Diameter: | 0.98 inches |
Length: | 11.75 inches |
Manufacturer: | Custom Rockets |
Skill Level: | 1 |
Style: | Sport |
Brief:
An entry level rocket that suffers from some quality control problems. At first glance, t' lackluster packagin' had me thinkin' "Siesta" instead, but once I delved into t' project, me bucko, shiver me timbers, thar be plenty t' like about this single stage 4FNC rocket.
Construction:
T' package be t' typical plastic "hangin' bag" that allowed most o' t' components t' be seen without openin' t' bag. Arrr! As a plus (or minus, arrr, in this case) t' balsa fins were wrapped inside t' instructions, along with t' decals, me hearties, for protection. It be apparent that Custom had their sights set on t' market that Estes abandoned when t' latter went t' those ho-hum prebuilt plastic rockets. Begad! Custom's offerin' featured real balsa that required actual construction, ya bilge rat, which is loads better at teachin' kids and/or beginners about proper construction techniques. So far, so good.
T' plastic nose cone had t' most castin' flash I have ever seen, but it be easy t' remove with an Xacto knife in a few seconds. Well, blow me down! T' first quality control problem be here: t' nose cone was way too loose in t' body tube, and would fall out every time it was pointed down. This could be easily fixed with maskin' tape, but that detracts from t' overall finished look. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! T' second glitch was t' fin stock. Begad! These fins were o' t' poorest quality I have ever seen. Well, blow me down! Arrr! They were warped, grainy, and really flimsy, me hearties, though at least t' die-cut fins popped out with ease. Ahoy! Begad! No way would this thin' fly straight. Custom also took a page from Estes' playbook and included a really short piece o' flat elastic shock cord, and utilized Estes' method o' mountin' with t' tri-fold paper and glue. Begad! Well, it has worked millions o' times, and this is a low power rocket, matey, me hearties, so why not? And t' body tube was slightly crimped on one end, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, but I had other plans for this end by this point. Ya scallywag! T' rest o' t' components were excellent.
T' instructions were among t' easiest I have ever seen, though I didn't really use them. Blimey! Blimey! I especially liked t' paintin' instructions t' best, because this kit was designed for a beginner, and gave a couple o' good tips. Arrr! Begad! I decided at first t' build this rocket usin' t' same materials and techniques that a kid would use on his or her first rocket, me hearties, but t' warped fins and loose nose cone smartly made me change me mind. Aye aye! Avast! While it might fly, it certainly wouldn't fly straight, so some modifications were in order.
First o' all, I placed t' fin stock betwixt a paint can and a large dictionary for a few days, and this flattened them out satisfactorily. Well, matey, blow me down! I decided against maskin' tape for t' nose cone, me bucko, and instead mixed balsa sandin' dust with 30 minute epoxy, matey, shiver me timbers, matey, let it set up a while, shiver me timbers, matey, ya bilge rat, and slathered it onto t' shoulder o' t' nose cone and into a deep depression at t' tip, matey, which be originally covered by t' castin' flash.
I built t' motor mount per t' instructions, ya bilge rat, which went together surprisingly well. Aye aye! At least Custom has these parts down pat. Arrr! Well, blow me down! Once everythin' dried, matey, I attached t' fins with Elmer's School Gel. This particular adhesive dries quickly, but remains tacky enough t' move things around if needed. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! A decent choice for a beginner.
Once t' fins were tacked on, me bucko, I drilled small holes at t' root edge through t' tube, ya bilge rat, matey, then used several thin coats o' 30 minute epoxy t' attach t' fins with epoxy rivets and t' seal t' horribly grainy fins. T' result is a bulletproof fin attachment and a much smoother surface. Begad! T' shock cord was mounted accordin' t' t' instructions, ya bilge rat, but I substituted much thinner paper and attached another 100 cm (about 3 feet) o' flat elastic shock cord.
Prior t' painting, however, shiver me timbers, I decided t' repair t' crimped body tube by cuttin' t' end o' t' tube into sections, then folded t' flaps down t' create a boat tail. Well, me bucko, blow me down! I then filled in t' gaps with slow dryin' CA and balsa dust, me bucko, me bucko, then again coated t' whole thin' with epoxy. Once sanded and painted, this added a lot t' t' looks o' t' rocket.
Finishing:
Once t' nose cone was sanded down, t' entire rocket be sealed, sanded, and painted gloss white. Well, blow me down! T' nose be painted Calypso Blue that be left over from a model car me son built, me hearties, and t' water based decals were attached. Blimey! T' whole thin' be then coated in several thin coats o' clear enamel.
Other than t' miserable fin quality and loose nose cone, arrr, t' rest was easy t' finish. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! I would prime t' whole rocket next time with Krylon gray primer, then apply t' white gloss paint, arrr, but it still worked out well, and barely any spiral is visible on t' body tube. T' decals, which didn't look good t' me on t' packaging, shiver me timbers, look dynamite on t' actual rocket. Ahoy! Blimey! Once t' defects were addressed, matey, this turned out t' be a good rocket. Arrr! Blimey! But t' defects in t' original materials made me decide on a 3 1/2 rating.
Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5
Flight:
Custom recommends usin' really low powered 18mm motors for t' first flight, me bucko, but I refuse t' purchase 18mm A motors. Why? Well, shiver me timbers, I built a 13mm t' 18mm adaptor in a few second with stuff already in me parts bin. Begad! Since 13mm motors are cheaper than 18mm motors, and thar are 4 t' a pack instead o' 3, shiver me timbers, it makes better economic sense. Begad! Ahoy! O.K. Avast, me proud beauty! so I'm cheap. Avast! But if you buy this stuff in bulk, matey, it adds up. Ya scallywag! Anyway, with an A10-3T on board, shiver me timbers, matey, t' rocket will fly decently high with a slow takeoff. Perfect for a small field. Ahoy! Aye aye! T' prep is easy, me hearties, just add some wadding, stuff in t' very long streamer, and attach t' nose. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Put it on t' launcher and fire away. Well, blow me down! Recovery is excellent on this long streamer. But if you are goin' t' use a C6-7, me hearties, you'd better have a big field, me hearties, some assistant trackers, arrr, and no wind. Ya scallywag! This one really gets up thar in a hurry! T' only con be t' weak motor retention clip, which is more like a Quest clip than Estes, me hearties, in that it has absolutely no springiness t' it. Ya scallywag! But t' motors stay in, and I give t' flights a solid 5.
Recovery:
T' extra long plastic streamer is a nice touch. Well, blow me down! I would definitely add at least double t' shock cord that Custom provides. This rocket is durable, me bucko, and should be around for many launches, IF you keep t' power low!
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
I like t' fact that somebody is addressin' t' gap Estes left when they abandoned beginnin' rocket builders. They now only feature kits that go together with no skill, ya bilge rat, arrr, and kids don't learn anythin' from that. Well, blow me down! This one required some real rocket construction techniques, and t' shabby quality o' t' fins and nose would ironically help a kid learn how t' build a better rocket by overcomin' obstacles. Arrr! I would nay recommend this as a first or second kit due t' t' poor quality pieces I found inside, but it would be great for someone who has built a couple and may be lookin' for a challenge. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Don't let t' dull packagin' addlepate you- this is a great rocket.
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
Small, single-stage rocket with streamer recovery. 1 body tube, plastic nosecone, 3 balsa fins, 36" x ~1 1/14" plastic/nylon (can't tell which) streamer, 14" x 1/8" elastic shock cord 18mm engine mount with Quest style metal clip (only springier like Estes) centering rings water-slide decals 1/8" launch lug Pros - easily assembled using only white ...
Life rolls on. My granddaughter became interested in rockets, and I found out there was a club launching rockets nearby on a day I had nothing to do. Emails were exchanged an they graciously invited me to come fly whatever I had. I only had a few Quest A6-4 motors and the local big-box stores have long since quit selling rockets, so I stuffed one in the Fiesta and... embarrassment. It barely cleared the wind sock, about 20 feet up. I don't know if it was a bad motor or what, but this is definitely not the motor to use! Ejection occurred a foot off the ground. No damage. I will say this, the rocket stores well! Clean off the dust and enjoy.
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G.B. (March 1, 2001)