Using a Rail

[nsp184]

I am drawing up plans for my team's TARC rocket and am considering using a rail. I am new to rails, and have some questions:

-How do you mount the rail buttons on the rocket?
-Where can I get rail buttons and a rail?
-How do you create a pad using a rod?
-Is it more aerodynamic than using a rod?

Thanks.

 

[loopy]

Mounting the buttons depends on the rocket, but for my HPR rockets that have buttons on them, they are mounted into the centering rings for the most part. Others will glue wood blocks with threaded inserts to the interior of the body tube, and attach them that way. I've also seen minimum diameter models that have craft/popsicle sticks glued together and shaped, then attached to the outside of the rocket body and the buttons are screwed into that.

railbuttons.com will have a bunch of ideas on mounting. I've heard they are out of the smaller buttons right now, but I'm not sure if that's still true. You can also get buttons from newtons3rdrocketry.com, and several other places.

Another option to rail buttons is rail guides. These attach like launch lugs, as they don't go through the wall - just glue them on.

As for aerodynamic concerns, rail buttons produce less drag than launch lugs.

 

[falingtrea]

As for where to get a rail, here are some PA distributors for 80/20

Hiller Company
6005 Enterprise Drive
Export, PA 15632
Phone: 724-325-1200

Penn-Air/Pneu-Force
1750 Industrial Hwy
York, PA 17405
Phone: 717-840-8100

Or go to the 80/20 website and find the closest.

If you can get it locally, you can save on shipping.

 

[jadebox]

I'm also using rail buttons for the first time. Our club has launchers with rails, so I don't need one. But, should I buy a short length of rail just to test the placement and fit of the buttons. Or, if I align them well, is it safe to assume they'll work right on the launch pad? It seems to me that they would be easier to correctly align than launch lugs.

-- Roger

 

[H128Addict]

The team I'm involved with use self tapping screws and epoxy to afix the buttons to the rocket. They are also experimenting with the popsicle method for min. diameter rockets.

We turn the buttons ourselves on a lathe, but there is a lot of info on railbuttons.com as mentioned.

Our pad was self built and I'll try to get a picture of it...

 

[bguff]

-How do you create a pad using a rod?

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=38797

 

[loopy]

I'm also using rail buttons for the first time. Our club has launchers with rails, so I don't need one. But, should I buy a short length of rail just to test the placement and fit of the buttons. Or, if I align them well, is it safe to assume they'll work right on the launch pad? It seems to me that they would be easier to correctly align than launch lugs.

-- Roger

Just mark a straight line on the body tube, and make sure you center your buttons on it. If you're only using two buttons, a slight misalignment won't matter much, as the groove goes all the way around the button. It will still go on the rail, it'll just sit at an angle to match the alignment of the buttons...lol

 

[als57]

But, should I buy a short length of rail just to test the placement and fit of the buttons.
-- Roger

You could probably buy a short lenght of 1010 rail in 80-20's eBay store.

Al

 

[Nathaniel]

https://www.mcmaster.com/ - quick and 100% reliable.

 

[Handeman]

https://www.mcmaster.com/ - quick and 100% reliable.

Now that McMaster-Carr doesn't allow copying the URL from the address bar and getting back to the catalog page you were looking at, could you list the catalog page or the exact name of the part you're trying to link to so we can find what you were looking at?

Appreciated

 

[KDRaven]

I am looking at the rails also and the page you want is 1586. I was able to print it out.

 

[Doc_Russell]

I ran into a newer type of rail button from Ken Allen at Performance Hobbies. It uses a 1/4" hole drilled through the body tube and then has a compression rubber grommet that slips through and tightens up, securing the button in the hole. They work fairly well and you don't have to epoxy them if you happen to be on the field and have to put 'em on. Just need to get them aligned well before you drill the hole. Also have to watch for snagging on the inside, but most are down far enough in the rocket body that the chute & harness doesn't get involved.

 

[jj94]

Could one secure a threaded insert into a body tube and screw a rail button into that? Also, what can one do to prevent the chute snagging on the screw, threaded insert, or whatever is holding the button in place?

 

[Maagic]

Could one secure a threaded insert into a body tube and screw a rail button into that? Also, what can one do to prevent the chute snagging on the screw, threaded insert, or whatever is holding the button in place?

Tape over it?

 

[loopy]

Could one secure a threaded insert into a body tube and screw a rail button into that? Also, what can one do to prevent the chute snagging on the screw, threaded insert, or whatever is holding the button in place?

First question - yes. Second question - secure the threaded insert in a small block of wood, and round out the block of wood so there's nothing for the recovery system to catch on. Other option for that is to install all rail buttons below the upper centering ring.

 

[falingtrea]

https://www.mcmaster.com/ - quick and 100% reliable.

Yeah, but don't they charge an arm and a leg for oversized package shipping like everyone else? Thats why I recommend looking for a local supplier first.

 

[fastfreddie]

McMaster Carr's shipping is actually quite reasonable. If the rail is 6 ft or shorter, they probably won't charge for oversize. I sell rails, rods and pads that I manufacture, but because I'm reselling the rods and rails, I can't beat the direct prices. I can, however, sell you a nice pad for under $120 if you're in the market. The pads are all 14 ga steel with windage adjustment and tear down quickly and easily for storage. Check out https://www.ftbrocketworks.com for more info.

 

[fastfreddie]

I am drawing up plans for my team's TARC rocket and am considering using a rail. I am new to rails, and have some questions:

-How do you mount the rail buttons on the rocket?
-Where can I get rail buttons and a rail?
-How do you create a pad using a rod?
-Is it more aerodynamic than using a rod?

Thanks.

When I mount rail buttons, I just drill a 1/8" hole in the body tube, thread the screw in, remove the screw, put a dab of CA in the hole and screw the rail button/screw assembly in. The CA hardens and holds the screw in very tightly, but it can still be removed with a little effort if you need to get it back out. I've never had one fail when done with this method.

 

[Nathaniel]

Now that McMaster-Carr doesn't allow copying the URL from the address bar and getting back to the catalog page you were looking at, could you list the catalog page or the exact name of the part you're trying to link to so we can find what you were looking at?

Appreciated

Product # 47065T122

As to the person who asked about shipping... I don't remember how much it was, but I'm guessing it was around $10. As a bonus, the rail came in the longest cardboard tube I've ever seen (think: free body tubes).

 

[bobkrech]

Now that McMaster-Carr doesn't allow copying the URL from the address bar and getting back to the catalog page you were looking at, could you list the catalog page or the exact name of the part you're trying to link to so we can find what you were looking at?

Appreciated

https://www.mcmaster.com/pdf/113/1586.pdf

Simply go to your history and copy the page reference. The square rail (A) listings are what you want. Mc-Master-Carr supplies 80/20 rails. https://www.8020.net/

Generically there are two rail systems 1" and 1.5". 1" rails have a 1/4" wide slot and 1.5" rails have a 5/16" wide slot. McMaster typically ships by UPS and anything over 6' long has oversize shipping. You might want to check the 80/20 website to see if they have a local distributor near you where you cna pick the rail up and save yourself the shipping if you need longer than a 6' length. From the distributor you can purchase the uncut standard factory lengths of 242" and 145" if you really need a long 1 piece rod.

Bob

 

[narmember]

1010 x 48" at 8020 garage sale for only $11.05 (~$9 shipping). Buy 2 sections and use some t-nuts and strap to build the length you need for the rocket.

8' for only 22.30 (~$15 shipping) you could get a third piece (12' total) for the extra cost of shipping an 8'.

 

[als57]

Also the factory used to do 2 free cuts if you bought a full lenght bar. I had them cut 145" 1010 bars into 2 72" pieces at no charge. Request any cutting thru your distributor.

Al

 

[Handeman]

Bob,

Where do I find the "history". I have IE7 and when I click the pull down on the address bar, all I get is the www.mcmaster.com There's nothing after it.

I haven't been able to find anything in the menus that would give me the page reference with the URL either, that included the "view history" bar.

Thanks

 

[bobkrech]

Bob,

Where do I find the "history". I have IE7 and when I click the pull down on the address bar, all I get is the www.mcmaster.com There's nothing after it.

I haven't been able to find anything in the menus that would give me the page reference with the URL either, that included the "view history" bar.

Thanks

In IE7 when you click on the star (favorites) icon on the left hand side of the menu line, there are 3 choices: Favorites, feeds and history.

I you click "history" you will see "Today" at the end of the history record.

If you click on "today", (or any other date) you will get a listing of all the websites you visited today (or on a previous date). If you were to go to https://www.mcmaster.com and set your page viewing options to .pdf and then view some catalog pages, there is a record of the web address of each catalog page you visited. The page I send to you is listed as 1586.pdf

You can click on that link to download the catalog page.

Bob

 

[jj94]

Bob,

Where do I find the "history". I have IE7 and when I click the pull down on the address bar, all I get is the www.mcmaster.com There's nothing after it.

I haven't been able to find anything in the menus that would give me the page reference with the URL either, that included the "view history" bar.

Thanks

Control+h is a shortcut to get to the history. Well, it is for my version of IE. It's outdated though, I have IE6.

 

[Handeman]

I checked it out and the cntl-h works, as does the Star favorites, feeds, and history.

I still don't get a page number with the www.mcmaster.com. Is there an option at the site to view pages in pdf instead of html? If there is, that's probably why you get the page numbers in the URL. With the html pages, it just stays at www.mcmaster.com.

I still think it would be a good practice to post the catalog page number with the mcmaster links, just in case.

Thanks for the explanations of the Star and cntrl-h, I learn something everyday!