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  #11  
Old 11-22-2011, 02:13 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JumpJet
The Estes Trident is on hold. Right after we announced the model we pretty much lost the ability to get balsa nose cones made in the thousands of cones needed for one production run and since this model uses nine balsa nose cones it would be impossible to do. Not sure how well received this kit would be if Estes tooled for all plastic cones so for now the state of this model is in limbo.

By the way if this kit ever does make it to market, the builder would have to cut the slots in the tubes just like the good old days since it would be a "builders kit".

John Boren


As it should be. I cannot imagine the pain of moulding ports and laser cut slots in the tubes - a model such as that should retain that sense of accomplishment upon completion. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Besides, plasic cones on those tubes would blow out in a heartbeat.

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  #12  
Old 11-22-2011, 02:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jharding58
As it should be. I cannot imagine the pain of ... laser cut slots in the tubes - a model such as that should retain that sense of accomplishment upon completion. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it......

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My sense of accomplishment came from repeated flights with no damage from my laser-cutter-assisted Semroc Trident.

I still have the damaged first one, of which I was (and really still am) proud of. But it was more expedient to build another than it will be to try to repair the first one. Maybe after I burn through a bunch of my build queue I'll revisit....I can't bring myself to just scavenge the easily scavengeable parts from it and throw the rest away.

I did a better job on finish on the second one anyway...and it flies sooooooooo nicely. It's not as pretty as Tony's though.
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  #13  
Old 11-22-2011, 03:27 PM
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Wait, wait, wait - Semroc laser cut the slots?

Hmmm...
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  #14  
Old 11-22-2011, 05:15 PM
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"Wait, wait, wait - Semroc laser cut the slots?"

Not only does SEMROC laser cut the slots, they have a really nifty alignment fixture that makes assembly a pleasure.
The only concession is that the BT-5 side tubes come in two sections glued together with a coupler. This allows them to keep the bag length down. Some have complained about the extra seams, but it does add some strength to the tubes as far as bending moment.

I have one built, but haven't done the clean up to get it ready to prime. All those balsa nose cones...

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  #15  
Old 11-22-2011, 06:58 PM
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Yes - laser cut the slots - and since they're so precise they can be bigger than the ones one would cut out by hand. This is a big deal with powerful ejection charges. The little fiber alignment tools hold everything while the glue dries, which also facilitates using the larger gas passages without leaks.

And I can say very very happily that it works extremely well.
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  #16  
Old 11-22-2011, 08:15 PM
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jharding58, I can clearly see that your tongue has been lodged firmly in your cheek from all the way over here, even if others seem to have missed it.
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  #17  
Old 11-23-2011, 12:43 AM
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Yeah, I missed it......it wasn't the first time and is unlikely to be the last.....
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  #18  
Old 09-27-2013, 04:24 PM
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Rather than start a whole new thread, I decided to awaken this one to ask a question.

I just got my SemRoc Trident, and have a question.

Is it preferable to use the two 9" tubes joined together or to just use some BT5 I have cut to 18"? If it's a matter of strength that the couplers provide, couldn't I just slide the ones supplied inside and glue them about half way down the tube? I hope I am craftsman enough to cut my own slots, so that shouldn't be a concern.
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  #19  
Old 09-27-2013, 04:48 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bernomatic
Rather than start a whole new thread, I decided to awaken this one to ask a question.

I just got my SemRoc Trident, and have a question.

Is it preferable to use the two 9" tubes joined together or to just use some BT5 I have cut to 18"? If it's a matter of strength that the couplers provide, couldn't I just slide the ones supplied inside and glue them about half way down the tube? I hope I am craftsman enough to cut my own slots, so that shouldn't be a concern.


It won't matter either way - the original Trident came with three 18" BT-5 tubes that you had to slot at each end. It's just a matter of getting the slots lined up correctly, which is a bit easier with shorter tubes joined in the middle. I'd say that if you are going to use three 18" tubes, toss the couplers in your spare parts box along with the shorter BT-5 tubes. You won't need them with the longer tubes (and the three tubes together are surprisingly strong - I still have the Trident I built in 1974 and it is a bit banged up from my various moves, but the BT-5 tubes are still intact).
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  #20  
Old 09-27-2013, 05:13 PM
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So how badly am I going to get chastise if I clone a Trident using plastic N/C's.
I plan to epoxy them on.
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