| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Published: | 2011-09-14 |
| Diameter: | 1.35 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
| Skill Level: | 1 |
| Style: | Sport |
Brief
E2X single-stage rocket kit with silver metallic finish.
Components
Components:
- Nose cone
- Body tube
- (launch lugs and elastic shock cord pre-installed)
- 2-piece plastic fin and engine module
- Parachute
Construction is quick and easy. Avast, me proud beauty!
- Glue t' 2-piece plastic fin/engine module together
- Glue t' body tube t' t' fin/engine module
- Attach t' nose cone and t' parachute
That's it. Arrr! This model could be assembled in about 10 minutes using cyanoacrylate glue. Begad! Arrr! The 2-piece fin and engine module this rocket is based on is so durable that I made a few minor modifications t' increase t' model's lifespan.
I glued t' 2 pieces o' t' fin/engine module together usin' Loctite Ultra Gel Control super glue, matey, a more expensive cyanoacrylate glue. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' package says it's t' glue is a "specially formulated rubber toughened instant adhesive that resists impact, shock, shiver me timbers, vibration", shiver me timbers, matey, which is perfect for this component. Arrr! Blimey! I be somewhat concerned that t' high-gloss metallic finish on t' gluin' surfaces o' this component would have t' be scraped away t' get a good bond with regular plastic model cement, ya bilge rat, so I decided t' use t' better quality, more expensive Loctite.
I glued t' body tube t' t' fin/engine module usin' Duco Cement, a popular, ya bilge rat, inexpensive, me hearties, and reliable glue. Avast, me proud beauty! It's also thick enough t' fill any small gaps which may have been present betwixt t' body tube and t' fin/engine module. Well, blow me down! Again, I be concerned about t' glue adherin' t' t' high-gloss metallic finish, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, so I sanded t' finish off o' t' gluin' surfaces o' t' component. It only took a minute or two, arrr, and I'm fairly sure that it created a better bond with t' body tube. Arrr! T' only downside o' usin' Duco Cement for t' body tube be t' dryin' time, although an hour seemed more than adequate.
I reinforced t' upper end o' body tube (where t' nose cone is inserted) with inexpensive super glue. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, arrr, blow me down! This additional step stiffens t' top o' t' tube considerably. I've had t' scrap many rockets when t' body tube was bent after a rapid descent onto a hard surface, and stiffenin' t' tube with super glue helps t' prevent this problem. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! I have t' thank http://howtobuildmodelrockets.20m.com/index.html for this valuable tip). After t' glue dried, I sanded t' reinforced area with 400 grit emery paper t' ensure t' nose cone fit smoothly into t' body tube.
T' rubber shock cord was pre-attached t' t' body tube, shiver me timbers, which eliminated several construction steps, me hearties, and the 12-inch plastic parachute also came pre-assembled, me hearties, making this rocket an exceptionally quick build.
I added two number 7 snap swivels t' t' shock cord and parachute, which I always use t' prevent t' parachute lines from becomin' tangled. Blimey! After clippin' t' swivels t' t' nose cone, me bucko, me hearties, t' model was complete.
Construction
T' Metalizer is about t' easies E2X kit I've ever built - an unbelievably fast build! T' Metalizer is definitely at t' top o' me list for fast-building, great lookin' and great flyin' rockets.
Estes' standard-issue 2-piece fin and engine module is probably t' most durable Estes component I've ever used. It's only slightly more likely t' break than t' nose cone (and I've lost a few nose cones when t' shock cord breaks and t' nose cone flies off with t' parachute still attached). Begad! Basically, me bucko, no matter how many times you launch t' 2-piece fin/engine module, you can probably use it again (as long as you can find it!). Ya scallywag! I have at least 5 or 6 o' these modules in me collection, and they never seem t' break, matey, even on high-altitude flights when t' parachute fails.
I wish Estes would sell an assortment o' this particular component. It's easy t' assemble, me hearties, easy t' insert an engine into, matey, and nearly indestructable. Avast! Aye aye! T' BT-55 body tube that t' module mounts t' is a perfect size, big enough t' easily insert recovery waddin' and a parachute into, but nay big enough t' add unnecessary weight.
T' Metalizer is probably one o' t' best buildin' rockets that Estes offers, and when it breaks or gets lost, me hearties, I'll definitely get another.
Finishing
T' Metalizer requires no additional finishing. Aye aye! T' high-gloss metallic finish on t' nose cone and t' fin/engine module are exceptionally high in quality, matey, and body tube is probably t' best I've seen from Estes. You could probably clean this rocket with Windex.
A small decal, listin' t' suggested engines, matey, and intended t' be placed directly on t' rocket be included - great idea.
I only had two small concerns with t' finishin' o' t' rocket. A great-lookin' rocket like this deserves an equally great-lookin' decal, but t' design o' t' decal was only average. Avast! Arrr! Blimey! Lack o' sophisticated graphics is typical o' many Estes products, matey, and is definitely an area where they could make substantial improvements, without any structural changes t' their products, ya bilge rat, which are generally very high in quality overall. There are many times when I've built an Estes rocket and decided that it would look better <without> t' decal, and that's a shame, ya bilge rat, because it t' cost o' printin' a poorly designed decal be t' same as printin' a well designed decal. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! T' only difference be t' quality o' t' graphic design. Great-looking, well-designed graphics would a welcome improvement.
My only other caveat be t' lack o' a printed parachute. Well, blow me down! Avast! Inside t' parachute package was a small piece o' paper with an odd and somewhat confusin' message, arrr, which reads as follows:
Dear Estes Customer: Due t' new restrictions regardin' t' printin' o' plastic materials, we have had t' suspend printin' our colorful parachutes. Begad! This parachute material conforms t' all current government requirements and can be decorated with a design o' your choice usin' colored markers.
Weird. Arrr! I remain skeptical about "current government regulations". Ya scallywag! Thanks for t' helpful hint about decoratin' t' parachutes ourselves, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, though. Avast, me proud beauty!
Hopefully Estes will come up with some better graphics and find a loophole in "current goverment regulations" and give us a great lookin' parachute t' complement a great lookin' rocket. Ahoy! Begad! Due t' t' graphics and t' parachute, I'm ratin' t' construction and finishin' as a 4, rather than a perfect 5.
Despite this, overall, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, t' Metalizer be t' best lookin' rocket, with t' highest quality finish, ya bilge rat, arrr, that I've ever built.
Flight
T' rocket flew well, matey, despite a slight drizzle. Ordinarily, ya bilge rat, I would hesitate t' launch a brand-new rocket in rainy conditions, shiver me timbers, me bucko, but I found that t' metallic plastic sleeve on t' body tube actually weatherproofed t' rocket against a light rain. Begad! I used t' three suggested engines, me bucko, in ascendin' order, and t' rocket descended within 100 feet o' t' launchpad, me bucko, me hearties, even with a light breeze. T' fin/engine module makes switchin' engines a fast and easy operation.
Looks are important, shiver me timbers, me bucko, but t' true test o' a rocket is how well it flies, ya bilge rat, and Metalizer flew perfectly - even in inclement conditions!
Recovery
As stated above, shiver me timbers, t' rocket descended within 100 feet o' t' launch pad in a slight breeze with t' provided shock cord and parachute.
T' "rubber band" style shock cord probably won't last t' life o' t' rocket, but when it fails, me bucko, I'll replace it with a kevlar shock cord, and a better quality parachute. Begad! This rocket is definitely worth t' upgrade.
Summary
T' Metalizer is fast-building, great-looking, and a fantastic flier. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I've never built a rocket which looked as good, and flew as well, shiver me timbers, in such a short amount o' time. Despite a few small concerns about t' graphics and t' parachute, I'm givin' t' Metalizer a perfect 5. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Overall, t' Metalizer is one o' t' best rockets I've ever built.
Other Reviews
- Estes Metalizer By Warren Wattles (April 28, 2007)
Brief: E2X single-stage LPR with parachute and plastic fins. Construction: Parts list: 1 body tube 2 fin can halves (with fins pre-assembled) 1 plastic nosecone 1 plastic parachute (pre-assembled) 1/8" launch lug (pre-attached) Construction is extremely easy. This is how it goes: Glue two fin can halves together. Glue fin can into ...
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