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  #11  
Old 12-07-2018, 11:44 AM
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tbzep tbzep is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I found those TLP kits to be lousy at best.
For their price I expect QUALITY balsa and DECALS without exception.
NONE came with decals, which adds at least $15 to the price of a kit that comes with random density LOUSY balsa. Yuck.
They were way over priced for what you got.

I would expect decals for those prices also, but I've done a lot of scratch building over they years and I could do most of their designs from scratch. The advantage of the kit for me would be that they have already worked out the scale for available components.



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  #12  
Old 12-07-2018, 12:29 PM
BARGeezer BARGeezer is offline
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Just a different philosophy to mid power design. Similar to the Dynastar line by Apogee. Big, MPR kits with thin wall cardboard, balsa fins, fiber centering rings. Pros: light weight, better performance on smaller, more economical motors. Cons: Less durability. BTW TLP recommends painting the fins with CA in their instructions to add durability. Cheers.
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  #13  
Old 12-07-2018, 06:50 PM
sawdustdad sawdustdad is offline
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OK, I found the new website. Sure looks different. From what I can tell, they are no longer selling the kits.

I never had any complaints about the kits. It's been probably 15 years since I built one of his kits. At that time, IIRC, the owner had suffered a severe farming machinery accident. He suspended production, and at that time I was winding down my rocketry activity and had moved on to other hobbies. He must have recovered, returned to production and put up the new website in 2012. Interesting to catch up on such things.

Google search shows him living about 50 miles from me, in Manquin, VA. Which is where I remember his business was, back in the early 2000s, though the website now says Okeechobee, FL. Perhaps he has houses at both places. Or has moved to FL...

The kits I built flew great on D12 Estes motors. Perfect for the size fields I had available.
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  #14  
Old 12-07-2018, 07:29 PM
BARGeezer BARGeezer is offline
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The Launch Pad went quietly belly up about 2 or 3 years ago. No formal announcement, suppliers were unable to get restocks of their kits so I don't think they even knew. Occasionally one of their kits pops up on eBay. You can easily clone their kits from the plan paks here:
http://www.unclemikesrocketshack.co...Plan_Packs.html
Instead of paying an outrageous price on EBay.
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  #15  
Old 12-07-2018, 07:54 PM
sawdustdad sawdustdad is offline
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Thank you BARgeezer for the link to Mike's.
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  #16  
Old 12-07-2018, 10:18 PM
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eljefe eljefe is offline
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Location: California
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sawdustdad
OK, I found the new website. Sure looks different. From what I can tell, they are no longer selling the kits.

I never had any complaints about the kits. It's been probably 15 years since I built one of his kits. At that time, IIRC, the owner had suffered a severe farming machinery accident. He suspended production, and at that time I was winding down my rocketry activity and had moved on to other hobbies. He must have recovered, returned to production and put up the new website in 2012. Interesting to catch up on such things.

Google search shows him living about 50 miles from me, in Manquin, VA. Which is where I remember his business was, back in the early 2000s, though the website now says Okeechobee, FL. Perhaps he has houses at both places. Or has moved to FL...

The kits I built flew great on D12 Estes motors. Perfect for the size fields I had available.


I think the original owner you describe sold the business to a second owner, and now that owner has stopped production and is looking to sell out. I seem to recall the original business being in New York though.
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  #17  
Old 12-07-2018, 11:20 PM
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luke strawwalker luke strawwalker is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BARGeezer
Just a different philosophy to mid power design. Similar to the Dynastar line by Apogee. Big, MPR kits with thin wall cardboard, balsa fins, fiber centering rings. Pros: light weight, better performance on smaller, more economical motors. Cons: Less durability. BTW TLP recommends painting the fins with CA in their instructions to add durability. Cheers.


I papered the fins on my TLP Maverick... eliminates the need to fill balsa and GREATLY strengthens the fin material...

Later! OL J R
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