Stuck engine -Help needed

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dave298

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Hi- I’ve been getting the grand kids into model rocketry and recently we had an Estees Alpha rockets get stuck in a tree. My wife went back a few days latter and to my surprise found it on the ground, and in flyable condition. Problem is, it must have rained a bit and the moisture caused the engine to swell and it won’t come out. (I’ve exerted as much force with pliers, etc. as I can with destroying it). Has anyone got a suggestion on how I might free it? There is space around it. I could drip some water or fluid around it but I thought I check with the experts first. Thanks!

Grandpa Dave
 
Thank you both! Using an xacto knife I can only reach the bottom quarter of the engine. Is there a better tool or an alternate method. I'm not having much luck with this.
 
Again Neil beat me to it. That's what I do - stick some thin needle-nosed pliers in between the inside and a few inner layers, then twist.
 
Needle-nosed pliers to grab the corner and then twist the layer out from inside?
This is exactly what I do. You should be able to work one of the "needles" in between cardboard layers of the motor casing. Then start twisting to pull the cardboard apart.
 
When I had a stuck motor that I could only get half of, I ended up drilling out the rest. I also took out the motor block so sanded out the glue and reinstalled.
 
Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. I wasn't having much luck with the screwdriver so I attached a hose clamp on the end of the engine so I could get a better grip and then I stuffed some paper towel into the spent engine and used an eye dropper to add water to the towel. I let this soak for a few hours hoping it would soak through the casing and lossen it's attachment to the engine mount, and it worked! The Alpha will fly agin, and the grandson is happy! Thanks again for all your suggestions!
 
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