I think we'd all buy one at $10 if we could.
Does Fry's still sell rocket kits?
I've bought a couple of kits at MicroCenter who had them at decent prices, like 12.99 for a Shuttle Express and 11.99 for a M104 Patriot.

Mark Hayes (Stickershock23.com) makes Der Red Max decals in vinyl. (As well as a number of “Max-like” alternatives.). My Der Saturn Max has custom “Max” vinyl, but I had Mark just use the BT-60 size, since I wanted to emphasize it as being a huge “Max”. I had Mark include some extras, as well as changing the text decal to read “Der Saturn Max”.

It will be easy to clone a DRM. The vinyl look great on BT-60 sized rockets and larger. They’ll work on smaller sizes, but I’ve not gone smaller. You just have to be aware that some complex decals will have to be printed as a graphic, rather than individual pieces. For example, the black and yellow planet logo on an Orbital Transport will require that the decals get printed on a white background. A simpler graphic like the black and white roll pattern on a Bandit decal is built up from black vinyl and white vinyl.

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Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold!
Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp

Well, DRM has gone on hiatus a couple of times before and there’s plenty still in the retail pipeline. Estes has the chute available, several vendors have the nose cone in balsa or plastic, and Stickershock and Tango Papa both have decals so like LeeR said it’s an easy to clone kit.

DRM has been out of production before - last time mid-80s I think? If Estes isn’t getting the sales numbers they want, they discontinue a kit. They brought DRM back - mid-2000s maybe? I’m willing to bet we’ll see it back in production in a few years.

I'm not sure if Fry's still sells rocket stuff or not. I was at the Fry's in Fremont, CA several weeks ago and the giant store did have much of anything--period. They don't even crank up the plus-sized Tesla coil anymore.

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

Everything on the website is on clearance, including DRM.

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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

That's what the one in Renton, WA, looks like, too. It looks like a going-out-of-business sale except for no signs and no slashed prices. Just no merchadise and few employees.

This store hasn't had rockets in any number for some time, even before they started to empty the store. I'm going to miss it when it's gone. But it certainly looks like thats' what's up.

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Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

I have two Fry's nearby - one in Plano, and another over in Irving - and they both look like they haven't restocked anything all year long. It's pretty depressing. I guess the web vendors have really cut into that retail segment.

That said, we have a couple other similar retailers in the DFW area, Altex and Micro Center. Micro Center seems to be thriving - lots of customer traffic there the other day. Haven't been to Altex recently, but it seemed healthy last time I was in there (in the past year).

I've been to the 2nd oldest Fry's out in the Bay area - they're an icon in the electronics biz. So I'd hate to see them go away, but the empty shelves are surely discouraging.

[Edit]BTW, Micro Center has model rocket kits and motors, too

Doug


.

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YORF member #11

After I posted that last night I did a little poking around the interwebs to see if there was any concrete news. Most of what I found were denials by Fry’s that they’re going out of business and stories showing that what you and I have observed are seen across all their stores. The

__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

Am I missing something? I just went to the Estes site and I could view and add Der Red Max kit to my cart. I don’t need one so did not place the order but it’s still on the site as far as I can see.

I’m asking the same thing. The Der Red Max is in the 2020 catalog.

__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078