PDA

View Full Version : Model Minutes US -out of business?


Spaceclipper
01-19-2013, 07:42 PM
Just perusing UMRS and he has one of the model minutes kits listed but I recall they had quite a few interesting kits. Are they out of business? Any plans anywhere to clone if they are out of business? Read on EMRR that they had a free download of a paper rocket but could not find a link.... :confused:

A Fish Named Wallyum
01-19-2013, 08:48 PM
Pretty sure they're gone. Chan Stevens was building them back in the QUARK days, but I think they sold out to Nick who then closed out the stock.

stefanj
01-19-2013, 10:15 PM
I bought a bunch of Model Minutes kits when they were winding down.

I started building one, but kind of lost interest. I have so many other models of my own design to build.

If anyone is really cranked, send me a PM and we can work something out.

UMRS
01-20-2013, 09:42 PM
We bought the rest of Nicks Stock to finish selling off. But to the best of my knowledge he still "holds" the rights to the kits.

jadebox
01-21-2013, 02:42 PM
We bought the rest of Nicks Stock to finish selling off. But to the best of my knowledge he still "holds" the rights to the kits.

He does, though I bought the company's domain from him when I bought EMRR. I've talked with Nick about buying the rights to the kits. But, we didn't get into serious discussions.

I have access to some resources that I think could be used to produce the kits and even make them a little better than they were. But, I'm not sure if there's enough interest in the kits to make it worthwhile.

-- Roger

jetlag
01-21-2013, 03:03 PM
Where might I see them?

UMRS
01-22-2013, 05:46 AM
The G-75 is the only one left in stock you can see it at

Model Minutes (http://www.unclemikesrocketshack.com/Model_Minutes/Model_Minutes.html)

modeltrains
04-11-2013, 04:48 AM
Whoa, like that. If they are still buyable next month, maybe.

chanstevens
04-11-2013, 07:55 PM
I've built just about every kit Model Minutes offered, before and during Nick/EMRR's ownership of them. They were pretty neat kits and held up fairly well in flight. There were a few things, as a general rule, I'd plan on replacing/improving upon though if you build any:

--ditch the chute, especially the cotton string shroud lines, use ANYTHING else you have. They're that bad...

--ditch the 3-d glasses. They're worthless, better to just muddle through the slightly blurry directions without them. I think this was originally some feeble effort to prevent people from trying to just photocopy the kits (meaning you had to buy through them to get the glasses), but I'm pretty sure Nick put a stop to that once he bought them.

--many kits (including the G-75) use laminated foam panels. The kits have been stored a long time, been through several moves by now, so don't be surprised if the foam is slightly dented/crushed. Plan on swinging by a craft store to replace, not worth trying to salvage if dinged.

--use a fresh blade. You'll be doing a LOT of cutting. Don't use scissors, even though it's paper. Knife is a cleaner, straighter cut.

--Lots of bending, score the backside (interior) of bend lines first using the non-cutting side of the knife blade.

A Fish Named Wallyum
04-11-2013, 08:23 PM
I've built just about every kit Model Minutes offered, before and during Nick/EMRR's ownership of them. They were pretty neat kits and held up fairly well in flight. There were a few things, as a general rule, I'd plan on replacing/improving upon though if you build any:

--ditch the chute, especially the cotton string shroud lines, use ANYTHING else you have. They're that bad...

--ditch the 3-d glasses. They're worthless, better to just muddle through the slightly blurry directions without them. I think this was originally some feeble effort to prevent people from trying to just photocopy the kits (meaning you had to buy through them to get the glasses), but I'm pretty sure Nick put a stop to that once he bought them.

--many kits (including the G-75) use laminated foam panels. The kits have been stored a long time, been through several moves by now, so don't be surprised if the foam is slightly dented/crushed. Plan on swinging by a craft store to replace, not worth trying to salvage if dinged.

--use a fresh blade. You'll be doing a LOT of cutting. Don't use scissors, even though it's paper. Knife is a cleaner, straighter cut.

--Lots of bending, score the backside (interior) of bend lines first using the non-cutting side of the knife blade.

You forgot one.

http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/rmortis/Nutnbutnet_zps773ac823.jpg (http://s1122.photobucket.com/user/rmortis/media/Nutnbutnet_zps773ac823.jpg.html)

--If your recovery skills are not that mad, aim for the nearest dumpster.

chanstevens
04-11-2013, 08:55 PM
That's just a testament to their durability, though to be honest, that one has been retired after one other subsequent flight.

For those not in on the joke, that model had flown maybe 8-10 times, never a problem. Then I had one of those days...managed to sneak away for NSL one year but could only make it for one day, so packed and prepped about 30 models for a really busy day. Got there right when they opened, but launch equipment was buggered up, took a few hours before the range was live. Then I proceeded to destroy just about everything I'd brought. Stable rockets previously flown started flying like bats on crack. Ejection charge on a reload (stock red cap) fell off, and a gorgeous QModeling Mega Vega failed to deploy, shovel recovery.

The model pictured started off OK, then arced over and buzzed over vendor row. It pranged and flew itself directly into that trash dumpster, directly behind the Fliskits tent. One of my more memorable not-quite-by-the-book recoveries.

Mario wrote the book on construction, one of these days I'm going to write the book on destruction ;) .

A Fish Named Wallyum
04-11-2013, 09:07 PM
Mario wrote the book on construction, one of these days I'm going to write the book on destruction ;) .
I'll write the fire chapter. :eek:

A Fish Named Wallyum
04-11-2013, 09:12 PM
That's just a testament to their durability, though to be honest, that one has been retired after one other subsequent flight.

For those not in on the joke, that model had flown maybe 8-10 times, never a problem. Then I had one of those days...managed to sneak away for NSL one year but could only make it for one day, so packed and prepped about 30 models for a really busy day. Got there right when they opened, but launch equipment was buggered up, took a few hours before the range was live. Then I proceeded to destroy just about everything I'd brought. Stable rockets previously flown started flying like bats on crack. Ejection charge on a reload (stock red cap) fell off, and a gorgeous QModeling Mega Vega failed to deploy, shovel recovery.

The model pictured started off OK, then arced over and buzzed over vendor row. It pranged and flew itself directly into that trash dumpster, directly behind the Fliskits tent. One of my more memorable not-quite-by-the-book recoveries. .
I had literally been out of my car for two minutes. Carl and I were chatting a few feet away from the trashcan when the horn blew for rocket over the spectator area. I looked up and saw the rocket coming down, and knew whose it was right away, having been present for most of those 8-10 previous flights. I called the picture "Nothing But Net", but as you can see, one fin caught the rim. :chuckle:
Chan, shouldn't you change your brag line to read "Retired Rocket Building Machine"?

blackshire
06-23-2013, 03:18 AM
You forgot one.

http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l529/rmortis/Nutnbutnet_zps773ac823.jpg (http://s1122.photobucket.com/user/rmortis/media/Nutnbutnet_zps773ac823.jpg.html)

--If your recovery skills are not that mad, aim for the nearest dumpster.It looks like a bit of..."Tintinabulation" (of one sort or another) was associated with it... :-)