Slimline Tailcone vs Aeropack Tailcone

[OhioFlyer]

Anyone have pictures of both of these tailcones installed? Specifically looking for the 54mm motor/3.9" bodytube versions. I'm trying to decide between the two and the Slimline looks a little easier to install but its basically coming down to aesthetics at this point.

 

[H_Rocket]

They install almost exactly the same. The big difference is the slimline does not have an external ring so it works “better” in MD and boat tail designs.

one note - the threaded slim line has a relatively fine thread pitch and (in my opinion) cross threads way too easily.

 

[SkyFire]

54mm Aeropack tailcone on 3.9" body tube;

 

[user 30299]

The Slimline is easier to install because you permanently mount the tailcone to the body tube and motor tube. The motor casing simply drops into the cone and held by a snap ring.

The Aero Pack cone is a bit more involved. You are attaching Aero Pack's standard threaded collar to the motor tube - but then you have to get it's "extension" distance perfect. The tailcone is what holds the motor in. It is threaded on to the collar and has to fit snug against the body tube and the motor's end closure.
The pictures show the 3.9" (54mm) Aero Pack cone.

 

[heada]

I have the Slimline threaded retainer in 38mm and 54mm (not boat-tail) and the Aeropack boat-tail in 3.9-54mm as well as a 3.0-38mm. Like has been said, the Slimline is better for MD and the threads are very fine so extra care has to be taken to prevent cross-threading. I'm not sure if the boat-tail has those same fine threads. The Areopack is...well, it's an Aeropack. Can't go wrong with it. They're normally a little more mass than the Slimline equivilant so if you're CG/CP sensitive, make sure to take that into account.

For my Aeropack boat-tails, I noticed that the lip that sits on the base of the BT needs to be lined up very well before you epoxy everything in place. For me, I glued the body onto the MMT, installed a motor case with closure, threaded on the boat-tail retainer and then slid all of that into the BT so that the lip lined up well. Only then did I tack the forward CR in place to hold it in position. Then remove the boat-tail retainer and case to fully epoxy the rings in place. On a previous build I didn't do it that way and the lip the boat-tail has was about an 1/8" away from meeting the aft edge of the BT.

 

[user 30299]

The left tailcone is an Aero Pack on a 4" body tube, and 54mm motor.

The center tailcone is an Aero Pack on a 3" body tube, and 38mm motor.

The right tailcone is a Slimline on a 54mm body tube, and 38mm motor. (Rocket under construction.)

I always pick the cones based on aesthetics . . . (it's all about the looks)

 

[mtnmanak]

I have tried both retainer systems and I like them both.

I agree the Aeropack version can be a pain in the butt to install and get lined up properly, but one thing I do like about the Aeropack version is that the tailcone itself is reusable. I just have to install a less expensive retainer body on the next rocket. At one point, I bought one-each of all the Aeropack tailcone sizes on sale and I switch them around on a number of rockets.

The Slimline versions are way easier to install, but you have to buy one for each rocket you want to use it on. That can get pretty pricey over time.

If you are only going to use tailcones on a couple/few rockets, this price difference probably won't be a big deal. The break even point is about 2 rockets of similar size. Once you build that third one, the Slimline versions start to be more expensive.

I like aesthetics, but I am price conscious, so I can't afford to escalate the cost. If money is no issue for you, then Slimlines are the easy way to go.

 

[Bat-mite]

Deleted. I answered the wrong question.

 

[OhioFlyer]

Thanks for the input everyone. I actually already had a slimline picked for the build as I preferred the aesthetics and wanted to try something new. My only gripe with the slimline is that they use a tool-less snapping which I find more difficult than regular snap rings. That said, with a traditional snapping if I forgot my snapping pliers at home I'd be SOL but with the ones they supply any flathead screwdriver or similarly shaped object will work.

 

[jmasterj]

--Do the slimline tailcones work with Loki motor cases?--

Looks like the newer ones do. Should have gone farther down the search results.
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/loki-motors-in-slimline-retainers.164315/

 

[jmasterj]

I couldn't find the answer to my follow up question, though: do Aeropack adapters work properly with the slimline tailcones, even with Loki motors?

 

[Banzai88]

Current LOKI snaprings in slimline, yes. All you need are some additional slimline spacer rings. Usually 2 is sufficient. Older LOKI cases have a larger diameter outer snap ring that is just a hair too large in outer diameter.

Slimline adapters fitting it Aeropack, also yes, with no issues.

Aeropack adapters in slimline retainers, also yes, with no issues, but you may need some additional slimline spacer rings.

 

[heada]

I could find the answer to my follow up question, though: do Aeropack adapters work properly with the slimline tailcones, even with Loki motors?

Aeropack adapters, Loki cases and slimline retainers =yes. I've never tested the slimline tailcones but should be the same. My latest slimline retainers came with the spacer ring but I haven't needed to use it. I have a Loki Gen1 case (integrated thrustring), Gen2 case (spiral thrustring, few thousandths too wide) and Gen2 revA cases (spiral thrustring that fits perfect) If your Loki hardware is less than ~10 years old, you'll have Gen2 revA. All new stock needs no mods to fit correctly.

 

[jmasterj]

Thank you both!