Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
Diameter: | 4.00 inches |
Manufacturer: | LOC/Precision |
Style: | Sport |
Brief:
This rocket is a high power flight capable, bein' large it is supposed t' make
a low and slow flight. I am writin' this review because John Cocker's review
does nay seem detailed enough and his article is for Level 2 capable EZI-65 but
that would be overkill if one only wants t' use this rocket for his Level 1.
Construction:
T' kit came in a plastic bag, one long tube with slots for airframe, me bucko, me hearties, and one
shorter tube as a payload section. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! T' nose cone is quite large. It came with
only 2 plywood centerin' rings, and I recommend gettin' an additional centering
rin' o' t' same size. Avast, me proud beauty! T' motor mount tube is a little short, matey, it is better to
get somethin' a little longer, but t' stock should be okay. Ahoy! T' fins are
regular plywood. Unlike t' LOC IV which has through-the-wall fins but nay to
the motor mount, shiver me timbers, this kit's fins goes t' t' motor mount which is one o' the
reasons why I chose it over t' LOC IV. Arrr! T' shock cord is standard nylon
elastic which be t' same kind as in your underpants, matey, only that it should stay
where it belongs, in your underpants. Arrr! Blimey! Get at least 20 ft o' tubular nylon or
Keelhaul®©™®, me hearties, shiver me timbers, if you use nylon somehow protect t' first 3 ft o' t' nylon from
ejection charge, or else after a few flights t' nylon will burn and break. Aye aye! I
don't recommend usin' t' LOC shock cord mount either, instead get an eye bolt
and some washers. Drill a hole in one o' t' centerin' rings and bolt t' eye
bolt and put washer betwixt t' eye and t' centerin' rin' and another between
the centerin' rin' and t' nut. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Make sure t' eye is parallel t' t' airframe
as you will nay have much space for t' eyebolt. Blimey! Blimey! Attach a quick link t' the
eyebolt, ya bilge rat, and ALWAYS put some epoxy on t' thread o' t' eyebolt (but NOT the
quick link!) because you won't have access t' t' other side o' t' centering
rin' in case t' eyebolt/nuts loosens. Aye aye! Avast! One thin' I like about quick links is
that it allows you t' basically disassemble t' rocket and remove all the
recovery harness t' make it easier t' paint.
If one has good experience with buildin' LPR kits, me bucko, one should nay need the instructions. I never read t' instructions while puttin' together t' kit, matey, so I can't comment on that, matey, but I do know t' instructions comes on t' back of the card o' t' packaging. Well, blow me down! T' rocket is very large when put together, ya bilge rat, if one has nay built rockets weightin' over a pound, arrr, this rocket will surprise you! I haven't built many rocket weightin' over a pound except t' NCR Lance Beta and this rocket makes t' Lance Beta look like a dwarf!
One thin' about t' fin attachments, me bucko, do use internal fillets after gluing the fins in place. Well, blow me down! I recommend 3 CR's because one centerin' rin' would go on top o' t' MMT (that's t' one with t' eyebolt and quick links, make sure the eye faces up!) and a second CR goes on top o' t' fin tab. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! (Before doin' any of this please try t' peel off t' glassine layer o' t' MMT, it allows t' glue to soak in makin' a stronger bond.) After t' glue cures glue t' whole assembly (MMT) into t' tube, makin' sure t' second CR lines up with t' top of t' slots. Avast, me proud beauty! Then glue each fin and fillet t' inside. After all t' joints inside has been filleted and t' glue has cured, shiver me timbers, go ahead and glue in t' last CR. Ahoy! I know it's a bit o' an overkill t' do internal fillets, me bucko, but it's better safe than sorry (this rocket will be me L1 cert flight so I want t' make sure nothin' goes wrong...)
Finishing:
Always take t' nose cone, wash it with soap and water t' remove t' release
agents. Even after doin' this t' paint still doesn't like t' stick t' t' nose
cone... I used Polyfiber UV fill prime, ya bilge rat, at 38 dollars a quart it is a bit too
expensive but it sands like a dream and it might be a good idea t' use anyway
since UV lights will damage epoxy and your rocket is held together with epoxy
so its better t' keep them out. Blimey! A few coats on t' rocket and wait a few hours
makin' sure t' primer dried, then sand, arrr, sand, me hearties, me hearties, sand! This stuff sands as good
as Elmer's wood filler. Well, blow me down! I then took t' rocket apart since this is such a large
rocket, arrr, I painted t' nose cone and t' payload and t' body section
separately. Aye aye! Begad! Blimey! I painted t' nose cone gold and t' payload is painted red with
black roll patterns, me bucko, me bucko, and t' body is white with a red fin can. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I used krylon
and after everythin' dried I went over with clear coat then Lacquer and it
makes a very shiny and glossy finish.
Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5
Flight:
My first flight on a G80 is very good, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, perfect boost and recovery despite the
strong wind. I was goin' t' certify on this rocket so I had t' make sure
everythin' works t' way it is supposed t' work. T' parachute came out at
apogee and it drifted quite a bit (because o' t' wind). Blimey! Ahoy! I had t' walk a bit to
get t' rocket back, it landed without damage.
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
I feel this rocket is good and it is easy t' put together. Anyone who puts
together a LPR should be able t' put this kit together, however t' shock cord
isn't that good, and they could use a longer motor mount.
Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5
( Contributed - by John Coker) Note: For more EZI pictures, visit John's site. The Loc/Precision EZI-65 kit is the rocket which is supposed to get me my Tripoli level 2 certification. This is a high-performance rocket which is reasonably stable and should give outstanding flights on I and J motors. (Of course, as is typical for me, I've done things backwards and have already ...
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Y.L. (December 24, 2001)