MAC Performance 3in. HV ARCAS - Canvas Composite Tubing, Precision Manufacturing...

patelldp said:

The rocket weighed 7.7# loaded with a 36" Skyangle main, GPS in cone, and the 38-4G. The case is a thick wall case and had a nice big 1/2-13 bolt in the top.

I also foamed the fin can, so there's some weight to be saved. It's almost half the weight of my Intimidator 3, which is more like 13# loaded.

Buy it, you won't regret it!

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Thanks, sounds like it'll be perfect then! I'll be placing my order tonight

RocketHunter said:

Thanks, sounds like it'll be perfect then! I'll be placing my order tonight

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Awesome! Just make sure to connect your links, I already provided that stress test for Mike...

Not saying a word :wink:

pshooter26 said:

Not saying a word :wink:

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You said plenty of them at the field...

It will be fixed and it will be linked next time!

Rocket looks great! Too bad about the quick link issue.. Which I could have been there to see it!

grouch said:

VERY nice website. I will be a customer when something with a smaller motor mount comes out. Super nice looking kits that will no doubt be very popular. Please get a 38mm motored shortish 3" kit out soon!

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Hey Jarrett - take a look at his site now and the offerings that cater to your requests! Order up!

https://shop.macperformancerocketry...ameter-rocket-kits/products/mpr-38-3-diameter

https://shop.macperformancerocketry...eter-rocket-kits/products/scorpion-3-diameter

Dan how long did you make your shock cords? Also as far as chutes go I estimated main at 68" and drogue at 20"

.gif of the pad cam!

patelldp said:

.gif of the pad cam!

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well that's nifty!

sorry, couldn't help myself...

Hey... if we can't do drag races anymore.... I think Riley's post will do about the same thing.

I'm seriously tempted by one of these kits. But I'm not thrilled with the $18.00 shipping to my house, and I still have to get a retainer elsewhere.

Do they attend URRG launches? I might be motivated to drive up some time....

The website states free shipping on orders over $150. :wink:

Cheers,
Michael

Bat-mite said:

I'm seriously tempted by one of these kits. But I'm not thrilled with the $18.00 shipping to my house, and I still have to get a retainer elsewhere.

Do they attend URRG launches? I might be motivated to drive up some time....

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Hold on...

$18 shipping burns you but you're okay driving to a URRG launch to get it? Hopefully the 24,000' waiver is the draw, not saving $18 on shipping...

Bat-mite said:

I'm seriously tempted by one of these kits. But I'm not thrilled with the $18.00 shipping to my house, and I still have to get a retainer elsewhere.

Do they attend URRG launches? I might be motivated to drive up some time....

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I was just drooling over a new model at the URRG launch saturday. the fits are so nice you could build it without a fin jig. He is often at URRG but you'd want to plan that with him. are you coming up for LDRS?

RKeller said:

I was just drooling over a new model at the URRG launch saturday. the fits are so nice you could build it without a fin jig. He is often at URRG but you'd want to plan that with him. are you coming up for LDRS?

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op:

Bat-mite said:

I'm seriously tempted by one of these kits. But I'm not thrilled with the $18.00 shipping to my house, and I still have to get a retainer elsewhere.

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Not to be a nooge, but $18 shipping for a kit is reasonable.... I see a lot of things ship in that size and you can see some wild charges for it.

Any launch with a vendor (and there's a billion in this area) is going to have someone selling aeropacks..... seems every time I see the AMW trailer I'm remembering another rocket that needs an aeropack.

Sooooooo.... I'm not seeing anything to not be "thrilled" about.

I am a tightwad, and I hate to pay money for shipping because it is "lost money," so to speak. But the bottom line is, I want a kit with a 38mm MMT, and I priced one up at RW. Now, RW kits don't include the switchband, AV hardware, sled, etc. But the $5 shipping at RW more than makes up for the cost of those things.

I didn't see that about the free shipping over $150. But since I can't buy the other things I need there (like a retainer), I am not going to hit $150.

Yes, the waiver is why I would drive to URRG, not just to save the $18. I want to break 10k feet, and I don't really want to wait for winter when we move back to Higgs. Can't make it to LDRS, which sucks, because it might be my only chance.

And I realize the $18 is not a lot; it's just the principle that if RW can do it for $5, well....

Still haven't decided ....

Bat-mite said:

I am a tightwad, and I hate to pay money for shipping because it is "lost money," so to speak. But the bottom line is, I want a kit with a 38mm MMT, and I priced one up at RW. Now, RW kits don't include the switchband, AV hardware, sled, etc. But the $5 shipping at RW more than makes up for the cost of those things.

I didn't see that about the free shipping over $150. But since I can't buy the other things I need there (like a retainer), I am not going to hit $150.

Yes, the waiver is why I would drive to URRG, not just to save the $18. I want to break 10k feet, and I don't really want to wait for winter when we move back to Higgs. Can't make it to LDRS, which sucks, because it might be my only chance.

And I realize the $18 is not a lot; it's just the principle that if RW can do it for $5, well....

Still haven't decided ....

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Well, I'm driving 25 miles each way in a 16 mpg Dodge Charger to pick up my second kit today...totally worth it I'll be building a 4" Villain with a 4' booster.

Seriously though, the way that I look at it there's no way around shipping. It's a service that is required in a remote society where the General Store doesn't sell rocket kits and motors. It's really no different than Cesaroni turning metal into motor cases, AP and other stuff into motors, etc. Not only that, it's a highly customized service designed specifically for you.

Mike's offering free shipping on orders over $150. Hell, that's essentially free shipping on all of the kits except for the simple 3" ones. I know he doesn't sell retainers, but if you buy the ARCAS it ships for free and then your retainer ships from RW for $5. That's $5 shipping for TWO packages and you're ready to build your rocket!

I know that there's not an argument here, especially not one that I would win anyways. My point is that shipping is a real cost and I have no problem with vendors charging true cost + some profit for boxing, taping, and taking the kit to the post office/UPS store. It's just how the world works.

As someone who works in the shipping industry, the idea that things should come to your door for free baffles me.

You're getting a service. Pay for it. Pretty simple really. It's no lost money, it's a cost of getting things.

It is not a question of pay shipping or don't pay shipping. It is a question of do I get my kit from RW or Mac Performance? Sorry if I'm not making sense. I seldom do. :sigh:

Bat-mite said:

It is not a question of pay shipping or don't pay shipping. It is a question of do I get my kit from RW or Mac Performance? Sorry if I'm not making sense. I seldom do. :sigh:

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You make perfect sense to me, John. I think the cost will be pretty close to neutral, so pick the kit your heart tells you.

I will say that I received the Scorpion kit last week and I'm thrilled with it. I haven't built it yet, but it is well engineered and elegant. It will definitely go higher on less motor than anything I have from RW. But I really like all of my RW kits too.

When you make your decision, start a thread and let us know. Pictures are always obligatory!

Cheers,
Michael

Soon...

patelldp said:

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Soon...

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:drool:

patelldp said:

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Soon...

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:drool: That makes the ARCAS look small!

I got my 3'' ARCAS last wednesday (ordered on saturday, shipping notice & tracking monday morning, on my door wednesday), and I am extremely pleased with my choice I have to say, your description of the perfect fit of the parts was in no way exaggerated or a lucky one-off. From the centering rings, to the nosecone, to the coupler, to the fin slots, everything fit perfect right out of the box - snug enough to not move around, but loose enough to pretty easily be slid apart again without problems. It is by far the nicest out of any kit I've ever gotten before. The only sanding I've had to do is to scuff things up for bonding! Everything fit so nicely that I was easily able to glue the CR's to the MMT, install that assembly, and tack on all 4 fins all in one shot! Plus, since most of the necessary e-bay parts were already included (sled, pre-drilled BP's, pre-cut threaded rod etc.) the electronics bay was a breeze to assemble. It's going to be a quick build, and I'm not even rushing :grin:

Also, contrary to what the website and your thread showed, the fins on my kit came with very nice sized bevels all the way around the fins perimeter - a very nice suprise!

The kits at first do seem a bit pricey, but when you break it down they're actually pretty good value. For one, they're very complete - all that's needed is a retainer and recovery components. Plus, a comparable 3'' fiberglass kit is $199.99 or more (ex. RW G3), and is usually more bare-bones. The MAC Performance rockets are lighter and can fly on smaller motors, so for an I/J rocket they may seem a bit expensive, but then again they can also handle anything those 3'' FG kits can, and at the same time will go higher on those K's/L's.

Bat-mite said:

It is not a question of pay shipping or don't pay shipping. It is a question of do I get my kit from RW or Mac Performance? Sorry if I'm not making sense. I seldom do. :sigh:

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I bought the Mac Performance Scorpion tonight. Two shock cords and a set of rail buttons and I got the free shipping.

Will do a build thread when it gets here. Also, will do as accurate an OpenRocket file as I can. Will post here. Maybe Mike will add to his site like RW does.