LOC Vulcanite

I was looking around LOC's website and the Vulcanite caught my eye. It seemed like a good price (definately in my price range) and seemed to be a nice size and a nice design. Does anyone have any experience with this kit or any thoughts? This will be my first LOC kit...

The Vulcanite is a solid rocket that's a good performer. I used one for my 6th grade science project and flew it six times in one day. It survived a fall from 4000 feet onto playa when the elastic shock cord cut the shroud lines as the chute slid around on it (oops)... added a new chute and flew it again 20 minutes later with no problems. I've flown mine on everything up to I211s with no problems (~6500 feet) and all the way down to F52s. It's been up once on a full I -- one of Frank's C-slot I130s to about 7500 feet. I wouldn't put an I435 in it without some reinforcing, but other than that it's taken everything motor-wise I've done to it. It's got a nice sized payload bay to fit stuff in, too.

So yeah, it's recommended!

Thanks for the replies, it sounds like a great rocket. I am considering buying one. Maybe a build thread in the future!

I swa one go up on an H165R yesterday. WOW! It stood up to it and recovered great. It seems like a really nice rocket.

Danny,
It is a great rocket, it was my first HP rocket and I under powered it too many times. I have re-built twice. The last time I rebuilt it from about 10" above the fins, that was all that was left of it. I still have it and last time I flew it, I flew it on a J350W. The motor stuck out the back quite a bit, but it flew straight up and the sky ate it. I thought it was gone for ever, the next day while I was out looking for it, some people who were camping a couple of miles away broguht it back. It's a great rocket and takes a beating!! If reinforced.



That is the 3rd set of eagles that have been on that rocket form all the rebuilding.

Brent

OT I know, but where did you find those awesome eagle decals? (all three sets of them thanks

edecals.com

Ohyeah, forgot, I will be flying it again on a J350W (I love to see how much punishment it can take) either at RocStock, or LDRS.

Hopefully this time I'll get a picture of it.

Brent

Wow should be great on a J350W

And did you say you reinforced it? LOC says that it can take motors F-J, but will I need to reinforce the airframe and tip to tip the fins to fly it on a full I?

Dude, I started off reinforcing my Estes kits just to get used to reinforcing.

I don't think I have ever built anything not even my son's Estes rockets without some sort of reinforcing.

Yes the vulcanite was FG'd with 6 oz glass, and tip to tip'd on the fins. My philosophy is "Friends don't let friends non-reinforce!"

Brent

Hey Danny,
I just noticed your location says San Diego. Do you fly at Fiesta?
I used to but don't fly stuff that small anymore.

Were you at the last Plaster Blaster? That is where I flew the Vulcanite on the J350.

Brent

I live up in Cardiff, and I fly at Fiesta some, but I have not gone very often. I am friends of Lucas and Mike Worthen, (don't know if you know them) and go to the Tripoli San Diego club launches with them in Plaster City. Lucas and I have been competing in TARC the last 3 years, so we sometimes fly our TARC rockets at Fiesta Island.

I was not at Plaster Blaster in 2006, but I am hoping to make it out there for a few days this year. Hopefully seeing the X-Wing fly...

Originally posted by mach66
Hopefully this time I'll get a picture of it.

Click to expand...

Remind me and I'll try to! (slightly excited for ROCStock... it's my first launch since... um... a while?)

Liar, you just launched an "N' a couple of weeks ago!

Yes Dave, we should drag race our Vulcs on J350's at RocSTock.
I only plan on launching one or two rockets at RS, saving it all for LDRS.

Brent

oops, I see you were talking about getting a picture.. That's even better as I know you'll capture it. I'd probably get the smoke and that's it.

Still, if ya gotta Vulc and want to drag race....

Brent

Back in '90 or so I built a Loc Vulcanite. All I did to beef mine up was to add healthy internal and external fillets. Given its diameter and rather thick-walled airframe it's very strong as-delivered for -most- anything that will (or used to) fit in the 38mm mount. I say this because I flew mine on 29mm motors mostly--H128, H180, H97 using an adapter of course. During an early TRA EX launch I used a Vulcan H300-10 Low Smoke (burn time .8 sec.). The Vulcanite took off like a bullet to over 4,000'. Fast boost and nominal recovery with no damage. No doubt it can take more motor if built well.

Great rocket!

Like kaycee says, if you build your Vulcanite stock [with decent fillets, of course], it should have no problem on any G or H motor, and any F no less than 40 newtons. Any of the motors for the 38/240 casing, or the Pro38 2-grain motors will work really well. You'd probably get about half a mile on an H123. With I motors, you'll probably want to do some rocksimming for balance and stability.

I built one entirely stock to show some new club members how strong a cardboard rocket could be. Flew it on a J400 to over 6000'.

At the following launch I flew it again on a J400 but lost it. Found it the next day in a reservoir. Dried it out really carefully, and its as good as new.

Friends don't let friends overbuild