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jim fustini

jim fustini

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Anybody have plans for a good model rocket rack I can make to transport my rockets without damaging them? I now just carry them in a plastic storage bin. A while back I seen one on a site that used a styrofoam sheet in a a frame with a hole for each rocket Anyone see this? I can't remember the site.
 
What size rockets?

For my LPR, I generally just use a plastic bin with bubble wrap to protect the rockets. I've brought my collections for display this way without any issues.
 
That is the way me and everybody else in our club dose it. And someone always has minor damage Cracked fin, scratched paint ect. its the bouncing around in the bed of my truck that dose it's ( Yes its tied down and yes I use bubble wrap) The size of the (model rockets) are anywhere from BT 20 to BT 80.
 
jim fustini said:
That is the way me and everybody else in our club dose it. And someone always has minor damage Cracked fin, scratched paint ect. its the bouncing around in the bed of my truck that dose it's ( Yes its tied down and yes I use bubble wrap) The size of the (model rockets) are anywhere from BT 20 to BT 80.
Click to expand...

Jim:
You said the magic word....Truck!
I have several interlocking 8 position racks that I can load in my Van and stake down on the field to hold a bunch of models vertically on the motor mounts.

the basic material for these racks is 1"x 3" x 8'-0" Pine or douglas fir lumber, and 1/2" hardwood dowels. add a few screw, a couple wingnuts, and a bunch of spent 18 and 24mm motor casings you have all that's needed to keep from damaging just about any model rockets you have.

Cut the 1x3's in half, making each rack 4' long. Layout the pivoting 18" "Feet" and the 4" spacer pieces between each. I notch the swing out feet so they only open in one direction. This makes them easer to control when you have a bunch your trying to carry empty. I alternat 1/2" diameter dowel lengths 4 and 6" above the support rail. this allow models to be stacked with fins out of the way rather then interlaced. 13mm motor models fit on the 1/2" dowels directly, 18mm motor casing slip on the 1/2" dowels, and 24MM casing fir over the 18mm casings allowing any combination of most common model motor configurations and clusters to be transported.

I've used as many as 8 of the 8 model racks on the field as one time, that's 64 models LOL!! each rack slide into the opening beside the one ahead of it with its angled feet interlocking with the openings under the preceeding rack, and has 5/16" holes in the feet to accept standard round aluminium tent type stakes to prevent blow over even in the highest wind conditions:)
Hope this helps. this racks are used for all models from BT-5 to BT-101 including many MPR upscale D12 clusters.
 
Last edited:
jim fustini said:
Anybody have plans for a good model rocket rack I can make to transport my rockets without damaging them? I now just carry them in a plastic storage bin. A while back I seen one on a site that used a styrofoam sheet in a a frame with a hole for each rocket Anyone see this? I can't remember the site.
Click to expand...

A trick you can use to help while you're using the storage bin is, get a box of zip-type sandwich bags, zip them shut except for the last inch or so of the zipper, hold it pinched at the end of the zipped up part an push in on the END of the zipper (unzipped end) to 'pop it open a bit' and then blow the bag up like a balloon, and while you're blowing it it use your fingers to quickly zip it shut, filling the bag with air. You can use these 'pillows' in lieu of bubble wrap, peanuts, and other stuff to fill in the spaces between your rockets and the walls of the tub and each other to prevent them from dinging each other and rattling around in the box. Works like a champ and it's cheap.

Later and good luck! OL JR :)
 
I just stand mine up on the back seat and on the floor behind the front seats. (Leaves something to be desired, I know.) But since all I have is a compact-sized 4-door sedan, bins really won't work. (Anything that is small enough to fit through the door is too small to be worth it.) Yeah, the rockets shift around a bit during the drive, but nothing ever seems to get damaged. I do carry my Micromaxx rockets in a small plastic bin on the front passenger seat, along with my gliders (so that I can keep an eye on them). I am contemplating assembling some kind of simple rack out of PVC pipe that can be broken down so that it will fit through the rear passenger doors and then be reassembled on the back seat. It will stand on the back seat, fitting between the backs of the front seats and the back of the rear seat.

MarkII
 
I find that they are easier to transport when broken down, they do not move around as much. I use a pvc rack, in the back of the truck.:rolleyes:
 
mikeyd said:
I find that they are easier to transport when broken down, they do not move around as much. I use a pvc rack, in the back of the truck.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Interesting concept, Mike, but I'm not sure that I would recommend going that route. :shock: :roll:

MarkII
 
I carefully put them in a garbage bag, carry then it to the car, and lay it on the backseat. I find that I have more damage in landings than in transport. I'm not transporting large rockets though :)
 
An eggcrate pad in the back of the truck works for me. The depressions catch the fins and keep the birds from moving around. Point the tails at the front of the truck and they'll even survive the rapid deceleration caused by an over-zealous cop. :(



Hmmm... What, we have to host photos somewhere now to share them???
 
I'm trying something new. This is a concrete-form sonotube with pieces of blue foam insulation spaced every 8 inches. The idea was to make something quick, cheap, man portable, fairly durable, and to keep the GF's dachshund from chewing them up =P

DSCF1577.JPG
 
For smaller rockets, I use a wine box. Free from most grocery stores, and pre-partitioned for 12 rockets. :)
 
It was middle of the month so I was broke, of course, when I spotted the poly cases at WallyWorld. A foot deep, 18" wide, and 4' long. Had a handle and two latches for $20. If I hadn't been so broke I'd have gotten 3 but as it was first of the month they were all gone. With either foam rubber holders or bubble wrap they could hold a lot of rockets. I watch every month, walking past where they were. I got a $20 stashed just in case....
 
dave carver said:
It was middle of the month so I was broke, of course, when I spotted the poly cases at WallyWorld. A foot deep, 18" wide, and 4' long. Had a handle and two latches for $20. If I hadn't been so broke I'd have gotten 3 but as it was first of the month they were all gone. With either foam rubber holders or bubble wrap they could hold a lot of rockets. I watch every month, walking past where they were. I got a $20 stashed just in case....
Click to expand...

Another trick I've learned if you don't want to blow money on foam or bubble wrap--

Get some ziplock bags, sandwich or freezer size (or both) and close them up almost all the way, leaving just the corner unzipped... pinching the zipper, push in on the remaining bit of the zipper toward your pinched fingers, and it will pop open a bit... blow the baggie up like a balloon, and then quickly zip it up the rest of the way-- instant air pillow...

You can get a LOT of these things in a tubbie to protect your rockets, placed as needed, for the cost of some cheap ziplock bags...

Later! OL JR :)
 
I use one of those Space Bag things. Once the air is sucked out it holds everything in place really nicely, and once you glue the fins back on at the launch site everything is hunky-dorey!
 
I use peg board, and some lengths of small diameter all-thread, with same sized nuts to hold them in place. Then I place some vinyl tubing over the all-thread.

It's kind of hard to see in this pic, but hopefully you get the idea.

LPR.Stack.Sm.jpg

Greg
 
i use bins that are designed to go under your bed, has small wheels on them. I cut carpet foam (found it for free) into the shape of the rocket. Plan it out, takes some work but once it's done I can stack several on top of each other. Search cobra1336, there pics of my boxes. PS. use a electric knife to cut the foam, see the thread.
 
Cardboard Box.jpg

Cardboard box and smished up paper, haven't broken anything - yet!
Works goooood!

For big stuff (a 4" diameter Saturn V for example) I've used two of those "C" shaped neck support pillows.
They fit right around the tube and keep the model up so it doesn't rest on the fins
 
hcmbanjo said:
View attachment 142381

Cardboard box and smished up paper, haven't broken anything - yet!
Works goooood!

For big stuff (a 4" diameter Saturn V for example) I've used two of those "C" shaped neck support pillows.
They fit right around the tube and keep the model up so it doesn't rest on the fins
Click to expand...

Smiched... is that a real word?
 
I usually use a blanket - lay down a few rockets along one side, fold over the blanket, lay a few more down (facing the other direction) and fold the blanket back. (it's a light synthetic fluffy blanket thing)

I took a few rockets on a big road trip - near on 8000km - last year and the blanket kept them safe and perfect for the 2 weeks I was traveling.

Krusty
 

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