looking for Volunteers

[quickburst]

I have a new product idea that needs to be tested. It's a small ProCast kit that will allow you to enhance the existing Estees Igniters well beyond what they are now.

Here's how it works. I enlist the first three volunteers that send me an email offering their help. I'll send you one of the new kits. You follow the instructions and dip your OEM Igniters. Then you test them and see how effective they are. In the end you will send me a copy of your review. I'll use your feedback to improve my product or do what ever is needed.

All communications need to be via Email. I need your write up within 45 days of your receipt of the product. If you don't think you can make that deadline maybe you should pass. In the past I've never had anyone miss the deadline and I doubt that anyone will.

There is no cost to you, other than just a bit of your time.

Any takers?

Enroll by sending me your name, email address and street address. I'll send the product to you along with complete instructions.

I'll take the first three replies only.

You must be at least 18 years of age and have attained at least L-1 status in TRA, or NAR. I'd love to include our neighbors to the North (Canada) but the shipping cost will not allow it.

David Bachelder
DBA QuickBurst

Send replies to:
[email protected]

 

[quickburst]

All positions have been filled. There were four volunteers that all happened about the same time. To be fair I accepted all four.

David Bachelder
DBA QuickBurst
www.quickburst.net

 

[JimJarvis50]

David, what happens if the igniters have more Ns than the motor?

Just saying ....

Jim

 

[quickburst]

David, what happens if the igniters have more Ns than the motor?

Just saying ....

Jim

You get a bit more altitude. I don't charge for the added boost.

DB

 

[fyrwrxz]

Hmmm, 'enhanced' ignitors? It's that elusive gas/heat ratio we've been looking for. You could order ignitors according to thrust. David, could I get some 'H' ignitors please? Imagine those in a C6-7..........

 

[BEC]

I was lucky enough to be one of the four. While I haven't had a chance to field test the resulting much-enhanced Estes starters, on the bench (and in slow-motion video) they visibly outperform both the old Solar igniters and even the new StarTech starters. By that I mean they provide a more energetic-looking reaction when fired.

I'll have more to say and show after I've actually used them in the field to launch rockets, but on the bench they look very good. The small kit (7 grams ProCast, $20 plus $8 shipping, along with some acetone from the hardware store) will easily make enough dip to do 400 Estes starters. I've done more than 350 of them already and expect to get over 100 more on what is left in that little jar, so ~7.5¢ each to really liven up the Estes starters we've been living with for a number of years now.

 

[les]

I am also one of the lucky 4. The last two days I flew 17 rockets at the NARAM Sport Range using the enhanced Estes starters.
Not a single failure.....
One of the rockets, the Semroc Hydra VII, had ALL 7 motors started - Great Flight!

 

[BEC]

Les,

That sounds really good, especially the Hydra VII. But I'm curious, what is your usual luck with Estes starters? I told David I'm one of those who seldom has issues with them, so I was going to have to intentionally mis-install the enhanced ones when I took them out to fly (as I did with the beta Estes StarTech starters) so as to see the real benefits.

But what I saw statically and in the comparison videos I made today convinced me to dip just about all the regular starters I could find in various places in my hobby room, which amounted to a surprising number (well over 300). I still have a good amount of ProCast left in that little plastic jar.

 

[les]

Les,

That sounds really good, especially the Hydra VII. But I'm curious, what is your usual luck with Estes starters?

A little difficult to say. I keep a record of all my flights, but not how many times I had to go out to replace a starter. And sometimes the issue is the ground support equipment (dirty clips or clips that don't fully close).

Hmm - interesting... I thought I typically had relatively good luck with starters, but after your question and thinking about it, maybe not as good as I thought. I would say I typically have to "recycle" a starter at least once per day - so guestimate a 15 ~20% failure rate (I don't always get 8~10 flights in a day, but there are days I have no failures). I also have a ton of the original Estes starters with the pyrogen, so when I fly I end up using a mix - some rockets have the old and some have the "new" starters. I have no clue how many of the replacement starters were the old vs "new"..........

I've also supported an annual Rocket Festival where the public gets to build and fly a rocket.
I don't set up the rockets to launch, but I would say they typically have a minimum of a 10% failure rate

But again, with the dipped newer starters, ZERO issues on 17 flights, with 23 motors total!

 

[BEC]

I keep a log also, but also don't generally log misfires unless something interesting happens beyond just a starter that didn't, or if I'm specifically testing something.

Thanks for the addition perspective on your results and have fun at NARAM.