Composite Warehouse vs. Madcow Rocketry 4” Black Brandt…Which Would You Choose?

[Estimado]

I am looking at a 4” Black Brandt build and am trying to choose between the Composite Warehouse and the Madcow Rocketry versions. The specs look like the Composite Warehouse version is significantly heavier.

Anyone have any thoughts on these two kits based on your experience?

 

[alexzogh]

Definitely go Madcow - Composite Warehouse has some major issues delivering

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threa...shipping-again-11-months-and-counting.175437/

 

[Hobie1dog]

Definitely go Madcow - Composite Warehouse has some major issues delivering

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threa...shipping-again-11-months-and-counting.175437/

really +1

 

[heada]

https://locprecision.com/products/lc-bbx4

 

[JackC]

I don’t see the 4” rocket on the Madcow or Wildman sites. It was probably a CW rocket when Madcow used to sell it, so you may have to go to CW to find it now.

 

[cls]

12 years ago I built a 4 inch Madcow BB, 54mm MMT. The parts are good quality and went together perfectly. I'm sure it's the same stuff today.

BB has a tail cone which causes problems. gotta glue it in first, before the fins, because the fins taper on it. That made it difficult to get enough epoxy in the slot for the fin to MMT joint.. and no way to do internal fillets...

I don't recall what I did for motor retention, I'm sure whatever you do will be fine.

I flew it dual deploy on larger and larger motors, warp 9 etc., until it died. K695. Fins fluttering, exhaust braided, very pretty... then the fins detached and the airframe wiped out, still under power! the altimeter fired and it all came down nicely. crowd pleaser.

but i wasn't happy, because again there was no good way clean up the root edge of the fins, and the slot, and the mmt, to get a repair glue job. all the parts got recycled, of course.

 

[OverTheTop]

Don't go Composite Warehouse. I'm still waiting for a kit I ordered last Black Friday. It was almost ready to ship in March if I am to believe an email. Still haven't seen it.

Go Madcow.

 

[mikec]

Unfortunately it doesn't look like Madcow has the 4" Black Brant any more, perhaps because Wildman doesn't make a conical nose cone or appropriate tail cone?

 

[heada]

The LOC kit with an Aeropack 54mm to 3.9" tailcone is a good option that isn't expensive. I added an av-bay just forward of the mid-frame canards to mine.

 

[mikec]

The LOC kit with an Aeropack 54mm to 3.9" tailcone is a good option that isn't expensive.

I'm sure it's a fine kit, but it's a Black Brant X that doesn't look much like the Black Brant II with the three large fins and distinctive black-and-white pattern that Madcow was selling.

 

[JackC]

You could try to scratch build it. You may be able to find the nosecone at Performance Hobbies. He can fashion the fins for you, too.

 

[heada]

I'm sure it's a fine kit, but it's a Black Brant X that doesn't look much like the Black Brant II with the three large fins and distinctive black-and-white pattern that Madcow was selling.

The model wasn't specified in the first post. Just "Black Brandt"

 

[techrat]

Go LOC. Their kits are very high quality.

 

[DMehalko]

Go LOC. Their kits are very high quality.

+1! And LOC has some of the best customer service in the business, fast shipping, etc…

Composite Warehouse is joke, avoid them

 

[crossfire]

Wildman Rocketry is now making some kits for Mad Cow Rocketry.

 

[StreuB1]

Go LOC if you want cardboard.

If you want FG, contact Tim (Wildman) and I am sure he can get you most of the way there with his parts and custom cut fins. You will have to roll your own N/C and tail cone, but its not terribly complicated and there are many threads on here about how to make your first FG N/C from scratch. Personally, this is the route I would go and in the end, you will have gained several new skills and have a lot of personal pride since you MADE the hardest parts on a rocket, by hand, on your own.

 

[SkyFire]

I'm pretty sure CW was making the kits for Madcow.
Bought one a couple years ago.
I have had both good and bad experiences with CW.
Buyer beware when ordering from them.

 

[Biodragen]

If you want to ever get this rocket DO NOT buy from Composite. You will pay for it and may never get it or it will take months.
Go with Madcow

 

[SkyFire]

If you want to ever get this rocket DO NOT buy from Composite. You will pay for it and may never get it or it will take months.
Go with Madcow

Madcow no longer has this kit on their site.

 

[afadeev]

Go with Madcow

Definitely go Madcow - Composite Warehouse has some major issues delivering

Madcow (whom I love as a vendor), hasn't had more than 10% of Fiber-Glass kits in stock for over two years now.
The few kits they have in stock have gone up in price.
https://www.madcowrocketry.com/fiberglass/
It's hard to "go with" something that's mostly not there.
Madcow doesn't have a 4" Brant on offer. Period.

If you go with CW, make sure to select "bill when ready to ship", and don't expect to receive it in any finite time frame.

a

 

[CalebJ]

Has anyone tried reaching out to Mach1 in case they'd be interested in producing their own 4" Black Brandt? I've been impressed with their kits and customer service in the past.

 

[jmasterj]

The key to a BBII is the conical nose cone (and the tail cone, but that's simpler). Does anyone sell FG conical nose cones besides CW?

 

[heada]

The key to a BBII is the conical nose cone (and the tail cone, but that's simpler). Does anyone sell FG conical nose cones besides CW?

PML had a 2.1" resin conical nosecone but not sure if they still have it since the LOC purchase and not in 4"

 

[tsmith1315]

The key to a BBII is the conical nose cone (and the tail cone, but that's simpler). Does anyone sell FG conical nose cones besides CW?

Hawk Mountain shows a 4” conical BBII nose cone on their site:

https://hawkmountain.ws/

Yes, the site looks old, but I bought from them last year. Send Alan a message and see if it’s available.

 

[sharkbait]

Hawk Mountain shows a 4” conical BBII nose cone on their site:

https://hawkmountain.ws/

Yes, the site looks old, but I bought from them last year. Send Alan a message and see if it’s available.

Check in with Ken Allen at Performance Hobbies, he has tons of molds and probably has a BB in there somewhere

 

[jmasterj]

Hawk Mountain shows a 4” conical BBII nose cone on their site:

https://hawkmountain.ws/

Yes, the site looks old, but I bought from them last year. Send Alan a message and see if it’s available.

I've sent him an email a couple of times and heard nothing in reply. I think I even got the email from you!

 

[JackC]

I've sent him an email a couple of times and heard nothing in reply. I think I even got the email from you!

You should call him. I believe his number is on the site. I was able to reach him in that way.

 

[JackC]

Also, if you really have a hankering for the CW/Madcow version, you could post a wanted post on the Forum. Perhaps someone has it in their build pile who may be willing to sell the kit to you.

 

[ShadowSpire48]

See if LOC/PML will do you a one-off of the now-but-shouldn't-be-oop 4" PML Black Brant

 

[JackC]

See if LOC/PML will do you a one-off of the now-but-shouldn't-be-oop 4" PML Black Brant

He wants the Black Brant II. PML has the Black Brant X.