lcorinth
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- Aug 5, 2014
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A while back, I ordered a bunch of spare parts - I'd just started scratch building, and I also wanted replacement parts in case I got a kit that was missing something.
I ordered a bunch of 3/16 inch launch lugs as well as 1/4 inch (have since decided that rail buttons are probably the way I'll go when I get up to those larger rockets).
I was going through my parts today, and realized that all the lugs I got were the same size - really big. I measured the inside diameters, and they're all just over 1/4 inch.
I'm wondering if this could be a problem. I only have a 3/16 inch launch rod (and a 1/8 inch). I'm building an Estes Cosmic Explorer with an E motor upgrade, so I feel like using the 1/8 inch lug that came with the kit might not be the best idea - my understanding is that with an E motor, you should use a thicker rod.
However, if I use a 1/4 inch lug on a 3/16 inch rod, I'm worried it might bind up. Perhaps not on this rocket, if I use a longer piece of launch lug - I launched the Apogee Aspire on a 3/16 inch rod, and it has that size lug, but it's a longer piece.
However, I finished a rocket a few weeks ago that launches with a D and an E (two stage), and I used what I thought was a 3/16 inch lug. This piece is much shorter - about an inch and a half, and has a half-inch standoff. I just slid it down over the launch rod, and it had so much wiggle room - so now I'm afraid to launch it.
Anybody have any advice on this? Is too large a lug a bad idea? Has anybody witnessed a lug binding a rod because of this? The lug is straight - I'm not worried about that. I'm just not sure if I'm going to have to scrap this rocket - or do some kind of modification.
And what about that Cosmic Explorer - will a longer piece of 1/4 inch lug be OK? Will a 1/8 inch rod survive an E motor launch?
Thanks!
I ordered a bunch of 3/16 inch launch lugs as well as 1/4 inch (have since decided that rail buttons are probably the way I'll go when I get up to those larger rockets).
I was going through my parts today, and realized that all the lugs I got were the same size - really big. I measured the inside diameters, and they're all just over 1/4 inch.
I'm wondering if this could be a problem. I only have a 3/16 inch launch rod (and a 1/8 inch). I'm building an Estes Cosmic Explorer with an E motor upgrade, so I feel like using the 1/8 inch lug that came with the kit might not be the best idea - my understanding is that with an E motor, you should use a thicker rod.
However, if I use a 1/4 inch lug on a 3/16 inch rod, I'm worried it might bind up. Perhaps not on this rocket, if I use a longer piece of launch lug - I launched the Apogee Aspire on a 3/16 inch rod, and it has that size lug, but it's a longer piece.
However, I finished a rocket a few weeks ago that launches with a D and an E (two stage), and I used what I thought was a 3/16 inch lug. This piece is much shorter - about an inch and a half, and has a half-inch standoff. I just slid it down over the launch rod, and it had so much wiggle room - so now I'm afraid to launch it.
Anybody have any advice on this? Is too large a lug a bad idea? Has anybody witnessed a lug binding a rod because of this? The lug is straight - I'm not worried about that. I'm just not sure if I'm going to have to scrap this rocket - or do some kind of modification.
And what about that Cosmic Explorer - will a longer piece of 1/4 inch lug be OK? Will a 1/8 inch rod survive an E motor launch?
Thanks!