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- Sep 3, 2019
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Hi everyone,
Just started my L3 build, figured I'd post here. This is going to be a pretty "standard" build, building a LOC Bruiser EXP. Current plan is to fly it on an AT L1000W for a shakedown flight, then an AT M1350W at Midwest Power at the end of October for the cert. Between now and then, who the heck really knows what will happen, so that's all TBD obviously.
Before starting, the only change I made was swap out LOC's MMAS motor mount system for a straight 75mm mount. I'm lucky enough to work about 20 min from LOC, so I stopped by and swapped the parts out. As usual, Jay at LOC is awesome to work with.
Avionics will be all Eggtimer - I have two Quantum's that were previously flown, thinking of building up either another one of those or a Proton and have triple redundancy. After shoehorning the two Quantums into a 3" airframe for dual redundancy/dual deploy on a different flight, I'm looking forward to working in a 7.5" av bay!!
Thus far, I've laminated one of the body tubes once and the booster body tube twice (just got done applying epoxy actually). I'm using Soller Composite's fiberglass tube/sock/whatever you want to call it. First layer is 6" light glass, the next 2 layers of the 7" light. Each layer is about 10oz, so getting 30oz total. (as an aside - I bought a foot of their 6" heavy sock (26oz), it will NOT fit on a 7.5" LOC tube, and it's not even close). I'm using Aeropoxy Laminating epoxy (PR2032 resin, PH3660 hardener), as I used it before...it might not be "perfect", but for a cert flight I'll take "familiar and successfully applied" over "try 4 new things and have to learn all of them too". In case you're wondering, most of my complaints with Aeropoxy are around 2 things- 1) the hardener can settle out and not work right (fix by shaking first) and b) it needs to be above 70F to cure right, more than that preferred (fix by not laminating in April, wait till July if you're doing it outside like I am).
Some pics of various stages of the laminating process:
Yes - looks like a giant condom, lol. There's a nosecone in there to help guide it on:
Hanging dry:
Hanging wet:
Hanging wet, second layer:
Just started my L3 build, figured I'd post here. This is going to be a pretty "standard" build, building a LOC Bruiser EXP. Current plan is to fly it on an AT L1000W for a shakedown flight, then an AT M1350W at Midwest Power at the end of October for the cert. Between now and then, who the heck really knows what will happen, so that's all TBD obviously.
Before starting, the only change I made was swap out LOC's MMAS motor mount system for a straight 75mm mount. I'm lucky enough to work about 20 min from LOC, so I stopped by and swapped the parts out. As usual, Jay at LOC is awesome to work with.
Avionics will be all Eggtimer - I have two Quantum's that were previously flown, thinking of building up either another one of those or a Proton and have triple redundancy. After shoehorning the two Quantums into a 3" airframe for dual redundancy/dual deploy on a different flight, I'm looking forward to working in a 7.5" av bay!!
Thus far, I've laminated one of the body tubes once and the booster body tube twice (just got done applying epoxy actually). I'm using Soller Composite's fiberglass tube/sock/whatever you want to call it. First layer is 6" light glass, the next 2 layers of the 7" light. Each layer is about 10oz, so getting 30oz total. (as an aside - I bought a foot of their 6" heavy sock (26oz), it will NOT fit on a 7.5" LOC tube, and it's not even close). I'm using Aeropoxy Laminating epoxy (PR2032 resin, PH3660 hardener), as I used it before...it might not be "perfect", but for a cert flight I'll take "familiar and successfully applied" over "try 4 new things and have to learn all of them too". In case you're wondering, most of my complaints with Aeropoxy are around 2 things- 1) the hardener can settle out and not work right (fix by shaking first) and b) it needs to be above 70F to cure right, more than that preferred (fix by not laminating in April, wait till July if you're doing it outside like I am).
Some pics of various stages of the laminating process:
Yes - looks like a giant condom, lol. There's a nosecone in there to help guide it on:
Hanging dry:
Hanging wet:
Hanging wet, second layer: