I am with all of you, I like the old Estes hooks. I was lucky and bought a bunch at the LHS for 50cents a pack.......I have enough to last me a long time. By the way, I have Estes hooks from the old designer boxes. One thing that I noticed is that the width on some are narrow and others wider......The length is always the same.

I also break the excess and put it at the top. I've been doing it on most models ever since the new style came out. Occasionally I'll leave them stock if they are used in a rocket where the thing won't stick down in the way and look ugly.

I completely agree. And I hate when the rocket stands on the engine hook.

__________________
Leo

My rocket fleet and more @ Leo's Leisure Site and on YouTube - My latest project: ALTDuino

I do too! It makes it a pain to display the rocket!

__________________
Jon
SAM #0396
BAR 02/07
NAR 86940
KF4GUL
Aim high, fly straight!

To display rockets with the engine hook protruding, get a nice roud piece of wood, finish it off with wood stain.

Take a dowel that fits inside the motor casing and glue (better to screw it) to the wood base.

Clean out the interior of the motor casing and insert into the rocket, then slide the motor casing down over the dowel, your tipsy rocket problem has been solved inexpensively.

Or just forgo the engine casing and get a dowel that is the appropriate diameter(13mm,18mm,24mm, etc) and just make it a little longer then the motor and just slide the rocket on that..Of course after you have secured and stained said dowel to a stable platform! That is what I plan on doing-eventually! It's one of those "One of these days" type things...

__________________
Jon
SAM #0396
BAR 02/07
NAR 86940
KF4GUL
Aim high, fly straight!

The reason behind using a dowel/engine casing combination is that if you only use a dowel. then, there will be tension on the enine hook as long as the rocket is on display.

With using the combo, the engine hook will operate as usual without having any extra stress on the hook.

Bottom line is, that's it is an inexpensive way to make a display stand.

I've actually epoxied an empty casing to a CD cake spindle and used that. The spindle makes a great base for smaller rockets and those where the rocket won't stand on fins....

__________________
Don
NAR 53455
"Carpe Diem"

I get the little wooden plaques, $0.50 each at Hobby Lobby, drill a hole dead center with my drill press and glue in a dowel, then mount an engine casing to the dowel as described. I don't mess with staining, I prime, sand, and paint just like it was a rocket.

I also got some wooden drawer handles which I cut at angles to make angled rocket stands. I'll post a picture when I get a chance.

__________________
NAR # 115523
Once upon a better day... SAM #0076
My site: http://rocketry.gonnerman.org

I will be finished with the new Interceptor today, and of course I will post pictures. But the new Estes style hook sticks out pretty far. I would stick with the old style hook for looks.