Modifying Estes Rockets for High Power

[Arley Davis]

Spaced Out Rocketry is thanking of making a new product that will help in modifying an Estes BT–80 tube rocket to mid or high power. That is if there is a demand for the part, I call The 2.56 Nose Ring. Take a look at the Diagram and let me know what you the customer thanks. Some rockets that use the BT-80 Tubing are the Broad Sward, Super Big Bertha, Fat Boy, Maxi Honest John, and the Shadow among others. See Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe’s Estes Nose Cone / Kit List Reference for a list of the Estes Rockets that use the BT-80 tube. And please let me know what you thing of the Nose Ring and How many of you would like one before I make it.

[Vanel]

Arley,

I do not think that just using the design and the kit nose constitutes "modifying" the kit - You are talking a totally new build, replacing the body tube, the fins, the motor mount, and the recovery system. To me, a mod consists of altering the fin design or inserting a baffle or maybe changing the motor mount to a cluster or different size engine. What you propose would cost more than the kit itself. Practically none of the kit parts are used.

To me, this is a scratch build of a mid/high power rocket using an Estes nose.

Good idea, though :)

[Arley Davis]

if you wish to fly an estes Design on high power moters the Estes rocket would not wihtstand the trust, and would be dangers to others. But you are right in that you use the nose cone, and Decals, put you also need the dimetions and fin patterns thats way I sent Scott a copy of my Broadsward plans and Tanga Papa has the decals. You could also have one of each a Estes Low Power and a High power af the same rocket. Way have a broadsward only go to 200 feet when it could fly to 2,000.

[Arley Davis]

I was also only trying to be helpful in designing a high power Estes rocket. Of cores you can beef up an Estes rocket to fly on F and G motors with a 29MM motor mount and I have done it myself with the Estes Shadow, But I did cut new fins from plywood and added nose weight. It also flew great put I have also seen other’s do this and the rocket was unstable and some even crashed or zippered. In my design I was jut trying to be helpful to other rocketteers. Here is a picture of my Estes Shadow

[UMRS]

if you wish to fly an estes Design on high power moters the Estes rocket would not wihtstand the trust, and would be dangers to others. But you are right in that you use the nose cone, and Decals, put you also need the dimetions and fin patterns thats way I sent Scott a copy of my Broadsward plans and Tanga Papa has the decals. You could also have one of each a Estes Low Power and a High power af the same rocket. Way have a broadsward only go to 200 feet when it could fly to 2,000.

I disagree with that statement, My Super big Bertha and Honest John both have 29mm mounts and have flown dozens of times on "F" and "G" motors. Other than using tubular nylon for a shock cord they are unchanged, and have yet to pose a danger or suffer any damage. Now the Honest John Like its cousin the V2 need the fins to be reinforced no matter what you fly them on being Vacu-Form. I would agree with Vanel on this one its a good idea but your talking about re-making an entire kit as opposed to modifying one.

There also is the factor of diminishing return, sure you can make an estes kit fly over 4,000 Feet. But at that point what are your chances of recovery? And finally a traditionalist cringes at my Super Bertha on an F-21, The berthas are known for a slow graceful takeoff and when mine flys on an F or a G its hardly that :)

[Arley Davis]

Just to clarify F and G motors are not High Power they are Mid Power. To fly High Power Rockets you need to fly with an H motor and you need to be certified level 1. Level 2 is a J motor or larger and level 3 is an M Motor. You do not have to be certified to purchase and fly F and G motors.

[dwmzmm]

Just to clarify F and G motors are not High Power they are Mid Power. To fly High Power Rockets you need to fly with an H motor and you need to be certified level 1. Level 2 is a J motor or larger and level 3 is an M Motor. You do not have to be certified to purchase and fly F and G motors.

Although not "high powered," I've just built and modified my Estes Patriot (the vintage
Citation kit) to use 24 mm motors (up to the E9-6); other than the change in the motor
mount, I used 3/16" launch lugs and stronger, longer elastic nylon shockcord. Building this
kit was a real charm, and I was really surprised as to how well the two decal sheets worked
like majic after all those years in the bag.

The first flight for this model will take place one week from tomorrow, where it will see some
action before several thousand spectators at Johnson Space Center during the annual
Ballunar Festival. The NASA Houston Rocket Club (NHRC) is on schedule to do about four
or five launch demos during that weekend. If you're nearby and want to see some action,
why don't you all just come on by and join us?!