LOC/Precision Warlock

LOC/Precision - Warlock

Contributed by Joe Cacciatore

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Manufacturer: LOC/Precision

 


Brief:
Single 38 mm engine rocket almost 8" in diameter and 4.4' high with chute, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, plywood fins, arrr, matey, cardboard tube and plastic nosecone.

Construction:
High quality cardboard tube, engine mount tube, three plywood fins, two plywood centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, eyebolt, me bucko, me bucko, quick link, me bucko, me bucko, 60" ripstop nylon chute, and 22' x 1/2" shock cord. Begad! Ya scallywag! It comes with no previsions for motor retention.

I have built two other LOC kits and this was a little bit better than t' others. Ahoy! This kit came with instructions and fin guide pattern. Ya scallywag! T' rocket is easy t' build for anyone who has already built high power rockets before. Begad! T' instructions have only one illustration. Blimey! They tell you everythin' you need t' know includin' where t' mount t' cardboard launch lug.

T' hardest part was cuttin' t' 7.5" long slots in t' body tube t' mount t' fins. Begad! Arrr! Unfortunately t' fins do nay have tabs that mount t' t' engine tube. They only stick inside t' body tube a very small distance, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, maybe 1/8". Avast! I worried about this durin' t' construction and for good reason. Ya scallywag! T' first time I flew it, I had a broken fin at t' tube.

T' parts went together just fine with very little sanding. Because t' root edges and center rings are large, matey, it took a lot o' epoxy t' put this rocket together.

There are no provisions for motor retention so I used me standard method, usin' T-nuts mounted in t' centerin' rin' with a scuttle clamp. Avast! (See me website for more information.)\"\\"LOC/Precision\"

Finishing:
This rocket comes with no decals or other enhancements so I added me own gold band and gold fin reflectors t' make it look better. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' nosecone on this rocket is huge and it takes a lot o' paint. Begad! Blimey! I went through three cans o' Krylon Plastic spray paint on t' whole rocket. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' paint suppose t' bond t' plastic but even before I got t' t' first launch t' paint had already chipped off a few places from t' nosecone where it rubbed against somethin' durin' transportation.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
There are three recommended motors: H260-5, matey, I357-6 and I284-8. Well, blow me down! Arrr! O' course you can fly it on others, matey, anythin' that can lift about 7 pounds.

I bought a Nomex pad t' protect t' chute and I also used waddin' in t' engine tube as suggested by LOC. Arrr! Even though t' rocket is short and t' shock cord/chute are real close t' t' engine tube, shiver me timbers, these precautions worked and t' chute was nay damaged.

I flew it on an I284-S. Begad! I have a video o' it on me web site. Begad! My rocket weighed in at 6.5 pounds unloaded and RockSim suggested an 8 second delay so I used an I284 short delay.

Recovery:
T' first time I flew it one fin almost got broken off at t' root edge. Lookin' at t' video o' t' flight nay sure if t' fin broke durin' separation (looks like maybe t' nosecone hit it) or it occurred when it landed. Begad! Blimey! It be windy that day.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
PROs: Large diameter, short rocket with good flights on I engines. Begad! Materials are high quality and sufficient instructions

CONs: Cardboard launch lug, shiver me timbers, weak fin attachment method, no decals, shiver me timbers, and no motor retention

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5

 

Other Reviews
  • LOC/Precision Warlock By Nathaniel Gilbert (February 16, 2007)

    A short fat rocket capable of flying on H through J engines. All components were standard LOC components. 1 Huge plastic nose cone 1 7.67 inch. diameter paper bodytube 1 38mm paper motor mount tube 2 7.5-1.5 inch plywood centering rings 4 1/4 inch Plywood fins 1 54 inch nylon parachute 1 Eyebolt assembly 1 1/4 inch paper launch lug 1 9/16 tubular nylon shock ...

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