New Estes Puma build
 

It's time to sharpen my skills a little (and my vocabulary a lot, possibly) and build a teensy little tuffie: the skill level 3, new Estes Puma #7256.

The 1/16" balsa sheet has 28 separate pieces--most of them very small. I've cut them out from the sheet already.

This little monster appears to be the sibling of the Estes Scorpion and Estes Lynx that were both released last year.

TBC

The Puma was the first of the three that I designed. The liked the looks of the next two better so they came out first.


John Boren

John, are these designed (Estes Scorpion, Lynx, and now the Puma) selling well enough to warrant more designs in this size and skill level?

I like these little jewels. :)

Thanks again for you great designs.

Just about every new kit sales pretty good the first year it is out. It's the following years that will dictate if the model will stay in the line up or not and if more similar to it will come out.

I created these models because I love SciFi models and I hope others love SciFi models. I also know SciFi models tend to cost a lot more because of all the extra parts that make up a typical SciFi model. I thought a small and hopefully still pretty cool looking models might sale well if the price was kept low. Only time will tell if these three models do well.


I've also come to realize that SciFi and most kit's produced by Estes only last three to five years before they are pulled and replaced by new designs. In fact the higher the skill level the sooner they are replaced. There are some big exceptions to this like the Big Berth and Alpha models. So my advice to anyone who likes a particular kit offering is to purchase it the first year or two it comes out since there is a good chance it will be discontinue a year or two later based on passed history. This history is not based on hard data but what I have seen in all the old Estes catalogs I look through from time to time.

John Boren

+1000

I love the Sci Fi models. Please keep them coming!!!

I enjoy th sci-if stuff, too. Much of my scratch-building is on the fantasy side.

Please share a few pic's with us. I would like to see what you designed.

The engine mount is assembled and finished with epoxy. I've attached a length of 100 lb. braided Kevlar to it for a shock cord mount.

Now for some technique:

To prepare the engine mount to accept the (8) tiny little stinking vanes, a template is provided in the instructions to mark the engine mount split ring. I first tried to bamboozle "The Vixen" into doing it for me but she said, "No way! My fingers hurt from doing dishes, laundry, cooking, cleaning, sewing, and darning socks. You'll have to do this yourself."

Sooooo, rather than even attempting to use the template I made (8) pencil marks 45 degrees apart on a piece of BT20. I then inserted the engine mount into the marked BT20 and transferred the marks to the split ring.

Using tweezers and a toothpick for a glue applicator I array the (8) vanes onto the BT5. I'll sand the nibs from the vanes after the glue has set. I'll not even bother filleting the vanes--it'll be hard enough just sealing and sanding them.

Time for the Black and Tan that "The Vixen" has prepared for me. What a trooper!

Good night. TBC

JJ,

I must suggest you DO NOT use epoxy for your engine mount. Epoxy crystallizes with heat. It loses cohesion with heat. It's only a suggestion. Keep up the good work.

I never thought of that. Then what, just wood glue?