LOC/Precision Force Ten L3 kit

[loopy]

Is this a kit LOC sells? Did not see it on site. Thanks.

Not yet apparently, but the Skinwalker kit is similar except for the fin shape and the nose cone. There were 2 Skinwalkers launched at the local launch last weekend, they are very impressive.

From what I've heard, they will have this available at some point, but not yet. And yes - the Skinwalker is impressive...I'm currently building one for my L3 attempt, and every time I look at it, I'm just...in awe...lol

 

[ECayemberg]

Is this a kit LOC sells? Did not see it on site. Thanks.

Not quite yet. Almost through the beta testing phase, release date to be announced shortly!

Not yet apparently, but the Skinwalker kit is similar except for the fin shape and the nose cone. There were 2 Skinwalkers launched at the local launch last weekend, they are very impressive.

Similar indeed, except add a 15" long payload atop the stack!

 

[ECayemberg]

Booster

As others have alluded to, the tail end of the Force Ten largely resembles the tail end of the Skinwalker.

Always dry fit assemblies before mixing up your next batch of epoxy. It not only gives you an opportunity to get all giddy about the size and fit of your next assembly, it also provides the opportunity to make sure everything goes together smoothly before you begin to scramble because your epoxy is getting all exothermic on you! Here's a dry fit of the motor mount/fincan area. All is looking well, except I noticed the notches in the aft centering ring weren't deep enough. Noted; shall be fixed for the production run!





The aft centering ring's fin slots were deepened and quad tee-nuts were added for motor retention. Yes, I trust 1/4"-20 Tee-nuts to retain expensive hardware....and yes, I also use Aero-pack, etc elsewhere. Loc has a nifty new retainer that could be used here as well. It's a beautiful thing that we have options!



The motor tube is peeled. So very easy to do, and good practice to allow epoxy to really soak into the paper! Run a knife lightly where the glassine covers the gap in the paper layer beneath. I prefer to keep the knife stationary, and rotate the tube as I go...the entire distance in spirals is completed within 30 seconds or so. Pry up one end of the glassine layer and peel away!







After the motor tube is peeled, a piece of angle aluminum is used to create a guide line along the length of the motor tube. A bottle of Sun Drop also aids in maintaining proper alignment of rocket airframe components.

 

[ECayemberg]

Sealing the Tubes

Perhaps the most important contributor to prolonging the life of your cardboard rocket is sealing the ends of the tubes with thin CA. I've "enjoyed" enough water landings to believe there's sufficient empirical evidence that sealing the ends helps prevent lasting damage to paper airframes. To me, it's a given and a no brainer, so here we go!

Paper tube end...


...meets CA bottle tip...



...one pass or layer on the left, none on the right. One can see the difference as you go...



...I like to make 2 passes, the first fully soaks in as on the left side of the following tube, the 2nd soaks in just a tad, leaves a bit of a sheen to the surface, and tends to run onto surfaces on the inside and/or outside of the tube, which is quickly wiped up with a handy paper towel.



After the CA dries for a few minutes (and your eyes stop watering, and your nose stops burning), the ends of the tubes are sanded with a sanding block to take down any high points.

Boom, the tubes are ready for primer!

 

[DAllen]

Sealing the Tubes

Perhaps the most important contributor to prolonging the life of your cardboard rocket is sealing the ends of the tubes with thin CA.

What brand CA is that?

 

[ECayemberg]

What brand CA is that?

Some junk from Hobby Lobby! I typically use pink Zap, because I'm a CA snob, but I was out, and in a pinch, this stuff performed just fine!

 

[David Schwantz]

Zap is the only kind I use.
all glues are not the same

 

[-Slick-Ice]

I probably would have cut the corners off the fins so I didn't have to cut an inside notch. I'm actually curious how you did this.

The tube ends typically I coat a few inches down from the end with penetrating epoxy and wipe it off after about 30 minutes. Do you bevel the tube ends at all? I have never tried CA.

 

[loopy]

A bottle of Sun Drop also aids in maintaining proper alignment of rocket airframe components.

View attachment 615747

Would Squirt or Mt. Dew work? I used Mt. Dew for my Skinwalker, and it seems to be okay as well...

 

[ECayemberg]

Would Squirt or Mt. Dew work? I used Mt. Dew for my Skinwalker, and it seems to be okay as well...

Definitely YES. Interestingly enough, you just covered the only 3 carbonated beverages I consume! But it's conditional and goes like this:

Sun Drop: typically enjoyed earlier in the day; IE: my replacement for coffee.
Mountain Dew: typically enjoyed later in the day; IE: an afternoon kick, applied occasionally and on an as-needed basis.
Squirt: NEVER consumed straight, however used regularly in conjunction with Canadian Whiskey a la Whiskey Old Fashioned-Sour.

 

[loopy]

Definitely YES. Interestingly enough, you just covered the only 3 carbonated beverages I consume! But it's conditional and goes like this:

Sun Drop: typically enjoyed earlier in the day; IE: my replacement for coffee.
Mountain Dew: typically enjoyed later in the day; IE: an afternoon kick, applied occasionally and on an as-needed basis.
Squirt: NEVER consumed straight, however used regularly in conjunction with Canadian Whiskey a la Whiskey Old Fashioned-Sour.

I really like the way you think...

 

[troj]

Definitely YES. Interestingly enough, you just covered the only 3 carbonated beverages I consume! But it's conditional and goes like this:

Sun Drop: typically enjoyed earlier in the day; IE: my replacement for coffee.
Mountain Dew: typically enjoyed later in the day; IE: an afternoon kick, applied occasionally and on an as-needed basis.
Squirt: NEVER consumed straight, however used regularly in conjunction with Canadian Whiskey a la Whiskey Old Fashioned-Sour.

For me, I've mostly given up the carbonated beverages - the 5/6 Mt Dew per day calories were becoming an issue. Instead, I learned that not all coffee is created equally.

-Kevin

 

[loopy]

For me, I've mostly given up the carbonated beverages - the 5/6 Mt Dew per day calories were becoming an issue. Instead, I learned that not all coffee is created equally.

-Kevin

I limit myself to 1 carbonate beverage per day nowadays...for the same reason you stated.

 

[Theory]

following!

100% remember the old Cert 3 days. 98mm Aerotech White Lightning was really all that was around in the mid to late 90's

LOC, Cluster R, and others has large kits like this, though at that point believe all the large LOC stuff that Ron made was 54mm. clusters but 54mm. Save for the "K Load" which @ECayemberg knows well : - ))

 

[Handeman]

Sealing the Tubes

Perhaps the most important contributor to prolonging the life of your cardboard rocket is sealing the ends of the tubes with thin CA. I've "enjoyed" enough water landings to believe there's sufficient empirical evidence that sealing the ends helps prevent lasting damage to paper airframes. To me, it's a given and a no brainer, so here we go!
...one pass or layer on the left, none on the right. One can see the difference as you go...
...I like to make 2 passes, the first fully soaks in as on the left side of the following tube, the 2nd soaks in just a tad, leaves a bit of a sheen to the surface, and tends to run onto surfaces on the inside and/or outside of the tube, which is quickly wiped up with a handy paper towel.

After the CA dries for a few minutes (and your eyes stop watering, and your nose stops burning), the ends of the tubes are sanded with a sanding block to take down any high points.

Boom, the tubes are ready for primer!

I agree that the CA really helps extend the life of the cardboard tubes, but I've found that just doing the ends only last for 6 - 10 flights, sometimes less. I now use the really thin CA and soak it into the inside face of the tube also, Usually down at least 1/2 caliber or more from the opening.

 

[Rschub]

I agree that the CA really helps extend the life of the cardboard tubes, but I've found that just doing the ends only last for 6 - 10 flights, sometimes less. I now use the really thin CA and soak it into the inside face of the tube also, Usually down at least 1/2 caliber or more from the opening.

What is the technique for this, just a lot of patience?
A saucepan full of CA?

 

[Handeman]

What is the technique for this, just a lot of patience?
A saucepan full of CA?

I just squeeze a lot of the thin CA on the inside of the tube and spread it around with a popsicle stick or the wooden end of a Q-tip and let it soak in. Just make sure you throw the "trowel" away right away, don't set it down on anything, at least on anything you want to keep.

It doesn't really take much CA. I usually buy my CA in the 6 packs of small toothpaste type metal tubes. They usually harden up after the first use if you don't use any more in a week, so I really don't mind using a whole tube to harden the inside of a tube. I also do this to the outside of cardboard couplers used for av-bays.

 

[David Schwantz]

https://www.amazon.com/Pacer-Techno...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584001418863861&psc=1

 

[crossfire]

...and we're back! Let's build a rocket.

Fins

A few comments on the fins already. They are a sweet shape indeed; a long root chord with steep leading-edge sweep, and a dual taper back to rear of the rocket. Similar to the smaller HyperLOC line or the Air-X line, yet unique enough to make them different. 3/8" thick plywood...I like it!

The first four sets of Force Ten fins receive 15 degree bevels on all exposed edges:

View attachment 615316

View attachment 615317


View attachment 615318

View attachment 615319

Following beveling, the high points get knocked down with a few quick passes of a sanding block equipped with some 60 grit, then ready for assembly!

Nice work Eric

 

[b.wieting]

CA excellent for the tube ends. Paint the inside walls and exposed wood with thin epoxy (John Coker tip), makes it easy to clean too.

 

[pondman]

Eric, GREAT build thread! Saw the results at MWP and I was impressed.

 

[ThePlmbr]

Hello Eric. Hope you are doing well. Any updates on this rocket build? Thanks Greg Olson

 

[86mustang408w]

Awesome, I love it. I'm doing my L2 right now, its more of a test bird for an L3 flight.
Very cool, ill be watching!

 

[rcktnut]

Eric, GREAT build thread! Saw the results at MWP and I was impressed.

HUH?? Rocket is complete and has flown? Rest of build thread disappeared?

Hello Eric. Hope you are doing well. Any updates on this rocket build? Thanks Greg Olson

See above????

 

[ECayemberg]

Hello Eric. Hope you are doing well. Any updates on this rocket build? Thanks Greg Olson

I uh...may have hit the Snooze button for a bit! Life turned super crazy about the same time Gary revealed the rocket is actually complete and has already flown.

HUH?? Rocket is complete and has flown? Rest of build thread disappeared?

See above????

Jeff, life got busy and I may have ignored the thread for a few months. Indeed it has flown. Time to finish this bad boy up and share some media!!!

Eric, GREAT build thread! Saw the results at MWP and I was impressed.

Thanks Gary. Great to see you as always. I suppose I should finish the build thread now...DOH!

 

[ThePlmbr]

Flew at MWP....Come on Eric, where are the pictures? LOL Greg Olson

 

[KenECoyote]

Kidding aside, incredible thread so far and the L3 write up and tips are very much appreciated!

I'm a "big" LOC fan myself and have the 7.6" V2 (luckily 2 before they were discontinued), Phoenix and Skinwalker kits (last two during the recent Black Friday sales).

This one is a beauty!

 

[jd2cylman]

It flew at MWP and I never even saw it. And I was at the launch the WHOLE time... You'd think a ginormous LOC rocket and the name Cayemberg would get my attention, but such is the life of a member of the BOD/Prefect. Oh well, he'll just have to fly it again at mini MWP this spring, ya know, for PR sake... yeah, that's it!

 

[ECayemberg]

Hey. I owe an update! I'll do that here shortly. Thanks for the nudge...waking me up from my nap!