A new MMX launch pad

I posted this on a thread I have been running on all my preparations for NARAM but I'm sure that is not of interest to everyone. I'm cross posting here because I thought some of the folks here might like to see it.

I have always like the idea of building a launchpad on a tripod because it's off the ground and there's less bending over. I never gave a lot of thought to actually building one because I thought the cost of parts would be too high.



Until my son stepped on our camera tripod and broke part of it.


I started by rebuilding the part that rotates so that the launch rod would tilt. I then built a flat wooden "plate" and covered it with an old round cake pan for flame resistance.



I pulled the chuck off of a drill whose batteries have completely died (and replacing the batteries will cost more than replacing the drill).



Finally, I covered the chuck with a clay pot and acquired a ceramic blast deflector (for free) from a local floor place.



As I said, I intended for this to be useful for MMX. I haven't had a ton of success with these little guys and a big part of my problem was a) I didn't have enough voltage to ignite them reliably and b) the weight of the leads would pull the ignitor out enough to be a major frustration (perhaps 40% of the time). As a solution, I borrowed from a design that Micromeister had in some of this pictures and made lead extensions out of stiffer wire that are able to support themselves and won't (hopefully) pull the ignitors out. Here is the completed pad set up to fly my MMX Bullpup.



[edit]

I almost forgot. The total cost of this project ended up being about $0.55, the cost of the bolt I needed to hold the drill chuck.

Nicely done John:
Should work well for you as long as your careful in transport with the clay pot & tile. We've all but gotten away from clay pots and tiles because of breakage in storage and transport. Bubble Pack and seperate ziploc bags help but not completely. They are cheap to replace unless your at a launch without a spare

Hope you and your son have a great time at NARAM. Good luck with any of the events you enter

It might me me but that looks like a little overkill for such little rockets...

Very cool man!

I'd like to add my good wishes for your success at NARAM. I know it will be a great memory for you and your son. Above all have fun!

[POW]Eagle159;216637 said:

It might me me but that looks like a little overkill for such little rockets...

Click to expand...

Probably, but it is intended for use as our all-purpose MMX/LPR/MPR pad.

Camera tripods are a must have imho for mmx pads lol. I cant stand getting on the ground to clip up my igniters. My pad is very similar tripod, interchangeable pads up to 3/16" rods. I used aluminum as my base/deflector tho.

I use my regular "hardware store nightmare" home-brewed LPR/MPR pad for launching micro rockets too. I can either install another rod at one of the alternate clamp sites in the head or else just use Jim Flis' adapter. Usually it's the latter. I put a small screw and a washer into the bottom of the adapter so I can just clamp it onto the corner of my flat blast deflector or else slip it over the rod in the usual way. Clamping onto the blast deflector keeps it stationary and puts it further away from the main launch rod.

gagreen said:

Camera tripods are a must have imho for mmx pads lol. I cant stand getting on the ground to clip up my igniters. My pad is very similar tripod, interchangeable pads up to 3/16" rods. I used aluminum as my base/deflector tho.

Click to expand...

.....I run this monster tripod. .I can put any rod in it.But,most important,MY BACK likes it soooo much better than bending over evrytime I launch. Eye level work zone. PRICELESS!!

Couldn't agree more with Scotty Dog about getting the launch pad UP off the ground at least to waist level.

Never liked all the bending and/or getting on our knees to set-up models particularly with micors so I found a 10 section telescoping Digital Camera Tripod to support my Micro Maxx Everything pad base that handles any and every kind of Launch rod, piston, tower or relay set-up I want for micro flying. Now I don't have to bend over to see what I'm hooking up. In stowing position the tripod is only about 6" long and the base pad 2.5" x 4.0" x 3/4".

Same with my much heavier/larger Solar powered option, self-contained Launcher with on board relay or standard settings that also supports any Size Rod, Rail, piston or Tower up to 1/2" dia. All the on-board components, Battery holder, Relay, Huge Capacitor and switching monitoring gear are built into a 12" x 12" x 8" Rotatable wooden Head fitted with alt. Angle adjustable rod holder and 16ga Stainless steel split directional exhaust deflector.
If you use an external 12volt Gel-Cell power supply and 6 foot or longer Rods or rails the launcher isn't completely self-contained but Sure makes loading and launching micro, Standard and LMR's a much more pleasent set-up chore. Standard 36" launch rods, 50foot control cable and custom made controller, and #8 Copper external battery drop lead are housed inside the 40" 2" x 2" square alum tube legs. Makes for a very compact All-Together unit.
a small 12v 50ma solar panel charges the on-board 56,000 Uf 16v capacitor for launching single motor models...Clusters always need much more power
With these two launcher I don't even like using the clubs nice rack systems anymore.