I have all the molds for my semi scale Falcon 9-Dragon done. I’ve made a couple of castings today from the molds.Started assembly of the first one I hope to launch in the next couple of weeks. I started this all about a year back before everyone else got on the bandwagon. Can’t blame them she a great ship with real success behind her.
Kits will be available soon!
Starting the silicone mold of the handcrafted master of the capsule based on the early designs when I started this all back a year ago.
I will also be molding the engine cluster this week too.
Let us know and we will put this one out too with some updates to the design as the Star Ship as changed and has one less fin these days. We have all the molds for this one. Write to us and let us know.
After I finish the Falcon project this week we are going to offer an X-15 Delta Grande. Same size as the X-15 Grande with hand cut balsa delta wings.
We have already made one beta kit that’s out there with a customer. I can’t wait to see what he does with it. It should fly exactly the same as our smaller X-15 Delta and that’s straight up and proud!
The below video is of our smaller X-15 Delta.
Everyone is doing one but if you look at the dates on these posts you’ll see we started it first. Now even Estes is coming out with one and because these folks have the money they will be able to make them cheaper than we ever could. Still we are going through with this to completion.
Even if I could get the kits massed produced in China I wouldn’t fell comfortable doing so just to make a buck. Besides there’s a very good chance they would take my money and not deliver the product. This has been the norm lately with China.
All materials for the kits are bought from made in USA only sources. Balsa Machining for parts and balsa. Burman Industries for mold making materials, resins,mold releases, and more. Everything is sourced from the US and scratch built in my shop. So every time you purchase a kit from us your also putting money in the posckets of these US vendors.
It’s Mary and I alone in the studio. We can’t afford help let a lone take the chance having someone we don’t know come into our isolated studio who could infect us. So all the work is on us from making up the kits, casting resin, to shipping. This is also a side business for your studio that does a lot of other projects like building models for hire, masks, props and more.
So you can expect to pay more. Oh and ad one more thing. When you buy a model from us you are buying an artisan model. These are only put together as the orders come in. My background is in the film industry and my work has been seen in movies like Star Trek and Ghost Busters. You’ve seen my make-up effects work in film and TV. I include a signed certificate in each kit. Look up my career on Google and IMDB.
So to answer the question why our kits cost more or too much as some have said, I just did.
Trust me I’d like nothing better than to make the prices lower but then we wouldn’t make any profit at all. What we offer is unique because each one is a work art.
The latest progress on the Falcon 9 – Dragon is, the molds will be made for the engine cluster and capsule today. Masters are finished. Photo etched parts are delivered (again former a local vendor).
Once I have the molds I can start filling orders.
More progress reports to follow here. Click the follow button to stay up to date.
The Falcon 9 is really shaping up. I almost have enough brass from Eliot Brown for 16 kits that go out to you guys. Lathed the boat tail and will be making the dummy engines today. The actual rocket motor will fit in the center of the ring of 8 dummies. Beyond that I have a bunch of other small parts to make resin molds for the booster.
I have started a mock up to check fit of the landing legs, boat tail, and capsule before I mold anything.
Been working steady on the Dragon capsule. Parts arrived today to start on the booster Falcon 9. Soon kits will be available.
Watch the video to see this fantastic launch system for low power and mid power rockets.
I caught this story using my iPhone because it’s rare mainstream media ever show such an important story. I’m sure you all enjoyed the Dragon launch and the huge success.
Remember that most of the men and woman that made this all possible started with an interest in model aviation. If we want to see this continue into the future then we need to keep our youth involved and allow them to pursue the passion they have to reach the stars.
