New Hobby Lobby motor packaging, Startech starters in the wild
 

I was in my nearest Hobby Lobby today and went over to the rocketry section to see if there was anything new, since Bill Stine had mentioned in the NARAM Manufacturers’ Forum that they’d just sent a bunch of stuff to Hobby Lobby.

Kit-wise the section had a strange mix of empty hooks and more-than-the-usual-number on hooks that had kits (three Olympus kits for example).

But up where the motors were, there was something new. It appears that Estes is now packaging motors with the Hobby Lobby price tag right on the card inside the package. There were A10-3Ts, one pack of B6-4s and some C6-5s packaged this way.

And…only in the C6-5s, even though the A10-3Ts had a later production date, there were Startech starters, rather than the ones we’ve been living with for several years. So the “running change” is finally starting to make it out into the world.

Four starters with three motors - they should have done that with the previous generation, maybe even five or six.


Bill

Totally agree. 3-motor (1/4A-C, E12) packs should come with at least THREE igniters/starters.
Two motor (C11, D12, E16, F15) packs should come with at least 3.
Old Estes motor diamond packs and the first modern packs after that came with 4 Astron igniters. When Estes introduced "Solar" igniters into the packs in the mid/late 70's the count dropped to 3 with no spares.
I always use an ignition system that allows bare nichrome to glow almost white-hot, so blown solar igniters would provide bare nichrome for non-cluster igniters.

I can't think of any recent three-motor packs I've purchased either at HL or from AC Supply in the last several years that had only three starters/igniters in them. Two motor packs with two, yes. But not threes - they've had four.

On a related note, these preprinted price tags maintain the screaming deal that B impulse motors are at Hobby Lobby. 48 cents less than AC Supply.

The 1/2A6-2 package in the second picture is from AC Supply, the C6-0 from Hobby Lobby. Four starters each.

As of my last order from them (last December) they had not. Don't know about now, but will find out soon as I need to order a couple of kits and some bulk boxes of motors.

My main point is that for less-than-bulk-box sized packs of Bs (and if H-L is handy for you) it's hard to beat that price.

For As and Cs their price isn't as good, percentage-off-list-wise, but if you need a few in a hurry (and they carry what you need) it's still not bad at all—much less expensive than a HobbyTownUSA store, for example.

Unfortunately for me, the nearest HL is over an hour drive away, so it will take MANY packs to break even.
And then the shelf may be empty and I walk away empty handed...........

HL offers included shipping on $50 and up orders periodically - usually over a weekend - I’ve used that for ordering motors from time to time.

AC Supply has not yet charged me any sales tax.
I hope they CONTINUE to SCOFFLAW this issue.
Every time ebay charges me sales tax, I send them a message.
They say it is not their choice, to which I reply, REFUSE TO COMPLY, you are not based in my state !

Maybe it is a silent protest about sales tax. My recent order to Stickershock left off the sales tax. It was on the quote, but I was only charged for product, plus shipping.

I think there is an exception in the law for very small businesses. I've seen this at scalehobbyist as well.