Transporting Rockets

Looking for some ideas of how you guys transport your rockets to and from the launch site. Currently I'm using a big plastic tote bin, leaving the lid off and kinda stacking the rockets sideways. I see this becoming a problem in the near future.

Do any of you have some racks or rigging solutions made up?

Keep my small Estes type stuff in a plastic bin. The mid and high power stuff is in the back of my suv. I usually put a sheet or something down, and use that the keep them from banging together.

Liquor stores always have cartons with nice dividers inside that will work well for LPR and some MPR.
One of our more handy club members has made various trays from plywood and seems to have a very easy time transporting his larger MPR and HPR.

I transport in the back of a minivan (I know, ugh), and the motors, tools, and supplies go in bins in the bottom, then the HP and MP rockets get wrapped in the cheap moving blankets from Harbor Freight. The LP stuff gets generally arranged in a copier paper box with some foam peanuts for padding.

Yea seems pretty much we are all doing the same, I have about 5 MPR and smallest is 41in so looking for a way to transport with out breaking fins and such. I have a big truck and was thinking that I could whip up some kind of PVC rack maybe? To sit on the floor in the back passenger area.

I typically bring 2-4 high power rockets to a launch, and zigzag them with two towels in the trunk. Or if only two, I can wrap them both. When I throw in a low power rocket it can ride with me up front!

Banzai88 said:

I transport in the back of a minivan (I know, ugh), and the motors, tools, and supplies go in bins in the bottom, then the HP and MP rockets get wrapped in the cheap moving blankets from Harbor Freight. The LP stuff gets generally arranged in a copier paper box with some foam peanuts for padding.

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Ashamed of a minivan? Heck, that's why I buy hatchbacks and wagons! I don't care how many people it will hold, I don't want my rockets to get damaged lol

Maybe something along the lines of this?

Rob702Martinez said:

Yea seems pretty much we are all doing the same, I have about 5 MPR and smallest is 41in so looking for a way to transport with out breaking fins and such. I have a big truck and was thinking that I could whip up some kind of PVC rack maybe? To sit on the floor in the back passenger area.

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Something like this?

LPR and MPR rockets go in a long box without a lot of thought. They hold up fine.

I made this low-profile rack for longer rockets and HPR. This rides in the back of SUV or pickup.

Or this

Full build thread here: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...Carry-17-rockets-with-one-hand-(Now-with-pics!)

I use liquor/wine boxes for some LPR. LPR motors are in multi-compartment organizers, which in turn are in a large black tote with my reloadable motor casings.

Yes! Keep it comming! Great ideas from the pics guys.

I put LP models in a box with a little padding. Mid and high power models are put in layers of old towels and blankets I keep in the back of the van. I put another blanket over the rockets and transport my somewhat more delicate RC rocket gliders on top of the rockets.

This is an old photo, but, it's the PVC rack I use to transport larger rockets. If you decide to build from PVC, I'd suggest just using small machine screws to hold the joints, rather than glue. That way, if you need to reconfigure it at some point, or, break it down for storage, it's much easier to do so. I chose PVC because it's cost effective, light weight, and, easy to work with. For padding, just get some foam tubular pipe insulation.

astrowolf67 said:

This is an old photo, but, it's the PVC rack I use to transport larger rockets. If you decide to build from PVC, I'd suggest just using small machine screws to hold the joints, rather than glue. That way, if you need to reconfigure it at some point, or, break it down for storage, it's much easier to do so. I chose PVC because it's cost effective, light weight, and, easy to work with. For padding, just get some foam tubular pipe insulation.

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I use a similar rack for holding rockets at the launch, for transport I use a large trunk (heavy plastic with hinged lid and metal latches meant for sporting/camping). My LPR stuff all fits in it currently and even my 3" Frenzy XL clone broken down into separate sections fits just fine. I have also seen a rack an individual made that spanned across the bed of his pickup and and held his HPR rockets in cradles with the light duty bungees from HF to hold them down.

Rob702Martinez said:

Looking for some ideas of how you guys transport your rockets to and from the launch site. Currently I'm using a big plastic tote bin, leaving the lid off and kinda stacking the rockets sideways. I see this becoming a problem in the near future.

Do any of you have some racks or rigging solutions made up?

Click to expand...

As a matter of fact I do:
These 8 rocket racks are super easy to build and interlock on the field so they don't have to be staked down to prevent blow overs or other mishaps often related to field vertical rocket display stands. By using 1/2" dowels any motor mount can be adapted by using spent 18 & 24mm motor casings for BT-5 models slide onto the 1/2" dowel directly, For larger and smaller motor mounts (7mm Micro's, 10.5mm and 29mm) Slip-on adaptors can be made using 18mm casings as the starting point.
Fabricated from a single 1" x 3" x 8'-0" long and a 1/2" x 48" hardwood dowel the entire rack can be cut and assembled in less then 40minutes with only a hand drill, hand saw, screwdriver a few screws and some Elmer's carpenters glue.
In a mini-van or full size van I've had as many as 8 racks slide interlocted with models already mounted in the rear cargo areas, In My van with all the other equipment and junk I carry I usually only use 2-4 racks with standard LPR and MPR size models.
Another advantage with these Motor mount type Transport & Display Stands is the can be carried with models already loaded in just about any position.

For the HPR stuff I've built a carrying fixture from pine that is placed in the bottom of a utility trailer. When it comes time to transport I put towels around the wood frame between the rockets and fixture and hold down the rockets with short bungee cords that hook into screw eyes that are fastened into the wood frame.

"not neatly" either like this in the back of the van, or standing up behind my pickup's seats.

Just a thought, something like this might be useful:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KNDL8K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

here's a typical load for a launch. It's easy in the van, gets interesting in the Kia Rio 5, but it all fits in with a seat for my 8yr old in the back.

Hi Folks;

I recently came up with a rack that has helped me out a lot. I dreamed this up in order to transport rockets to LDRS 38 It worked out so well that I've kept on using it for every launch. The frame is made on 1/2" schedule 40 pvc pipe. The end frames are glued together, the center supports are attached with screws. This way it can be taken apart and stored flat. Finding the corner tee fittings is a little tricky. I found these at my local big box hardware, they can also be purchased through Amazon or E bay. It is a 2' x 2' x 2' cube. The supports on the end frames are nylon webbing and bungies. The cushions are pool noodles. Hopefully this helps somebody out.

Jim