New Member- Rocketry bio

Like most of you, I am a B.A.R. Ok, there, I said it.

I'm actually a musician and singer most of the time. I travel all around the country performing my music. Some of you may know who I am and some not. They play me on country radio- my single is called "Memphis Rain." Just did a few tour stops with Dwight Yoakam. But I digress.

Yep, I started back in the early 70's as a kid. The usual Estes stuff. Left it all behind when I discovered girls and guitars (in that order). Didn't launch anything for over 20 years!

Then my 4-year old son started asking questions about rockets. Boom! I was done. Great opportunity because (as I told my wife as she was eying me with "that" look), "This will be a great educational opportunity for him..."

I re-entered with an Estes Mercury Redstone and got my son the Alpha starter kit. Had 5 great launches before a RET (Rocket Eating Tree) ate the Alpha. A friend gave me a pristine, still-packaged 1969 Estes Big Bertha and a bunch of unopened Estes kits (yeah!) from his youth. Am now working on an Aerotech Tomahawk.

Son loves it. I love it. Daughter loves it (those Aerotech motors sound so cool!) Wife is cool but iffy (haha). Am spending too much. No place to launch in Southern California but I do it anyway. had the local police helicopter dispatched last week... "ATTENTION you with the missles. Please cease your launches...Do not move until a surface officer arrives..."

Great forum. Thanks to all you experienced guys. I learn a LOT from all of you. Thank you!

Welcome marclee. I think you are the first celebrity on the forum. I am just getting into rockets myself. I did several low-powered Wal-Mart specials on Estes engines. I flew my first mid-powered Aerotech rocket (the Initiator) a few weeks ago. I agree with the statement about Aerotech engines. Very impressive sound.

Fun story about the police. I take it you didn't get thrown in jail.

Good luck with the music. I'm a rock and roll fan myself so I can't say I heard your song. I'll keep an ear out for it. Is there a CD available?

Welcome Marclee. I'm a NPR listener myself. Does that make me a nerd????

Thanks for the welcome, Milo.

No I didn't get thrown in jail. It just goes to show you how narrow-minded people can get. All these suburbanites with their panties in a knot get all freaked out by rockets. In Southern California (Orange County in particular), model rockets are seldom seen. People in their homes look outside and think you're trying to bring down an airliner. They don't know about model rockets. I have volunteered to give a community education class about rocketry to try and minimize the fear that people have. You know, they think you're experimenting with explosives and all. You can't blame them. The cops are nice but firm. They basically tell you to do it elsewhere, outside of the city. The problem in california is that there is no "elsewhere." It's a battle in many areas I'm sure.

You know, I was flying back from Nashville a couple of days ago and as I was flying over New Mexico and Arizona/Nevada, I saw what must be the greatest rocketry areas in the nation...HUGE expanses of open, flat, clear land. I'm moving to NM (hahaha).

Yeah, you can find my CD in lots of stores. I don't know where you are but you can always order it on Amazon.com or if you search on "Marc Corey Lee" on any of the search engines you'll find lots of links to where you can get it. I do rocketry because it takes me out of the rat race of music and tour buses and radio stations and soundchecks and all that. You know, we all have a "job" and rocketry is the most relaxing thing (to me) to get away from that. Glad there are others out there who enjoy it that much. Something about that "WHOOSH" when that engine ignites and you see that baby go up straight, pop the nose cone and come down...My boy just LOVES it.

Thanks for your note.

Marc

Originally posted by PGerringer
Welcome Marclee. I'm a NPR listener myself. Does that make me a nerd????

Click to expand...

Hahahaha. NPR huh? Good for you. I dare say that most of what's on "normal" American radio stations today is...well...less than stellar. I could go on further and say it's vacuous, simple-minded horse poo-poo, but that wouldn't be nice.

No, what makes you a nerd is 1)You know what a "center of pressure" is, 2)You could esily sit here for hours and discuss the virtues of epoxy fillets versus CA, and 3)You can say with a straight face, "Kevlar shock-cord mounts are more durable and reliable than the older Estes-type side mounts. They lessen CATO's and zippers..."

THAT's what makes you (and I, according to my wife,) a nerd.

I'll look for your song. I grew up with country music but when I hit high school I followed my friends to rock and roll. I still listen every now and again.

I never thought I'd get this addicted to rockets. I'm still in denial but I'm beginning to realize that I will not be happy until level three is reached. Gotta go "M" or greater.

OH, MY GOD!!! I know all about the things you are saying. I knew it! I am a nerd! Whaaaaaaaaaaa...

Seriously I always said rocketry was 90% launch, 10% preparation, 10% sweat, and 10% mental. Seriously, I'm not in it for the height, I love the swoosh. (or roar depending on the rocket)

I'm glad you are joining our community...

I prefer geek.

What's the difference? A geek is able to socialize with non-geeks. Nerds cannot.

Your music has a great sound. Refreshing.

Yep- it is exactly that. And I'd have to throw in 10% deciding how to paint your rocket.

Now here is a real rocketry-directed question: Have any of you seen/touched any of the new Estes "E"-series rockets or motors? None of our local hobby shops carry them yet. Do you think Estes can actually manufacture a decent kit that doesn't come with badly warped thin-plastic fins and plastic, fall-apart nosecones? I hope so beuase the kits today seem a lifetime away from the kits of the 60's-70's.

That pristine 1969 Big Bertha has parts that are HEAVY and substantial and REAL. I am hoping these new E-size kits return Estes to that great era. Do you share that or am I being one of those old guys that I used to make fun of, telling tales of "when things were REALLY great back in the good ole days..."?

Since this thread is already so long and off the subject of engines you may want to post this question in a new thread with a different subject.

BTW, I know nothing about the Estes E-Engine. sorry.

Yep- you are right. Good idea on the engine question.

And I don't know about that nerd-geek thing. My wife says that geeks always look like geeks whereas nerds can fit into the social fabric more easily and not be detected. They appear normal and sometimes even quite cool. However, underneath that exterior lies the true nerd self.

True story: I'm about to go onstage this past Saturday in Victorville, CA. About 3 or 4 thousand people we're playing to outdoors. They're announcing me and I caught myself thinking about the best paint scheme for a scratch-built I'm making. Now THAT is true nerdiness. So anyway, yeah I'll post that question elsewhere.

WOW !!! A celebrity on the forum. Cool.

Well, I'm older than dirt, went to second grade with Jesus. I share a lot of your same feelings about the Estes kits of today vs yesterday. I'd love to see them bring back the original AstroCam, the Falcon, the Space Plane,..... you know.

Love your music. I'm eclectric. Depends on the day. I listen to classical, rock, country..... depends on the mood. When people are riding in the car with me they freak when I'm playing one of my "best of" tapes that I have made. I might have Trick Pony followed by Van Halen followed by Tantric followed by Sara Evans followed by Train..... you get the idea. Kind of tends to hang people up.

Anyway, if you ever have a gig in North Carolina in the Greensboro or Winston-Salem area, be sure to let us know in advance. If you need a break while you're here, Phil, Milo, Mark and I would always be willing to spirit you away to "rocket land."

BTW, there have been several notes asking about the new Estes E engine posted tonight - no one seems to know much about them yet. Will be interesting to see how they do.

There are also some other notes about AeroTech's 24mm RMS (Reloadable Motor System). If you don't know about it, its a way that you can get D, E, and F power into your Estes D size birds. Look for those posts if that idea holds interest for you.

Oh yeah.... and when your lovely wife starts to give you grief for your rocketry habit.... just remind her that there are a lot worse things you could be doing - like drinking, carousing, and chasing other women..... hehehe

Keep on keepin' on. Later.

Welllll, I don't know about a "celebrity" but I'm working on it. And good for you on your "eclectic" tastes! It shows you have diversity and aren't taken in by the bland, unadventurous fodder offered up by a single station or music genre. keep it up! PS- Sara (Evans) is a friend of mine and she IS great. Great band too. her guitarist, Sean, is a great guy.

I promise to look you guys up when I do a gig out there. We may be headed there in the Fall. Would love to fly a couple of rockets while out there; have never done that on the road. My band guys would think I was crazy- I love it!!!!!!!! Thanks fo rthe most kind offer. I could get you guys into the show and get you some great seats. I'll keep you posted on our tour plans as we get closer.

You're right about the Estes E engine bit. It's like the Area 51 secret. Nobody knows anything. But GREAT advice on the Aerotech RMS system. A few people have pointed me in that direction. I'm checking it out today. I'm lucky that I have lots of close-by hobby shops so I can check them out in person. Plus I'm home for a few days and was knee-deep in Epoxy last night working on the Aerotech Tomahawk. Mmmmm, my wife says it smells like "rotten eggs." Hahahaha.

Thanks again.

Marc

Wow! This is more of a rope than a thread!
Thumbs up for musical variety! ain't no tune widout no Twang!
I found re-loadable engine casings at our one St. Louis area Hobby Town USA! Our local club boss is really hot on advancing me to the big stuff. But I am still worked up over the prospect of trying out these F39-12T(9) reloads that will fit in my Estes Maxi
Alpha 3!! I am still cautious enough to try out the E18-4W's first at
our low power site at Buder Park on September 22, which by-the-way is my 46th birthday! (I intend to launch 46 rockets to celebrate and will gladly accept any size motors for birthday gifts!)
Hobby Town usually has 29mm reloadable motors in stock. They were re-ordered last monday and should be in well before the BIG October launch at Ellsberry!
Also, since this THREAD is multi faceted, I would like to add that
I have a large collection of parts and original kits from the 70's in
Estes, Cox, Centuri, FSI and Quest and engines and stuff that
I picked up with an American Flyer train deal when a local hobby shop closed a couple of years ago! The list of kits - right out of a 70's catalog brings tears to my eyes! Beeautiful!
My overall favorite hands down is the Cox Apollo Saturn V !
I gotta launch that baby! No, maybe I won't... I gotta see it FLY!
Any advice on finishing techniques for a plastic model? I wonder how well it would fly on a pair of D engines....or maybe a 2 stage
set up... sombody pinch me!


This is WAY too much FUN!!!!

The F39 is my favorite 24 mm RMS reload i fly it just about exclusivly in my R/C rocket glider whitch is an estes stattoblaster (it needs an extra kick to get any hight out of it due to weight and the airfoil type) it realy puts it up there and you are right about the E18 first the F39 has a heck of a kick off the pad if you have an estes phenix try the F39 in it it flys great with it nice and fast just beef up the fin roots heck if you have a LOC leagacy try a G80FW in it it goes just about out of site with it the little 18mm RMS D18 is a cool motor also its great for the alein probe that don't have the 24mm or D conversion Later all and have a good one