Anyone build for pay in the Houston Texas area?

[scstrain]

I am so amazed. Dave building my Dream Rocket for me. Over the build it would be great to see some pictures posted. Thank you for doing so. But most of all, thank you for helping me out like this! I never thought I would actually own and fly one of these!

I can't say thank's enough Dave!

 

[David Schwantz]

Always nice to meet a fellow rocket guy. Dave.

 

[hball55]

Call me colloquial but a hobby where you pay someone to do the hobbying is not a hobby, it's a spectator sport.

I've crashed many rockets. Part of the excitement of the hobby is spending hours building and painting the rocket then sending it up. When everything comes together and it lands in one piece, that's the icing. Otherwise, I'd build model airplanes or ships in bottles. After landing two rockets in trees this morning, I'm thinking about building car models again. The problem is that I know as a kid, I would get bored with my model cars and end up shooting them with my BB gun so probably not a good choice. I'd rather glue, sand, paint, then stick explosives into them so they can launch skyward.

I enjoy fixing or modifying my rockets every winter. Just got done with a TLP Bullpup 12B, then when I was tired and not paying enough attention, I sat down . . .right on top of the rocket. The rocket didn’t fare well and I tore the rest of it to shreds in anger. Can’t get the kit anymore . . . oh well.

 

[David Schwantz]

Hi Steve, wraps are ready, fins ready to paint, engines painted but not the exhaust detail yet. CSM built, I even remembered to put in the clay

 

[scstrain]

Dave, Amazing what can be done with a steady hand and the know how. I have heard that the clay is important. Wow...................are you building that bad boy on the road ??

 

[David Schwantz]

Nope, your timing was just right, I am home this week. Although I have built rockets and other models in the truck before. I couple of years ago I was invited to the Los Alamos invitational rocket derby. I stopped in Santa Fe at Hobby Lobby and bought everything I needed to build and fly. Had a great weekend, flew every motor I had purchased. I was the only flier in attendance.
I actually had to load on Monday morning in Cuba,NM. Out in the desert, spent the weekend all by my lone some flying rockets. Was actually a lot of fun.

 

[David Schwantz]

Steve, more rocket pics. Spirals filled, wraps going on.

 

[Mushtang]

Spirals filled,

Why not all of the spirals? I've never seen it done like that before.

 

[David Schwantz]

Damn, I am getting old. Thought you were nuts till I zoomed in on my own pic. Guess I gotta fill a couple more.

 

[Mushtang]

Damn, I am getting old. Thought you were nuts till I zoomed in on my own pic. Guess I gotta fill a couple more.

Haha, oops. I thought I was about to learn something really cool. I've missed those shallow spirals before too, until the get the first coat of primer or paint and then they stand out like a neon sign.

 

[T-Rex]

There are folks in the Houston area, I'm 100 miles away, many are closer. I am surprised that none of them spoke up. There are a NAR and Tripoli groups in the area. I have seen some beautiful models from them.

I do not have the skill necessary for a Saturn V. I have a Semroc 1B that I will open and start when I feel I have the skill. Until then it sits on a shelf taunting me..... Saturn V on the bucket list.

 

[David Schwantz]

Hi T-Rex, in all honesty, they are not that bad to build. Take it slow. If you have a question on something you have not done before, ask. Many on here with lots of good ideas. I would say the only thing that is different than a standard Estes kit is the wraps. mark tube as stated, cut them out as instructions say and test fit 3 times before gluing. H$ll, look at the above posts, I missed a spiral. There is only one way to improve your skills, just jump right in and build.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

I'd say they may not be that hard to build but glory, I can't imagine what it'll be like to paint that. And you want a stunning paint job on a Saturn V. Good on you Dave, my skills that way are still... ahem... growing, yeah, let's go with that!

 

[David Schwantz]

Did I not mention that I was going to use a Sharpie ??

 

[David Schwantz]

Just kiddin Steve.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Beats finger paints...

 

[scstrain]

Did I not mention that I was going to use a Sharpie ??

Just kiddin Steve.

 

[scstrain]

There are folks in the Houston area, I'm 100 miles away, many are closer. I am surprised that none of them spoke up. There are a NAR and Tripoli groups in the area.

I reached out to all in those groups in and around my area. Received the same attitude as from some that have posted in this thread.

 

[David Schwantz]

Hey Steve, as long as you are here. You asked me about any upgrades. The only thing I would suggest is chutes. I have Top Flights thin mill in mine, 2 of them. I like their stuff. Go look at their site.
https://topflightrecoveryllc.homestead.com/

 

[scstrain]

Yes Dave, please do as you did on your Saturn V.

 

[David Schwantz]

ok

 

[scstrain]

After looking at the web site, the chutes that they offer look outstanding!

 

[David Schwantz]

They are very nice. And the thin mill pack nice and do not weigh anything.

 

[Ez2cDave]

I reached out to all in those groups in and around my area. Received the same attitude as from some that have posted in this thread.

Somehow, that does not surprise me, unfortunately . . .

Dave F.

 

[AfterBurners]

I would do it for free. My thing is time. I work full time and this is something I would probably work on 2 days a week? Just pay the materials and shipping.

 

[AfterBurners]

how much nose weight goes in the rocket?

 

[DaHabes]

Whatever happened to Rocketeers just helping each other out. Now, it has, apparently, become all about "making a buck" off of a guy who asks for help.

BTW - At $100 / hr., that model better be ABSOLUTELY PERFECT !

Scale Modelers for the WSMC often spend more than 1000 hours building their models, from SCRATCH, "down to the rivets" . . . So, are those models worth over $100,000 ? NOT !

Dave F.

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Dude, he wasn't saying he was going to charge $100 an hour, he said that is how he values his time. He was quantifying what a big ask the OP was making for someone else to build something of this degree of difficulty on his behalf.

 

[David Schwantz]

Hi Steve, don't know if it is white down there, but it is white up here!!

 

[David Schwantz]

Hi Steve, 2nd coat of white paint is on everything. Fins are silver, but taped off. I found it is easier to paint them before you glue them on.

 

[scstrain]

Hey Dave. It's the coldest it's been in about 20 years here in Houston. Up until yesterday, everything had ground down to a stop. Power and water outages, people in this part of the Country do not have a clue (Including myself) what to do in cold weather. First time I look at my computer in several days and what do I see............................This awesome rocket! I'm so excited my toes have warmed back up!

P.S. You would love to drive down here amongst us crazy Texans that do not have a clue how to in this weather................