Bulk Pack 13mm motors

[troj]

They're not a standard stock item around here, and my 5 yr old goes through 'em like crazy, so I need to order a bulk pack or two of 13mm motors.

I'm looking for suggestions on sources. First criteria is the vendor treats their customers well -- problems happen, I understand that, I'm interested in folks who have proven they work with their customers. Price is second -- I know good service costs money, and I'm willing to pay for it.

Suggestions?

-Kevin

 

[Peartree]

I have not seen 13mm bulk packs but I would have bought them for our Cub Scout launches. I have purchased ours from Tower Hobbies (https://www.towerhobbies.com/rockets/listings/rocket_engine.html) before with good success. Tower offers bulk pricing when ordering multiple packs that brings the price down close(r) to bulk pack pricing.

 

[jbuscaglia]

I got a couple of 13mm bulk packs from Hobbylinc a few years ago, although they weren't what I ordered. I had ordered a bunch of other motors and a couple of kits. It appeared that when they filled the order, they transposed the stock number and sent two bulk packs instead of the kits.

Their prices tend to be pretty good and I've had pretty good service from them otherwise.

 

[BobH48]

I've seen bulk packs of 1/2A3-4T's but not A3-4T's.

I find the regular packs to be fairly inexpensive at Michaels when I use a 40% or 50% off coupon. The only problem is that you are only supposed to use one coupon a day.

Back when I had to go in to the office for work every day, my co-workers would give me their Michaels ads from the sunday paper. I had to drive right past a Michaels on the way home so I could stop in every day, if needed, to stock up on motors.

 

[powderburner]

.... my co-workers would give me their Michaels ads from the sunday paper....

When they run their coupon in the newspaper, you can also go to their website and print as many more coupons as you want.

At the Michaels around here, they will also honor the coupons from HobLob as long as you bring them the original from the newspaper (Michaels will not honor HobLob coupons printed from the internet).

 

[MarkII]

If you need something other than 1/2A's, you might be able to negotiate a "bulk price" from a retailer if you are looking to buy a certain number of 4-packs. In their mini motor line, why does Estes only have the 1/2A's in bulk packaging? Perhaps one reason might be because the 1/2A is frequently used in contests.

MarkII

 

[shreadvector]

Estes had the bulk 24 packs of 1/2A3-2T and A10-3T motors (in the plain educator box) and then they made some changes. First, they were going to expand the line to include bulk packs of 1/4A3-3T but that got cancelled (story I heard was therre were too many "SKUs"). Then they scaled back a bit and now only offer the 1/2A3-4T in the Educator bulk pack (to go with the Up Aerospace kit)

https://www.esteseducator.com/content/products_search_results.php?keywords=&category=

They still sell several other 18mm bulk packs.

Maybe Bill Stine and Quest will offer some 13mm bulk packs in the future? After all, there are 13mm Chinese motors.

 

[troj]

If you need something other than 1/2A's, you might be able to negotiate a "bulk price" from a retailer if you are looking to buy a certain number of 4-packs. In their mini motor line, why does Estes only have the 1/2A's in bulk packaging? Perhaps one reason might be because the 1/2A is frequently used in contests.

The 1/2A is the main one I'm interested in -- we fly Dan's Whatchamacallit a lot, and have added the Tumbleweed, as well. Both are great for slightly breezy days on the smallish field where we do low power.

-Kevin

 

[shreadvector]

If you need something other than 1/2A's, you might be able to negotiate a "bulk price" from a retailer if you are looking to buy a certain number of 4-packs. In their mini motor line, why does Estes only have the 1/2A's in bulk packaging? Perhaps one reason might be because the 1/2A is frequently used in contests.

MarkII

Competition motor usage is infinitesimal in comparison to retail sales and Educational (youth group, school, etc.) sales.

If competiion sales meant anything, there would be B4-6 motors and A3-6T and A3-2T motors. And A3-0T.

 

[gpoehlein]

Competition motor usage is infinitesimal in comparison to retail sales and Educational (youth group, school, etc.) sales.

If competiion sales meant anything, there would be B4-6 motors and A3-6T and A3-2T motors. And A3-0T.

Not to mention C5 and the full line of C11 motors!

 

[MarkII]

Not to mention C5 and the full line of C11 motors!

Right; well that was just a guess, anyway. I wasn't aware that Estes sold many engine bulk packs to schools or youth groups. I have never seen or heard of even a single instance of an actual school or group in any of the communities where I have lived ever buying anything rocketry-related in bulk. I have always assumed that the main market for these engine bulk packs was hobbyists like us.

MarkII