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  #21  
Old 08-19-2008, 11:31 AM
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rokitflite rokitflite is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jetlag


Tower Hobbies is huge.
Allen


And Great Planes is it's parent company...
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  #22  
Old 08-19-2008, 11:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shreadvector
Obviously we need someone to ferret out some facts.



I'll send Tutti... The one in my avatar... She will hold onto the facts and not let go!
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  #23  
Old 08-19-2008, 11:44 AM
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Shreadvector Shreadvector is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rokitflite
I'll send Tutti... The one in my avatar... She will hold onto the facts and not let go!


Is there a joke involving "COBRA" motors available? (OK, that's more of a Mogoose thing...)
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  #24  
Old 08-19-2008, 11:47 AM
jetlag jetlag is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rokitflite
And Great Planes is it's parent company...

Oh.............I thought it was the other way 'round.
Allen
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  #25  
Old 08-19-2008, 12:05 PM
Mikus Mikus is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dwmzmm
The HL next to the Wal-Mart on 529 near Hwy 6 DID have their engine prices the same as
Wal-Mart, but that was a while ago. I haven't been there lately so I don't know what they're
selling now. I don't always look for the "bargains," since much of the time, when I'm shopping for engines needed for competition, I'm looking for specific engines that I'm willing
to buy at any reasonable price; as the saying goes, you go out to "win (the competition) at
any price."

I can say the Wal-Marts in my immediate area (Fry/I-10, Fry/W.Little York, 529/Hwy 6,
Katy Mills) all still have a fair selection of engines (at $4.97 per pack), some starter sets,
Astrobeams, etc. Not that much, but some are still on the shelf. Just recently bought another Gauchito so I can have a replacement capsule for the one I lost at JSC several
months ago.....


I guess I never noticed, I typically buy the motors I can't get from WM at HL - usually the D's and E's.

Still this dumping of motors at WM into "clearance" at $4 is weird. $.97 on a $5 product isn't a lot of savings for a clearance item. But they have dumped literally every rocketry item into clearance. Next time you stop in those WM (except the 529 store... heh heh heh) take a look and see if the same thing is happening.
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  #26  
Old 08-19-2008, 01:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikus
I guess I never noticed, I typically buy the motors I can't get from WM at HL - usually the D's and E's.

Still this dumping of motors at WM into "clearance" at $4 is weird. $.97 on a $5 product isn't a lot of savings for a clearance item. But they have dumped literally every rocketry item into clearance. Next time you stop in those WM (except the 529 store... heh heh heh) take a look and see if the same thing is happening.

Mike and Dave,

I just stopped at the Wal-Mart at Westview and Beltway 8 at lunchtime today. They are moving, or have moved, all of the rocketry items to the clearance aisle.

C6-5 motors at $4.00 <--- about 20 three-packs
A10-3T motors at $4.00 <--- about 8 three-packs
Bullpup and Space Ship One Launchables kits at $8.97 <--- about 2 Bullpups and 6 SS1s
That set with the LED rocket at either $16.97 or $19.97, I don't remember <--- about 5 of them
That set with the Outlaw and one other rocket at at either $16.97 or $19.97, I don't remember <--- about 3 of them

I didn't buy anything, btw.
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  #27  
Old 08-19-2008, 02:07 PM
Mikus Mikus is offline
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That's what I've been saying.

It kinda looks like WM is getting out of the rocketry business.
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  #28  
Old 08-19-2008, 02:36 PM
dr_wogz dr_wogz is offline
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I’ve been pondering this over the last few days..

Could it be that society has moved away from hobbies in general, the hobbies where you need to build, paint & finish something? Not only rockets, but R/C plane kits are becoming scarce as well, due to the ‘Ready To Fly’ models out there.. Their quality is getting pretty good, and there are 101+ planes to choose from now. It seems as well, the basic plastic models are also becoming scarce.. No one has time or patience.

I’m also pondering the thought that parents don’t want to have the responsibility of doing this with tier kids, helping their kids, and least of all, having to deal with the kids & others when something does go wrong. As in, our society is now pretty quick to come down on someone for little mistakes, and “Ole Jeremiah will sue if his window gets broke”. We dare let our kids out anymore, due to the seemingly increasing violence & badnes against them. Anythign deemed 'dangerous' is being pulled, anythign that can potentially damage or maim.. (If I can sue McD's for my own stupidity [hot coffe in a lap] then certainly I can be sued for an accidental misfire / misguided launch..)

So, Estes made a commitment, and [proverbially] put their eggs in a basket.. A gold lined basket, just to have the tables turn. Could it be as well, a xenophobic society would see a few kids launching rockets, and ‘Martha’ would go running to the local authorities bragging about uncovering a terrorist training cell?! (Look at that article, about the airliner “almost being shot down with a model rocket”) Estes are stuck. They've commited to much to the big box stores. Who don't want them anymore, and the smaller 'mom & pop shops' are fewer & fewer. Never mind they couldn't possibley sell 10K+ kits..

And, I’m sure we’ve all noticed the local hobby shop has either closed, or has turned into a scrapbook store / educational toy store.. But, electronic stores, and ‘e-gaming stores’ are ever popular!

I think the times, fads, & fun are changing, and changin faster than we care to accept..
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  #29  
Old 08-19-2008, 02:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_wogz
I’ve been pondering this over the last few days..

Could it be that society has moved away from hobbies in general, the hobbies where you need to build, paint & finish something? Not only rockets, but R/C plane kits are becoming scarce as well, due to the ‘Ready To Fly’ models out there.. Their quality is getting pretty good, and there are 101+ planes to choose from now. It seems as well, the basic plastic models are also becoming scarce.. No one has time or patience.

I’m also pondering the thought that parents don’t want to have the responsibility of doing this with tier kids, helping their kids, and least of all, having to deal with the kids & others when something does go wrong. As in, our society is now pretty quick to come down on someone for little mistakes, and “Ole Jeremiah will sue if his window gets broke”. We dare let our kids out anymore, due to the seemingly increasing violence & badnes against them. Anythign deemed 'dangerous' is being pulled, anythign that can potentially damage or maim.. (If I can sue McD's for my own stupidity [hot coffe in a lap] then certainly I can be sued for an accidental misfire / misguided launch..)

So, Estes made a commitment, and [proverbially] put their eggs in a basket.. A gold lined basket, just to have the tables turn. Could it be as well, a xenophobic society would see a few kids launching rockets, and ‘Martha’ would go running to the local authorities bragging about uncovering a terrorist training cell?! (Look at that article, about the airliner “almost being shot down with a model rocket”) Estes are stuck. They've commited to much to the big box stores. Who don't want them anymore, and the smaller 'mom & pop shops' are fewer & fewer. Never mind they couldn't possibley sell 10K+ kits..

And, I’m sure we’ve all noticed the local hobby shop has either closed, or has turned into a scrapbook store / educational toy store.. But, electronic stores, and ‘e-gaming stores’ are ever popular!

I think the times, fads, & fun are changing, and changin faster than we care to accept..


Yes Wogz,
You are 100% right. Nobody wants to build anything anymore. I also mentioned before that Estes has gotten itself to a point that it has to make the multi-million dollar sales or die. Wal-Mart dumping rockets could be a death blow to them. If they were a company serving the hobby and educational community, they could be a smaller company with fewer employees and require less money to stay in operation. I wish they could simply throttle back and return to their roots, but I don't think that can happen now.
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  #30  
Old 08-19-2008, 03:14 PM
dr_wogz dr_wogz is offline
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It can, but it's a severe blow non-the-less.

The parenting thing is what I'm really trying to push. We used to have one parent at home, and one working. Now, it's both working, and teh care taker / nanny / day care who are rasing Jr. Schools seem less & less capable of 'hands on' teaching, due to more & more 'attitude' from said kids. and cut backs, and ...

And less skills to actually 'do' something..
Whatever happened to shop class? Home economics? Sceince fairs? Soap box derbies?

True, like all other things in life: some peole can't and requier pre-made..

But it just seems like we're getting lazier & lazier. Then blame (China) for stepping up & doing it for us, at the price we want it for (dirt cheap!)..
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