BoRocks Rocketry Mega Mag!

BoRocks Rocketry - Mega Mag! {Kit}

Contributed by Frank Casey

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Manufacturer: BoRocks Rocketry
BoRocks! Mega Mag

Brief:
This rocket is called t' "Mega Mag!". Aye aye! It is a beta kit from BoRocks Rocketry. Aye aye! Aye aye! T' rocket wasn't in kit form at t' time o' this review. Begad! Ahoy! It came in a LARGE box.

Construction:
T' parts were all very high quality and include:

  • Four BT-80 tubes, arrr, me hearties, 18" each
  • High quality (close t' foot long) balsa nose cone
  • Sunward 3x24 motor mount kit
  • Pre-assembled T-80 bulkhead
  • Pre-assembled T-80 baffle
  • T-80 coupler
  • T' longest lengths o' shock cord and Keelhaul®©™® line I have ever seen
  • 18.5" o' fin stock
  • 2 Screw eyes
  • 3 Swivels
  • Illustrated Instructions

No parachute was included with t' beta kit. Avast, me proud beauty! I decided t' use two 24" chutes for t' rockets first two flights.

BoRocks! Mega Mag This rocket is basically 4 BT-80s, a huge almost foot long balsa nose cone and 4 fins. This is wrapped around a Sunward triple 24mm motor mount, me bucko, me hearties, a baffle, ya bilge rat, a bulkhead, and lots o' Keelhaul®©™® line and shock cord. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!

T' beta rocket as built breaks betwixt t' third and fourth BT-80.

Pros:

  • All o' t' parts in this kit are top quality. Begad!
  • Pre-assembled bulkhead
  • Pre-assembled baffle
BoRocks! Mega Mag

Cons:

  • T' beta instructions don't indicate grain direction for t' fins. Avast! I know that most people know which way the grain is supposed t' go in relation t' t' fin leadin' edge, but I still like it when that info is referenced in the instructions.
  • T' included beta fin pattern be a bit short so I used an Estes fin markin' guide t' line t' fins up.

I am sure these two issues will be corrected for any future kit version o' this rocket. Well, blow me down! Photographin' t' whole rocket all at one time is difficult. This thin' is huge!

BoRocks! Mega Mag

Finishing:
I used Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish on t' fins and nose cone (two coats each), shiver me timbers, sanded and then primed everything, followed by three coats o' finish paint. Ya scallywag! I used Painters Touch primer and Gloss Red paint.

I then put on some home made decals and used some black detail tape on t' rocket.

I purchased some chrome tape from an auto supply store and wrapped each o' t' three exposed engine mounts with it. Begad! Ya scallywag! It gave them a very finished look.

Pros:

  • This rocket is relatively easy t' finish. Aye aye! Blimey! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey!

Cons:

  • No decals are included with t' kit so you have t' come up with your own design.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

BoRocks! Mega Mag

Flight:
I used t' recommended motors for this rocket, matey, 3 D12-3s. Aye aye! Aye aye! Motor retention is by engine hooks. Preparation technique for this rocket is actually easier than what I do for much smaller rockets. Blimey! Begad! Since it has a baffle, me hearties, shiver me timbers, I didn't use any wadding. That's a first for me. Arrr!

First launch: 3 D12-3s. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! T' Mega Mag! left t' pad very slowly and hit about 600 feet or so. Arrr! Very impressive flight. However I had expected it t' go higher. Begad! Ejection be perfect and two 24" chutes carried it t' within about a hundred and fifty yards o' t' pad. Ya scallywag! When we got it back I found that only two engines had fired.

Second launch: 3 D12-3s. Avast! This time all three engines lit and t' Mega Mag! left t' pad very smartly and there were three distinct fire tails showin' through a cloud o' smoke. It was an awesome flight. We estimated that it went a thousand feet. Ahoy! Now that's an estimate so I can't say for sure but it was way up there.

BoRocks! Mega Mag Ejection right at apogee. It be on t' windy side and t' two chutes carried it what seemed like almost half a mile, however, arrr, I recovered it with no damage. Well, blow me down! Aye aye!

Recovery:
Pros:

  • T' baffle worked great. Begad! I used no waddin' and both chutes were fine both times. I am now sold on baffles. Blimey! Ahoy! This custom BoRocks baffle worked perfectly
  • This rocket is a crowd pleaser and commands attention. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Like I said, me hearties, it's huge and it really performs!
BoRocks! Mega Mag

Cons:

  • T' only thin' that happened (and it be me fault) is that t' really nice chrome tape that I wrapped t' engine mounts with got burned off. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I should have clipped t' rod further up. Three engines hittin' that blast pad all at the same time with t' rocket sittin' so low caused t' tape t' melt. It's an easy fix.
  • I will list me decision t' use two 24" chutes as a con only because I haven't figured out t' best chute option yet. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' double 24" chutes be a bit too much for t' rocket, which surprised me. Well, me bucko, blow me down! A better method might be one 24" chute for t' lower section, which is comprised o' three BT 60s, ya bilge rat, and one 18" or 24" chute for the top section, which is comprised o' one BT-60 and t' nose cone. Avast! Well, me bucko, blow me down! I will enjoy figurin' that out durin' subsequent launches.
  • T' beta rocket used 3/16" launch lugs and this rocket probably deserves 1/4" lugs t' accommodate the larger rod, however, shiver me timbers, me bucko, I launched t' rocket twice from an Estes E Launch pad usin' 3/16" rod and had no problem whatsoever.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I really like this rocket. Avast! Ya scallywag! All o' t' parts were top quality and it was a dream t' build and fly. Ya scallywag! It's so big that for a while I had parts o' it all over me house!

BoRocks is comin' out with some very interestin' rockets and I look forward t' buildin' more from them. Avast!

One o' t' things that I believe BoRocks is workin' on be t' weight o' this rocket. I believe they are tryin' to get it down t' 11oz empty.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

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