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One again ,my appology to Myke. I was raised on fun with eubonics.

No need to apologize. I just wanted people to know the correct spelling of his name. Definitely European. ;)

How about a listing of all motor manufactures (low and high)

Someone out in rocket land should write a book on the history of motor making with plenty of photos from the beginning until now. Hint....Hint

We also need a book about the hobby before the history is lost forever.

The info here on FSI is great !

FYI I think Larry Reese is living in Harrisonville MO

fsi
 

Yea, talking about hair, Lonnie said both him and Larry 's hair started turning silver at end of high school. Which you look at their class pictures they both look jet black. Lonnies hair was usually standin up and lookin good. Product of growing up in the 50's. Larry's ....not so much.

fsi and rocket history
 

Since I found this website in 2008? i think? I have tried to list the facts I knew. I had heard a bunch of half truths and honest mis communication. You know how the internet is, once something is posted it is coppied and if you do a search, you might get the same thing over and over again so IT MUST BE TRUE???? Check on this site for anything FSI and "Hello from a spacemodeling snob". Before I went to NARCON last year I had been talking to a guy I knew. I knew of him as a Chrysler Engineer, not as someone associated with FSI. Stuart had said he would like to do a book about FSI and I told him if he does I would help him on as much as I could.

The 18mm motor machine is now in Michigan.
Mr. Bob
Strlight Dude

18mm
 

Do you have any current pics/info?

I know exactly what you mean. :D
There are folks that intentionally use that to harm others.
rec.models.rockets was rampant for that since they could not be banned or censored.
ROL and N3 and TRF has moderation, but the moderators themselves are the perps.

This isn't a FSI story but the first time I met Vern was at NARWIN-1 in Phoenix where I had a drink with G Harry Stine, Lee Piester, Vern Estes and Lonnie Reese. That was a moment. Very collegial bunch, all of us. The next time I saw Vern he came to my Winterfest launch at Lucerne to ask me to remove our TRA certified E-K Firestarters from market. I declined and stated my intention was to limit them to launch dealers and not go mass merchandise. He started his campaign against sparkies leading to successful safety tests, regulatory permissions, and while it wrecked our rep to have Vern come out against us/them, the product category has continued through theft of assets (Kosdon), cloning (Kosdon East, Animal Motor Works) and valid competitive offerings such as Aerotech.

In the mean time we sell more than ever x10, just not in this market.

I wouldn't mind seeing a Firestarter Spaceship 2!

BTW the name served as "fair warning" and contributed greatly to its near perfect non-fire-hazard record. That was as much stuff as you could pass through a nozzle without blowing it!

As for FSI, when I went to visit Lonnie at his house he was concerned with cost and price compression. I suggested simply increasing the retail price considerably, which he didn't do. I have taken that lesson with me through 35 years of rocket product pricing. I was both a retail customer from several local stores as well as a wholesale customer through the rocket club. So I understood the issues well.

This is exactly why I never criticize Estes motor pricing strategy. That is the price at which you have both willing and able sellers and willing and able buyers.

I would readily pay double for more F100's! Why pay less? BTW they were more like E48's. ILP: FSI 27mm 42F48-8BP.

Jerry

Fsi
 

You know from 75' til just after I left we put out the same Catalog except for once i a while add or take out something in the center pages. Example( add loadlifters, take out Thunderbolt). The date on the cover and the price list is what changed. Lonnies butt would pucker when he had to raise prices. He was honestly conserned that people would not be able to afford to keep buying his stuff. He would ask us how much we would pay for xxx? I know this makes me sound old but, in my old guy voice, "I remember when you could by a pack of F7's or F100's for 9.99 a pack of three". Gladly pay 4 times that now.
Over the years our motors did vary. When we started making our own stuff in early 80's the quality was better. Not worn out tooling and better quality control. Before that and later years years from what Stuart told me ,not so much. Between the fireclay for the nozzle and the propellant itself being abrasive, those spindles get worn especially on a deep core motor. We had made a engine tester. Actually two. The first one in late 70's was made by a friend of Lonnie's out of a electronic bathroom scale. The later one used a good load cell and a Gould Brush 220 chart recorder I got from my other job. I have no Idea what George had when he was making motors. The second machine did work well and we did send some good spec motors out. Stuart told me toward the end he could visually tell difference in nozzle size. So many **** variables in making big BP motors......BUT I STILL LOVE EM.