Snap Ring Hardware

Binder Design said:

Typically a machine shop will charge much more than someone already in business doing it. Unless you find the random guy who needs beer money. Most machine shops charge $100+ per hour and you have to source and pay for the material and deliver it to them usually.

Click to expand...

And that’s if your lucky enough to find the shop willing to take your specific high precision order that is low volume. Some shops won’t even mess with rocketry stuff hobby wise because they have bigger customers doing higher volume orders on looser tolerances. The cool thing I miss of university was a decent shop with CNC tooling and an attitude of bring your materials and just make whatever. I’ve dealt with paying other shops to do certain tasks and they weren’t exactly happy about rocketry projects due to how little money they’d make versus the time in machining it would take to do the job.

Binder Design said:

Currently no. Only up to 4". I will be setting up my website to list all the sizes I have available with prices and finish options after the first of the year. Just giving you a heads up before you invest a bunch of money. I make everything and anodize in house including custom finishes like splash dye jobsView attachment 400497 , FYI.

Click to expand...

Ooohhh, those are purty...

Binder Design said:

Typically a machine shop will charge much more than someone already in business doing it. Unless you find the random guy who needs beer money. Most machine shops charge $100+ per hour and you have to source and pay for the material and deliver it to them usually.

Click to expand...

It's a guy already in the business and he has done some work for me in the past. I was gonna contact you too Mike but I decided to hold off. Didn't want to waste anyone's time until I have the time, space, and funds to move forward with it. But I may shoot you an email just to see what you think.

Tobor said:

Btw, awhile back Tim gave me the lowdown on his lack of interest in distributing Loki.

Click to expand...

And I got the low down from Scott. There's two sides for every story. Quite frankly, I think this community is way too small to be hanging on to grudges and they just need to settle their differences and bury the hatches - preferably not in each others back. You don't have to like someone to do good business with them. I think we'd all benefit if they'd work something out.

And FWIW...I do not care about anodizing - at all. If it needs to be on there to protect the metal then that's fine. Call me weird but I have never seen the need to make motor cases pretty when you can't even see them on the pad. No offense to those that like pretty cases though its just something that adds no value in my eyes.

-Dave

I just use all the vendors I want and ignore the bicker banter side taking bullsh*t. To be honest I think the guy not using is missing out because other vendors will ship Loki motors to you.

My main issue is that I just need a local vendor that supplies reloads for the hardware I own. So, for 95% of the launches I attend, there is only one vendor, Tim & Jackie. I don't have the kind of money to purchase reloads in sufficient quantities to offset Hazmat fees. Hence the need for a local vendor.

Tobor said:

My main issue is that I just need a local vendor that supplies reloads for the hardware I own. So, for 95% of the launches I attend, there is only one vendor, Tim & Jackie. I don't have the kind of money to purchase reloads in sufficient quantities to offset Hazmat fees. Hence the need for a local vendor.

Click to expand...

The vast majority of Loki 38mm are hazmat-free. All the Gs, most of the Hs and Is and even two Js.

I have AT, CTI, AMW and Loki and I fly my snapring cases more often than anything else. Snapring is almost as easy as CTI to assemble but flexible enough for EX. I'd like to see more certified options for snapring cases.

DAllen said:

And FWIW...I do not care about anodizing - at all. If it needs to be on there to protect the metal then that's fine. Call me weird but I have never seen the need to make motor cases pretty when you can't even see them on the pad. No offense to those that like pretty cases though its just something that adds no value in my eyes.

-Dave

Click to expand...

That's why my standard finish is just clear anodizing. I only do dye jobs by special order. Anodized hardware does clean up better and won't get those fine scratches just from sliding in and out of a motor mount, so it does add value. And I don't charge extra for clear anodizing, so there's that.

heada said:

The vast majority of Loki 38mm are hazmat-free. All the Gs, most of the Hs and Is and even two Js.

Click to expand...

I didn't realize those cases were so versatile and have that many reloads available without the hazmat fees. For me, those sound like a better investment than other brands, especially if I can use them for Ex motors in the future.

As Mike mentioned, anodizing creates a harder surface on the aluminum for longer life. As the case increases in length, though, anodizing is more costly. For a 6" dia or 8" dia motor, it isn't practical. But, most special projects using big casings are single use. Plus, the bare aluminum is better for case-bonded liners.

I make 4", 6" and 8" motor hardware using bolted closures, not snap rings. I enjoy making them, but they would be too expensive if I actually charged for my time, or if I sent the work out to a machine shop.

Binder Design said:

One thing to consider is there is a reason why Ed Romani and John Bolene stopped making hardware. If there was a big market it could support more than one or two players. And those guys were machinists doing everything, same as me which keeps hardware prices artificially low. The material costs have gotten astronomical due to tariffs, and if you have to pay a machinist and anodizer on top of that, it will be very expensive. Just ask Scott at Loki about that.

Click to expand...

I quit the business for several reasons, price was only one factor, I just got tired of the rat race and decided to retire and just make things for myself and friends, attend more launches and fly more rockets.

I was getting low on all sizes of liners and due to minimum order sizes it was going to be $4000 to restock and that would last several years.

I had a machinist making the 48" casings and his last quote to me was $400, the first casings he made for me he charged $100.

I did make some extra sizes of 54mm cases, 2,3,4,5,6 grain and extra long one at 35"

And this cute set of 29mm, 2,4,6,and 8 grain



I do have a bunch of nozzles left

3stoogesrocketry said:

Crickets ........

Click to expand...

never going to happen

WILDMANRS said:

Ya have him do to you wh

Click to expand...

Huh?

I'm just expressing an opinion on a internet forum. Take it or leave it I don't care.

So Tim, are ya gonna start selling your own flavor of snap ring hardware? If yes, then I'm in for a 38/600ish case, a 54/800~1200ish case, and one or two midrange'ish cases.

Just say'n.

Tobor said:

So Tim, are ya gonna start selling your own flavor of snap ring hardware? If yes, then I'm in for a 38/600ish case, a 54/800~1200ish case, and one or two midrange'ish cases.

Just say'n.

Click to expand...

Hey man I’d rather Tim start carrying Loki products. If he carries it I’ll buy it from him.

Binder Design said:

I can make whatever you need.
View attachment 400478

Click to expand...

You can and you have......

pondman said:

You can and you have......

Click to expand...

Much appreciated!

DAllen said:

Quite frankly, I think this community is way too small to be hanging on to grudges and they just need to settle their differences and bury the hatches - preferably not in each others back. You don't have to like someone to do good business with them. I think we'd all benefit if they'd work something out.

And FWIW...I do not care about anodizing - at all. If it needs to be on there to protect the metal then that's fine. Call me weird but I have never seen the need to make motor cases pretty when you can't even see them on the pad. No offense to those that like pretty cases though its just something that adds no value in my eyes.

Click to expand...

Dave, we talked about this. We can't be seen agreeing in public. Hey, get the right anodize and it might make it easier to find the rocket if the motor gets kicked.

If I had a Loki dealer near me and I could buy without shipping/hazmat, the motors would likely supplant CTI for me in everything except upper stages.