- Joined
- Apr 5, 2013
- Messages
- 1,545
- Reaction score
- 71
Why did they sport producing BP and composite motors? Hobby Lobby misses me!
The composite motors were just rebadged from Aerotech, weren't they? I assume they didn't make enough money on that. Maybe one day Estes gets into composites of their own, but I'm betting they don't really want to make kits that use engines they don't make, so Es and Fs in BP is as big as they're willing to go, I guess.Why did they sport producing BP and composite motors? Hobby Lobby misses me!
Finally putting out a 29mm nosecone gives me some hope in this regard.Been awhile since we’ve had some mid-2010s PSII nostalgia!
Initiator001 asks the question I’ve pondered more than once - where are the BT70 based kits? I snagged a BT70 kit from now closed up Rocketry Works and it was a fun build. Seems like BT70 tubes would be a natural fit for the current PSII line.
Federal law requires that a motor containing more than 62.5 g of BP requires a permit, storage, etc. ad nauseum. That limits BP motors to F impulse.Only BP and limited at that: https://estesrockets.com/collections/xl-29mm
FWIW, Estes has a larger selection of BP motors available now than anytime in their history. And they never produced composite motors, as has been pointed out. (And really, where does MPR start? D12? 2xD12 cluster? E12?)Why did they sport producing BP and composite motors? Hobby Lobby misses me!
MPR has been traditionally and commercially the motors falling in the E-F-G impulse ranges, though there are some that due to various regulations have been restricted to use by HPR certified fliers like the CTI F240 Vmax (fun little motor)....its still a F motor (MPR) but it requires a L1 certification to fly it due to its greater than 80ns of thrust. MPR is a term we in the hobby have come up with as regulations only cover Model and High Power Rocketry (FAR101, NFPAs, etc, none of which call out MPR).FWIW, Estes has a larger selection of BP motors available now than anytime in their history. And they never produced composite motors, as has been pointed out. (And really, where does MPR start? D12? 2xD12 cluster? E12?)
1/4A3
1/2A3
A3
A10
1/2A6
A8
B4
B6
C5
C6
C11
D12
E12
E16
F15
And the delays, oh my! We even have A3-2 and A3-6 back!
The NCR F62 motors were produced in-house at Estes. One might assume that the tooling might still be lying about.FWIW, Estes has a larger selection of BP motors available now than anytime in their history. And they never produced composite motors, as has been pointed out.
HL hasn’t stocked Estes PSII stuff for several years. They only stock motors that fit the kits they sell, which still includes 24mm E12s for the moment, so the availability of motors has decreased along with the kits they stock. And each store can choose to have lower numbers of kits/motors for sale - checking their website will show how they’ve reduced the Estes products they carry. If I can’t make to our local store I take advantage of their periodic included shipping - usually happens over a weekend but not always. Great way to stock up on E12s, C6s, B4s…@majordude Is the issue really “lack of availability at Hobby Lobby” ? I did enjoy being able to get E16s and F15s there and have purchased less of those since that source went away.
Reminds me of the PlasmaJet 18mmx70mm F175 motors demo'd for Vern at NARAM-20 in 1978. It required advanced construction skills and G-10 or phenolic linen body tubes to withstand the acceleration and supersonic flight. A fun motor, but not a practical sales item for a hobby flier.MPR has been traditionally and commercially the motors falling in the E-F-G impulse ranges, though there are some that due to various regulations have been restricted to use by HPR certified fliers like the CTI F240 Vmax (fun little motor)....its still a F motor (MPR) but it requires a L1 certification to fly it due to its greater than 80ns of thrust. MPR is a term we in the hobby have come up with as regulations only cover Model and High Power Rocketry (FAR101, NFPAs, etc, none of which call out MPR).
And Hobby Lobby is limited in that as well. My local HL sells E12-4 and E12-6. They don't have E12-8 which I need for a couple of the cluster rockets I fly. I inquired of the manager if they could order different delays/motors and he said NO. If they don't have a SKU for it, they can't order it.HL hasn’t stocked Estes PSII stuff for several years. They only stock motors that fit the kits they sell, which still includes 24mm E12s for the moment, so the availability of motors has decreased along with the kits they stock. And each store can choose to have lower numbers of kits/motors for sale - checking their website will show how they’ve reduced the Estes products they carry. If I can’t make to our local store I take advantage of their periodic included shipping - usually happens over a weekend but not always. Great way to stock up on E12s, C6s, B4s…
Mabel and her ancestors don't need lunch breaks, paychecks, health care, and days off. Hard to beat that sort of efficiency.
They claim that their manual check-out "provides a more human experience," but there are very believable rumors that the people at the top of Hobby Lobby buy into the belief that bar codes are or have to do with the mark of the beast.I'd think they could save some money by implementing an inventory control system. Have you ever noticed when you checkout at HL? They hand-key all the prices in and they don't scan codes. They have no idea what they are selling in realtime. They have to do inventory of EVERYTHING in that store to know what they need to reorder. There is a cost to implementing an inventory control system, but most retailers usually determine it is worth the cost.
How do they really feel about products made from brimstone?They claim that their manual check-out "provides a more human experience," but there are very believable rumors that the people at the top of Hobby Lobby buy into the belief that bar codes are or have to do with the mark of the beast.
Hell on earth…They claim that their manual check-out "provides a more human experience," but there are very believable rumors that the people at the top of Hobby Lobby buy into the belief that bar codes are or have to do with the mark of the beast.
That's awful, but have you ever entered a long, complicated password into a roku streaming app using only the direction pad on the remote, and then gotten it wrong and had to start over?Hell on earth…
Trying to checkout in HL with only one lane and a dozen people in front of you with baskets full of floral stuff!
LOL, you lost me at "roku"! But seriously, yes I do know about and hate those things. My 13 year old handles the streaming remote. Kid tech is wonderful!That's awful, but have you ever entered a long, complicated password into a roku streaming app using only the direction pad on the remote, and then gotten it wrong and had to start over?
I'm convinced that demons would sit people down and make them do that for all eternity.
That's awful, but have you ever entered a long, complicated password into a roku streaming app using only the direction pad on the remote, and then gotten it wrong and had to start over?
I'm convinced that demons would sit people down and make them do that for all eternity.
I know you know this, but you really shouldn't have a text file with your passwords. A password manager will solve this problem for you the right way (I use 1Password and have been generally happy with it).I've had that happen several times. Nightmare indeed. Nearly as bad as websites that require a long complicated password, but refuse to show what I just typed for "security". No, what usually happens is that I make an mistake, and can't go back to correct the one wrong character, and have to start all over again. I resorted to having a password/username file on my computer that I can cut and paste from due to the sheer number of them, plus the impossibility of remembering them all. Of course they all have to be unique and not re-used, I get that, but wow...
The NCR DarkStar motors were assembled at Estes but the propellant was made by Vulcan Systems.The NCR F62 motors were produced in-house at Estes. One might assume that the tooling might still be lying about.
The business challenge with composite motors is the need for hand assembly, though. Mabel and her ancestors don't need lunch breaks, paychecks, health care, and days off. Hard to beat that sort of efficiency.
From what I understand there was a period when retailers were out of the 29mm motors. I have read that it was due to Estes retooling or refurbishing their 29mm motor making machines. They have been producing and retailers have been stocking the E16 and F15 motors for some time now.Why did they sport producing BP and composite motors? Hobby Lobby misses me!
You keep using that phrase. What does it mean?From what I understand there was a period when retailers were out of the 29mm motors. I have read that it was due to Estes retooling or refurbishing their 29mm motor making machines. They have been producing and retailers have been stocking the E16 and F15 motors for some time now.
My local hobby shops have a good selection in stock.
As others have said, Estes discontinued selling the rebranded Aerotech motors some years ago.
As well as discontinuing kits that cannot be flown on Estes BP motors.
I suspect that when people found out they could buy the same motors from Aerotech for a few dollars less then the Estes branded composites tanked.
BTW one local hobby shop owner did an inventory recently and found some old stock F26 and F50 Estes composite motors. I snatched a few up.
Laters.
You keep using that phrase. What does it mean?
Enter your email address to join: