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Estes Screw Machine Kit
The Estes Converter appeared in 2007 and was designed by Ken Montayne (Rocket Dr.). His original name for it was K’wick K’nect. Before it was released as the Converter, the original version released by Estes had some differences and was offered as the, I kid you not, Screw Machine, in the 2002 Catalog. Since Ken published This Post, I have been looking for one of these, since it was such a good story. I think it is pretty wild that marketing thought that Screw Machine was a good name. One finally became available for a very good price and I got it. The kit itself is interesting in a few ways for its differences with the Converter, it has longer tubes and three sets of interchangeable fins that are trapped in slots with the usual BT-56 twist lock retainer. The plastic parts are molded in white, I have never seen the BT-56 nosecone molded in white. The “Screw Machine” sticker is pre-installed on the aft tube. With all the tubes installed it is 45.75 inches. The shortest tube attaches to the fin can and there is a coupler just for the upper launch lug and a short section of tube between the launch lug coupler and the aft screw connector.
The Converter fin can has fixed fins molded in, and the longest length is 38.5”. It eliminates all the fin sets and the launch lug coupler, it uses the plastic lug strip used in the MAV and many other Estes E2X kits. Last edited by 5x7 : 01-16-2022 at 05:48 PM. |
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Never heard of it before - nice find!
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#3
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The attraction is the story and wierd name for sure. I also wonder if Estes had any other kits with included sets of interchangeable fins for a single rocket, meant to be switched between flights? I can’t recall any.
Last edited by 5x7 : 07-28-2020 at 05:38 AM. |
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All the current ARFs plus a number of E2X kits (MAV, Ghost Chaser, Galaxy Glow...) as well as the Mix-N-Match sets and the Booster-55 and Booster-60 all have the same fin-to-fin-can interface and therefore have interchangeable fins.
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Bernard Cawley NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member SAM 0061 AMA 42160 KG7AIE |
#5
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Quote:
That’s a good point about the Arfs but they only have one set of fins, and they can be interchanged, but the ah - hem “Screw Machine” is the only one I can think of so far that made it a feature, meant to be flown, then switched out for different shaped fins. The Mix and Match instructions say you have to use fins all of the same shape on one rocket, and glue them on. You could definitely do it with the Mix and Match, Estes missed the boat on that one, maybe John had one go sideways and said “Yep, glue ‘em”. |
#6
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Not sure I follow “one set of fins”. There are LOTS of shapes and more getting added all the time, including the new ones for MAV and for Illusion/Starship Octavius (these three are not the same even on that model) and the ones that carry the ring glider (or gliders) on the Double Ringer and Solo (another place where the not all fins on the model are the same).
I wouldn’t be surprised if Mix-n-Match recommends not mixing shapes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. And there is no reason to glue the fins on any of these models. The motor retainer prevents them from sliding out. But I concede that mixing them up on the same model, then changing to a different configuration and flying again is not part of the official plan with any of these. My point was that they ARE interchangeable, which was what I was responding to.
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Bernard Cawley NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member SAM 0061 AMA 42160 KG7AIE Last edited by BEC : 07-28-2020 at 11:30 AM. |
#7
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I am just saying one set of fins is included in each ARF kit. I appreciate the reminder about the current rockets with fincans, I even went and looked at the ARF instructions, there is no glue used to retain the fins, which I did not recall. I had a cato in a Hobby Lobby clearance Phantom Blue and was able to reuse two of the three decorated fins on a new fincan, so I have taken advantage of the interchangeability. I will clarify my somewhat vague question here because I am curious about this specific scenario: Did Estes have any other kits with included sets of interchangeable fins of different shapes for a single rocket, advertised to be switched between flights? I can’t recall any. Last edited by 5x7 : 07-28-2020 at 05:59 AM. |
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