Score!!! I see a new pad in the making!!!

[Shade]

I saw a buddy of mine (he is borrowing my plasma cutter for a big project of
his) got a bunch of free stuff out of the plant he works at. I asked how
much for one of the struts. He said he would charge me the same he paid
for it... FREE!!!

It's an 8 footer, 15 series (1.5" square)

SWEET!!! :jaw: :cheers:

So now what do I build to support it, I was thinking some thing along the
lines of a Saturn V tower. Not an exact replica but something with that
flavor.

I have an old trailer I could use to set it up on so it would be mobile. As far
as metal fabrication that is not an issue I have a fairly well equiped weld and
machine shop.

What do you all think I should do? Looking for ideas.

[eugenefl]

Great find. Those rails are like $40+ shipped. There were several threads in the TRF archive that document builds using this type of rail. I built mine off of a design by TRF member "astrowolf67" that uses a PVC platform. That pad served me well for quite a while. Here's the link:

Rail Pad (http://www.rocketryforumarchive.com/showthread.php?t=4526&highlight=rail)

All the best.

[Handeman]

I get it! You're ahead $40 with the free rail and you want to know how to spend another $300 because of it. :)

I would say you have two choices:

1. Build a pad for the rail and use the trailer to haul it and your rockets.
or
2. Build a launcher out of the trailer.

Personnelly, I would build a launcher out of the trailer. Not because I think I would use it a lot, but it would be a cool project. Besides, I like to weld!

[Shade]

I get it! You're ahead $40 with the free rail and you want to know how to spend another $300 because of it. :)

I would say you have two choices:

1. Build a pad for the rail and use the trailer to haul it and your rockets.
or
2. Build a launcher out of the trailer.

Personnelly, I would build a launcher out of the trailer. Not because I think I would use it a lot, but it would be a cool project. Besides, I like to weld!

Actually, I have enought steel and aluminum laying around that I like will not need to purchase any more. If you like to weld you should check out my site www.shopfloortalk.com, there are some really tallented welders over there.

[Fade_to_Black]

Hi Shade, joined the ShopFloorTalk forum today. Thanks for the link!

For your tower, in the past we've use TV antennae tower to attach the rail to, then build a pivot system to stand it up. I'll post the pics if I can find them.

[Shade]

Hi Shade, joined the ShopFloorTalk forum today. Thanks for the link!

For your tower, in the past we've use TV antennae tower to attach the rail to, then build a pivot system to stand it up. I'll post the pics if I can find them.

I would like to see the pivot system. I plan on fabricating my own tower, kinda for the look and feel thing. Plus I can post that build on both sites.

Thanks for joining SFT. It is a great bunch of guys.