Estes Outlander questions

It maybe because most of the kits are made in China now !

mark: NO its not just you..... there was/is talk of this over on TRF.......

shockie B)

I had the exact same problem---I don't think its us. As a matter of fact I just finished the model and logged on here to see if anyone else had posted and lo and behold. I just trimmed the stick and repositioned the pods. I don't think there is any way to build it with the pods where they are in the picture unless you extended the body tube. Which might screw up stability. Its interesting that the length of the rocket is supposed to be 12.5"--and it does turn out that way in the end. Dunno--they musta screwed up. RK

I had the exact same problem---I don't think its us. As a matter of fact I just finished the model and logged on here to see if anyone else had posted and lo and behold. I just trimmed the stick and repositioned the pods. I don't think there is any way to build it with the pods where they are in the picture unless you extended the body tube. Which might screw up stability. Its interesting that the length of the rocket is supposed to be 12.5"--and it does turn out that way in the end. Dunno--they musta screwed up. RK

FYI there's a MarsLander Yahoo group that got active when the outlander came out. I had to turn off the email, but they may have discussed this issue.

Joel. phx

Oh--one more thing. Notice the laubch lug is way too long. Like it was made for a body tube that would let the pods fit correctly. RK

Whew, I'm glad of that. I get to keep my card:)

I didn't see any mention of it on The MarsLander yahoo group, though they had a big Outlander thread, and I hadn't checked TRF so I missed that one. What I ended up doing was just notching the upper ring, then I'll re-position the tanks also. I'm trying to make it take-apart like my 2X ML so it can be repaired, but the way the housings are designed makes that difficult. You'd have to move the support spacers above the legs so the gear housing can slide on from the front. Fortunately I've got two more to play around with. Gotta love Hobby Lobby's 50% of coupons:)

Mark E. Hamilton NAR #48641-SR (Still) ARSA #418

There's a whole group for that?

The internet :)

Rule #1 with all rocket kits (especially Estes) read all instructions and test fit everything prior to cutting or gluing even the first piece. During mockup of the parts and checking of dimensions, I found the dowel position to be quite obviously incorrect before even starting to put anything together. And it was also not even a "typo" kind of error in the instructions. I can only guess that there must have been some kind of spec change in the kit between this draft of the instructions and the final parts layout that didn't get updated. I would think a company would be embarrassed about such errors in published instruction sheets, but I guess we have moved to a point where it is to be expected. Maybe that's why they say "real men don't read directions", because they know the directions are wrong. Anyhow, it isn't you, lot's of Estes instructions have errors in them.

Mark Hamilt> So, I've been working on an Outlander for the last week, and I've come

ChiComs are writing the instructions after translating them first into Chinese and then back into English.

So, since I haven't opened up my Outlander yet (and don't want to dig through the garage at the moment), has anyone come up with an 'errata' sheet that tells what the correct steps really OUGHT to be?

David Erbas-White

Mark Hamilt> So, I've been working on an Outlander for the last week, and I've come

Did you notice that there is a gap between the upper body tube and the lower body tube? It does show this in the instructions but doesn't make a big deal about it. With the gap in place the tanks and nose cone do seem to fit. Are you referring to a specific dimension that Estes provides?

As far as the small dowel, I called Estes and they said that this is a typo in the directions. The customer service person was very helpful and knowledgeable about the construction. What she did not know about she quickly checked on.

Your mileage may vary... but my experience with Estes was a good one.

Peace, Mike Nycz

OK, now I'm confused. IS there an error in the instructions? Or was it 'pilot error'? If there IS an error, WHAT is the error?

Is the dowel too short, too long, glued in the wrong place, what? Is the problem with placing the tanks real, or is it simply not noticing the gap?

David Erbas-White

Okay, just to make it clear, the two errors the I found were:

1. In instruction step 7A it shows marking the location for the forward end of the motor hook at 2 1/2". The mark for the forward centering ring is at 3 15/16. However, when you glue the 2" dowel at the front of the motor hook, it extends to 4 1/2", even though the picture in 7E shows it ending at 3 15/16. It will not fit unless you trim the dowel or notch the ring.
2. Step 10B shows marking the main tube at 3 3/8". Step 19B indicates that the tanks should be glued with the top of the tank at that mark. The problem then is that the horizontal tubes won't fit between the vertical ones and the body of the nose. The correct placement of the vertical small tubes seems to be with the top 2 1/8" from the bottom of the main body tube, and 4 3/4" from the bottom of the lower body tube, not 3 3/8" as shown in 19B.

Mark E. Hamilton. NAR #48641-SR

Consumer feedback rocks!