The Estes Asteroid Explorer Fins

[Arley Davis]

I have most of the information to clone the Estes #1386 Asteroid Explorer.

But dose anyone have the thickness of the balsa used on the rocket, fins and Landing pads. Also if you have a copy of the fins could you email them to me? I plan on sending the information I have to YORS, so others can clone this rocket that’s as soon as the decals are sent to me.

[barone]

Arley,

Plans are showing part number BF-864. If I'm not mistaken (and almost always am), that would be 1/8th in balsa (8/64 reduced to lowest fraction).

Don
NAR 53455

[Arley Davis]

I thank you are right for the Dowels are 1/8” diameter, I just what’d to make sure before I sent the plans to YORS.

[CPMcGraw]

I have most of the information to clone the Estes #1386 Asteroid Explorer.

But dose anyone have the thickness of the balsa used on the rocket, fins and Landing pads. Also if you have a copy of the fins could you email them to me? I plan on sending the information I have to YORS, so others can clone this rocket that’s as soon as the decals are sent to me.

Arley,

This model is essentially the same as the Spartan, #864, which doesn't have the dowel "legs", and using an 18mm motor instead of the Spartan's 13mm. You can get the fin patterns from the Spartan files on YORP.

http://plans.rocketshoppe.com/estes/est0864/est0864.htm

Note the dual stock number for the fins on both plan sheets, and the mis-print of same on the Spartan sheet...

I think you'll find the model needs 3/32" balsa for the fins...

For reference, most of Estes' kits used one of three primary fin thicknesses -- 1/16" (BFS-20), 3/32" (BFS-30), and 1/8" (BFS-40). BFS-20 was used on most of the BT-5 and BT-20 models, BFS-30 was used on BT-50 and BT-55 designs, and BFS-40 was used on BT-60 and larger models. While there are certainly exceptions to this pattern, this is typically the "rule of thumb" that most of their designs followed.

[Tau Zero]

I have most of the information to clone the Estes #1386 Asteroid Explorer.
Oddly enough, it reminded me of this 1981 Centuri Design Contest winner:
http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/catalogs/centuri81/81cen58.html

Hmm... :confused: :rolleyes: :D


Cheers,

--Jay

[Eagle3]

Guys, Jimz already has the plans and templates,
http://www.dars.org/jimz/est1386.htm

If anyone has decal scans we could use those.

Thanks

[ghrocketman]

The fins on the example I have are 1/8", not the 3/32" indicated above; then again maybe I have some sort of "weirdo" kit ?

[Arley Davis]

I am sure the Balsa is 1/8" because the Dowels are 1/8".

And I know that JimZ has the plans put YORS dose not have them, and JimZ site is not running at this time and there has been on updates for almost a year. So it doae not hurt to have it at both sites for at least YORS adds new plans, Decals, and pther rocket thanks from time to time.

[CPMcGraw]

The fins on the example I have are 1/8", not the 3/32" indicated above; then again maybe I have some sort of "weirdo" kit ?

Nah, your kit is probably correct -- I think the Asteroid Explorer came out before the Spartan, and Estes probably matched the thickness to the dowel. They just re-used the landing pad "feet" as tip pods when they recycled the kit...

My "rule of thumb" did say there might be variations to this pattern, and apparently this is one of those exceptions.

For Arley -- Use 1/8" thick balsa for those fins. I guess the idea was to smooth out the joint between the fin and the leg so that they appear to be a solid piece...

[Arley Davis]

No that both came out in the same 2 years 82-84.

[CPMcGraw]

No that both came out in the same 2 years 82-84.

You did what I didn't do -- you checked your sources!

I should have looked at the Kit List first, which I didn't. :o

A good example of Estes getting two kits out of one design.

[Arley Davis]

GNRocketman if you have the kit what are the sizes of the Landing Pads and Gussets. There is a sheet on JimZ on the size of the Landing Gear and I drew them up but the landing pads look to long and I know that 3/16” is wrong it has to be at least 5/8”. The Gussets are ½” at the base and ¼” at the top, with a height of 3/8”. Once I drew that up it looks to small I do not know can you help me.