Had my first CATO

[Hackazit]

Ran out friday night to buy a launch rod and some engines. Figured I'd buy some of those Quest engines. First off those Quest Ignitors are just wierd. I could not get them to ignight, tried and tried. I replaced the quest ignighter with an estes one and, with 5 kids standing around counting down I pressed the button and BOOM, my poor Quest starhawk blew up with a blast like an M-80, pieces landing at our feet.

I have decided that the 15 feet of wire is entirely too short, and am going to up the wire gauge and goto 30 feet. I also am never going to use Quest engines again. I have launched rockets for years and never had that happen before.

With Quest being sold, is there any thing I can do?

Also, the nozzle is still almost perfectly clean, figure that one out.

Hackazit (Greg)

 

[pinter75]

I use both Quest C6-5 and Estes C6-5's but I use a Quest control box to light both types of igniters. The Quest one has a PP3 9V cell which I thnk works better than the Estes one, You also get a cool beeping and flashing LED

Never had a problem with a Quest motor, but I do prefer the Estes ones - more impressive liftoffs!

Having said all that I am moving away from C's and launching stuff on D's now.

Steve.

 

[WiK]

I've also used Quest C6-5's, and i've never had a problem with them. I prefer the Quest motors, they're cheaper over here. The igniters work fine for me, and I find them quicker to use that the Estes ones, once you've put the stickers on, but i can't get the Quest igniter plugs to work, so i use old Estes ones.


-Phil

 

[cydermaster]

I use Quest motors, where available, for financial reasons too. Never had a problem with the motors or ignitors. I've used Estes ignitors in Quest motors & visa-versa with no problem.

Quest motors are ALOT louder than Estes ones; really good for UFOs, cos they fly lower, and you get the full effect of the sound. I often get an echo back from the houses at one end of my launch field.

 

[Ryan S.]

I have never used a Quest motor before. I have seen some Quest motors Cato but alot more Estes. but thats Probably only because there are alot more Estes motors used

 

[Hackazit]

Now that I've calmed down a bit, I am wondering are the two other engines in the pack probably ok or should I dispose of them?

The Quest ignitors, do they need more than the 4 AA NIMH battery power than I had?

I'm thinking of wiring up a 10 cell 1200mA sub C nicad pack (becouse I've got the cells). I'm thinking I might need more power for the Richter Recker at any rate.

Any news on the Quest sale?

Hackazit

 

[BlueNinja]

Yes, you probably should dispose of them because they were most likely from the same batch.

 

[jetra2]

If I were you, I would take them to your backyard, stuff it in the ground, and ignite with the Quest Igniter. It is a perfectly safe way to dispose of the motors.

Jason

 

[BlueNinja]

Really?

 

[gerbs4me]

I've used Quest before, never had any trouble, you should do what jetra says to do.

 

[rbeckey]

Another way to dispose of engines is to get a detergent, bleach, or other plastic container with a tight cap, fill it three quarters with water, and drop them in. It can then be sent out with the trash.

 

[Ryan S.]

You could douse them in water...but it is wayyyyy more fun to ignite them in the Ground. At least you get something out of them

This is the way aerotech suggests disposing of their motors, but then, why would you ever want to dispose of AP?

 

[BlueNinja]

I hear ya! I use the water method to dispose of used motors, never had to destroy unused motors.

 

[trogdor]

There have been a number of suggestions but I'll throw in my experience. I had a new pack of Estes D12-5s to fly my brother's Maxi Streak in 1986. Flew normally but when we got it back, TOTALLY fried the insides... outside glassine bubbled badly and blackened entire airframe inside and.. really weird.. looked like a toaster oven heating element was run on high inside the tube for a few minutes (whole thing was hot too as I remember). Anyway, engines went to storage, got them back from mom and dad in mid 90s when i got back into rockets after having moved to Europe for high school and then college etc. Remembered brother's D12-cook so stuck one of the two remaining in the ground.... lit up and ran just fine... Actually you should try it some time just for fun... looks neat but pretty weak, like a 99c fountain firework... maybe a little more... anyway, trusted that test and then put the last one in my TLP AGM-78. BANG!!! blew the whole motor mount out the side of the tube, spewed the whole recovery system 20ft away... but stayed on the lugs! whee! ... id just test em all on the ground... with your longer launch controller cord, no use wasting a motor burn or even cato, get your buck and a half out of it!

 

[graylensman]

Just my $.02:

I've flown both Estes and Quest motors. Never ever had a CATO from either. No problem with ignitors from either company. Quest generally seems to be less expensive, but Hungate's hobby store (where i purchase Quest motors) decided to take care of that inequity and now prices are comparable.

One odd thing: recent batch of B6-4s seem to be of a significantly smaller diameter than 18mm. I had to wrap a lot of masking tape to friction fit into the BT of my egglofter. So much so, i feared for crushing the BT on removal.

 

[Ryan S.]

thats always the way Towelie. I remember Doug and I burned a D12 in the ground that had a mishaped nozzle, it burned perfectly.

They do look cool in the ground, much better at night. There are tons of sparks. If you tape it on a launch rod instead of buring it (poke the launch rod in the ground and the motor pointing up taped on the Rod) you can see the whole motor burn including the EC

 

[trogdor]

HA Ryan... didn't think of the tape motor to launch rod thing however I have had rockets hang on a dirty launch rod and sit there burning a hole through the deflector! That's kinda cool, maybe you could actually weld with a string off a couple hundred D's all feeding after burnout through a tube of some kind that ignites one as the previous burns out! Also saw Bill Nye the Science guy wrap a D (or maybe an F or G can't remember, pretty sure Estes though) around a long stick at 90 degree angle and sit in a swiveling chair with the stick straight out about 4 feet... lit that thing and spun around slowly... heh...

 

[Ryan S.]

What you have experience (rocket getting stuck on pad) is called a Spadafora. It is called this because the president of CMASS, Bill Spadafora, always seems to be getting rockets stuck on the pad

Bill Nye is the man. I am suprised he did that though. doesnt seem like the safest thing.

O by the way I like your signiture

There is a fine line between hobby and mental illness

 

[gerbs4me]

Bill Nye is cool
I used to watch his show when I was younger, wonder what he's up to now?

 

[Ryan S.]

I wonder too...I havent seen him for a while. My Astronomy teacher went to a science convention and Bill was there promoting his show. Thats all I have heard from him for a while

 

[graylensman]

About a two years ago Bill Nye was in Richmond, doing demos and such- and promoting a book he had written. He said that he was working on a new show, supposedly out that September. But i've not seen anything since.

I wish they'd release a CD of the songs they played in the final segments of the episodes. Some of those absolutely rocked!

 

[trogdor]

OH YA, for safety Bill wore his white lab coat and the big goggles! HA!

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Originally posted by Ryan S.
I wonder too...I havent seen him for a while. My Astronomy teacher went to a science convention and Bill was there promoting his show. Thats all I have heard from him for a while

https://www.theonion.com/onion3629/bill_nye_killed.html

 

[BlueNinja]

never trust the onion

 

[Justy]

The latest news on Bill Nye's website is that Mr. Rogers passed away... that was, what, two years ago?

Nye is now doing the occasional commentary bit on Comedy Network's "Battlebots", a clone of the BBC's (far superior) "Robot Wars". A sad, sad day for Saturday morning science, indeed.

 

[gerbs4me]

I agree with Blue Ninja
its like those magazines at grocery store check outs, I think its Sun magazine, I believe I still have one mag saying the world will end in 1996. and like Bat boy is born and all those cheesey things

 

[KermieD]

Uhhh...guys...The Onion is a parody magazine. It's all a joke.

 

[Ryan S.]

ya, That is a funny site. I love it how they make fun of him by adding "of science to then end of everything.

The big inground steel contianer of science

The dumptruck of science.

hehehe

 

[BlueNinja]

I know thats why not to trust it

 

[jflis]

oh, the Onion is great fun!

If you get a chance, look up the Onion headline about landing on the moon. You'll be on the floor before you get through reading just the headline

(NOTE: That article contains many swears, so be warned... )