Loc Mother Lode for LDRS 2017

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jimzcatz

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As mentioned in the King Viper III thread, I am building a Loc Mother Lode for LDRS 2017. I believe Bob Jablonski will join me here as he has plans to do the same. For the uneducated, a Mother Lode is a 7.5" behemoth utilizing 90" of airframe with three 75mm tubes in a triangle configuration sticking out the back. Each of those have a 54mm motor mount. I acquired a set of used fins plus an extra. So mine will have four 75mm tubes (yes, they will fit). I haven't decided on using 54mm mounts or leaving it open and using adapters. Maybe 2 of each? Anyway, that's it for now, I hope Mr Bob chimes in here with his updates.
 
Went through some of my old High Power Rocketry magazines today. I found an add for the kit. I may build one too.
 
Does anyone have any pictures of this thing? Or is it exactly like the King Viper III, just bigger?
 
Basicly a larger King Viper or way larger than a Viper III. The LOC Doc is out of the shop for 2 weeks and when he comes back he will get my parts together. mine will be basicly stock with a Jolly Logic chute release to cut down on the walk. Hope to make Ron Shultz proud
 
I'm gonna be helping Jim with this project. I'm super hype to see this thing get built. It's gonna be awesome. :D
 
Years ago I tore a King Viper up on 3X-K550 EX (54-1750). A serious thrill ride. I'd like to do the Motherlode on 3 medium to big J's or small K's.

And yes, three small M's would rock! It would also be a hell of a way to generate confetti.
 
Years ago I tore a King Viper up on 3X-K550 EX (54-1750). A serious thrill ride. I'd like to do the Motherlode on 3 medium to big J's or small K's.

And yes, three small M's would rock! It would also be a hell of a way to generate confetti.

Al, I was going to do my first flight of my (in progress) King Viper on three K700 (EX loads)... Curious, why did your 3-K550's not pass the muster?
 
Just for the folks that don't know understand how cool these rockets are here is Polish Thunder III (King Viper) going up on 3 I280DM DMS motors at LDRS at Potter last year.

polish thunder LDRS.jpg
 
Al, I was going to do my first flight of my (in progress) King Viper on three K700 (EX loads)... Curious, why did your 3-K550's not pass the muster?

Best I can figure is it started coning real bad and failed at the joint between the three motor tubes and the lower air frame. If you look at it, that is not a really durable structural joint. I did this on two separate flights (major repair between them). Got beautifully off the pad and both times came unglued at what looked like about 2,000'.
 
Best I can figure is it started coning real bad and failed at the joint between the three motor tubes and the lower air frame. If you look at it, that is not a really durable structural joint. I did this on two separate flights (major repair between them). Got beautifully off the pad and both times came unglued at what looked like about 2,000'.

Yes, re-kitting seems fairly common for these bigger clusters (e.g., https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?38436-LOC-KING-VIPER-III&p=613433#post613433).

Hmm... I never thought that area would be an issue with 10 or 11 inches extended into the main airframe, pretty hefty CR's and three epoxied tubes... I still have time to add some reinforcement, though. So would this be on the lower half of the upper tube, the top of the exposed tri-tube area, or on the CR interface between the two? I was pretty careful on getting my tubes aligned, as that affects the fin cant, yet, they probably aren't perfect. I have done significant reinforcement on the fins where I thought flutter may be an issue, especially w/triple L flights.

IMG_2700.jpg
 
A Mother Lode is essentially a Bruiser exp with fins mounted in tubes extending past the rear

But I have read conflicting reports... Is the Mother Lode a 7.5" airframe with three 54mm's? Or three 75mm tubes?
 
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Nevermind. I found it. It says the Mother Lode was 3x54mm (although I would have expected 3x75mm). These larger kits were in the "Custom Engineering" section of the Loc-Precision web page back in late 1999/early 2000's. See here: https://web.archive.org/web/20000815091817/https://www.locprecision.com/custom_engineering.htm.

View attachment 294754

I'd have a hard time choosing between any of those. The first K I ever witnessed in person was the Esoteric with a central K550 and some outboard H's. Totally cool!
 
Nevermind. I found it. It says the Mother Lode was 3x54mm (although I would have expected 3x75mm). These larger kits were in the "Custom Engineering" section of the Loc-Precision web page back in late 1999/early 2000's. See here: https://web.archive.org/web/20000815091817/https://www.locprecision.com/custom_engineering.htm.

Interesting, the one I have un-built is 3 x 75mm and it scales like a Viper or KVIII. I would think 3 x 54 would appear a bit undersized.
 
Nevermind. I found it. It says the Mother Lode was 3x54mm (although I would have expected 3x75mm). These larger kits were in the "Custom Engineering" section of the Loc-Precision web page back in late 1999/early 2000's. See here: https://web.archive.org/web/20000815091817/https://www.locprecision.com/custom_engineering.htm.

View attachment 294754

At the time, I think Vulcan and Kosdon were the only ones playing with 75mm. Essentially, the jump was from the 54mm K's and baby L's to the 98mm K,L,3gM,4gM motors. Al, you must have either gotten a later version or are missing pieces!:wink:

Thanks for finding that photo online...have it in several pages of HPR magazine. I'm really trying to resist this Mother Lode ordeal!

By the way...fiberglass 7.5" to 5.5" transitions are nearing completion....Top Gunns and Esoterics await!

-Eric-
 
I'm really trying to resist this Mother Lode ordeal!

66482778.jpg
 
So would this be on the lower half of the upper tube, the top of the exposed tri-tube area, or on the CR interface between the two?

My best theory is it failed right above or below the top centering ring. It looked like the small amount of webbing left to the centering ring gave way.
 
My best theory is it failed right above or below the top centering ring. It looked like the small amount of webbing left to the centering ring gave way.

Huh, never thought about that... Punching right through the center... I have time to fix that :).
 
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