Level 3 kit bought

apburner · Nov 27, 2015

Well just pulled the trigger on a LOC Precision Bruiser EXP 3. Planning on flying it on a CTI M1101. Once it gets here gonna do a build log and have plans to make it zipper resistant. Also probably gonna stretch it to 11 feet. I have an old 7.5 inch Fiber glass nose cone that will probably be used on it also. This just to make painting easier. Looking forward to this one. Gonna take my time and maybe fly it either this summer some time or next fall. Gonna have to be out of state because Kentucky at the moment as I understand can't fly M motors. So Tennessee or Ohio.

KenECoyote · Nov 27, 2015

Sounds great! Good luck with the project!

op:

bob jablonski · Nov 27, 2015

Nice plan. How far are you from Battlepark, VA?

apburner · Nov 27, 2015

bob jablonski said:
Nice plan. How far are you from Battlepark, VA?

I figure 8 to 10 hours from any where in VA. But I'll check when I get home. I'm at work right now and all night. We'll just checked. Map quest says 9 hours and 3 minutes.

grouch · Nov 27, 2015

Nice to see a paper L3 for a change!

apburner · Nov 27, 2015

grouch said:
Nice to see a paper L3 for a change!

Ya one can do paper when going for low and slow. Lol. I really do not want to go much more than a mile high. And I love the chest thumping of an M motor taking off.

Tim51 · Nov 28, 2015

Good luck with your build and L3 cert. Just a question out of curiosity - I notice that 'officially' Loc rate the Bruiser EXP 3 to take up to L motors, not M. Do you anticipate re-enforcing the AF with FG or CF, or will that not be a problem?

bob jablonski · Nov 28, 2015

Tim51 said:
Good luck with your build and L3 cert. Just a question out of curiosity - I notice that 'officially' Loc rate the Bruiser EXP 3 to take up to L motors, not M. Do you anticipate re-enforcing the AF with FG or CF, or will that not be a problem?

A number of people have certified L3 with cardboard rockets, I know of a half dozen myself. a couple went so far as no fiberglass whatsoever. They pealed the glassen away from the fin slots and a bit of CA around the top of the body tube coated the fins with finishing epoxy and now they are L3.
Also Indiana Rocketry is getting close to a new site. just a couple more hoops to jump through but don't expect Thunderstruck this coming spring.

Tim51 · Nov 28, 2015

bob jablonski said:
A number of people have certified L3 with cardboard rockets, I know of a half dozen myself. a couple went so far as no fiberglass whatsoever. They pealed the glassen away from the fin slots and a bit of CA around the top of the body tube coated the fins with finishing epoxy and now they are L3.
Also Indiana Rocketry is getting close to a new site. just a couple more hoops to jump through but don't expect Thunderstruck this coming spring.

Thanks - good to know.

Handeman · Nov 28, 2015

Sounds like a fun project.

Just a question about making it zipper proof. I'm assuming a standard DD setup. Have you built a DD with this design before?

I built my L2 with DD and a zipperless design. It's been a great rocket I've flown 29 times so far. With that experience I have to say, I wouldn't use that design for a DD rocket again. It's just a little more difficult to prep than a standard design but I never saw any advantage to the zipperless design when using DD because of the consistent apogee deployment you get with DD. Just my opinion.

Have fun and good luck

apburner · Nov 28, 2015

Handeman said:
Sounds like a fun project.

Just a question about making it zipper proof. I'm assuming a standard DD setup. Have you built a DD with this design before?

I built my L2 with DD and a zipper-less design. It's been a great rocket I've flown 29 times so far. With that experience I have to say, I wouldn't use that design for a DD rocket again. It's just a little more difficult to prep than a standard design but I never saw any advantage to the zipper-less design when using DD because of the consistent apogee deployment you get with DD. Just my opinion.

Have fun and good luck

Well The one thing I am looking at with the zipper-less design is just a test for a future rocket. I have three pieces of 7.5 inch craft phenolic and a design in mind for it. But I don't trust that material enough to attempt an L3 cert on it. If I do build something with it I want to be really gentle with it on deployment and landing. This is what the modification will get me on the Bruiser I hope.

Handeman · Nov 28, 2015

apburner said:
Well The one thing I am looking at with the zipper-less design is just a test for a future rocket. I have three pieces of 7.5 inch craft phenolic and a design in mind for it. But I don't trust that material enough to attempt an L3 cert on it. If I do build something with it I want to be really gentle with it on deployment and landing. This is what the modification will get me on the Bruiser I hope.

You're got a plan!
What I found with mine was that deployment wasn't an issue, landing could be different. The nice thing about the zipperless design is that the fincan is solid. The booster tube is what is most suseptable to damage but since it is removable from the av-bay, it's easily replaceable. The one issue I had with the fincan was when I put a motor in it that was longer than the fincan. With 54mm MMT and 4" BT I used an U bolt to attach the shock cord with. When the motor casing extended past the U bolt I was worried the quicklink would damage the motor casing if there was a strong shock to the system. I used a Kevlar loop to keep the quicklink above the motor casing.

Good luck

apburner · Nov 28, 2015

Handeman said:
You're got a plan!
What I found with mine was that deployment wasn't an issue, landing could be different. The nice thing about the zipperless design is that the fincan is solid. The booster tube is what is most suseptable to damage but since it is removable from the av-bay, it's easily replaceable. The one issue I had with the fincan was when I put a motor in it that was longer than the fincan. With 54mm MMT and 4" BT I used an U bolt to attach the shock cord with. When the motor casing extended past the U bolt I was worried the quicklink would damage the motor casing if there was a strong shock to the system. I used a Kevlar loop to keep the quicklink above the motor casing.

Good luck

I have decided to make the fin can Just long enough to fit a 5 grain motor plus 1 inch. This will give me some nice options but I will never fly it with a full M anyway. I will put the U-bolts off center and use 2 of them for yet more options. I really just want to fly this thing one time and get it back flyable so I certify.
Shoot it may even fly naked.

apburner · Dec 2, 2015

apburner said:
I have decided to make the fin can Just long enough to fit a 5 grain motor plus 1 inch. This will give me some nice options but I will never fly it with a full M anyway. I will put the U-bolts off center and use 2 of them for yet more options. I really just want to fly this thing one time and get it back flyable so I certify.
Shoot it may even fly naked.

Ordered it late Saturday night got it Tuesday mid afternoon. Wow. Now just have to find time to build. I work 12 hour shifts and nights. So I have Monday and Tuesday night off or Wednesday and Thursday off and every other weekend.
Sounds like lots of time. But really only one day off for the two nights cuz all family members are on day shift. And with only every other weekend off they are almost always taken up weeks in advance. But I will make it. and plan to fly sometime next spring. Got my first hurtle done, I removed the two couplers that were shipped inside one of the body tubes. Oh well gotta go to work. LOL

watermelonman · Dec 2, 2015

Take it easy and enjoy the build. That M1101 makes the most gorgeous flame I have seen in its class, you will relish the flight footage. Speaking of, get good footage!

BalDave2 · Dec 3, 2015

bob jablonski said:
A number of people have certified L3 with cardboard rockets, I know of a half dozen myself. a couple went so far as no fiberglass whatsoever. They pealed the glassen away from the fin slots and a bit of CA around the top of the body tube coated the fins with finishing epoxy and now they are L3.
Also Indiana Rocketry is getting close to a new site. just a couple more hoops to jump through but don't expect Thunderstruck this coming spring.

I certified on a LOC 5.5" Big Nuke 3E with no fiberglass. Airframe was reinforced with couplers and used .5" plywood fins and centering rings. I have since flown multiple EX M's on it with no issues at all until a chute deployment issue sent it out to pasture.

Boosterdude · Dec 3, 2015

apburner said:
Well just pulled the trigger on a LOC Precision Bruiser EXP 3. Planning on flying it on a CTI M1101. Once it gets here gonna do a build log and have plans to make it zipper resistant. Also probably gonna stretch it to 11 feet. I have an old 7.5 inch Fiber glass nose cone that will probably be used on it also. This just to make painting easier. Looking forward to this one. Gonna take my time and maybe fly it either this summer some time or next fall. Gonna have to be out of state because Kentucky at the moment as I understand can't fly M motors. So Tennessee or Ohio.

Good for you! Good luck, and I look forward to seeing the updates.

apburner · Dec 10, 2015

Well I said I would be slow but this is ridiculous. I found out what comes with the Bruiser and so I built an Open rocket file and then put an CTI M1101 in it and also a CTI M840. The center of balance was a bit to close to the center of pressure for me. As I made it in the file it was .19 and .187 caliber respectfully. Stable but too close for me, especially since I am not smacking it with a high thrust motor and getting it going fast quick. So I modified the fins so that i am now getting about .65. This makes me a whole lot more comfortable. So I went and bought a couple of 1' by 2' pieces of 9mm Baltic birch and cut the fins out. They don't seem much bigger when looked at in the file but holding the, they are substantial. LOL. Well thats gonna be it for a while got 7, 12 hour days in a row. Eat sleep eat work, rinse and repeat.

Sailorbill · Dec 11, 2015

apburner said:
Well I said I would be slow but this is ridiculous. I found out what comes with the Bruiser and so I built an Open rocket file and then put an CTI M1101 in it and also a CTI M840. The center of balance was a bit to close to the center of pressure for me. As I made it in the file it was .19 and .187 caliber respectfully. Stable but too close for me, especially since I am not smacking it with a high thrust motor and getting it going fast quick. So I modified the fins so that i am now getting about .65. This makes me a whole lot more comfortable. So I went and bought a couple of 1' by 2' pieces of 9mm Baltic birch and cut the fins out. They don't seem much bigger when looked at in the file but holding the, they are substantial. LOL. Well thats gonna be it for a while got 7, 12 hour days in a row. Eat sleep eat work, rinse and repeat.

I added 1 lb of nose weight to the standard length rocket and was over one (1.84) for stability, I would check you simulation. This is with out electronics recovery gear etc. Put a spacer in the big tube to hold your recovery gear as far forward as possible and you may not need any additional weight at all.

EeebeeE · Dec 11, 2015

Good luck, and if you want to fly out of the sweltering heat, take a trip up to western NY. You can certify in Geneseo NY (MARS - an NAR club - 10,000' waiver) or in Potter (URRF - a TRA club - 15,000' waiver) both are about 45 minutes away from Rochester, NY. I live up here but am from Dayton, OH. It is a 7.5 hour drive from Rochester to Dayton. There are a number of L3's up here who can help you with your flight.

A heat wave up here happens when the temps go above 80 degrees. It really is pleasant.

apburner · Dec 12, 2015

EeebeeE said:
Good luck, and if you want to fly out of the sweltering heat, take a trip up to western NY. You can certify in Geneseo NY (MARS - an NAR club - 10,000' waiver) or in Potter (URRF - a TRA club - 15,000' waiver) both are about 45 minutes away from Rochester, NY. I live up here but am from Dayton, OH. It is a 7.5 hour drive from Rochester to Dayton. There are a number of L3's up here who can help you with your flight.

A heat wave up here happens when the temps go above 80 degrees. It really is pleasant.

Thanks for the invitation. I would love to come up there. and the wife has always wanted to check out New York. But it is a 10 hour drive for me so that would really be a 3 of 4 day trip. Not in the cards right now. Just changed jobs and have no Vacation time. I will probably go to central OH or northern IN. Both are less than 5 hours from me.
Steve

apburner · Dec 12, 2015

Sailorbill said:
I added 1 lb of nose weight to the standard length rocket and was over one (1.84) for stability, I would check you simulation. This is with out electronics recovery gear etc. Put a spacer in the big tube to hold your recovery gear as far forward as possible and you may not need any additional weight at all.

Ya I did not want to add any weight so I figure adding fin size is the next best option. I hate nose weight and besides if I want to fly it with a 2 or 3 grain motor the CG will move forward so more stable and with added weight limits the types of smaller motors I can fly. I might even fly this thing as some point on a high impulse mid K motor. So no extra weight if I can help it.

Sailorbill · Dec 13, 2015

apburner said:
Ya I did not want to add any weight so I figure adding fin size is the next best option. I hate nose weight and besides if I want to fly it with a 2 or 3 grain motor the CG will move forward so more stable and with added weight limits the types of smaller motors I can fly. I might even fly this thing as some point on a high impulse mid K motor. So no extra weight if I can help it.

Oh I don't like nose weight either and I really dislike adding weight to the tail. But if you were adding a tracker/Avbay in the nose you could accomplish the same thing. Also if you use something to hold your recovery gear as far forward as possible you will accomplish the same thing. You said you were using an old Fiberglass nose cone. Does it weigh more than the stock one?
I ran into this problem on my L3 rocket a 6" Ultimate Endeavour, 9' 6" long including a 6" long conical boat tail. I installed a spacer to hold the recovery gear just under the nose cone and didn't add any weight. The rocket weighed 28lbs on the pad with an CTI M1300 Dual Thrust. Pushed it to 11K +
Good luck on Your journey.

Level 3 kit bought

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

APBurner

Well-roasted Member

Well-Known Member

APBurner

Well-Known Member

APBurner

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

APBurner

Well-Known Member

APBurner

APBurner

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

APBurner

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

APBurner

APBurner

Well-Known Member

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!