Has anyone had a 24mm motor CATO in the Estes 29mm adapter?

[Art Upton]

In another thread I talked about the Saturn Vs new 29mm motor mount.

So there is a new "Bunker Mount" adapter between 24 and 29mm to absorb the force of the CATO?

That got me thinking hours later, could the 24/29 plastic adapter help reduce the damage of an E12 CATO to the main 29mm mount in any rocket?

Has anyone here on TRF had a 24mm CATO in the plastic 29mm adapter? What happened to it?

 

[SolarYellow]

I reckon you could make an adaptor out of a fiberglass sleeve, if you wanted it to be really beefy. Or maybe peel the ID of a 29mm BP motor to be a close fit on the 24mm. That might help contain a rupture of the case, but wouldn't do much about blowing out the top and/or bottom.

 

[sr205347d]

The Estes 24mm CATOs do not, in my experience, split the case open. They blow out the nozzle, the front, or both. So, I don't know how the plastic adapter could help.

Last launch, I had a rocket suffer two CATOs on D12-3s. On the first, it blew out the front, but not the nozzle. The motor was ejected out the back, since it was held in only by a motor hook. There was no damage to the rocket, as the parachute was ejected also. On the second launch, it blew out the nozzle and the front. That sudden impulse out the back from the blown out nozzle crumpled the body tube forward of the fins. The parachute deployed this time too, so the damage was only from the force of the explosion.

So, the only thing I can suggest, to minimize potential damage, is to not use the screw-on retainer, as that would not have allowed the motor to eject out the back during the first event, which possibly helped relieve pressure in the rocket.

 

[Back_at_it]

Yes. I had a D12 Cato inside the a 29mm adapter. The adapter helped save the lower part of the rocket but the entire upper section of the tube were burn badly and deformed. I was able to cut off the bad part of the tube and replace it. The fins and motor mount was not damaged.

 

[Art Upton]

Yes. I had a D12 Cato inside the a 29mm adapter. The adapter helped save the lower part of the rocket but the entire upper section of the tube were burn badly and deformed. I was able to cut off the bad part of the tube and replace it. The fins and motor mount was not damaged.

That is "Interesting".

 

[Back_at_it]

That is "Interesting".

The plastic case protected the areas to the sides. All the flame went out the top

 

[Papa Elf]

In my Estes Majestic #2 (#1 was a replacement from Estes where an E12 failed to eject) I flew it with the E12 that came with the replacement. The motor blew out both ends. The force of the Cato forced the adapter into the motor tube... Remember... It has a thrust ring... I could never get it out. You can see pics here:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/yet-another-e12-cato.186022/

 

[Art Upton]

In my Estes Majestic #2 (#1 was a replacement from Estes where an E12 failed to eject) I flew it with the E12 that came with the replacement. The motor blew out both ends. The force of the Cato forces the adapter into the motor tube... Remember... It has a thrust ring... I could never get it out. You can see pics here:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/yet-another-e12-cato.186022/

So did you use one of those motor pokin' stiks with a rubber mallet* to drive it back out from the other end?

Some places call them wooden dowels ...same one you can clean a 29mm reload case out with.

*The very low cost rubber mallet Wall-E-World sells in the camping section to secure your tent pegs on your Rocket EZ-Up. They also have motor Pokin' Stiks in the craft isle

 

[Papa Elf]

Yes. It's pretty much permanently stuck in the rocket.

 

[Back_at_it]

In my Estes Majestic #2 (#1 was a replacement from Estes where an E12 failed to eject) I flew it with the E12 that came with the replacement. The motor blew out both ends. The force of the Cato forced the adapter into the motor tube... Remember... It has a thrust ring... I could never get it out. You can see pics here:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/yet-another-e12-cato.186022/

I've had that exact same thing happen on a rather energetic F44. I used the estes 24/29mm adapter. The motor pushed the thrust ring past the bottom of the motor mount tube and jammed itself about a 1/4" up into into the motor tube. I used a slide hammer with screw tip. Screwed it into the nozzle of the F44 and slid the hammer a couple times and it popped out without damage. motor tube needs a couple of extra wraps of tape to keep motors in these days but no harm done.

 

[Art Upton]

I've had that exact same thing happen on a rather energetic F44. I used the estes 24/29mm adapter. The motor pushed the thrust ring past the bottom of the motor mount tube and jammed itself about a 1/4" up into into the motor tube. I used a slide hammer with screw tip. Screwed it into the nozzle of the F44 and slid the hammer a couple times and it popped out without damage. motor tube needs a couple of extra wraps of tape to keep motors in these days but no harm done.

Thanks for that also as well as Elf's issue, I will be putting a bit more wrap of masking tape on the 24/29 adapter right after the thrust ring to help prevent it.

I still do not understand how using a wooden dowel and a mallet would also not remove it, banging from the other end?

Interesting use of the slide hammer, it's been some time since I had one. I used last for pulling a side dent out of my '72 Sebring Plus' rear quarter panel

 

[bad_idea]

Interesting use of the slide hammer, it's been some time since I had one. I used last for pulling a side dent out of my '72 Sebring Plus' rear quarter panel

Is that what slide hammers are for? I always wondered. The main use I've heard for them is removing the ignition lock from older cars when they're being "borrowed."

 

[Art Upton]

Is that what slide hammers are for? I always wondered. The main use I've heard for them is removing the ignition lock from older cars when they're being "borrowed."

Yes, body pulling work is their legitimate original use. Later it was discovered GM cars of a certain gone by era, could have the lock removed and started with a screw driver.

Today, certain years of KIA can be started the same way, but folks were using the flat USB to turn it... leading the twisted story of 'starting a KIA with USB'. It was simply being used as a screw driver.

 

[bad_idea]

Today, certain years of KIA can be started the same way, but folks were using the flat USB to turn it... leading the twisted story of 'starting a KIA with USB'. It was simply being used as a screw driver.

Thanks, Art! Now I know how to steal a KIA too!