LOC/Precision Expediter

LOC/Precision - Expediter {Kit} (PK-72)

Contributed by Alex Jordan

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Diameter: 4.00 inches
Manufacturer: LOC/Precision
Style: Sport

Rocket PicBrief:
T' LOC Expediter is a large, ya bilge rat, me hearties, hi-power rocket. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! It is single staged with an airframe reducer from 4 inches -3.1. Begad! IT is over five feet long, matey, shiver me timbers, so it is huge compared t' me other rockets. Well, blow me down! Avast!

Construction:
This kit came with basic parts, and I used 5 minute epoxy throughout t' entire construction. Arrr! T' parts it came with are:

  • -One 3 inch nose cone (plastic)
  • -one 14x3 inch payload tube (craft paper)
  • -one 4-3.1 airframe reducer (plastic)
  • -one preslotted 4 inch main body tube (kraft paper)
  • -two 4 inch-54mm centerin' rings (1/4 inch ply)
  • -one 54 mm engine tube (heavy paper)
  • -one 48 inch parachute
  • -one long 3/4 inch elastic shock cord
  • -one 1/2x 6 inch launch lug
  • *-one screw eye from ace hardware, and Keelhaul®©™® rope

T' construction be very similar t' most o' t' rockets I built in the past. Blimey! Avast! I used epoxy for everything. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! T' only mod I used was attachin' a Keelhaul®©™® strin' t' t' top centerin' rin' with a screw eye. Ahoy!

LOC/Precision changed their parts, but nay their instructions. Begad! They got rid of t' fin tabs havin' t' be glued on, and now supply fins with tabs already attached. Aye aye! However, me tabs looked like they were meant t' fit a 38mm tube, me hearties, arrr, me bucko, not a 54mm. I cut off about 3 mm off o' each tab, and they fit perfectly!

I then epoxied t' motor mount together, shiver me timbers, and then into t' tube. T' fit between t' rings and tubes was very tight, and I had t' sand them down a lot to make them fit properly. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins went in with no problem, and I made epoxy fillets. Well, blow me down!

T' payload section can be assembled with Elmers white glue if you don’t want t' waste epoxy. Blimey! I used epoxy in mine though. Ahoy! Begad! T' airframe reducer is a little too loose in t' 3.1 inch payload tube. Ahoy! I put some tape on it, and then glued it. Avast, me proud beauty!

T' rocket went together with relative ease except for t' fins.

Finishing:
I finished it with a coat o' rustoleum automotive primer, and then painted it blue and yellow. Begad! T' finishin' be just like any other rocket, prime, sand, prime, paint, sand, me bucko, paint. Arrr! There were no decals, but I don’t like decals anyway. Arrr! It came out lookin' great. Begad!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
I flew t' Expediter on G80-4. Begad! Blimey! Some sites say this will put it up about 600 feet, ya bilge rat, matey, but RockSim says only around 280. Begad! T' four second delay be too long. This motor gets it up, but still seems underpowered. Ahoy! Blimey! T' last second and half of coastin' were nose down, shiver me timbers, matey, lookin' almost disasterous. Ahoy! Arrr! Blimey! Finally, ya bilge rat, t' chute popped out. Arrr! T' G80 will get this rocket going, me bucko, me bucko, but i would only use it again if it be a very small field or a windy day. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! An H or I would be great for a large field. Begad!

Recovery:
T' recovery is on a 48 inch parachute, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and a 3/4 inch elastic cord. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I have Keelhaul®©™® attached t' t' motor mount, and then attached t' t' elastic. Ahoy! Begad!

Recovery be perfect. Avast, me proud beauty! T' black 'chute is plainly visible in t' sky, and it brings it in at a perfect rate. Ya scallywag! On t' G80 it landed about 20 yards from the pad. Aye aye!

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
I think that this is a great rocket kit, me bucko, but only get it if you have previous rocket experience. Ya scallywag! It is nay a good beginner kit. Avast! T' PROS are: big rocket, very nice looking, matey, shiver me timbers, and ease o' most o' t' construction.

T' Cons are only t' fins, ya bilge rat, and havin' t' be cut t' make them fit right. Avast, me proud beauty!

Once t' fin tab issue with this kit is fixed, me hearties, it deserves a 5 out o' 5. Also, shiver me timbers, t' instructions need t' match t' kit's parts, me bucko, so this was another let down about t' kit. Ya scallywag! However, me bucko, shiver me timbers, anyone with basic rocket buildin' techniques should have no problem assemblin' this kit.

Overall Rating: 3½ out o' 5

Other:
I diddnt learn any tips from buildin' this rocket, matey, but onyl t' havbe A LOT of epoxy before starting. Avast! I ran really low after makin' t' fillets. Arrr!

Other Reviews
  • LOC/Precision Expediter By Dave Fountain

    (by Dave Fountain)  As everyone knows I like altitude and big rockets are no exception so I was rambling through the LOC catalog looking for a bird for my level two attempt at SOM 4 and I came across the Expediter. I liked it because it resembled an ICBM (inter continental ballistic missile, i.e. a Minute Man) so I bought it. The Expediter consists of a 4.0 inch booster that contains ...

Flights

Comments:

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D.R. (November 26, 2001)
I got one of these as my second HPR kit. I beveled the edges of the fin tabs and the tab extension thingys to get more glue surface area. I left the back centering ring out and filleted the heck out of everything. I found that the shock cord mount is quite suitable for this rocket, as it hasn't failed on the 2 dozen flights I've had with this rocket. The best motors for this rocket are I211-M and J180-M. This is how I did my Level 1 cert and Level 2 cert, in the same weekend! I love this rocket.
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P.C. (November 4, 2005)
The expediter no longer has 2 piece fins (which I found to be a real turn off) I asked why LOC did it that way and the reply I got basically said they did that for packaging reasons! So the fins are now 1 piece through the wall to the motor mount - good stuff! So I decided to buy one. It's a great kit - it's BIG and looks brutal yet it's an easy build. I don't like the shock cord mount so I'm putting a piston in mine with the piston strap fixed to the motor tube. Motor retention is using my standard motor retainer (http://waro.iinet.net.au/parc/motorretention.htm). I have been very happy with my LOC kit's and can't wait to launch this thing!
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L.B.B. (July 20, 2007)
I made some extensive mods to my Expediter. First, I cut the lower airframe to allow for an anti-zipper design. Each airframe piece was then glassed with one layer of 5oz fiberglass. I added a longer motor mount to handle anything up to a 54mm 1756 case and added a third centering ring. Used an Aeropac motor retainer. The fins seemed a little thin for a rocket that can take a J or a K motor, so after attaching them, I filleted the inside of the fin can and then added expanding foam. The outside fin fillets were made with a layer of 5oz fiberglass that covered about half of each side of each fin. Vent holes were drilled and the sections of the airframe attached using 20min epoxy or small machine screws. I also added rail buttons instead of the launch lug. The entire rocket came in weighing about 5.5 lbs. Overall a great kit with plenty of flexibility to customize as you see fit.

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