Estes Tigres

[Rocket-Fan]

Built a Tigres this evening. Picked it up at Hobby Lobby just to have something to fly in my small field.

Went together really fast and easy, as expected. I used thin brushable plastic cement for the fins/can and gel superglue for the body tube to fin can joint. The fin can seems a bit weak to me but we'll see how she does after a few (if I get it back) flights. Should be fun.

 

[bad_idea]

Welcome to TRF. Looks like a fun flier. Enjoy!

 

[SolarYellow]

That body tube looks so perfect for an NRL-41 or -42 build.

 

[Rocket-Fan]

Welp, I put the finishing touches on the Tigres and after work decided to launch it on its maiden voyage in my field.

Weight as built is 1.65oz if anyone is curious (no motor) . . .



First thini noticed is that the plastic launch lug rail is awfully tight on the 1/8" dia rod. I removed the tape that reienforces the lug rail and sanded the rod a bit and that helped, but still pretty tight. I noticed that the fore and aft ends of the plastic rail werent flush with the body (the plastic rail had a curl to it OOTB and despite using gel CA it woulndnt hold down). Oh well, I decided to go for launch anyway . . .



Flight was on an A8-3. On the launch pad . . .



The flight was fairly non eventful except that the rocket apogeed at about 75ft and deployment ejection was about 20ft above the ground. I have pretty tall grass in the field so it landed softly (chute opened) but the top of the BT started to delaminate.



Anyway, I think I'm done with these cheap multi part fin-can Estes models. The quality just isn't there. My Tazer broke a fin on its third flight and the body tube was starting to crease even though no hard landings. I'd rather try an inexpensive bulk pack Alpha or more BMS School Rockets for small fun flyers. The quality of the BMS SR is outstanding given the price point.

 

[SolarYellow]

I don't glue the fins on. The motor retaining cap positively locks the fins into the can during flight, but leaves them replaceable if they get hammered by a hard landing. It is also a "take down" rocket if you want to put it in your luggage for easier/more compact travel. You can also mix and match them. These fins could be used with a "Booster-55" or "Booster-60" fin can for D power, or those fins used with this fin can for a different look.

On the body tube, it's wise to soak the end with thin CA to stiffen it and prevent the "dog eared" wear that otherwise happens from stuffing the recovery gear and nose cone in it over and over. Should also help prevent delamination.

If you want to try again, you can cut/peel/sand the orange tube off the fin can and replace it with BT-50 finished however you want.

 

[Rocket-Fan]

I don't glue the fins on. The motor retaining cap positively locks the fins into the can during flight, but leaves them replaceable if they get hammered by a hard landing. It is also a "take down" rocket if you want to put it in your luggage for easier/more compact travel. You can also mix and match them. These fins could be used with a "Booster-55" or "Booster-60" fin can for D power, or those fins used with this fin can for a different look.

On the body tube, it's wise to soak the end with thin CA to stiffen it and prevent the "dog eared" wear that otherwise happens from stuffing the recovery gear and nose cone in it over and over. Should also help prevent delamination.

If you want to try again, you can cut/peel/sand the orange tube off the fin can and replace it with BT-50 finished however you want.

Good points. I'll save it for parts, but for now I'm moving on. Thanks for the tips!

 

[SolarYellow]

Anyway, I think I'm done with these cheap multi part fin-can Estes models. The quality just isn't there.

FWIW, I agreed based on my personal experience until the Hobby Lobby closeout, where I got several Long Rangers for an average of less than $5. At that price, I can afford to sort through the kits for fins that aren't warped, etc. And not having them glued in, I can have different sets. Use ugly, "beater" fin sets for launches on unforgiving terrain or when there's a greater than average chance of something unfortunate happening to the rocket. Use nice fins for flights that matter more. etc. Might also try Long Ranger fins in a BT-55 can, or other such silliness.

 

[bjphoenix]

Built a Tigres this evening. Picked it up at Hobby Lobby just to have something to fly in my small field.

Someone flew one at our small field club launch and it landed in a suburb a mile away. We don't know when it was launched- a month ago, 2 months ago, don't know. The person that found the rocket brought it by our launch today, it had a C6 motor in it.

 

[BEC]

I've only flown mine once, on a B6-4. It surprised me how high it went for a model of that weight (almost 500 feet). Data here: https://flightsketch.com/flights/4237/ It probably would have gone over 500 feet on that flight had the delay been a real 4 seconds, based on the shape of the time/altitude graph.

I'd expect, based on this, that one on a C6 would break 1000 feet.

 

[Rocket-Fan]

What kills the Tigres for me is the launch lug, at least in my particular example. Also, the delimitation of the BT at the fore end after one flight was disappointing. Reinforcing CA on that type of body tube would lead to a messy finish loss too.

 

[BEC]

Just replace it with a regular launch lug. Sand the tube just enough to take the orange layer off where it will go to help the glue.

 

[SolarYellow]

Just replace it with a regular launch lug. Sand the tube just enough to take the orange layer off where it will go to help the glue.

I think that with these fin cans, the lug needs to be spaced off the tube some so the rod clears the fin can and screw-on cap. IIRC, the cap is larger diameter than the can. So a layer of heavy cardstock or whatever else works is needed between the tube and the launch lug.

On can also lightly cut through the orange layer with a sharp hobby knife and lift the edge with the blade to peel the cutout section.

 

[BEC]

I think that with these fin cans, the lug needs to be spaced off the tube some so the rod clears the fin can and screw-on cap. IIRC, the cap is larger diameter than the can. So a layer of heavy cardstock or whatever else works is needed between the tube and the launch lug.

On can also lightly cut through the orange layer with a sharp hobby knife and lift the edge with the blade to peel the cutout section.

Not necessary. All you have to do is be sure that one of the ridges on the motor retainer cap is not directly in line with the launch lug. This is my Tigres, which was built as a beach rocket (so a streamer instead of the 'chute). As you can see, I opted not to use that two-loop plastic launch lug thing at the outset.

(and yes, I have a stash of these ARF parts, which is why there is one yellow fin).

 

[Rocket-Fan]

Just replace it with a regular launch lug. Sand the tube just enough to take the orange layer off where it will go to help the glue.

You must have been reading my mind . . .

 

[BEC]

You must have been reading my mind . . .

No, as you see above, I'd already done it on mine. I don't like those loop things and I just don't use them if I have an option.

 

[Rocket-Fan]

No, as you see above, I'd already done it on mine. I don't like those loop things and I just don't use them if I have an option.

Well then, great minds . . . ?

 

[BEC]

Well then, great minds . . . ?

 

[MidOH]

Quest Astra is a bit nicer than the Estes Alpha. Grab a mylar streamer and some Kevlar line.

I CA seal my tube's to prevent that end damage. Zap thin CA.

 

[Rocket-Fan]

Quest Astra is a bit nicer than the Estes Alpha. Grab a mylar streamer and some Kevlar line.

I CA seal my tube's to prevent that end damage. Zap thin CA.

I have that one in my 'saved cart' too. I'm going to get several rockets in that 'class' (Alpha, BMS SR, Astra, etc.)

 

[JRPoeKSU]

Great kit to mess around with the night before a launch
Flew great on an A8-3… B6 needed some nose weight, almost lost the blaze orange rocket in the grass!

My daughter built hers stock basically by herself then we painted it like a red panda tail.
(Son’s Apogee Apprentice with some extra paint and their friend’s Generic E2X)