Loki Research 2015

RocketGeekInFL said:

Our RSO won't let us fly sparkies when the grass is that dry. Damn nice looking flight!!!

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It is the high desert, that's pretty much how it looks wet or dry.

I did notice the fire extinguishers. Didn't realize it was so wet. I have never launched in the desert. Can't wait for my first opportunity too do so.

Only thing that sucks about the NW deserts is the sagebrush really can hide a rocket, even a big one. On the plus side you get to watch it land usually.

Here's a photo of my scratch built "WAZZU Thunder" flying on a Loki Research J-820-LW to 4,941 feet on October 18th at the OROC Rocketober launch.
-Go Cougs!

thobin said:

Sounds like a wicked ride, to bad it didn’t happen, No pictures...


TA

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OK Todd,,,
Here ya go,,,
Can I trouble you guy's to just check the pic's out on my site...

https://onebadhawk.com/midwest-power-10312015.html

It sure is a lot easier then me trying to post them all here...

I have some news for ya...
I couldn't wait to get to this stage with this rocket,,
airstarting big FJ's really high...
The lower and slower flights look cooler in the pics...
In one of the sets of pic's at a METRA launch I airstarted 2 H 178 DM's
but the central motor was much smaller so the airstarts were more dramatic in the still pic's...
In person the higher bigger flight looked better though....

Teddy

Very nice, that violet motor flame is bigger that the rocket. See I knew it all happened.


TA

I kinda wish I took more pic's...
Guy's like Justin F are just fantastic...
They spend their whole day taking pic's..
And it must take forever to process that many pic's when they get home...

A great thank you to Justin and all the other pic takers at all launches...

Teddy

Sales have been booming. Thank you very much everyone.

I finally got a breather on orders and got caught up with all of them I've received in the past 2 weeks. Thank you everyone for your support. You have kept me quite busy this year and it has only gotten busier this month! There are also some very well stocked Loki dealers out there. Please show the LOKI Dealers your support at your next launch. We would appreciate it.

I still have a lot of propellant to get made. I've been half cleaned out of the last 3 batches I have made. Each batch takes at least a weeks worth of work if not more from start to finish and that's without boxing orders, replying to emails, sending out purchase orders and contacting vendors, sweeping the floor, you name it. ;-) I'd like to thank everyone for being so patient in waiting on your orders from time to time. Some take longer than others but I always try to get them out as fast as I can.

I'd like to direct everyone to read the post I just made to the LOKI RESEARCH Facebook page about greasing liners. It is not to make removal of the liners easy, but it serves a very real purpose of preventing motor failures on certain motors. It is also in the instructions of the motors in which it is a requirement.

Please read it everyone. https://www.facebook.com/LokiResearch/photos/a.220239141498910.1073741831.201689593353865/425986430924179/?type=3&notif_t=like

Thanks again.

Would it be proprietary if I asked if a batch is something like a "zillion" kgs.? I could see the time investment with having to handle grains, packaging, making sure all is there and such. Well, better to be busy and popular rather than sitting there twiddling one's thumbs, right? Kurt Savegnago

Kurt,

The standard batch size when I worked for Jeff was always 20kg. That's the amount I made when I first took over. Since then I have steadily made adjustments, increasing batch sizes in order to maximize product output from the time I input into making each batch. Now I'm doing batch sizes between 36 to 39kg, depending on what size motors I'm casting. I could make a baby Q in one batch, and if I were, that mix would go the quickest with only 5 to 6 grains to prep, cast and trim up. Boy wouldn't that be nice. ;-)

Scott,,
I think making propellant is so interesting...
I told ya,,
if you lived around the corner I'd be there helping you... lol...

That was a very interesting comment on the Facebook page...
I have always rubbed a liberal amount of grease all the way around
the fore and the aft end of the liner on the inside and the outside....
Especially anywhere an O ring is going to sit...
This now looks like an even better idea....

Very well written Scott...

Teddy

onebadhawk said:

I have always rubbed a liberal amount of grease all the way around
the fore and the aft end of the liner on the inside and the outside....
Especially anywhere an O ring is going to sit...

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I love it when you talk dirty to me.....

onebadhawk said:

I have always rubbed a liberal amount of grease all the way around
the fore and the aft end of the liner on the inside and the outside....
Especially anywhere an O ring is going to sit...

Click to expand...

Teddy really doesn't want to blow an O-ring.....

I found the explanation of what goes on during such a short duration burn interesting and thought provoking. Tiny things making a huge difference.

In reference to the Facebook posting on grease:

Forgive the naive question, but as I've yet fly a Loki motor, (though hopefully an H100 at the next club launch) what is wrong with Dow 111?

StevenB said:

In reference to the Facebook posting on grease:

Forgive the naive question, but as I've yet fly a Loki motor, (though hopefully an H100 at the next club launch) what is wrong with Dow 111?

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Dow 111???? I don't know if anything is wrong with it but the red grease you can get at Wal-Mart for next to nothing works just fine. I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's hard to screw up a Loki motor. I just flew my favorite at Distant Thunder. That I-405 sends a 5lb rocket off the rail in a hurry.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=187544&d=1435057188

StevenB said:

In reference to the Facebook posting on grease:

Forgive the naive question, but as I've yet fly a Loki motor, (though hopefully an H100 at the next club launch) what is wrong with Dow 111?

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I believe the FB post was in reference to the 54mm L's. All the rest of the reloads like the H100 you can just use the normal grease you've used with other rocket motors. Just like any other rocket motor just follow the instructions and you'll be fine. I think the instructions are on the Loki site somewhere...

Loki Research said:

There are also some very well stocked Loki dealers out there. Please show the LOKI Dealers your support at your next launch. We would appreciate it.

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I am looking to try my first Loki motor.

Besides Chris, are there any other online dealers I should be looking into. I never like sole source anything.

Thanks,

Steve

StevenB said:

In reference to the Facebook posting on grease:

Forgive the naive question, but as I've yet fly a Loki motor, (though hopefully an H100 at the next club launch) what is wrong with Dow 111?

Click to expand...

Steven,

Dow 111 is very thick grease. When used heavily on a liner over a large surface area it makes it extremely difficult to remove a liner after firing a motor, even more so on very long motors. As Squasach said, the red tub grease is also much less expensive.

Steve, Here are the current Loki Dealers. I'd choose the one closest to you. Not all of them have websites/stores or can ship Haz-mat size reloads, not yet anyway. For the ones that do, it's always a good idea to call/email for current inventory if their website doesn't reflect items that are in stock/out of stock.

Steve, Teddy at One Bad Hawk sells them.

Have y'all seen this?



If properly assembled, of course. ;-)

Hahahhahahha...
Talk dirty to me baby.......
Man there's something wrong with you guys,,, lol....
Thank you as always Jarrett, ,,
Yes Steve,, I have them in stock at the field...
Though I'm not certain which Steve this is so I
can't be certain which field either,,, lol...
But I have a good idea it's the METRA field in Pine Island...

Teddy

I had a Lokki Research "G" motor, and it send a PML Explorer great! (1304'). I was clear, at 7:00am, cool, and NO wind.
The Lokki casing is nice, and bulletproof.
Now, since I gave up the Trip Certs, because of travel distances to a meet, work, and life, I just have some left over CTI, Aerotech Stuff.
I never did buy a big motor from Lokki, but I am sure their Heavy Duty as well...Happy Thanksgiving!

Strongarm said:

I had a Lokki Research "G" motor, and it send a PML Explorer great! (1304'). I was clear, at 7:00am, cool, and NO wind.
The Lokki casing is nice, and bulletproof.
Now, since I gave up the Trip Certs, because of travel distances to a meet, work, and life, I just have some left over CTI, Aerotech Stuff.
I never did buy a big motor from Lokki, but I am sure their Heavy Duty as well...Happy Thanksgiving!

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The Loki snap ring hardware was one of the main draws for me..
It's some of the most solid as a rock hardware I've ever seen...
Well,, that and the loads are ridiculously cool,,, lol...

Teddy

Yep. Snap Ring Ply'ers are just another tool we can buy with our SEARS card

Quick and easy assembly too, I can do it in my sleep now and I don’t worry if I have the right o-ring in the right place. The hardest thing to put together is.... humm, well nothing really.

TA

Red 38mm reloads are back in stock, along with the MONSTER 54mm L-2050 reloads, while they last.

Still no new news on the 54mm hardware. I'm very sorry.

Loki Research said:

Steven,

Dow 111 is very thick grease. When used heavily on a liner over a large surface area it makes it extremely difficult to remove a liner after firing a motor, even more so on very long motors. As Squasach said, the red tub grease is also much less expensive.

Steve, Here are the current Loki Dealers. I'd choose the one closest to you. Not all of them have websites/stores or can ship Haz-mat size reloads, not yet anyway. For the ones that do, it's always a good idea to call/email for current inventory if their website doesn't reflect items that are in stock/out of stock.

Click to expand...

I've noticed that about 111 too but I suspect it might be better for "long term" storage of an unfired motor as opposed to the straight petroleum product. MolyKote 55 is another I've tried and as long as one gets to the motor soon after firing to clean, I haven't had a problem with a stuck liner. I've used the petroleum goop but in the situation where I'm danged sure I'm going to get the motor fired in a week or two. I've had a loaded motor sitting for a year or two and had no trouble firing and cleaning it
with 111 or Polykote 55 used as a lubricant. I don't let them sit for days afterwords before cleaning. Better yet is to breakdown the case and push the liner out when the fired motor is still warm but cool enough to touch.
I'd be concerned about accelerated O-ring breakdown with a pure petroleum grease. Anyone have other thoughts? Yeah, sometimes there's no way to avoid an unfired motor. Have it prepped and ready to go and something comes up that scratches a launch. Only thing I do is loosen the aft closure (or both) of a threaded motor and essentially leave a snap ring motor alone. Store 'em in a cool, dark, dry place until ready to try again. Kurt

chuck5395 said:

giggle - laugh - cough - snort

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Sorry Chuck - couldn't resist!

ksaves2 said:

I've noticed that about 111 too but I suspect it might be better for "long term" storage of an unfired motor as opposed to the straight petroleum product. MolyKote 55 is another I've tried and as long as one gets to the motor soon after firing to clean, I haven't had a problem with a stuck liner. I've used the petroleum goop but in the situation where I'm danged sure I'm going to get the motor fired in a week or two. I've had a loaded motor sitting for a year or two and had no trouble firing and cleaning it
with 111 or Polykote 55 used as a lubricant. I don't let them sit for days afterwords before cleaning. Better yet is to breakdown the case and push the liner out when the fired motor is still warm but cool enough to touch.
I'd be concerned about accelerated O-ring breakdown with a pure petroleum grease. Anyone have other thoughts? Yeah, sometimes there's no way to avoid an unfired motor. Have it prepped and ready to go and something comes up that scratches a launch. Only thing I do is loosen the aft closure (or both) of a threaded motor and essentially leave a snap ring motor alone. Store 'em in a cool, dark, dry place until ready to try again. Kurt

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I don't think grease breaks down an oring....gasoline does though. The oring has to seal for less than 10 seconds.