Meet the Doctor

[Initiator001]

Atari was a game system like Nintendo. It was followed by Collicovision(sp?) As far as I know, they were the first video game consoles (mid to late 70s). Games like Breakout, Pong, Centipede....nothing like what you get today....just mindless move the joystick and push the button.... :D

Don't forget Mattel Intellivision. :rolleyes:

Bob

[dwmzmm]

Atari was a game system like Nintendo. It was followed by Collicovision(sp?) As far as I know, they were the first video game consoles (mid to late 70s). Games like Breakout, Pong, Centipede....nothing like what you get today....just mindless move the joystick and push the button.... :D

Yeah, but those games were fun like hell. BTW, have you guys played any of those online
games in the EMRR pages?! I do, and feel like I've gone back in the good old days when
playing many of those games....

[Solomoriah]

My daughter is 8, almost 9 now, and she has had access to computer games (but no consoles) since she was old enough to operate the controls. She would much rather draw or make up stories than anything she does with the computer. Sadly (for me), building rockets isn't nearly as interesting to her as it is to me; still, I believe it is possible to expose a child to computer and/or video games without ruining her (or him).

[MKP]

My friend used to have an Atari, used to set it up in his garage. I have to say that I had more fun with Pong, Space Invaders, and Mario Brothers on the Nintendo console than I have on anything modern. Not fond of blood and guts, and there's just too many buttons.

Boy this thread's been all over the place, hasn't it? :D

[tfischer]

My friend used to have an Atari, used to set it up in his garage. I have to say that I had more fun with Pong, Space Invaders, and Mario Brothers on the Nintendo console than I have on anything modern. Not fond of blood and guts, and there's just too many buttons.

Boy this thread's been all over the place, hasn't it? :D

Ditto here. I loved the 80's "puzzle" and alien-shooter games like Pac Man, Galaga, Frogger, Marble Madness, etc. Then games like Street Fighter came along and suddenly every game had to be a blood-and-guts fighter. I lost interest quickly...

Sad thing is, most of the parents I've talked to with kids who spend every waking minute in front of a video game say "well at least I know where my son/daughter is -- they could be doing worse things"...

-Tim

[PaulK]

Don't forget Mattel Intellivision. :rolleyes:

BobHey, I still have one of those! Hasn't been plugged in for probably 20 years. Hmmm...

[Early Starts]

Scott

I have an original Fin Kwik, I also have the patent prints for it as well.
You are correct, the original metal Fin Kwik .

Here is the patent number for the metal fin alignment guide, 3,805,355 dated April 23,1974

The patent holder is/was Mitchell Gornik, 460 Pioneer Drive, Addison, Il 60101
patent filed December 15, 1972
Appl number 315,515


The current problem with this design is that it cannot be adjusted to accomidate a BT-80 tube.

Also, the mannor inwhich you have to set the fin support isn't good, there are circular indentation in the base plate, which, you have to guess that the tube is properly set to.

I would expand the fin guide by at least a half an inch, make inserts for every size body tube that would allow the user to properly set the fin guide in the proper position.

For those who might have the original, you know what I mean, unless you get is right the first time, your fins will be off, the only other way to do it, is to use a previous model, whith the correct fin position to set the fin guides, too time consuming.

The Estes plastic version was not accurate, and, the tabs inwhich the fing guide slid through usually broke off.

Metal is the way to go, but, I don't know how much it would cost to reproduce it, and, you would have to buy it, or I should say produce it in quantities.

I know from the Estes Forum there was much interest in it, but, I don't know if the number would be there to support such a project and keep the cost down to a reasonable amount.

I think that I am going to look into this further to see what I can come up with.

RD,

Where might I get my hands on these fin-kwik patent prints?

Thanks!

Edit: Found Them!

[Carl@Semroc]

RD,

Where might I get my hands on these fin-kwik patent prints?

Thanks!Try this one
patent (http://patimg2.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=03805355&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-bool.html%2526r%3D7%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526co1%3DAND%2526d%3DPALL%2526s1%3D3805355%2526OS%3D3805355%2526RS%3D3805355&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page)

[Rocket Doctor]

Go to www.freepatentsonline.com
You will have to "sign up - free) and then you can look up any patent and print it out

[Jeff Walther]

Going back to 1989, while attending adult space camp in Huntsville, Astronaut Alan Bean was the speaker at graduation .

Sort of adult space camp: International Space University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_University)

[LeeR]

RD,

Where might I get my hands on these fin-kwik patent prints?

Thanks!

Edit: Found Them!

http://forums.rocketshoppe.com/showthread.php?t=4016

I believe you may find this tool a remarkable replacement for the Fin Kwik. I have not posted anything in a week or so, because I was waiting to test the prototype. I've built a couple 3 fin models, and a 4 fin is getting built tonight. We have only got BT-50 arms now, just to run the prototype thru its paces. I'll post a couple pictures Sunday in the original thread listed above.

The problem with the Fin Kwik, IMHO, is that it was not all that easy to use, and it really was optimized for one thickness of fins. All other thicknesses will not be exactly perpendicular to the tube. (Close, but not exact.)

Stay tuned ...