Laser-cut fin slots in LOC kits

I just received a new Minie-Magg kit from Apogee. It comes with laser-cut slots instead of the usual routed ones. I low how laser-cutting produces square edges instead of the normal half-round.

One hung puzzles me. The fins are usual 1/8" plywood, but the slots are 1/4". I'm wondering if this change is intentional and what is the recommendation for filling the resulting gap around the fins.

Ari.

That's not right, the slots should be the same width as the fins. I'd give Barry a call.

I did some research my thought doesn't pan out


that's messed up

iter said:

I just received a new Minie-Magg kit from Apogee. It comes with laser-cut slots instead of the usual routed ones. I low how laser-cutting produces square edges instead of the normal half-round.

One hung puzzles me. The fins are usual 1/8" plywood, but the slots are 1/4". I'm wondering if this change is intentional and what is the recommendation for filling the resulting gap around the fins.

Ari.

View attachment 169184View attachment 169185

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Contact LOC. Thats not normal.

That's pretty messed up. Both the oversized Slots, and you odd way of speaking.

"I low how laser-cutting produces square edges instead of the normal half-round." "low how"???

"One hung puzzles me." A "Hung" puzzles you does it? What's a "Hung"???


About the Fin Slots, if it were me, I'de call or E-mail Apogee or LOC.
Perhaps they expect you to add a 1/16th" piece of wood to either side of each Fin???
Weird.

TopRamen said:

That's pretty messed up. Both the oversized Slots, and you odd way of speaking.

"I low how laser-cutting produces square edges instead of the normal half-round." "low how"???

"One hung puzzles me." A "Hung" puzzles you does it? What's a "Hung"???


About the Fin Slots, if it were me, I'de call or E-mail Apogee or LOC.
Perhaps they expect you to add a 1/16th" piece of wood to either side of each Fin???
Weird.

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Is one Fred around here not enough?

Typing on iPhone gets you places.

Ari.

iter said:

Typing on iPhone gets you places.

Ari.

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I figured it was a "Device". I just thought it all sounded so funny that I had to bring it up.
Devices are stupid.

My wife just bought one of these last week, they have started using 1/4 plywood fins. Someone used the "new" airframe with the "old" fins. Woops.... Give em a call, I'm sure they'll make it right :handshake:

TopRamen said:

That's pretty messed up. Both the oversized Slots, and you odd way of speaking.

"I low how laser-cutting produces square edges instead of the normal half-round." "low how"???

"One hung puzzles me." A "Hung" puzzles you does it? What's a "Hung"???


About the Fin Slots, if it were me, I'de call or E-mail Apogee or LOC.
Perhaps they expect you to add a 1/16th" piece of wood to either side of each Fin???
Weird.

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Funny I had no problem what he wrote. Really now we are going to play grammar teacher? Yes the slots were cut wrong and too big.

AfterBurners said:

Funny I had no problem what he wrote. Really now we are going to play grammar teacher? Yes the slots were cut wrong and too big.

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Did you read the 9th Post? Apparently not.
You also missed my follow up Post about how I think the way it was Auto-Corrected was funny, and how that is why I felt compelled to bring it up.
Maybe try reading the whole Thread first next time.

Yes, stupid auto correct.

iter said:

Typing on iPhone gets you places.

Ari.

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TopRamen said:

Did you read the 9th Post? Apparently not.
You also missed my follow up Post about how I think the way it was Auto-Corrected was funny, and how that is why I felt compelled to bring it up.
Maybe try reading the whole Thread first next time.

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drama on TRF definitely not worth it. Later

Chill dudes. Typos can be funny. The important thing is he got an answer.
That's TRF. A little attitude, a lot of info.

jef955 said:

My wife just bought one of these last week, they have started using 1/4 plywood fins. Someone used the "new" airframe with the "old" fins. Woops.... Give em a call, I'm sure they'll make it right :handshake:

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Did it still come with a 38mm motor mount?

Everything is same as always, 38mm mount, 1/4" CRs, 1/8" fins. Only innovation is 1/4" laser-cut slots.

Ari.

iter said:

Everything is same as always, 38mm mount, 1/4" CRs, 1/8" fins. Only innovation is 1/4" laser-cut slots.

Ari.

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I wonder why they would go to 1/4" fins with a 38mm motor? I built mine with a 54, the 1/8" fins have held up fine, 1/4" seems way overkill.

Probably saves costs to have one standard slot size per tube.


Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum

wfcook said:

Probably saves costs to have one standard slot size per tube.


Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum

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Beat me to it.

I have only flown mine with J motors BIG J motors, maybe they did it for survivability reasons? :confused2:


TA

Most damage occurs on landing rather than under boost.

Of course, if you put bigger motors in single-depoly rockets and achieve higher altitudes, the temptation is to use smaller parachutes. This in turn increases probability of landing damage. So I guess there is an indirect correlation between motor size and fin thickness requirements.

Then again, the cardboard is only 1/8" on this rocket. The fins have only these little tabs to hold them; they don't go all the way to MMT--so as to save weight at the bottom. In a real hard landing, 1/4" fins may just tear out, tabs and all, so increasing the thickness may have diminishing returns for survivability.

Ari.

chadrog said:

Did it still come with a 38mm motor mount?

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Just saw this. Yes, it came with the usual 38mm mount..