know who brought up BT-56, but I wish they had'nt.

I'm starting to think about how I'll get Decals for this bird. Mark is not an option now and I hear that Gord from excelsior is having issues with his printer, so I think on Friday I'll go by a local print shop that does custom vinyl and have them knock them out for me. I had them make a custom decal for my last Jeep and it was quick and cheap to work with them.

TopRamen said:

I'm starting to think about how I'll get Decals for this bird. Mark is not an option now and I hear that Gord from excelsior is having issues with his printer, so I think on Friday I'll go by a local print shop that does custom vinyl and have them knock them out for me. I had them make a custom decal for my last Jeep and it was quick and cheap to work with them.

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Gordy has a new printer which is working fine. He's back in business.

Gus said:

Gordy has a new printer which is working fine. He's back in business.

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That's good to know. Thanks.
I'm going to try the local route first, as it would be nice to have the printer right nearby wear I can go get decals made anytime.

Got the lugs cut and glassed. Went with 1.5oz. stuff since it's easiest to work with.
They won't be going anywhere.

Primed the body tube and did a little sanding.
I'll have some bondo to do tomorrow, then more priming.

Today I used JB Weld to cover and blend the seam of the glass that I used to reinforce the lugs, then sanded that and bondoed everything.
got it sanded down pretty well, but that's all I'm going to get done today.

I got the final coat of primer on there this morning and then a little while ago used what I had left of Testors Light Gloss Blue to do the first coat of paint.

Normally, I'de just go support my local Hobby Shop, Coins and Hobbies, 8 miles away, to get my Paint but they put a sign on there Door that says "PLEASE no Firearms unless you are Law Enforcement".
I always carry concealed, and especially so if I have to go some place like Barre.
Guess they don't want my Business anymore, and that's too bad for them because I only shopped there out of pity, and a strange sentiment that it was good to "Support my local Hobby Store". I hope they go out of Business.
So, looks like I'll patiently wait on my online order of the Testors can.
I went to Ace Hardware yesterday and got some Sun Yellow by Krylon for the Egg Capsule part.

Got the nose cone painted today.

TopRamen said:

Normally, I'de just go support my local Hobby Shop, Coins and Hobbies, 8 miles away, to get my Paint but they put a sign on there Door that says "PLEASE no Firearms unless you are Law Enforcement".
I always carry concealed, and especially so if I have to go some place like Barre.
Guess they don't want my Business anymore, and that's too bad for them because I only shopped there out of pity, and a strange sentiment that it was good to "Support my local Hobby Store". I hope they go out of Business.
So, looks like I'll patiently wait on my online order of the Testors can.
I went to Ace Hardware yesterday and got some Sun Yellow by Krylon for the Egg Capsule part.

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Well, they didn't say that you couldn't come in...they just asked for no Firearms unless you were Law Enforcement.
If you weren't planning on pulling or displaying the gun, I would think you'd have been OK...especially if you were only buying a can of spray paint.

Kirk G said:

Well, they didn't say that you couldn't come in...they just asked for no Firearms unless you were Law Enforcement.
If you weren't planning on pulling or displaying the gun, I would think you'd have been OK...especially if you were only buying a can of spray paint.

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I don't support Businesses that don't support the individuals right to self-defense.
It's a matter of principle.
My paint should be here soon from my online order.

Paint just showed up in the mail!

This is the first time I've recreated one of my childhood favorites to look almost exactly like the one I had.
It's funny because even though the one I had as a kid was built with pretty primitive/limited skills, it still flew great and was flown at least 50 times.
I can't wait to see this thing take flight.
Thanks to going with a 24mm Motor this thing could concievably carry substantial payloads given the size of the rocket. Any 24mm that will leave room for the recovery gear could be used. Not to any amazing altitudes of course, but something to ponder none the less.
I still need to install the recovery gear/decals/clear coat and 6 miniature screws equidistant around the joins in the payload bay, but here's what it weighs so far.

Finally, I'de like to add, before Decals or Maiden Flight, a big thanks to all who contributed to this build.
LW Bercini for the nose cone.
K'Tesh for doing the Openrocket Sim that I used as the basis for my Sim.
Bradycros for the link to the fin templates.
JeromeK99 for teaching me about lightweight Fiberglass cloth.
And last but not least, Rocketarium for their excellent 24mm Retainers.

Rocketryforum.com is the best!

TopRamen said:

Paint just showed up in the mail!

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That's INCREDIBLE! I usually have to drive down to the store to pick some up! It NEVER just shows up in my mail box! LOL!

Hey Top,

I redid the .ork file to eliminate that phantom body tube that messed up the altitudes. However, the phantom body tube for the engine hook is still there, and due to the decal arrangements, air fins were added.

Thought you'd like to know.




You can download the file in post #22 of my .ork files thread.

K'Tesh said:

Hey Top,

I redid the .ork file to eliminate that phantom body tube that messed up the altitudes. However, the phantom body tube for the engine hook is still there, and due to the decal arrangements, air fins were added.

Thought you'd like to know.




You can download the file in post #22 of my .ork files thread.

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I'de love to put this one up in the air, but I can't find my launch rod.
I may have to use my wire gauge bits and some screw to make buttons for it to fly from makerbeam.

Hope this photo uploads. My Estes Eggspress. Would love to replace the payload section with a clear tube but im not sure what size it is?

Barry Carlisle said:

Hope this photo uploads. My Estes Eggspress. Would love to replace the payload section with a clear tube but im not sure what size it is?

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In looking at my graphic I'm reminded that it's 2.04" OD. In looking at my sim, I'm showing an ID of 2". IINM, that the same diameter as the body tube from the Mercury Redstone... Yup... it is. I used a scrap of body tube from my first failed attempt at building a Mercury Redstone to replace a damaged Eggspress or Scrambler payload section body tube.

kjohnson said:

You can get this capsule from Estes as part of the TARC Small Parts Assortment:

It comes with one 2.08 IN diameter 10 IN Body Tube for egg capsule and two 18 IN BT 56 Body Tubes.

kj

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Just an update on this... The current selection of TARC parts available from Estes does not include this payload section. According to a conversation I had with John Boren years ago, the mold for the parts was nearly worn out, and wouldn't be replaced (but this was before the Langford family bought Estes).