Hi all,
First excuse me if this post pops up twice... I seemed to have some trouble submitting it...
Prep'ing for another flying season (flew a couple of days ago and then got hit with a couple inches of snow... yikes... mid-April) so I'm going through the ole Range box and was wiping down and cleaning my launch rods.
I've got a 1/8" stainless rod I picked up a couple of years ago that has become my standard A thru C rocket rod. Basically I just wipe it down with steel wool after every day's flying. Works wonderful. I've got a couple of cheap rods (I think they call them "drill rods" from a local h/w store), that I picked up awhile back for doing multiple group launches, but they have a tendency to rust over time.
I'm thinking of putting together a setup to hold several 1/8" rods for letting the kids drag race some rockets and my first choice for picking up some additional rods would be to use stainless steel. But, in searching the forum for ideas on keeping them slick (i.e. WD40, PAM, Tri-flow... geez I have other bike lubes that would probably work as well) I stumbled across comments about using carbon fibre rod.
I know I've seen the stuff at one of my local hobby stores. I'll have to recheck to see if they have 1/8" and suitable lengths.
So some questions.
For prevention of rod whip, would one (i.e. carbon fibre or stainless steel) have an advantage over the other? I know the carbon fibre stuff is incredibly light. Is it inherently more "rigid"?
Another quick question. Would one have an advantage over the other in the ability to keep it clean and slick? I don't think so, but I'd thought I'd ask as well. But related, aside from stuff like WD40, PAM, etc., what else have others used to keep those rod slick? And any issues with stuff gumming up over time or after hot exhaust gases blow against them?
And finally, failing the hobby shop to carry something, what other sources for carbon rod are there? I know I was at an archery range awhile back (kids B-day party) and I noticed they had stuff like carbon fibre arrow shaft stock. Now I don't know if it would be the right diameter or even the right length. The stuff I saw looked a little shy of 3 feet. Sources for carbon fibre rod if I go that way?
Thanks in advance.
... Bill
First excuse me if this post pops up twice... I seemed to have some trouble submitting it...
Prep'ing for another flying season (flew a couple of days ago and then got hit with a couple inches of snow... yikes... mid-April) so I'm going through the ole Range box and was wiping down and cleaning my launch rods.
I've got a 1/8" stainless rod I picked up a couple of years ago that has become my standard A thru C rocket rod. Basically I just wipe it down with steel wool after every day's flying. Works wonderful. I've got a couple of cheap rods (I think they call them "drill rods" from a local h/w store), that I picked up awhile back for doing multiple group launches, but they have a tendency to rust over time.
I'm thinking of putting together a setup to hold several 1/8" rods for letting the kids drag race some rockets and my first choice for picking up some additional rods would be to use stainless steel. But, in searching the forum for ideas on keeping them slick (i.e. WD40, PAM, Tri-flow... geez I have other bike lubes that would probably work as well) I stumbled across comments about using carbon fibre rod.
I know I've seen the stuff at one of my local hobby stores. I'll have to recheck to see if they have 1/8" and suitable lengths.
So some questions.
For prevention of rod whip, would one (i.e. carbon fibre or stainless steel) have an advantage over the other? I know the carbon fibre stuff is incredibly light. Is it inherently more "rigid"?
Another quick question. Would one have an advantage over the other in the ability to keep it clean and slick? I don't think so, but I'd thought I'd ask as well. But related, aside from stuff like WD40, PAM, etc., what else have others used to keep those rod slick? And any issues with stuff gumming up over time or after hot exhaust gases blow against them?
And finally, failing the hobby shop to carry something, what other sources for carbon rod are there? I know I was at an archery range awhile back (kids B-day party) and I noticed they had stuff like carbon fibre arrow shaft stock. Now I don't know if it would be the right diameter or even the right length. The stuff I saw looked a little shy of 3 feet. Sources for carbon fibre rod if I go that way?
Thanks in advance.
... Bill