| 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. Blimey!
- 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. This model could be assembled in about 10 minutes using cyanoacrylate glue. Aye aye! Blimey! 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, a more expensive cyanoacrylate glue. T' package says it's t' glue is a "specially formulated rubber toughened instant adhesive that resists impact, me bucko, shock, vibration", shiver me timbers, which is perfect for this component. Blimey! I was 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, matey, 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, and reliable glue. Begad! It's also thick enough t' fill any small gaps which may have been present betwixt t' body tube and t' fin/engine module. Again, ya bilge rat, I be concerned about t' glue adherin' t' t' high-gloss metallic finish, arrr, matey, so I sanded t' finish off o' t' gluin' surfaces o' t' component. Ahoy! Arrr! It only took a minute or two, and I'm fairly sure that it created a better bond with t' body tube. T' only downside o' usin' Duco Cement for t' body tube be t' dryin' time, ya bilge rat, 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. 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. Arrr! I have t' thank http://howtobuildmodelrockets.20m.com/index.html for this valuable tip). Begad! 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 be pre-attached t' t' body tube, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, which eliminated several construction steps, 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. After clippin' t' swivels t' t' nose cone, t' model be 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. Avast, me proud beauty! 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). Aye aye! Basically, no matter how many times you launch t' 2-piece fin/engine module, ya bilge rat, you can probably use it again (as long as you can find it!). Avast! Blimey! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Blimey! I have at least 5 or 6 o' these modules in me collection, me bucko, and they never seem t' break, shiver me timbers, even on high-altitude flights when t' parachute fails.
I wish Estes would sell an assortment o' this particular component. Begad! Arrr! It's easy t' assemble, easy t' insert an engine into, shiver me timbers, and nearly indestructable. 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, matey, and when it breaks or gets lost, me bucko, me hearties, ya bilge rat, I'll definitely get another.
Finishing
T' Metalizer requires no additional finishing. Begad! T' high-gloss metallic finish on t' nose cone and t' fin/engine module are exceptionally high in quality, me hearties, matey, arrr, and body tube is probably t' best I've seen from Estes. Aye aye! Ahoy! You could probably clean this rocket with Windex.
A small decal, listin' t' suggested engines, ya bilge rat, and intended t' be placed directly on t' rocket was included - great idea.
I only had two small concerns with t' finishin' o' t' rocket. Ahoy! Aye aye! A great-lookin' rocket like this deserves an equally great-lookin' decal, matey, but t' design o' t' decal was only average. Begad! Begad! Lack o' sophisticated graphics is typical o' many Estes products, and is definitely an area where they could make substantial improvements, shiver me timbers, without any structural changes t' their products, 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, me hearties, because it t' cost o' printin' a poorly designed decal be t' same as printin' a well designed decal. Ya scallywag! T' only difference be t' quality o' t' graphic design. Arrr! Great-looking, ya bilge rat, well-designed graphics would a welcome improvement.
My only other caveat be t' lack o' a printed parachute. Begad! Inside t' parachute package was a small piece o' paper with an odd and somewhat confusin' message, matey, which reads as follows:
Dear Estes Customer: Due t' new restrictions regardin' t' printin' o' plastic materials, me hearties, we have had t' suspend printin' our colorful parachutes. This parachute material conforms t' all current government requirements and can be decorated with a design o' your choice usin' colored markers.
Weird. Avast, me proud beauty! I remain skeptical about "current government regulations". Begad! Thanks for t' helpful hint about decoratin' t' parachutes ourselves, though.
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! Due t' t' graphics and t' parachute, me hearties, I'm ratin' t' construction and finishin' as a 4, rather than a perfect 5.
Despite this, overall, t' Metalizer be t' best lookin' rocket, me bucko, me bucko, with t' highest quality finish, ya bilge rat, that I've ever built.
Flight
T' rocket flew well, despite a slight drizzle. Ahoy! Begad! Ordinarily, arrr, I would hesitate t' launch a brand-new rocket in rainy conditions, arrr, but I found that t' metallic plastic sleeve on t' body tube actually weatherproofed t' rocket against a light rain. Avast! I used t' three suggested engines, in ascendin' order, and t' rocket descended within 100 feet o' t' launchpad, even with a light breeze. Well, me hearties, blow me down! T' fin/engine module makes switchin' engines a fast and easy operation.
Looks are important, arrr, but t' true test o' a rocket is how well it flies, and Metalizer flew perfectly - even in inclement conditions!
Recovery
As stated above, matey, 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 hearties, arrr, arrr, I'll replace it with a kevlar shock cord, and a better quality parachute. Ahoy! This rocket is definitely worth t' upgrade.
Summary
T' Metalizer is fast-building, great-looking, ya bilge rat, and a fantastic flier. I've never built a rocket which looked as good, and flew as well, arrr, in such a short amount o' time. Despite a few small concerns about t' graphics and t' parachute, me bucko, matey, I'm givin' t' Metalizer a perfect 5. Blimey! Overall, matey, me bucko, 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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