Q.  Why don`t our reloads come with igniters or motor starters?

A.  Because the alphabet agencies won`t let us without a lot of extra time, money and paper work.   We`d rather direct you to a company who has made that investment like Quickburst, who makes high quality, "HOT" motor starters that will light any of our reloads with ease.  Tell David we sent you! http://quickburst.net/qb/

Q.  What is an EX or Experimental motor and how is it different than a Commercial motor or product?

A.  Everything we produce can be used experimentally in all sorts of different motor combinations by our customers.  These are Experimental or EX motors. When a hardware product is labeled as "Experimental" it simply means the item is not used in combination with any reload certified for hobby use.  Experimental products can still be used in the hobby but are not intended for use with a certified reload.  Hardware products associated with hobby certified reloads are considered Commercial or standard products.  These are the hardware products our dealers carry in order to service our hobby certified reloads.

Q. Other manufacturers sell 75 mm motors and yet Loki has 76 mm motors.  Are they the same?  Will they fit my rocket?

A.  It is basically the nomenclature. 75mm and 76mm cases both fit 3" motor mounts and airframe tubes from any manufacture.  75mm cases have a slightly smaller diameter (~2.960") and a thinner case wall.  The Loki Research 76mm motor case has a standard reference OD of 2.985". 76mm equals 2.992" while 75mm equals 2.952".  Round up the Loki case OD by .007" and you get 76mm.  Round down the competitors ~2.960" OD by .008" and you get 75mm.  So, 76mm nomenclature is a more accurate conversion for our hardware. You could also just call them both 3" motors, but if you plan on using your motor case as a staging coupler in your 2-stage rocket, a Loki Research 76mm motor will provide a more secure and snug fit to your airframe.

Q. What sizes of O-rings do Loki Research motors use?

A. See the O-ring chart in the tech info section.

Q.  What material O-ring should I use?

A.  Silicone,  Viton, and Buna-N are all acceptable.  Silicone works best on graphite nozzles as they are MUCH easier and quicker to clean off the graphite after being heat soaked.

Q.  Can I re-use my O-rings?

A.  The O-rings from a motor can often be reused, particularly those on the forward bulkhead as they generally do not get very hot.  Inspect them very carefully for cuts and cracks, and replace as needed.  

However, we do not recommend reusing any of them, as new O-rings are inexpensive and an O-ring failure will usually destroy your motor hardware and possibly the rocket as well.  This is not a good place to cut corners.

Q.  What are the small light aluminum colored marks on the ends of my motor case?

A.  Those are rack marks. Loki Research parts are Type 3 (AKA hardcoat) anodized.  This superior process runs a lot more electrical current through the part being anodized than the type 2 decorative process requires.  The parts must be held very tightly or it can get electrically burned if it ever looses contact. When the entire process is complete and the part is removed from the racks, it often leaves a very small bright spot on the surface right where the part was held.  The larger and heavier the part, the larger the rack mark can be.

Q.  What type of snap ring pliers should I buy and where can I get them?

A.   Knipex brand snap ring pliers are recommended. These may be purchased from www.mcmaster.com.  Use part number 5449A92 for 38mm and 54mm motors, 5449A93 for 54mm and 76mm motors, and 5449A94 for 98 mm and 114 mm motors.  The 5449A92 part will also work for 29mm rings if you file the tips a tiny bit.