LOC Hi-Tech H45 Build Thread

[patelldp]

Hello everyone, this is something that I have not done in quite some time, a build thread! This being my senior year of college, I have gotten a little bored on the weekends (other than Friday and Saturday nights), so I decided to order up a LOC Hi-Tech H45 kit from Hobbylinc. I also ordered a 38mm Slimline (Classic) retainer and some 1/2" strap nylon from Giant leap to go along with it. The goal of this build is to keep the rocket light, as next flying season I am planning to fly it on the new Aerotech I49N long burn motor.

From here on the rocket will be the Hi-Tech I49, pretty appropriate I think. It will ultimately be modified to carry a Perfectflite HiAlt45k or a Parrot, not exactly sure what yet.

Very primitive simulation results show altitudes of nearly 5,000' on this motor, but I will predict 4,000' to 4,500' most likely due to the rocket being overweight. I will be posting pictures soon, as the kit should be here either Wednesday or Thursday. Stay tuned!



-Dan Patell

 

[MaxQ]

post pics....

 

[patelldp]

post pics....

I will be posting pictures soon, as the kit should be here either Wednesday or Thursday. Stay tuned!

 

[Donaldsrockets]

Sounds like fun.

Try the I59WN next, that seems like a very cool motor. I can't wait to try one.

 

[Pantherjon]

Sounds like fun.

Try the I59WN next, that seems like a very cool motor. I can't wait to try one.

It is a VERY cool motor! Nice LOOOONG burn time! Here is a video of Tom(Rocketjunkie)'s 'You Gotta Be Nuts' flying on the I59WN

 

[als57]

You'll like it.

I've never flown mine on anything hotter than an I161W. Gets decent height on a G61W.

Been thru about 4 TN shock cords (replaced every dozen or so flights) now.


Al

 

[patelldp]

Here is the preliminary Rocksim.

View attachment Hi-Tech I49.rkt

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Don't forget, the motors you're talking about require electronics for ejection.

 

[patelldp]

I understand. The RockSim has provisions for the altimeter bay.

-Dan

 

[patelldp]

There will be a delay in this thread...Hobbylinc has a quirk in their purchasing system that allows only one credit card to be paired with one address. I attempted to change the address from where I lived this summer to where I currently live at school, but I did not change credit cards, so it automatically refers back to where I lived this summer. While this is not a bad idea, I (of course) didn't read it carefully enough, nor would I expect a system like this to be in place.

So it will have to ship to my old address in SW NY, then to where I currently am in N NY, with some layover time. Oh well, lesson learned.

-Dan Patell

 

[Rocketjunkie]

There will be a delay in this thread...Hobbylinc has a quirk in their purchasing system that allows only one credit card to be paired with one address.

Normally, the address should be the same as the address the credit card bills are sent to. However, you should be able to ship to any address you desire with the billing address your old address.

 

[patelldp]

Normally, the address should be the same as the address the credit card bills are sent to. However, you should be able to ship to any address you desire with the billing address your old address.

The billing address always remains the same, it's the one that you fill out when you apply for the card. In my case, I have resided in 3 different places in the past 4 or 5 months...my parent's house, an apartment for my summer internship, and college. I first ordered while living in my apartment this summer, and that became the default address for that specific credit card. They let you change the address paired to the credit card only if you re-enter the credit card information. If you don't read the fine print (as I didn't), then it appears that you are changing the information but it then reverts back when you click "finished" on the form.

I should have slowed down and read through the addresses and made sure it was correct. For whatever reason, the address that was the default didn't "click" in my head as incorrect, it had been my address for 3 months. Live and learn, and slow down.


-Dan

 

[patelldp]

Received the first shipment of parts from Giantleap:

38mm Classic Slimline Motor Retainer
27' of 1/2" Nylon Strap

Kit should be here early next week, time to get started building soon...

 

[GaryT]

Dan:
The LOC HI-TECH is a great flying kit, Mine I glassed and made DD, Some options you may want to consider, 1/8" tubular Kevlar Stronger, lighter, fire proof, An Aeropack retainer, No tools required, Not sure on the 38mm slim line but the 54mm won't accept AMW hardware.

[/IMG]

 

[patelldp]

Dan:
The LOC HI-TECH is a great flying kit, Mine I glassed and made DD, Some options you may want to consider, 1/8" tubular Kevlar Stronger, lighter, fire proof, An Aeropack retainer, No tools required, Not sure on the 38mm slim line but the 54mm won't accept AMW hardware.

[/IMG]

I had considered both of these. I purchased the slimline because now I can reproduce it on one of my lathes. Also, if my 38mm EX cases don't fit I will just turn down the thrust ring a bit to get the necessary clearance.

I probably will end up going with the tubular kevlar, I was mainly worried about zippers due to past experiences. I may use this strap as a bridle, but we will see.

Thanks!

-Dan

 

[DAllen]

It is a VERY cool motor! Nice LOOOONG burn time! Here is a video of Tom(Rocketjunkie)'s 'You Gotta Be Nuts' flying on the I59WN

That's a nice video. Does he have enough shock cord? :roll:

-Dave

 

[Pantherjon]

That's a nice video. Does he have enough shock cord? :roll:

-Dave

Naw...One of our club members(Danny) flew a rocket in which he had 200' of shock cord! With MULTIPLE parachutes as well! By the time all the laundry came out the fin can was touching the ground!:roll:

 

[snaquin]

Here is the preliminary Rocksim.

Did you intend to reverse the leading and trailing edges of your fins for your design? The screen print below from your RockSim file shows the fins are reversed.

The HI-TECH H45 and EZI-65 fins would normally mount in the opposite direction.

.

 

[patelldp]

Did you intend to reverse the leading and trailing edges of your fins for your design? The screen print below from your RockSim file shows the fins are reversed.

The HI-TECH H45 and EZI-65 fins would normally mount in the opposite direction.

.

I just used the provided Hi-Tech H45 file as I have not received my kit yet.

 

[THarrison]

Largest EX mixed to date: 76-6000 M2000 Blue

...Ben is that you??

 

[patelldp]

...Ben is that you??

I debated putting "150mm P7000000000 Blue," but I figured I'd flex what little muscles I actually do have.

 

[patelldp]

Finally received everything for this rocket. There were some mistakes in the shipping process, but now it's all ready to begin.

First up is the parts of the kit. The main body tube has a slight ding in it, so this rocket is going to change a little from initial plans. Body tube will be glassed with 1 layer of 4 oz. satin weave glass, and the fins will get a layer tip to tip. The shock cord and mount were immediately thrown away.

Second is the altimeter for the project, an RRC2. This should provide a reliable altitude readout and deployment scheme, all packed into the coupler. I am thinking Main (28") at 300' for this rocket.

Building will be starting soon. I will have to wait until Thanksgiving break to do the glassing and make up the bulkheads that I need for the altimeter bay. I will also need another centering ring for the motor tube. Stay tuned!

 

[patelldp]

Here are the fore 2 centering rings epoxied to the motor tube, as well as the shock cord mount epoxied in. I do not like this method a whole lot, but with space constraints it works quite well. Everything is very solid (even using Loctite 5 minute epoxy). Next step is profiling the fins and beginning the tacking process.

 

[daveyfire]

Here are the fore 2 centering rings epoxied to the motor tube, as well as the shock cord mount epoxied in.

Oh sweet, finally some epoxy. For a while this was looking like an Art Upton unboxing thread

 

[patelldp]

Oh sweet, finally some epoxy. For a while this was looking like an Art Upton unboxing thread

You wouldn't be so lucky...

 

[fox_racing_guy]

Building will be starting soon. I will have to wait until Thanksgiving break to do the glassing and make up the bulkheads that I need for the altimeter bay. I will also need another centering ring for the motor tube. Stay tuned!

You can purchase a complete 2.56 altimeter bay direct from LOC/Precision https://shop.rocketsbymelissa.com/product.sc?productId=264&categoryId=8
I would not fiberglass this model either, I've flown mine stock built entirely with wood glue only on Aerotech J570's with complete success. If your going to to wrap your harness anchor around the motortube like that you should use Kevlar, that strap nylon will burn through after a few flights then what will your connect your harness to? The stock LOC shockcord mount works beautifully on a rocker that small.

 

[patelldp]

You can purchase a complete 2.56 altimeter bay direct from LOC/Precision https://shop.rocketsbymelissa.com/product.sc?productId=264&categoryId=8
I would not fiberglass this model either, I've flown mine stock built entirely with wood glue only on Aerotech J570's with complete success. If your going to to wrap your harness anchor around the motortube like that you should use Kevlar, that strap nylon will burn through after a few flights then what will your connect your harness to? The stock LOC shockcord mount works beautifully on a rocker that small.

1) The fiberglass is for durability and longevity.
2) The rocket will be flown with altimeter deployment only, never motor ejection.
3) I have the means to make CR's and bulkheads, so I won't be buying the LOC unit, even though it looks like a good product.

 

[patelldp]

Got a bunch more work done...

Epoxied the fins to the motor mount with 5 minute epoxy, and have begun the fillets with 30 minute epoxy.

 

[patelldp]

...pictures...

 

[patelldp]

To bring some finality to this thread, here are a few finished pictures. The red, white and blue paint job was kind of a last minute idea, but it came out okay. The plan is to put this up on a 2g or 3g CTI motor at some point.