Estes/HL: ESAM-58 My take on it.

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BSNW

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So I got this kit from Hobby Lobby when I was still recovering from my knee replacement. I worked on it slowly and finally put the finishing touches on it this past weekend. I truly love this kit and I do love the new Estes 18mm screw on retainers. I do not care for engine hooks! Engine hooks are a thing of the past for me now. I DO like this kit but wanted to change the finish. I am sure many people do this. I truly recommend this kit!

I do have to ask, why Estes put an 18mm motor mount in a rocket like this? Like other BT-60 (and some larger) kits that are "larger"...leave me scratching my head when they have an 18mm mount in them....like the Citation Patriot, Mercury Red-Stone etc. They are larger rockets with 18mm mounts. Yet smaller kits like the Red Nova, Astron Sprint etc. have the "proper" 24mm mount. One could always adapt down. IMHO Rockets (by definition)...should launch like....Rockets.
Anyway. I am getting another one of these kits an will change it to a 24mm mount and put some clay in the nose. For this kit...I built it stock...which leaves me with using Q-Jets and my precious AT 18mm D10's....which will be fun! Photos below.
 
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YES- I cut down the "ESAM-58 Decal to EM-58. I thought it just looked better to me. :)
 
I do have to ask, why Estes put an 18mm motor mount in a rocket like this?

That's a good question, and the main reason I bought a AT 18mm/20 reload case, so I could fly my heavier Estes rockets on composite D motors. Now I would just put in a 24mm mount, but most of mine were built before I considered that as an option.
 
The only thing I can figure as to why Estes designs these with 18mm mounts is that it would be more attractive to younger fliers who are still new to rocketry and want a "big" rocket without venturing into 24mm territory yet. That being said, it wouldn't be a great loss to the company for Estes to include the parts for an 18mm mount and a 24mm mount and just make the instructions define the optional nature. That would be, what, four additional parts (motor tube, thrust ring, centering ring card, yellow "tool" tube)? Even then, it wouldn't take much to design the rocket with a 24mm mount and include parts for a 18/24 adapter. I made two (a 13/18 adapter and 18/24) from the yellow "tool" tubes and some scrap parts years before Estes came out with their plastic adapters, and each of those are only six parts each including integrated motor hooks.
 
I dunno, Sometimes it's nice to hear the sound of a C6 without it disappearing into the clouds

I totally agree and the C6 is also one of my favorites. But a C6 in this large of a rocket and others like it with lots of plastic (Interceptor, Mercury Red-Stone etc.) and weight is a pretty low/slow flight. MOST days are not dead calm for these types of flights. I still say make them with a 24mm and either adapt down, or like ebruce said, throw some extra parts in there and let the builder decide. With a 24mm you can still adapt down.
I had to purchase more motor mounts (plus shipping) for my regular Interceptor and my Citation Patriot. I will launch them on D's . Or I can throw it just as high and make a "whoosh" sound...but there is a problem with chute deployment.....I have not figured that out yet....HA HA HA! :)
Andrew
 
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The market is purely Hobby Lobby for this, which is more youthfully oriented in their rockets. It's a budget deal as well for Estes which was in Danger of loosing HL. A D12 on this would be over 1000 ft. E12? 1400+. I e12d a loadstar upper stage and hit 1200 with Cam and altimeter in it. I can only assume that this upper reliveried Sasha stage in 18mm is indeed for those wanting to watch 2 seconds of burn and see the whole flight. Which is perfect for the HL youth market.

I flew mine on a B6 and was less than impressed. I think it's a C only ship for any enjoyment. Or composites...
 
I have an Alien Space Probe and Deep Space Transport that I way over built, many many years ago, with heavy fillets and lots of coats of paint (and I added an ejection baffle before I knew to be mindful of lift off weight). Each one is porky and really marginal on a C6-3 (dry weight is 5.5 to 6.0 oz). Actually, it is fun to watch, but the Alien Space Probe seems to hover on the last portion of the motor burn (it's still going up, but barely!). They're better on a C12, D16, or D13.
 
BSNW, your alternate paint scheme looks great! I am finishing an ESAM and want to do another one with non stock colors. What paint brand/colors did you use for the body & the nose? Is that an International Orange for the body?

I also really wanted to change mine to a 24mm motor mount and looked into it. 24mm motor tube will fit through the plastic nozzle opening, but a 24mm screw on retainer cap would not fully fit inside the nozzle itself like the 18mm cap does. The 24mm cap would have to stick outside the nozzle, so I held off, may try 24mm on the next one, but may also consider an engine hook.
 
Hey Space Ranger-
Thank you kindly for your compliment! The Orange/Red or Red/Orange is from Ace Hardware Premium spray paint. It looks more like the old Centuri Orange. I LOVE that color. This is the first time I used it on a whole rocket. It is great as an accent color. I also used it on the mid section of my Estes Red Nova...looks better than the red IMO. For this color....use WHITE primer....if you try to top coat over grey....it will be a horror show. The nose is just gloss dark grey (Ace Premium). If you go with a 24mm motor mount in that rocket...just use friction fit and make a 1/4 thrust ring with masking tape...then tape over the thrust ring and 1/4 onto the motor tube. That is more than adequate. If NAR allows friction fit on their contest gliders....I am sure it is good enough for this. OR you can use a hook. It will fit in that tail cone. ENJOY!
Andrew
 
Love the paint job! I have one on the bench waiting to be built, but wasn't sure how I wanted to paint it. (Face card is a bit uninspiring, in my opinion) You really had a great idea there!
 
It really does look great! BTW, what happens with grey primer? Is the color not as good?

Yeah, that's been my experience with reds/orange over gray. You never get enough coverage to get actual red. You end up with a kind of sickly brown color. Might be nice below the waterline on a ship model though! :p
 
Love the paint job! I have one on the bench waiting to be built, but wasn't sure how I wanted to paint it. (Face card is a bit uninspiring, in my opinion) You really had a great idea there!

THANKS! for the kind words! I can't wait to launch it. I also can't wait to build the Sasha two stage! What a ride that will be!
 
Color doesn't "pop" as much. Same thing with fluorescent paint.

Yea....pretty much what he said... It is also about coverage. Yellow, Red, and Orange need white primers. The tints for these colors cover better over white.
 
Looks great.

The Qjet C12 and D16 are saviors for these larger 18mm kits. I wish Hobby Lobby sold them.
I agree. Quest hit a home run with C12 and D16 Q-Jets. They are great motors for those heavier model rockets like the Estes Mercury Redstone and the ESAM-58.
 
Thanks Neil, FM and Hello to "Mr. BRS Hobbies"!
It has been sometime! I used to order from you about once a week when I was a new BAR. WOW Those were the days. I am now coming full circle and getting back in models and BP. I still do the larger class 2 stuff but my love of BP models is growing (again) by the day. BTW: All in TRF land...BRS Hobbies is a GREAT vendor to order from! Really great service and quick shipping....just my two cents.

I did launch the ESAM-58 on a Q-Jet D16. It did well (see my "back yard launch day" thread in the watering hole forum). The thread did not do well and is already on page 2....oh well.

But even though I did not build heavy, it did not go as high as I liked. It is too bad the D16 is not a full D (I was told). I will use one of my 18mm SU D10-W's next time and see how it goes. I also went to HL and got another ESAM to make with a 24mm mount. I want to be able to do BP D12' and E12's...I will be putting about 14grams in the nose though.

Thanks for the compliments....I truly like and recommend this kit.
 
Made mine 24mm & moved the upper fins aft. They are 2.25" from the end of the tube rather than the 3" in the instructions. This should move the cp back a hair. I haven't checked yet to see how much nose weight to add. I may install an ejection baffle & play with its position to see if it can get the cg where it needs to be.

A little extra weight will be ok. With the 24mm mount it should be fine. I'm thinking bp D12's & E12's will make this rocket fun...start with a D12 & go from there.
 

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This bird would be sweet with 2 x 18mm. Easy to find the rings, or make your own. Nice on 2 x C6-7 or gone on 2 X D13-7.
 
Sorry for the necropost. I just got an ESAM-58. I did see some people talking about it being a low and slow flight on a C6. Someone mentioned that the fin material seemed very heavy and dense, so I weighed the balsa that came with my kit. Definitely heavier/denser than usual.

I made up replacement fins from lighter balsa (SIG Manufacturing); each of the old large fin weighs .08oz, the replacement weighs .03-.035oz. Saved 1/4oz on the overall rocket weight. Parts weight alone (actual weights) comes in at 2.73oz. Hopefully the weight reduction will help with the altitude slightly.
 
Sorry for the necropost. I just got an ESAM-58. I did see some people talking about it being a low and slow flight on a C6. Someone mentioned that the fin material seemed very heavy and dense, so I weighed the balsa that came with my kit. Definitely heavier/denser than usual.

I made up replacement fins from lighter balsa (SIG Manufacturing); each of the old large fin weighs .08oz, the replacement weighs .03-.035oz. Saved 1/4oz on the overall rocket weight. Parts weight alone (actual weights) comes in at 2.73oz. Hopefully the weight reduction will help with the altitude slightly.
I built mine stock and didn’t make any real effort to build light - papered the fins, as I typically do - and it flies great on Estes C6s and QJet Ds. As already mentioned, this is a HL exclusive reconfigured Sasha so no surprise it’s a 18mm powered rocket - HL is focused more on selling beginner stuff. Great kit, I have another unbuilt one as a replacement.
 
Here's a post I made that contains a link to a video my ESAM flying on a C6-3. Mine is built stock, minus a Top Flight X-Form parachute. It flies great on C6's or the new Super C5's. If I recall correctly, it weighs about 111oz. I have a D12 that I'm going to try on it sometime. I really enjoy mine, it's a nice flying LPR rocket!
 
I built mine stock and didn’t make any real effort to build light - papered the fins, as I typically do - and it flies great on Estes C6s and QJet Ds. As already mentioned, this is a HL exclusive reconfigured Sasha so no surprise it’s a 18mm powered rocket - HL is focused more on selling beginner stuff. Great kit, I have another unbuilt one as a replacement.

My local HL also carries the ESAM-58. Only $11.99. I am thinking of kit-bashing it. I will omit the stock fins and instead replace them with 3 or 4 fins that are similar to the "swoopy" fins on the Pemberton Little Bucky Jones or Estes Patrol Cruiser Excalibur (Galactic Pirate "good guy" - 1981). I guess I will just have to cut the fins out of raw balsa sheets using the template from the plans for the Patrol Cruiser Excalibur at JimZ. Maybe I will make the fins a little bigger. I will keep the plastic "nozzle" on the rear and the stock engine mount. I will make a "cockpit canopy" a la the Patrol Cruiser Excalibur. A poor man's "Galactic Pirate"!
 
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