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Problem with the PVC halos is you need to provide support some how if you want it adjustable. So far I have been using another set of channel or cut the thing from one pice for that. I am just set on having the rails adjustable. But yours is so clean looking. I like the tower from ChrisAttebery and may use it for inspiration. Similar set up but the adjusting hardware is designed to bolt inside the PVC halo. Winter here is long and my mill is back up and running so that may be a project.

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Problem with the PVC halos is you need to provide support some how if you want it adjustable. So far I have been using another set of channel or cut the thing from one pice for that. I am just set on having the rails adjustable. But yours is so clean looking. I like the tower from ChrisAttebery and may use it for inspiration. Similar set up but the adjusting hardware is designed to bolt inside the PVC halo. Winter here is long and my mill is back up and running so that may be a project.
Your design brings up the issue I am trying to resolve. I've worked on a design that is similar to yours. But there are 9 points that require adjustment between sizes and no easy way to have presets for a specific size to quickly allow for a size change at the field. If you want to break it down for storage or transport it would be a major PITA.

That's what I find so appealing about GrouchoDuke's (the OP) design - it looks easy to setup, should be very rigid, attaches to a regular rail, and no adjusting. Just setup and go.

I've spent a lot of time looking and thinking about trying to make an adjustable tower that would only take a few minutes to adjust out in the field with no success. So now I'm leaning towards a separate tower for each size I want to fly using a design similar to the OP's. If I've missed a tower that is easily adjusted, please let me know.

Thanks,


Tony
 
That's what I find so appealing about GrouchoDuke's (the OP) design - it looks easy to setup, should be very rigid, attaches to a regular rail, and no adjusting. Just setup and go.

I've spent a lot of time looking and thinking about trying to make an adjustable tower that would only take a few minutes to adjust out in the field with no success. So now I'm leaning towards a separate tower for each size I want to fly using a design similar to the OP's. If I've missed a tower that is easily adjusted, please let me know.
Chris' commercially available one looks to be the most easily adjusted one I've found. The sliding 1010 should be easier to adjust than a bunch of screws/bolts.

After my 24mm tower, I'm planning on doing a 38mm one too. I'm not sure how beefy I'll have to make it though. There are a couple 38mm K motors, so the 38mm tower will need to be quite a bit stronger than the 29mm one. For a 54mm tower like that, I'll need a bigger 3d printer. :)
 
Your design brings up the issue I am trying to resolve. I've worked on a design that is similar to yours. But there are 9 points that require adjustment between sizes and no easy way to have presets for a specific size to quickly allow for a size change at the field. If you want to break it down for storage or transport it would be a major PITA.

That's what I find so appealing about GrouchoDuke's (the OP) design - it looks easy to setup, should be very rigid, attaches to a regular rail, and no adjusting. Just setup and go.

I've spent a lot of time looking and thinking about trying to make an adjustable tower that would only take a few minutes to adjust out in the field with no success. So now I'm leaning towards a separate tower for each size I want to fly using a design similar to the OP's. If I've missed a tower that is easily adjusted, please let me know.

Thanks,


Tony

Biggest problem with an adjustable tower is keeping everything parallel. Eventually I settled on caliper holes in the halos to set the rails. If the rails are straight setting the ends is all that is needed. The mid points float and are locked in place last. Once you have the presets worked out resetting the rails is not that bad. Most of my towers I can reconfigure and ready for launch in less than 10 minuets. Transport has always been a bit of a PIA though.

image.jpg
 
Biggest problem with an adjustable tower is keeping everything parallel. Eventually I settled on caliper holes in the halos to set the rails. If the rails are straight setting the ends is all that is needed. The mid points float and are locked in place last. Once you have the presets worked out resetting the rails is not that bad. Most of my towers I can reconfigure and ready for launch in less than 10 minuets. Transport has always been a bit of a PIA though.
That's a great way to do it. A 10 minute turnaround is no biggie.
 
The Tetanus Tower.


MXr.JPG
 
Not quite sure what I am looking at but is it self adjusting with floating rails like a Versa Tower.

Adjusted by loosing bolts. We used it with 4" and 2.5" motors with fin cans, there was scribe marks to have a starting point when change diameter.
Most of it's life it belonged to Kosdon, I believe all but one of the O10,000's came out of this tower.
As seen in picture it has the long "Thunderbolt" rails, normal rails where only a few inches higher than the upper ring.
Called the Tetanus Tower because it was rusty with a lot of sharp edges. Someone volunteered to clean it up and powder coat it but at that point it just didn't seem right for it not to be rusty.

M
 
Adjusted by loosing bolts. We used it with 4" and 2.5" motors with fin cans, there was scribe marks to have a starting point when change diameter.
Most of it's life it belonged to Kosdon, I believe all but one of the O10,000's came out of this tower.
As seen in picture it has the long "Thunderbolt" rails, normal rails where only a few inches higher than the upper ring.
Called the Tetanus Tower because it was rusty with a lot of sharp edges. Someone volunteered to clean it up and powder coat it but at that point it just didn't seem right for it not to be rusty.

M

I like it rust and all.
 
Here is a tower I posted earlier but with a piston base. The piston has internal wiring with a floating head. A little time consuming and tricky to set up but the added performance is impressive.

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I built mine using 3x 8 ft. pieces of 1010 rail. The base plate is 1/4" steel plate with short pieces of 1010 rail to adjust the diameter. The upper triangles are 1" aluminum angle with 1/4" all-thread to adjust, which is somewhat of a pita.
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Wayto go Wayco!
 
Strictly CHAD, small LPR only, and not tested yet. What I had was a couple of old Vivatar camera tripods, some one meter 1010, and some 9mm x 620mm rods stolen from a DVD rack. The rods conveniently have M5 threaded inserts. Printed rings, printed arms, printed camera base. I had a good supply of the 9mm rods so they are used for both the guide rods and the outer support. Adjustment is just by sliding the arms that are a nice friction fit (I can add bolts if they get too loose). Total length is 2 * 620mm. Not much but 'twill do for LPR. Includes mount to use one of the 9mm rods as a piston. Don't worry about adjustment times, 'cause it was so cheap that I built two. And a third set of rings for 4-fins. Power screwdriver and it falls apart in minutes with the longest piece to transport being the 1 meter 1010. Half a roll of filament and a few bucks for some bolts - all else was on-hand.

Tower1.jpg

Tower2.jpg

Tower3.jpg
 
Strictly CHAD, small LPR only, and not tested yet. What I had was a couple of old Vivatar camera tripods, some one meter 1010, and some 9mm x 620mm rods stolen from a DVD rack. The rods conveniently have M5 threaded inserts. Printed rings, printed arms, printed camera base. I had a good supply of the 9mm rods so they are used for both the guide rods and the outer support.
Now that looks cool!
 
I guess I should add some more info here too. I've flown my 29mm 3d printed tower for a little over a year with no issues. I've also launched from 38mm and 24m versions. My 38mm flight was with a Loki J1026 and everything worked great. The first attached image is from that J1026 flight at Delamar this year. The second attached image is a video screenshot from a 24mm CTI G150BS launch.

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This was a tower I designed for UTC SEDS2017 team. We did it on a $80 budget. It’s still in use.

Also designed the multistage rocket for SEDS.
 
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Mine is fully adjustable for diameter, limited to 3 fin and sets up at either 6' or 8' long. Changing the rocket diameter is a PITA, but can be done in the field in 30-45 minutes. The base plate is stainless and the rings are aluminum. I used 1010 rail for the outer supports and 1010 curved profile for the inner. Here it is in 6ft 38mm configuration with a 38mm MD leaving about 40 seconds before it became a burrowing machine.


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Too bad about the rocket. That is a cool looking tower and even better shot of lift-off!
 
New low-mid adjustable tower. I took GrouchoDukes lead and designed this one to mount on a rail. Or freestand with a blast plate base. Guide rope mounts are the large fender washers under the wing nut adjustments. Ends of the rails have 2” long solid steel slugs pressed in to hold the threaded rods. Keeping everything square was quite the challenge. Rigidity is surprisingly good. The adjusting rods pass through 2 1/2” long nipples threaded into the PVC.
 

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New low-mid adjustable tower. I took GrouchoDukes lead and designed this one to mount on a rail. Or freestand with a blast plate base. Guide rope mounts are the large fender washers under the wing nut adjustments. Ends of the rails have 2” long solid steel slugs pressed in to hold the threaded rods. Keeping everything square was quite the challenge. Rigidity is surprisingly good. The adjusting rods pass through 2 1/2” long nipples threaded into the PVC.
This is pretty great!
 
Thanks! I am quite happy with the results. But this 4' tower was a prototype for the 8' big brother. All steel and welded construction. Rails will be 1" and three halos will be used. I have the halos made of seamless 20" gas pipe. A friend working for a salvage company found the raw stock.
 

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The yellow one is my current version, and the grey was a (now dismantled) prototype

Colin
 

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Finished the base today. PVC gets kind of cooked when the halo is directly on the ground. So dry around here I try to avoid burning holes in the ground anyway. Here are some pictures freestanding and on a rail. Stop for now is just a hose clamp on a rail until I come up with something more elegant. Got my dual deploy Aspire saddled up for scale.
 

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Finished the base today. PVC gets kind of cooked when the halo is directly on the ground. So dry around here I try to avoid burning holes in the ground anyway. Here are some pictures freestanding and on a rail. Stop for now is just a hose clamp on a rail until I come up with something more elegant. Got my dual deploy Aspire saddled up for scale.

Nice tower, and even nicer work station you have there. That work bench is pretty sweet!
 
Yep! That tower inspired some of my creations years ago. Super Green........
 

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Ceramic cone is a Odd’l Rockets deflector. On many of my towers I use a center ground spike in the deflector. Back of the spike has been bored and threaded at 8/32. After the spike is installed I use a long 8/32 bolt to attach the cone. Helps redirect the bast quite nicely. Medalist tower always a classic. I miss my self adjusting Versitower.
 

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