Hi, This "too-big-motor" seems to be a recurrent problem, especially with the 13mm "Mini-T" size motors but I also have had 18mm A, B, C and 24mm C11 & D with the same problem. Most D's and A, B, C's fit just fine Most of the time, so it's not the motor mount (I don't think). I also routinely clean any crud out of the motor mounts and the rest of the rocket.
They're all/only the paper-wound casing Black Powder motors (not composites with the plastic casing).
The same "too-big-motors" don't fit any brand of kit (Estes, Semroc, Custom Rocketry, Discount Rockets US, Starlight, etc.) consistently so it's NOT the brand of rocket. Some motors fit just fine, and those fit just fine in any rocket brand.
I am storing them in sealed freezer bags grouped by motor types (such as a bag full of only C6-3/5's and C5-3's) in a closet in the middle of the house not near any exterior walls.
I don't think it is an atmospheric moisture problem, I live in humid wet-in-the-winter Oregon, but we have a de-humidifier we use often, and in the very dry summers and fall times of the year, the "too-big-motors" do NOT fit any better at those times either.
I do have a solution that fixes the problem with each "too-big-motor", it's just a chore to do it and it does not lead to CATO's.
Q1: -How many other people are having this same problem?
Q2: -Is anyone changing something in their Motor Mounts during construction to avoid this? and if so, how much "slop" do you get with motors that fit like they normally would otherwise (and are you having to shim your motors in with tape to fill the gap)?
Thanks - Paul
They're all/only the paper-wound casing Black Powder motors (not composites with the plastic casing).
The same "too-big-motors" don't fit any brand of kit (Estes, Semroc, Custom Rocketry, Discount Rockets US, Starlight, etc.) consistently so it's NOT the brand of rocket. Some motors fit just fine, and those fit just fine in any rocket brand.
I am storing them in sealed freezer bags grouped by motor types (such as a bag full of only C6-3/5's and C5-3's) in a closet in the middle of the house not near any exterior walls.
I don't think it is an atmospheric moisture problem, I live in humid wet-in-the-winter Oregon, but we have a de-humidifier we use often, and in the very dry summers and fall times of the year, the "too-big-motors" do NOT fit any better at those times either.
I do have a solution that fixes the problem with each "too-big-motor", it's just a chore to do it and it does not lead to CATO's.
Q1: -How many other people are having this same problem?
Q2: -Is anyone changing something in their Motor Mounts during construction to avoid this? and if so, how much "slop" do you get with motors that fit like they normally would otherwise (and are you having to shim your motors in with tape to fill the gap)?
Thanks - Paul