Fly-away rail guides: 54mm 3D-printed available now

[nute]

My wonderful beta-testers (to whom I owe many beers) are working their way up to the bigger stuff. The product is in a bleeding edge early-adopter phase right now. They are available now in very limited quantities from Animal Motor Works at a really low introductory price of $16.

Hey, some of us are minors you know

Anyway, I'm eagerly awaiting our next launch opportunity so I can give these a try. The weather people are predicting a high of about 18 for Next Saturday's launch, and we've got about 8" of snow here now with more on the way, so I'm not quite sure when I'll be able to fly next. We'll have to see. Congrats on the startup! I'm sure that these will be a popular product with plenty of people throwing their money at you


Nate

 

[jsdemar]

I flew the same combo that I did 2 weeks ago: AMW Parrot fiberglass rocket, CTI G80 Skidmark, with the "Purple Parrot" flyaway guide.
Worked great again! This time it was at our modroc launch. People showed interest in all sizes when they're available.
AMW/ProX will be at our launch in 2 weeks, so maybe they'll still have a few on hand.

 

[Binder Design]

I got mine. It fits the motor casing perfectly. My concern is with sharp swept fins and high thrust, the fins will not only cut into the guide, but provide a wedging force trying to pry it open while on the rail thus binding it. My application is somewhat unique, so this will not apply to most flights. A very cool product. I don't know how you are going to keep up with demand even with a couple printers going.

A suggestion for longer rockets....A option to buy two of them with a way to link them together somehow, wooden or fiberglass dowels maybe? My guides would ideally be at least several feet apart. The rocket is about eight feet long. That way people could just cut some spacers whatever length they need to link two together.

 

[rbelknap]

Hey, some of us are minors you know

MMM... rootBEER and gingerALE

 

[wfcook]

I got mine. It fits the motor casing perfectly. My concern is with sharp swept fins and high thrust, the fins will not only cut into the guide, but provide a wedging force trying to pry it open while on the rail thus binding it. My application is somewhat unique, so this will not apply to most flights. A very cool product. I don't know how you are going to keep up with demand even with a couple printers going.

A suggestion for longer rockets....A option to buy two of them with a way to link them together somehow, wooden or fiberglass dowels maybe? My guides would ideally be at least several feet apart. The rocket is about eight feet long. That way people could just cut some spacers whatever length they need to link two together.

Yeah, the second I saw the discussion of the motor you are building I figured out that there was just no way that was going to work. I haven't flown many 78-inch 38mm motors. Well, none, actually.

However, I am still thinking about the problem. We might be able to put something together that would do the job. And I am definitely working on the problem of using multiple guides with longer rockets. Obviously some way has to be found to reliably keep an upper guide from slipping down the rocket. An easy solution would be to have a bump on the inside which fits into a divot on the rocket and provide a drill guide or something, but for most people that would be too much of a pain. I can put some sort of non-slip surface inside, also, and for most applications that would do it, but not for yours and perhaps not even then for some of the larger commercial motors. Linking them together somehow might work, and the new printer will be capable of printing much longer guides, but of course I'd need to keep the weight down.

Work continues...and I am open to suggestions. Thanks very much for your comments!

 

[TheAviator]

Why not just have a small socket in the guides for a wood dowel or brass/carbon/aluminum tube or similar? Just something to keep them spaced apart that falls away with the guide? They would be totally adjustable and you could still use them independently or in tandem.

 

[jsdemar]

Here's a pic of my G80 skidmark flight. You can see the flyaway guide starting to slide off over the fins leading edge.

 

[RocketGeekInFL]

These look like a fantastic idea. I have many of the Wildman mini's and would love to fly these with out having to break out a tower. I do have another question though. Getting rail time at my clubs launches can be challenging as we only have two, and many times one is pulled to put in a 1/2 inch rod to fly big spools. We do have some high power rods, I think they are Maxi's and probably 3/8 inch rods. Have you thought about doing these for rods as well? I could see one side having a lug at the aft most and fore most edge and then the other side having it right behind the fore lug and another right in front of the aft lug thereby giving you the 'lock' on the rod on the one side of the bracket.

 

[Binder Design]

Why not just have a small socket in the guides for a wood dowel or brass/carbon/aluminum tube or similar? Just something to keep them spaced apart that falls away with the guide? They would be totally adjustable and you could still use them independently or in tandem.

I already mentioned that. The one problem I can see with it is as soon as the front one comes off the rail, it's gonna reef on the bottom one unless the rods are designed to break away somehow.

 

[wfcook]

I already mentioned that. The one problem I can see with it is as soon as the front one comes off the rail, it's gonna reef on the bottom one unless the rods are designed to break away somehow.

I threw this together, tell me what you think for your application (6+ foot long 38mm motor, very high thrust).

What if two guides, each about 2" long, were spaced apart by a couple of rods made of something suitable (Carbon, maybe. Anything unlikely to buckle under the compressive load). The rods snap into little wells sort of loosely, similar to the way the hinge does:


​
If the upper guide opens coming off the rail then the rods will snap out of the lower ones. Guides come down in 4 pieces, 2 shells and 2 rods.

It's not the same product and has very special applications. I'm not sure if it's too much to handle. But it I think it would do the job. The fin-cutting issue could possibly be dealt with by using a small amount of metal at the base of the lower guide.

 

[wfcook]

oops. Sorry about the multiple posts, TRF was broken yesterday. Has the delete button been removed? I can't find it.

 

[wfcook]

Here's a pic of my G80 skidmark flight. You can see the flyaway guide starting to slide off over the fins leading edge.
View attachment 254427

That's a great shot! Thanks for posting!

I'm glad you guys are having fun with the guides. Keep the pics coming!

 

[wfcook]

oops

 

[ksaves2]

Received the rail guides yesterday. Did a dry fit on the following LOC tubed project and "mighty fine" results on the 1010 rail. I did a layered lamination of the fincan so there is a little shoulder that will help with keeping the unit from slamming into the fins. Now to sit down and stick it into a Sim and pick an appropriate 38mm motor. Kurt

 

[nute]

Our launch was postponed (and properly so) for today, so no testing for a while here,

Nate

 

[accpool]

Saw it fly at Saturday ROC launch since Animal Works had visited us. I was very impressive and will be on my list of things to purchasee in the near future as we have begun entering into the electronics phase of our rocketry and will be moving into altitude soon.

 

[accpool]

Bump, any word on progress?

 

[wfcook]

Yes, they are available now from AMW, and I am planning to post another update after this weekend's launch. They have been very successful so far!

 

[ksaves2]

I bought a pair for a 38mm MD rocket with LOC cardboards tubes and they are very nice. Kurt

 

[accpool]

Sounds good, thanks.

 

[Viperfixr]

Sounds good, thanks.

Bought a set as well...see how it does with my 38mm MD scratch build rocket.

 

[rockdoc]

I've been testing the guides for a while now, stay tuned for upcoming launches on 3/22 and 3/28 with a CTI I566 or I800 (whichever I can get first) and Aerotech DMS J425. This will push the envelope of the 38mm rocket and the guides. Will post pics and summary of flights. I've put the rocket been testing with which is a 38mm minimum diameter tip to tip and they have worked well. The rocket is designed around the thin wall tubing and has sustained big motors so far which Bill and I had discussed results and before I post here, I want to be absolutely sure of results and outcome and get pics to post for everyone.

 

[gizza2]

Hi, Bill. I think it was you who posted a question on my blog and I'm not sure if you're notified when I reply so I'm cross-posting here:

Sorry about the delay, W.Cook, but I missed your comments to be moderated. You're Bill Cook from the Rocketry Forum right? I bought your 38mm thin wall fiberglass rail guide from Animal Motor Works when they were at Lucerne. Fine work, sir, and please keep it up!

On to your questions... I was using Cura but, even with the config file supplied by 3DPrinterWorks.net, the parts look terribly noisy and the retraction pretty much doesn't work so my second attempt was rippled and stringy. I finally ponied up $149 for Simplify3D and it produces the best GCode I've yet seen. It's spendy but worth it IMHO.

 

[wfcook]

Hi, Bill. I think it was you who posted a question on my blog and I'm not sure if you're notified when I reply so I'm cross-posting here:

Sorry about the delay, W.Cook, but I missed your comments to be moderated. You're Bill Cook from the Rocketry Forum right? I bought your 38mm thin wall fiberglass rail guide from Animal Motor Works when they were at Lucerne. Fine work, sir, and please keep it up!

On to your questions... I was using Cura but, even with the config file supplied by 3DPrinterWorks.net, the parts look terribly noisy and the retraction pretty much doesn't work so my second attempt was rippled and stringy. I finally ponied up $149 for Simplify3D and it produces the best GCode I've yet seen. It's spendy but worth it IMHO.

I am very glad to hear that you like the guides! I have some new developments coming soon so watch this space...

Thanks for the Simplify3D recommendation. I have been thinking of getting it for a while, but I have slic3r pretty well dialed in for my current setup, and I'm building a new printer and saying bye to this one soon, so I couldn't justify going through the learning curve just now. When the new printer comes on line I will doubtlessly move to Simplify3D to shorten up the learning curve, calibration, etc.

Thanks again,
Bill _/)_

 

[BLKKROW]

I am very glad to hear that you like the guides! I have some new developments coming soon so watch this space...

Thanks for the Simplify3D recommendation. I have been thinking of getting it for a while, but I have slic3r pretty well dialed in for my current setup, and I'm building a new printer and saying bye to this one soon, so I couldn't justify going through the learning curve just now. When the new printer comes on line I will doubtlessly move to Simplify3D to shorten up the learning curve, calibration, etc.

Thanks again,
Bill _/)_

I agree you should use Simplify3D, I used Slic3r for the better part of a year and had it "dialed in". But I still had issues and switched to Simplify3D and it literally worked the first time I used it.

 

[llrocketry]

Anyone recognize the orange item falling away from this Purple Parrot AMW launched today at NEFAR?

 

[wfcook]

Anyone recognize the orange item falling away from this Purple Parrot AMW launched today at NEFAR?

View attachment 257881

That is an awesome shot! Thanks for posting!

 

[rangertech1]

Must Have for my minimum diameter 38mm "Pileus Noir". I checked Animal works' web site and couldn't find them. This is just what I need. Then I can take off those rail buttons. I had to weigh the hassle of a tower vs. just using a rail. You have provided me a "miracle!"

 

[wfcook]

They are available here

There is, however, a new version with rail buttons for high thrust applications which I just gave them (slightly more expensive). They have been traveling and held up a little by the amount of snow in New England, so I expect an update might take a few days. Shoot them an email, they are usually quite responsive.



The screws are set to allow the buttons to spin freely, so it's a bit like going up on roller bearings, and my beta testers have launched them on I566 VMax motors with stronger motors to come.

 

[grouch]

So much want!!