Estes Sold ?

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Great, I hope if they did they dont start to "Cheap out" and start making those crappy plastic 3fnc kits only... that really turned me away from Estes. they are just now getting back into the good stuff again.
 
Barry's been trying to sell the company this year so he can retire to Europe, but I'm sure he has found it extremely difficult due to the current economy.

There has been talk the past week or so that a sale has been completed, but AFAIK, they are just rumors and echoes of rumors.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Mr. Tunic himself on Ye Old Rocketry Forum doing an online Q&A about just that, selling Estes? He answered several questions, but never said who it was sold to, AFAIK.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Mr. Tunic himself on Ye Old Rocketry Forum doing an online Q&A about just that, selling Estes? He answered several questions, but never said who it was sold to, AFAIK.

That's because he hadn't sold it yet, and he certainly wouldn't tell us about anyone he was in negotiation with. He did say there were two groups interested: one a hobby-oriented group; the other a toy-oriented group.
 
Well, if it is /does get sold ,I can only hope it falls in the right hands and as mentioned does not go downhill and then eventually the way of the Dodo bird.

And yah ,that RTF junk has got to go ,it teaches nothing when it comes to building skills and the reasons things are the way they are when it comes to rocket design and the most important thing.....learning how to build and solve problems etc.(that`s why I love TLP kits and scratch building)

All the RTF stuff I had was launched last spring without streamers or chutes ,just to send them to rocket Valhalla !

How I wish for the Estes of the 70`s !

BB
 
Well, if it is /does get sold ,I can only hope it falls in the right hands and as mentioned does not go downhill and then eventually the way of the Dodo bird.

And yah ,that RTF junk has got to go ,it teaches nothing when it comes to building skills and the reasons things are the way they are when it comes to rocket design and the most important thing.....learning how to build and solve problems etc.(that`s why I love TLP kits and scratch building)

All the RTF stuff I had was launched last spring without streamers or chutes ,just to send them to rocket Valhalla !

How I wish for the Estes of the 70`s !

BB

Then come to Quest...
 
Then come to Quest...

GOOD CHOICE. Quest may not have as many choices, but they are at least creative, and different. :cheers:

I dont mind the Estes RTF rockets, there should be a few. but like was said Bring back all the cool 70's exotics, the "FUN" rockets...

Plastic is ok for newb's and for the occasional "single use rocket" test LOL
but dont make ALL your rockets that way. that really sucked.

If this is a rumor about the sale did anyone check SNOPES? LOL
 
I stopped by Estes a few months ago when we were on vacation in Colorado. It was later in the day just before sunset and they were closed.

The building was in disrepair, and frankly, looked like they were out of business. I don't want to start any rumours but it seemed odd that they wouldn't maintain the exterior of the buidlings and landscaping if they were for sale. Sure doesn't give a prospective purchaser a good feeling that they are profitable. Unless perhaps they were negotiating the sale and sort of suspended operations for awhile (at least maintainence).
 
Remember folks, in every Estes kit from the 1970s you had press-cut balsa fins so you always opened your package muttering/praying 'Lord, this rocket kit is sooooo cool, but I hope I don't have to repair any parts before I build it'. so I'm all for leaving the 70's technology far far behind!
 
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I stopped by Estes a few months ago when we were on vacation in Colorado. It was later in the day just before sunset and they were closed.

The building was in disrepair, and frankly, looked like they were out of business. I don't want to start any rumours but it seemed odd that they wouldn't maintain the exterior of the buidlings and landscaping if they were for sale. Sure doesn't give a prospective purchaser a good feeling that they are profitable. Unless perhaps they were negotiating the sale and sort of suspended operations for awhile (at least maintainence).

They fixed the website which is the "exterior" that everyone sees, and is a good sign. Maybe the new buyer will fix up the brick and mortar.

I'm surprised that they will be selling direct, years after abandoning such sales. Perhaps they are following the lead of Quest and Aerotech; maybe this is a sign of a new owner. I wonder if they are filling orders in house or leaving that to a distributor.
 
Remember folks, in every Estes kit from the 1970s you had press-cut balsa fins so you always opened your package muttering/praying 'Lord, this rocket kit is sooooo cool, but I hope I don't have to repair any parts before I build it'. so I'm all for leaving the 70's technology far far behind!

When I was a kid I didn't do a good job of repairing die crushed fins. Today, it's no problem with Fill-n-Finish, spot putty, my own stash of balsa, or even replacement laser cut fins from Semroc. I'd gladly take the die crushed fins if it means I get access to all those great classic kits of the 60's and 70's. :cool:
 
When I was a kid I didn't do a good job of repairing die crushed fins. Today, it's no problem with Fill-n-Finish, spot putty, my own stash of balsa, or even replacement laser cut fins from Semroc. I'd gladly take the die crushed fins if it means I get access to all those great classic kits of the 60's and 70's. :cool:

Look to the near future...
 
These aren't the droids you're looking for, move along, move along...
 
I remember touring Estes when I was in my early teens. What a disappointment to see the building now. The main thing that came to my mind was how much we rely upon their motors and how sad the little rusted trailers and buildings looked behind the main facility. Realized how quickly our motor supply could dry up if they were to ever go out of business.

Thank goodness for Quest.
 
Remember folks, in every Estes kit from the 1970s you had press-cut balsa fins so you always opened your package muttering/praying 'Lord, this rocket kit is sooooo cool, but I hope I don't have to repair any parts before I build it'. so I'm all for leaving the 70's technology far far behind!

It's not the 70's technology I want its the COOL 70's designs.... upgraded to the 2010's
 
I stopped by Estes a few months ago when we were on vacation in Colorado. It was later in the day just before sunset and they were closed.

The building was in disrepair, and frankly, looked like they were out of business. I don't want to start any rumours but it seemed odd that they wouldn't maintain the exterior of the buidlings and landscaping if they were for sale. Sure doesn't give a prospective purchaser a good feeling that they are profitable. Unless perhaps they were negotiating the sale and sort of suspended operations for awhile (at least maintainence).

It was the same way back in the summer of '08 when I came through there on vacation-- weeds growing in the parking lot and just looked rather ramshackle overall... So this isn't a recent development by any stretch...

It's amazing what a little Roundup and some new paint can do (something beside that gawdawful pale blue everything is painted-- what'd they do, get a truckload of surplus WWII Navy fighter plane paint or something?? GEEZ...

Later! OL JR :)
 
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