What happened to Custom?

Hello,
I was looking through some of my old Sport Rocketry magazines. Custom rocket company used to make some really cool large "D" powered rockets. Now they only offer the smaller rockets. What happened to Custom rocket company? Were they bought out or did the big rockets not sell well?

Brian

 

[rabidsheeep]

i remember hearing something about estes and them? or am i helicunating (Sp) again?

 

[TheRadiator]

Custom is alive and kicking, but like you said, just putting out their smaller offerings from years ago. I e-mailed Custom about their old kits a few months ago, and asked if they thought about bringing some of their old offerings back. The answer I got was that the cost was too great to keep producing the various parts for some of those old kits (ex. Land Viper, Equinox, Lamprey, etc.) They have brought the "Sport" kit back, but that's a minimum diameter 18mm rocket, but I was hoping that was a sign of things to come! Not yet, so Custom says. However, they sell NC's on their website that you can use to clone some of their old kits. I'm not sure how well the old kits sold back in the day, but you can find one on eBay from time to time now.

 

[Fishhead]

Originally posted by TheRadiator
However, they sell NC's on their website that you can use to clone some of their old kits.

Got any details on this, like a web site or something? I'd love to lay in a supply of those old cones so I can replace my old Custom rockets when I inevitably fly them to death. The nose cone was pretty much interchangable IIRC.

 

[TheRadiator]

Sure do! Here's the website: www.customrocketcompany.com

You can find the old PC-55 and PC-60 cones. Perfect for rebuilding you Engage and Equinox! Or scratch one out if you'd like! They don't have the old nose cone for the Land Viper, but it's the same as the Big Bertha nose cone.

 

[astronboy]

Plus, the Custom NC-55 is a very close stand in for the ESTES plastic BT-55-AC (the ESTES plastic cone was not the same shape as the ESTES or BMS balsa cone!!)

With this clone, you can build a stock, regular scale Blue Bird Zero!! clone!!

 

[graylensman]

... but they don't carry replacement noses for the Elite egglofter! I lost mine due to shock cord failure. Recovered the body, but downrange is populated by knee-high grasses. No way I was going to find the hen grenade.

 

[TheRadiator]

Have you emailed them yet?