Apogee's competition towers

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Walldiver7

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Try asking Apogee customer service. Or click on the "Talk to a real person" box. Or click on the "Questions? Ask a rocketry expert" tab. Not only a faster response but probably more accurate as well.
 
I am trying to determine the diam. of the graphite (carbon fiber?) rods/tubes used for both versions of the competition towers that Apogee sells. Anyone know?

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Launc...e_Launch_Pad?zenid=bbk3k5cpbersutb12dnh2vbra3

I designed the Wedgie Pad upon which the Apogee version is based. The original design uses .505" diameter pultruded fiberglass kite spars, and I'm 98% certain that Tim's version uses the same.

Into The Wind is a great source for these:

https://intothewind.com/Item--i-4409

There are less expensive sources for these that a bit of Googling should reveal.

James

EDIT: Here's a far less expensive source for the fiberglass tubes:

https://goodwinds.com/7018.html
 
I designed the Wedgie Pad upon which the Apogee version is based. The original design uses .505" diameter pultruded fiberglass kite spars, and I'm 98% certain that Tim's version uses the same.

Into The Wind is a great source for these:

https://intothewind.com/Item--i-4409

There are less expensive sources for these that a bit of Googling should reveal.

James

James, Thanks for coming up and answering this. A fellow member of our club and I were discussing the design and it led to a guess that these were carbon fiber tubes…. instead of the advertised "graphite rod". After a quick search for carbon fiber and fiberglass tubing.... the cost of machining threaded inserts, and locating someone to laser cut the base and top spreaders, we decided that Tim's price wasn't that bad. :) I have designed many of the conduit (EMT) towers (usually for large high power rockets), but conduit is never straight,.. or as straight as I would like it for competitive flying. Your design is well thought out and will make our competitive events even more fun; Thanks for sharing it!
 
I have one of the adjustable towers. The tubes, which appear to be pultruded carbon, are nominally half an inch in OD (measure 0.495 inch with my Harbor Freight digital caliper). I don't recall how thick the walls are....the aluminum inserts have been glued in for a couple of years.
 
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