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SilicdyneTRF
madcow rocketry
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Along the lines of the plate for altimeter hole spacing. A metal plate with spacing for all thread holes that match up to those for the Landru 3d printed sleds. It would be nice to have a guide to get that second hole spacing exactly ring in the bulkheads. Also an extra hole in the guide middle hole in the middle to align to center would be helpful.
 
Yes, it's just a 3 axis, but I flip or rotate parts as necessary.

H_Rocket said:
Chris

Do you have a simple 3 axis mill or more flexibility than that? If a simple 3 axis, are you willing to reset the part for additional processes?

Never mind - just read the above post...
Click to expand...
 
That's funny. I didn't sell any for months, then march comes around and I've had a handful of requests for them. That isn't enough to do a run though.

Nick@JET said:
Uhm. More stainless TEKNO rear skid plates :) oh wrong forum
Click to expand...
 
I have the design of my launch tower finalized. It will fit any rocket from 1.2"OD to 2.6"OD with a fin span less than 9". I will cut the rings from .125 G10 myself.

The brackets are comprised of 1010 equivalent parts available on eBay. You can use 1010 rail or just 1" square aluminum tubing if you're willing to drill and tap 3 holes in each rail.

I think the best way to go about it would be to sell the rings and brackets by themselves and then have the customers purchase the rails themselves. That way you wouldn't have to pay for shipping twice. Unfortunately it adds up quickly. You're looking at ~$260 by the time you buy the rings, parts and rails.

$100 shipped for the rings/brackets.
$40 shipped for the 1010 equivalent parts off ebay.
$120 shipped for the rails from Mcmaster. You can easily save $50 by using locally sourced 1" square tubing.
 
I'd buy a bunch of these: some sort of interchangeable rail button / launch lug system, where there's a mounting thingamajig permanently affixed to the rocket, but you could swap out the buttons for lugs.
 
I wound up doing home repairs for most of the weekend so I didn't make a lot of progress.

I received a clear 38mm nose cone from Wildman. The shoulder wall is a little thicker than I expected and that is going to change my design a little.

To attach the bay to the cone I can either drill through the shoulder wall and use countersink screws or I can use threaded standoffs glued to the inside of the shoulder like Riley Keller used on his bay on the first page. Personally I think the gluing the standoffs would be easier than trying to precisely drill and countersink screws.

What do you guys think?
 
ChrisAttebery said:
I wound up doing home repairs for most of the weekend so I didn't make a lot of progress.

I received a clear 38mm nose cone from Wildman. The shoulder wall is a little thicker than I expected and that is going to change my design a little.

To attach the bay to the cone I can either drill through the shoulder wall and use countersink screws or I can use threaded standoffs glued to the inside of the shoulder like Riley Keller used on his bay on the first page. Personally I think the gluing the standoffs would be easier than trying to precisely drill and countersink screws.

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

I would prefer countersunk screws. Or, quite honestly...countersunk 'screw'. The nose is so lightweight that a single screw will probably suffice.
 
I'm putting a Raven and EggFinder in a 54mm LOC nose cone, I made a "bulkhead" for the nose cone. It retains the nose cone via 2 counter sunk wood screws. The sled slides in between the narrow area formed by the nose cone halves. This keeps all the metal away from the GPS and keeps as much usable room as possible.

IMG_0183.jpg


Tony
 
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I have the design of my launch tower finalized. It will fit any rocket from 1.2"OD to 2.6"OD with a fin span less than 9". I will cut the rings from .125 G10 myself.
Click to expand...

Might I suggest an upgrade option for 1/4" thick aluminum rings to hold the guide rails? I have seen on 2 occasions now where a very high thrust motor has mostly destroyed a tower with 12 gauge steel rings. Granted, these were larger rockets and motors, one of which was a 76/6000 M-2550 blue at MWP several years ago. When a high thrust motors thrust/exhaust deflects on the flat plate rings at 90 degrees it seriously warps and bends the rings, and in some instances I've seen it completely break the mounts and some bolts. I could foresee someone putting a 54/4000 L-2050 in one of these with about 625+lbs of thrust at ignition and snapping things like a twig. The Loki Blue load for this case (whenever it gets certified) could have over 800lbs of thrust. People will be wanting to launch these from towers no doubt.

Or perhaps you could make provisions to reinforce the G10 with thick walled square/box channel aluminum on the under side of the ring. Putting it on the top side would just catch more thrust deflection.

I might be game for one if it could handle the L-2050 and more. That is if I ever find time to have a 54 or 76mm MD rocket build, and then find time to fly it. :(
I would build an upgraded tower as stiff and robust as possible. Traveling the first 8 feet perfectly strait is the most important part to ensure a rockets desired flight path. Getting the tower stuck firmly to the ground is just as important. Just some things to think about for the extreme customers out there.
 
A single screw would be easier to deal with. I'll try to get a prototype cut this week.

patelldp said:
I would prefer countersunk screws. Or, quite honestly...countersunk 'screw'. The nose is so lightweight that a single screw will probably suffice.
Click to expand...
 
Scott, that's definitely a possibility. I can cut them. they aren't going to be cheap though. The material cost will be about ~3-4x what I can get the 1/8" G10 for.



Loki Research said:
Might I suggest an upgrade option for 1/4" thick aluminum rings to hold the guide rails?
Click to expand...
 
Surface mount rail guides similar to ACME, but shorter length by half, and can they come in colors?:grin:
 
How about a wasp-waist/tailcone for the Black Brant II in common MPR and HPR body tube diameters?

or

Spring-Loaded retractable rail buttons? Once the rocket clears the rail, these would snap back inside the body tube, yet allow for replacement of the (I'm presuming) plastic parts. A magnet could pull them out, and a pin would hold them while loading the rocket on the rail.
 
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Can you post a photo of your launch tower pieces? I'm interested in a tower that handles that range.

BTW, I got the 2.6" parts for the NC bay. They're perfect. Thank you very much!
 
I haven't made any parts for the tower yet. I started thinking that it should probably just be big enough to handle 38-98mm rockets. I also came up a really SIMPLE way to adjust it to the right diameter.

Thanks for the feedback on the NC parts. I'm glad that worked out.


Len B said:
Can you post a photo of your launch tower pieces? I'm interested in a tower that handles that range.

BTW, I got the 2.6" parts for the NC bay. They're perfect. Thank you very much!
Click to expand...
 
hball55 said:
Ok, so there's no alternatives to acme guides for min. dia. rockets? Anybody?
Click to expand...

I make fly-away rail guides for 38 and 29mm rockets. I am hoping to have 54s ready in time for LDRS. They are available from AMWprox.com

But I don't want to hijack the thread...this one is about APE's products.
 
I had a couple ideas after I finished the first batch of bulkheads for the 38mm nose cones. On the parachute bay side I integrated a charge holder and moved the attachment point more inline with the screws in the shoulder.

1430626662589.jpg
 

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