LOC-Precision is seen as the first manufacturer of high power components, and they set the dimensions for high-power tube sizes that everyone copies. They also set a the standard for quality that continues to today.

The first thing you'll notice about these tubes is how beefy the wall thickness is. These ain't no lightweight and delicate tubes. They were sized to take a those bigger motors.

They are made from quality "kraft paper," the brown stuff that makes for great tubes. Since they are paper, they are easy to cut, easy to glue, and easy to paint. The best thing is that kraft paper is cheaper than other exotic materials.

Q. Are LOC-Tubes as good as other tubes?

A. Every tube material has its advantages and disadvantages. The good thing about the LOC tubes is that they are cheaper than other materials. This allows you to get your feet wet as you dip into the high-power rocketry pool. They are also easy to cut, shape, sand, glue, and paint.

The downside of kraft-paper tubes is that they aren't as stong as the newer materials like Blue Tube and Fiberglass Tubes. But it really depends on your project. If you are using some low-to-medium thrust motors, then paper is just fine.

On the other hand, if you are planning on a minimum diameter rocket that will go supersonic, then you may want to switch to another type of tube. Another alternative is to put a layer of fiberglass cloth over the outer surface to get the neccesary strength. This is probably cheaper than the exotic materials too.

These are high power nose cones that fit both these LOC kraft-paper tubes, as well as the Blue Tubes. The tubes are made out of Polyproplyene plastic, which makes them very durable so they'll take the abuse of any high power motor you care to put behind them.

Want to make your own long rockets from the LOC Precision body tubes? You'll need a tube coupler to splice the tubes together and join them to make a long tube. These are from ordinary kraft paper, so they are easy to work with and are a lot cheaper than couplers from exotic materials.

Rail Buttons are used in place of launch lugs on larger rockets. The reason is that big rockets need a stiffer launcher so they don't sway around in breezy conditions. A launch rail is much stiffer than a circular rod, and therefore are used on big rockets so they launch safely and higher into the sky.

These payload bays from Always Ready Rocketry fit most of the standard size Blue Tube, as well as the tubes on this page from LOC Precision. They are designed to hold the avionics or electronics that control the deployment of the parachutes in the rockets. It is a complete kit, all you have to do is supply the electronic payload to controll when the ejection charges fire.

Fiberglass Body Tubes - Quite a bit stronger than paper or the Blue Tube. And it is also the easiest to finish and paint because it has such a hard and smooth surface.

Cesaroni (also known as CTI) is a manufacture of reloadable rocket motors. These motors are made in the standard diameters, so they will fit into your current fleet of rockets without having to do any further modifications.

Are you looking for a heavy-duty pad that can hold a rail and those big high-power rockets? With its all steel construction, and tilting head, this pad was developed specifically for people that want something that makes it easy to load those oversize rockets. It is the last pad you'll ever buy.

Want to hold in your rocket engines securely without using tape or other unsightly metods? Then they Aero Pack retention system may be what you're looking for. There is a retainer available for all the common high power tube sizes that we carry (LOC, Blue Tube, and Fiberglass), as well as for the mid and high-power rocket kits on this web site.

These engine retainers hold reloadable rocket motors securely in the model so they can't be kicked out by a strong ejection charge. These are much less expensive than other engine retainers, and can be retrofitted onto rockets that are already constructed and ready to fly. They also work great on flat-bottom rockets where the engine tube is flush with the centering ring.

SkyAngle parachutes were designed and constructed specifically to handle the extra stress of high power rockets. Because of the extra weight of the bigger rockets, they have more than their share of parachute malfunctions. The SkyAngle parachutes are more durable, and bring your big rockets down slower.

A deployment bag is a device to help ensure that parachute inflates properly and in the correct order. It forces the lines to completely stretch out first, and then the canopy is released so that it can properly inflate. It also minimizes the loads on the suspension lines to prevent tears, and it gives additional protection from the heat of the ejection charges. If you're doing high power rockets, you really need this extra insurance to make your project a success.

The most extensive book ever written about "how to build LARGE high power rockets." Recommended for all modelers getting ready to take a jump to those bigger and more powerful rocket engines. It takes you step-by-step in the process of how to prepare for Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 high power certification.

"I bought several model rockets for my son when he was in early elementary school. His interest in Science skyrocketed. He graduated with a degree in Biology/Chemistry and went on for a degree in Law. The "early use of rockets" was instrumental! I want to ecourage parents to get involved in rocketry because of what it can do for their kids." -- Ken Cotter