LOC kits

[JoJo]

alright so i got about $70 to spend on getting into mid power and im looking into some LOC kits. im looking at the legacy or the weasel. the next thing im gonna need are some motors (single use) im not gonna worry about a pad cause the club i go to supplies that for you. so basically i wanna know are these LOC kits any good and are they gonna be too advanced as a first mid power kit.

 

[Ryan S.]

they are really nice, they are not to hard to build, just use epoxy.

 

[Weekends]

Both kits are good. In fact, I am a big fan of LOC kits. Both kits that you mentioned are small diameter, so they are gonna go high on a G.

Pretty much any of LOC's 29mm kits and lower are good basic kits. Nothing too fancy or complicated.

Hope it helps.

Mike

 

[Stymye]

the Loc graduator is also a good midpower kit

I'm not sure about the have to use epoxy comment

I built mine with yellow glue ..it's still flying

 

[Chilly]

The Weasel is a great rocket, kind of like an Estes kit on steroids. It really cooks on F and G motors, so you may want to build something bigger that you're more likely to get back. But for less than 40 bucks it's a lot of fun.
I'd recommend something with through-the-wall fins, though. It's a good intro to high-power building techniques. A Graduator, Lil' Nuke or Forte would be good choices and they're all less than 50 bucks.

 

[eugenefl]

Originally posted by Chilly
The Weasel is a great rocket, kind of like an Estes kit on steroids. It really cooks on F and G motors, so you may want to build something bigger that you're more likely to get back. But for less than 40 bucks it's a lot of fun.
I'd recommend something with through-the-wall fins, though. It's a good intro to high-power building techniques. A Graduator, Lil' Nuke or Forte would be good choices and they're all less than 50 bucks.

I agree with Chilly's recommendations. I've flown my Graduator on a G80 and it was a very exciting dot-in-the-sky-flight. For smaller fields, F20's really make it rock, but just not out too far out of reach for small fields.

 

[DynaSoar]

Originally posted by JoJo
alright so i got about $70 to spend on getting into mid power and im looking into some LOC kits. im looking at the legacy or the weasel. the next thing im gonna need are some motors (single use) im not gonna worry about a pad cause the club i go to supplies that for you. so basically i wanna know are these LOC kits any good and are they gonna be too advanced as a first mid power kit.

My first two mid-power birds were the Weasel and the Aerotech Mustang (se threads in "Kit Reviews"). Either would make a fine intro to MPR. The AT birds use a snap-in fin system and go together with CyA rather than epoxy. They also come with positive motor retention via a great big engine hook. The Weasel uses epoxy, comes with no motor retention (the plans don't even mention the need for it), and the through-the-tube fins are glued in without snap-in slots. This all makes the AT easier to get a great result, but that also means you'll learn more (and have more room for making mistakes) with the Weasel.

Either way, get a 29mm to 24mm motor adapter. It's only a few dollars. The Weasel will fly on an E30 SU, and the Mustang on as little as E15. Plus, if you get into RMS, there's plenty of 24mm reloads that can lift these, and you can use the same RMS motors in your smaller birds.

 

[BlueNinja]

In teh AT motor recommendations it says the Mustnag can fly on as little as a D21.

Just don't do that in the wind!

 

[gothique_97]

Highly recommend the LOC kits mentioned here. I'd lean more towards the Graduator than the Weasel as a first MPR kit; You're a little less likely to lose the Graduator on its first G motor. And I think it has thru-the-wall fin mounting [though keep in mind that this is not exactly the same as 'glued to the motor mount tube'].

The AeroTech kits are good, and if you see one for a good price, buy it! These kits are a great introduction into mid and high power building techniques.

Let us know what you decided to build...

 

[PunkRocketScience]

I would highly recommend the LOC Weasel. I was amazed how this little rocket (though much bigger than it looks in most of the photos) REALLY moes on a motor as small as an AT F20. Nearly put it out of sight.

I was disappointed that the cool metallic "tail cone" was merely detailling, so I boat tailled mine. It added a nice finished look to the kit.

 

[Batman]

LOC kits are outstanding. I've built about 7 of them and they are consistently excellent kits. I think someone a few posts up mentioned that the Weasel has ttw fins. It does not. There are several good methods to strengthen the fin joint but the stock kit has surface mount fins. I think the Weasel, Legacy or Lil Nuke would be great kits since they fly great on 24mm motors as well as 29's. I am finishing up a Weasel right now that I put a 14" 29mm motor tube in and fiberglass reinforcing so I can launch it with an I200W. We'll see how that works out. Anyway, you're on the right track with the kits you're looking at in my opinion.

 

[shinbone]

I highly recommend taking a look at the LOC Graduator.
It was my first mid-power kit, and I have never regretted that choice for a minute.
It assembles much like a large model rocket, so there's really no new skills to acquire, other than using epoxy for assembly.
It flies great on F and G motors, and it's a very tough rocket.
The only downside was the kit has no positive motor retention system (at least not when I got mine), but that is easily remedied these days: The simplest thing is to install a pair of T-nuts in the aft MM ring, and attach a piece of wire that circles the motor nozzle and attaches to small bolts in each of the nuts.
Of course, you can also buy PMR devices of various sorts, or just rely on friction fit if you're comfortable with that.

 

[JoJo]

ok i've got it narrowed down to the little nuke or the weasle. im gonna order tonight. so im gonna need some feedback quick

thanks

 

[WRX03]

JoJo I'm going to be moving and I'm concidering selling my Aerotech rockets. I don't want to ship the ones I have but together, but I think I have 2 or 3 kits unassembled. If interested send me an email. I need to go to the storage to see what I have; warthog, ?, and ?. I wouldn't be able to reply to the email until Thursday morning if you reply.

Vince

MY PHOTO PAGE (rocket pics)

 

[JoJo]

thanks for the offer wrx02. but im not all that intrested at aerotech kits right now.

anyway im about to order now. i read some emrr reviews on the kits and i decided to get the weasel and a set of F-20's. sound good?

 

[JoJo]

ok orders been placed on the weasel. now i just need to know what kind of epoxy to use

 

[solrules]

5 minute Devcon (Wal*fart) epoxy will be perfect for your rocket. When thinking about glues, you must first think of the two items that you are bonding: wood and cardboard. A good wood glue (Titebond II) will hold up just as well, if not better, than most epoxy. Your materials will fail before your glue fails. Check out Rocket Materials . They have done some fantastic testing, although their website is not fully up yet.

Have fun building the rocket!

 

[WRX03]

The epoxy on one of my rockets really yellowed. Anyone know the reason why?

On my picture page, 1st or 2nd photo, center rocket, fins; you can see the yellowing epoxy.

MY PHOTO PAGE (rocket pics)

 

[JoJo]

Originally posted by Batman
in and fiberglass reinforcing so I can launch it with an I200W.

thanks for the info. but how do you fiberglass reinforce a rocket? (sorry if i sound stupid)

 

[Ryan S.]

I dont think you should worry about it for this rocket, save the high powered superflights for later

 

[Batman]

you don't sound stupid, everybody asks that question at some point, and as the post above said, don't worry about it for now. When you fly big or really fast rockets, some people wrap the airframes with fiberglass and epoxy to make it stronger. I have never made a flight that required this, yet, but I like trying stuff like that anyway. i'm pretty sure the Weasel would shred on the I200 without reinforcment. Here's some good info if you want to read about glassing airframes. Read the reinforcing tubes and easy-glassing articles.

 

[Dbarrm]

I just ordered a LOC 3" IRIS, I cant wait for it to arrive. This is my first big rocket.

Dan