54 mm Fly-Away Rail Guides will be available at AIRFest 21

They've been a long time coming, and there have been more challenges than I anticipated (all of them on the manufacturing side of things), but the Mayhem Rocketry 54mm Fly-Away Rail Guides are finally in production! A limited number (12) will be available at the AMWProX trailer starting sometime on Saturday Morning. Drop by and ask Gloria or Robert about them!

If you don't manage to get one before they're all gone or if you don't happen to be in Argonia, KS this weekend, then you can check back on the AMWProX.com web site where they will be available soon, exclusively from Animal Motor Works!

I've only managed to get one video of them launching (thanks to Peter Abresch at MDRA) and it was on a very small motor, because if you launch on anything much larger they get out of town in a hurry and it's difficult to capture. More to come, hopefully, and if you fly with them please do drop me a line and let me know how it went!

(special thanks are owed my beta testers who made all this possible)

[video=youtube;WrHdJwPlcqE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrHdJwPlcqE[/video]

Any plans for 75mm? What are the weight limits?

Edward

AlphaHybrids said:

Any plans for 75mm? What are the weight limits?

Edward

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I am working on the 75mm design right now. The challenges are significant, but my main beta-tester is looking forward to it ;-)

As far as weight limits are concerned we haven't had a weight-related failure yet and I don't really want to declare a weight limit because there are so many other factors, including motor choice, launch conditions, rocket length, center of gravity, fin dimensions, etc. The guides are pretty strong and the rail buttons are a touch over 10" apart. I'd say they cover the vast majority of 54mm rockets. If someone has a particularly heavy design or something that requires wider button spacing, I can potentially accommodate that on an individual basis. I have already had one person inquire about taller guides for a two-stage 54mm project. I am currently limited to about a 20" button spacing. If there is demand, I can pretty easily add it to the product line. Similarly, I can (and probably will at some point) make shorter ones.

I'd certainly be happy to discuss an individual project with you to see if I can design for it, and you could also ask the world's best rocketry beta tester (rockdoc on this forum), for a more independent opinion.

I have a 35-40 pound 75mm Minimum diameter that is 108" long with an N motor that I'd rather not build a tower for. I'll probably use a 16' long tower/rail if I go that route. Would definitely use two/three sets of rail guides - one near the top, middle and bottom.

Edward

AlphaHybrids said:

I have a 35-40 pound 75mm Minimum diameter that is 108" long with an N motor that I'd rather not build a tower for. I'll probably use a 16' long tower/rail if I go that route. Would definitely use two/three sets of rail guides - one near the top, middle and bottom.

Edward

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Let me chew on this one for a while. I believe it is possible, even with 3d printing, although I am investigating other manufacturing methods and materials as the sizes get larger. Fortunately my beta tester is a level 3 (I am not), and a good one who burns up a lot of AP, so I am not doing this blindly. The potential loads get really really large in this size range.

wfcook said:

Let me chew on this one for a while. I believe it is possible, even with 3d printing, although I am investigating other manufacturing methods and materials as the sizes get larger. Fortunately my beta tester is a level 3 (I am not), and a good one who burns up a lot of AP, so I am not doing this blindly. The potential loads get really really large in this size range.

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Why not use two on such a long unit?

Dwatkins said:

Why not use two on such a long unit?

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The main issue is getting s reliable way to keep them in place up the tube during high-acceleration launches. It is the subject of ongoing research...

I made a CNC temporary rail guide out of wood. It had three buttons, the top two were on once piece and the middle was on the other. It had some springs to spread them apart once the middle one cleared the rail. It was very very clunky but worked. A solution like this would be much better.

Edward

AlphaHybrids said:

I made a CNC temporary rail guide out of wood. It had three buttons, the top two were on once piece and the middle was on the other. It had some springs to spread them apart once the middle one cleared the rail. It was very very clunky but worked. A solution like this would be much better.

Edward

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Would you be willing to share that design with me privately? It might be very handy for judging load requirements, given that it is known to have worked.

I am spending some of my labor day weekend (sitting by the lake, watching the kids, drinking a beer, and) working on a preliminary 75mm design.

Just bought a pair for my blackhawk 54.

AWildDragon said:

Just bought a pair for my blackhawk 54.

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Get some picture and let me know how it goes!

These look awesome! Any timeline for a 29mm version? I hear there's a batch of Mongeese just crying out for them!

Oberon said:

These look awesome! Any timeline for a 29mm version? I hear there's a batch of Mongeese just crying out for them!

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+1

Working on it...had a friend tell me the other day, "no rush, but remember I'm old." So hopefully soon

wfcook said:

Working on it...had a friend tell me the other day, "no rush, but remember I'm old." So hopefully soon

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Hopefully by springtime.

Defibitrly

Bill, resurrecting old thread.

I am curious on why the progression of the design from printed rail guide element to using rail buttons?

Thanks, jd

Are these available for 29mm? Have an MD project I would love to use these on.

Yes 29mm please

Nar93750 said:

Yes 29mm please

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Same. I PM'd and got no response.

I assume a lot of people have Mongoose29's and don't want to drill holes.

patelldp said:

Same. I PM'd and got no response.

I assume a lot of people have Mongoose29's and don't want to drill holes.

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You have assumed correctly.

I called the number at AMW and spoke with Gloria 603-566-2904 or emai [email protected] . I had bought one of the prototype model. I used it on my mongoose 29 and it worked great.

I got a prototype design for the 29's I thought he had already released them but I guess I was wrong. I sent him a PM about a week ago and never got a response. They worked great but make sure to keep them somewhere climate controlled.. will save you a day or so with a butane torch bending them back into shape. Absolutely love them just not the most heat resistant things in the world. And by "heat" I mean the temp in a black box in a non-insulated shop on a hot summers day.