Estes Outlander Repair

[Starfire73]

My Outlander broke on the first flight, probably 10+ years ago. It sat on a shelf propped up as a display model because (I must say) it is one of the coolest looking models ever! It took a hard landing on the landing gear on first flight and tore the little rubber tube up which is used as a hinge. I tried to repair it by replacing that tube somehow but was never successful. I couldn't get the hinge tube back on the little dowel. The one dowel is so deep down in there I can’t reach it. I eventually gave up.

However, I recently made myself a rule - I cannot build more than three new rockets without repairing one that needs it (if there is one waiting). I came up with three conditions:

1. The rocket has to be reasonably repairable (can't be a totaled rocket)
2. The repair must look half-way decent; I don't mind signs of the repair, but it can't look like crap
3. It must be able to fly again

So, this time I decided I was going to repair the Outlander somehow. I thought about it for a day or so, and I found the solution I was looking for. 15 minutes tops, and I was done!

 

[Starfire73]

I determined where best to drill a 5/32" hole through the fin/landing gear, drilled the hole, then cut the extended part of the original dowel off.

 

[Starfire73]

I used a bamboo skewer as my hinge pin, cut it to the proper length and glued it in place.

 

[Starfire73]

Then hit the skewer with a black sharpie, and wa-la! Works perfectly and looks half-way decent. I wish I had done them all like this from the original construction instead of the rubber tube.

 

[MALBAR 70]

Awesome! Thank you! I have one that needs the same repair, for the same reason. I've considered many different options, but yours is the easiest and most elegant. Well done.

 

[Starfire73]

Awesome! Thank you! I have one that needs the same repair, for the same reason. I've considered many different options, but yours is the easiest and most elegant. Well done.

Thank you. I hope it works well for you. Let me know how it goes.

 

[Huxter]

Beautiful Outlander - well done!

 

[Antares JS]

What a great idea! Looks like my Outlander just might fly again after all!

 

[Starfire73]

…and a beautiful launch today. Flight and recovery were excellent. The repair worked great.

 

[BABAR]

…and a beautiful launch today. Flight and recovery were excellent. The repair worked great.

Nice moon shot!

 

[Starfire73]

Nice moon shot!

Thanks. I thought that moon looked cool in the shot to. I made sure I kept in the shot when I cropped it. I did a screen shot from my iPhone video. It all looked so cool I thought it looked edited or photo shopped, but it’s not.