FlightSketch Gear

shop deals on amazon
SilicdyneTRF
The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Flightsketch in CT?? I ordered some motors and a LOC kit from them. Once over $35, shipping was free, good deal. But it took Russ(?) a week to process my order but after that USPS took only 3 days to get my box to me. This was just about 2 weeks ago, so I can say for sure Flightsketch is still in business. Just be aware the owner is a little slow to fulfill orders, it's not a 24hr turnaround.
 
COSTransplant said:
Has anyone been able to purchase one of those any time recently?
Click to expand...
Not a new one direct from the maker, no.

If I recall correctly, the maker said he thought he'd be able to have them available late last year, but those plans obviously didn't pan out.

My understanding is that there's every intent to make them available again, but it's not clear when that might be.

As for finding someone willing to sell one for a reasonable price, good luck. You might get lucky, but there will be others doing the same thing as you.

As a case in point, I refresh the Yardsale/Wanted thread here and the FS Mini website at least 3-4 times a day in the hopes of finding one for sale. Even then, I miss them when they're available. I missed 2 going up for sale in the fall of last year, I think, then about a week ago, I missed another one (or two) up for sale. I think they all sold within an hour or so of being listed.

Good luck, you've got competition.
 
I hear you. So this is where I get confused. They state on their site: In the spirit of spreading knowledge, all of the source code for our firmware and iOS app is available on github along with all of the CAM files for the hardware. So does that mean that someone else -- theoretically -- could grab these files and build the new board? And if so, why hasn't it happened? What am I missing?
 
COSTransplant said:
I hear you. So this is where I get confused. They state on their site: In the spirit of spreading knowledge, all of the source code for our firmware and iOS app is available on github along with all of the CAM files for the hardware. So does that mean that someone else -- theoretically -- could grab these files and build the new board? And if so, why hasn't it happened? What am I missing?
Click to expand...
I don't think building something that can accomplish what the FS Mini does is the problem here, given how the software and hardware designs are freely available as you say. I believe it's building something that does what the FS Mini does in its current form factor, ie can fit inside a BT-20 coupler or nose cone. Then there's trying to do it in a commercially efficient manner, ie selling it for a competitive price (which requires finding reliable and low-cost suppliers).

So, I have confidence that if I could rely on FS Mini's hardware designs and code, I could build myself an altimeter that could function like the FS Mini. But my version would take me several months to build 1 prototype and it would be the size of a soda can and cost $100 in components, tools and building supplies.

EDIT: I'm curious as to what difference it would make if the maker of the FS Mini could charge say...$59 instead of $29. This might give the maker presumably more motivation to speed up the return to production. But most importantly, it would give the maker more flexibility in finding alternative suppliers of components that might be more reliable, yet more expensive. And if this wasn't possible, asking for more money per FS Mini might be enough incentive to redesign the FS Mini so that it could use parts or methods that were more reliable to acquire.

If the FS Mini sold for $60 instead of $30, I'd still buy it. But I'd baby it and just buy one at a time. For a $30 price, it's borderline disposable (which is a good thing!) and I'd buy at least 2, probably 3.
 
Last edited:
I really hope the FS Mini doesn't go the way of my all-time favorite, easy-to-use alitimer, the Jolly Logic Alitimter 3. They are completely unbotanium.
 
tsmith1315 said:
I believe the issue is availability of parts.

Have you looked at Eggtimer products?
Click to expand...
Eggtimer has nothing the size or functionality of either AltimeterThree or the FlightSketch Mini. The ION kinda sorta tries to get there, but it’s much larger/heavier (with an appropriately-sized li-poly cell for power) and has no accelerometer aboard, so can’t do some of the data the other two do. OTOH, it’s $20 +cell (and charger if you need one) and you can actually get it now. If you download and plot the filtered data from it (rather than relying on the beeps/“web page”) it gives good data

The other two are coming back…sometime. I won’t put words in the mouths of either @John Beans or @gtg738w but I have some reason to believe they are coming back in the forseeable future. It’s the FlightSketch Comp that’s pretty much impossible due to parts right now.

FS Mini top left, AltimeterThree below it, Eggfinder ION with 110 mAh cell (probably the smallest you’d want to use) to the right.
 

Attachments

  • E3EA7CFB-01B4-4AC2-8584-BE6DA4875EF9.jpeg
    E3EA7CFB-01B4-4AC2-8584-BE6DA4875EF9.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 0
BEC said:
Eggtimer has nothing the size or functionality of either AltimeterThree or the FlightSketch Mini. The ION kinda sorta tries to get there, but it’s much larger/heavier (with an appropriately-sized li-poly cell for power) and has no accelerometer aboard, so can’t do some of the data the other two do. OTOH, it’s $20 +cell (and charger if you need one) and you can actually get it now. If you download and plot the filtered data from it (rather than relying on the beeps/“web page”) it gives good data

The other two are coming back…sometime. I won’t put words in either @John Beans’ or @gtg738w’s mouths but I have some reason to believe they are coming back in the forseeable future. It’s the FlightSketch Comp that’s pretty much impossible due to parts right now.

FS Mini top left, AltimeterThree below it, Eggfinder ION with 110 mAh cell (probably the smallest you’d want to use) to the right.
Click to expand...
Hmm... Has nothing on size or functionality? But neither of the ones you mentioned has dual deployment. Maybe, I misunderstood you?
 
The ION doesn't do deployments, it's strictly a data logger. The Quantum is what you're thinking of... it has two outputs plus the same datalogging as the ION.
 
cwbullet said:
Hmm... Has nothing on size or functionality
Click to expand...

Maybe nothing that size has the same functionality? The Proton is packed with features for a great price, but larger. The Quark is small and inexpensive, maybe not as small, but with other useful features.

Best of all, if you need one now, you can get both right away.
 
cwbullet said:
Hmm... Has nothing on size or functionality? But neither of the ones you mentioned has dual deployment. Maybe, I misunderstood you?
Click to expand...
The OP was looking for news on FlightSketch devices — so not looking for deployment. Then the AltimeterThree came up, which is the other bluetooth-equipped baro and acclerometer-equipped reporting altimeter besides the FS Mini/Comp. Then @tsmith1315 asked “what about Eggfinder stuff?” That’s the context to which I was replying.

I realize that of all the Eggfinder stuff, the ION is probably the simplest device.

Deployment was not part of the original question, so not part of my answer. I have zero altimeter-deployment experience anyway and am in no position to advise anyone on that sort of thing.
 
BEC said:
I realize that of all the Eggfinder stuff, the ION is probably the simplest device.

Deployment was not part of the original question, so not part of my answer. I have zero altimeter-deployment experience anyway and am in no position to advise anyone on that sort of thing.
Click to expand...
The Ion is *only* a logger. The Classic Flight Computer logs. It might fit in smaller tubes than the Ion. It's easier to build, and is cheaper (all through-hole construction). Oh, yeah - The Classic can also do dual deploy (but doesn't *have* to).
 
Sooner Boomer said:
The Ion is *only* a logger. The Classic Flight Computer logs. It might fit in smaller tubes than the Ion. It's easier to build, and is cheaper (all through-hole construction). Oh, yeah - The Classic can also do dual deploy (but doesn't *have* to).
Click to expand...
Again, the OP was asking about the availability of FlightSketch devices, and he clarified in post 3 specifically the FS Mini. So all this business about deployment devices doesn’t really answer the question. The Eggtimer ION (and the AltimeterThree) came up in the conversation as possible functional equivalents to the Mini, which is a recording altimeter/accelerometer that is small and light.

The Classic, it says on the web page, is 3.9 inches long and 1 inch wide. The ION is about 1.7 inches long and 0.9 inches wide (I just measured one), so no, a Classic won’t fit in a smaller tube. It’s also $15 more than the ION, not cheaper. While having not built one, being all through-hole components, a Classic should be easier to build, yes.

Maybe the OP and @bobbyg23 can get together and we can stop pestering him with all this other stuff that’s not an answer to the question he asked.
cwbullet said:
Hmm... Has nothing on size or functionality? But neither of the ones you mentioned has dual deployment. Maybe, I misunderstood you?
Click to expand...
I think you did. The OP was asking about FlightSketch stuff, specifically the Mini (see post 3 of this thread), which is NOT a deployment computer.

But there is quite a bit of pent-up demand for the inexpensive and capable FlightSketch Mini. Heck, I’m ready to buy three or four more of them as soon as Russ manages to overcome the hurdles to getting another batch made.

I think I’m done being pedantic, at least in this thread…. :)
 
BEC said:
Again, the OP was asking about the availability of FlightSketch devices
Click to expand...
What, you expect *me* not to crash and hijack a thread? Have I told you about what my cat did today?

BEC said:
I think I’m done being pedantic, at least in this thread…. :)
Click to expand...
So I was a bit off. I've got both the Ion and Classic. But I'm also too lazy to actually *look* at them.

And pedantic, nah.
 
bobbyg23 said:
I was thinking $30 shipped. Op hasn't responded yet.
Click to expand...
Assuming it works, I'll take it!

I want to give the OP some time to respond; he deserves the opportunity since he asked first. Not sure how much time we should give him, though. I'll let you decide.
 
Flightsketch mini, what's the eta on new ones being available?

I have 1 left, one like to get another.
 
Dave Stephens said:
OK I'll take it if you could post to New Zealand at my expense.
Click to expand...
That sucker was sold back in March; don't ask me how I know.

If there's an FS Mini for sale (and it's sold for a reasonable price), it usually sells within 60 minutes of posting on TRF. I know one sold in 4 minutes recently.
 
I'm getting seriously concerned. Russ (@gtg738w) has been silent since I last was in touch with him around NARAM-64. I've tried emails, I've tried a conversation here, and I've even tried contacting another member of his club in CT. Yet the member info here says he was on TRF yesterday afternoon.

So I'm — at the very least — puzzled.

As I understood it there are in fact more Minis and Comps, but something must be preventing him from making them available.
 

Similar threads

COSTransplant
Wanted Flightsketch Mini
Replies
0
Views
163
COSTransplant
COSTransplant
n27sb
Sold Flightsketch Mini
Replies
3
Views
323
SolarYellow
SolarYellow
atestani
Jolly Logic Altimeter 3 Alternative?
Replies
2
Views
1K
BEC
BEC
Lord Rory Gin
Can you launch a rocket into space with a centrifuge?
Replies
2
Views
132
Lord Rory Gin
Lord Rory Gin
Bobrogg
So It Begins, Wildman Blackhawk 98 Build
2
Replies
50
Views
3K
Bobrogg
Bobrogg

Latest posts

Back
Top