Micro-Button Issue???

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TopRamen

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I chopped up the mangled Makerbeam that Amazon sent me to get one useable section out of it that is perfectly straight for 30"
I went ahead and mounted some microbuttons on a rocket and when seeing how it slides on the rail, it really does'nt.
It binds badly. I looked at everything, and there were no burs.
I sanded open the slot slightly with 120, then 220, 400 and finally 600 grit, but although this helped, the buttons still bind.
What's going on?
Has anyone else had this problem with Micro-Buttons?
I even replace the nylon screws with metal ones that are identical in size and shape, but it is not the head of the screw that binds, it is the plastic collar that is supposed to slide along the edges of the rail.
Next up I'm going to try to replace that piece with metal, likely have to brake an old collapsable radio antenna to get a metal sleeve that tiny, but then I've simply made my own Button, and so why did I order any in the first place??
I'm going to try Mini-buttons next time.
Maybe I'll just stick to ACME Rail Guides and 1010 Rails from now on.
:confused::confused:
 
I just went and polished the channel of the rail with Brasso, followed by a polish with Flitz, and then lubed it with Militec-1 Synthetic Weapons Lubricant.
It is now servicable, but man, what a PITA!!!:mad:
I'm still going to try to locate some metal to sleeve the screws with and see if that makes it even better, though I know it will wear out the rail quicker.
A trip to the Hardware Stores agrobins is in order.
Anxious as I am to see how these work as is, I'm going to prime and paint the rocket and try to do a launch this afternoon, weather permitting.
 
When I beta tested the micro buttons, I used the 15 mm Openbeam rail...Randy's buttons slide in that rail very easily. My issue w/ the Openbeam rail is limited length--900 mm--I would like about 1200 to 1500 mm for larger MPR rockets (I don't do HPR). I bought some of the 1500 mm Makerbeam, and while not bent as badly as your rails, mine aren't perfectly straight either, and I noticed the binding too. The 10 mm rail is rather flexible compared to the 15 mm stuff.

I am glad you were able to polish it out. I am going to give it a try. I was thinking about polishing the sleeves, but like my old boss used to say "you shouldn't have to change the bullet to fit the gun".

In studying about rail systems, I have seen cautions against using metal button components because they will cause wear on your rail system. If you were ever to fly your rocket on a club rail system, they may not let you...but that may not be an issue for you.

I have emailed the Openbeam folks asking if they would provide longer one-piece rails, but have not received a response from them. I don't know if they read amazon reviews, but may put a request there. I have a plan to clamp two rails together, but would rather not have a joint there. I know some others (Greg??) have put two Openbeam rails together with success.
 
Top, I had the same results as you. The microbuttons work well in the OpenBeam (15mm) rail but will bind in the MakerBeam (10mm) rail.

David, regarding the OpenBeam joins. Plan A (section of PVC to join rails) sort of worked, Plan B (3 x sections of light aluminum angle) didn't work well enough, so I'm on Plan C (2 x sections of heavier aluminum angle). I believe this is the ticket. I'll post the results as I want to use it at our next launch.

Greg
 
it's easier to file the outside of the Micro button sleeve just a little to remove any binding. I've been using the Makerbeam 10mm square x 900 and 1500mm rails with all size micro button models without a problem after using a diamond file or the nylon sleeve sides. doesn't take more the a stroke or two to free up the buttons.
NO the nylon shoulder sleeves do not rotate nor are they intended to.
 
Top, I had the same results as you. The microbuttons work well in the OpenBeam (15mm) rail but will bind in the MakerBeam (10mm) rail.

David, regarding the OpenBeam joins. Plan A (section of PVC to join rails) sort of worked, Plan B (3 x sections of light aluminum angle) didn't work well enough, so I'm on Plan C (2 x sections of heavier aluminum angle). I believe this is the ticket. I'll post the results as I want to use it at our next launch.

Greg

This is what I had in mind, grip on two sides, then use the back screws to cinch everything down. I have a friend with a machine shop that can make these for me...might be overkill

OpenbeamRailJoin_02.jpg

OpenbeamRailJoin_01.jpg
 
This is what I had in mind, grip on two sides, then use the back screws to cinch everything down. I have a friend with a machine shop that can make these for me...might be overkill

Wow, David I really like that design. It has more positive retention than the design I had.

If you post the dimensions, I could try to machine it to see how it works.

Greg
 
On mine I simply slid a soft wooden yardstick up the opposite notch to hold the rail, then mounted that to an angle bracket that I added to my LPR Base Plate Assembly with bolts and butterfly nuts for easy installation and removal.


Well and Alpha Pad 2015-04-14 006.jpg
 
On mine I simply slid a soft wooden yardstick up the opposite notch to hold the rail, then mounted that to an angle bracket that I added to my LPR Base Plate Assembly with bolts and butterfly nuts for easy installation and removal.
So just friction fit of the yardstick in the channel? That is pretty neat! I am planning to launch a Leviathan and was thinking I might need more force to hold the rails together, if it got in a bind in the joint area...
 
So just friction fit of the yardstick in the channel? That is pretty neat! I am planning to launch a Leviathan and was thinking I might need more force to hold the rails together, if it got in a bind in the joint area...


Yes, the Rail was just snug enough to scrape away a little bit of the wood making it dovetail right into the channel. I pressed it in as far as I could before needing to apply inordinate amounts of force to mate the two, so as to avoid bending the un-mated portion.
 
This is what I had in mind, grip on two sides, then use the back screws to cinch everything down. I have a friend with a machine shop that can make these for me...might be overkill
What program did you use to design that?
 
So, with a standard 1010 rail or 15mm open beam rail, rockets with the appropriate buttons will slide freely down the rail?

I have constructed a launch pad using the 10mm makerbeam and Randy's micro buttons, and have had pretty decent launches. The rockets, when putting them on the rail, will bind if tilted to the left or right at all. When perfectly centered they slide quite easily.

Since this is my first launch rail, I have nothing to compare it to.
 
Hey guys, if you are running into problems, please send me an email as well as posting about it. I've had my fair share of personal issues for the last 8 months adn don't make it on the forum very often nowadays. To be able to fix the problem, I need to know about it.
 
Hey guys, if you are running into problems, please send me an email as well as posting about it. I've had my fair share of personal issues for the last 8 months adn don't make it on the forum very often nowadays. To be able to fix the problem, I need to know about it.

Randy, the problem is not your Buttons. I don't think there is much you could do about them aside from making them from metal, and then they would be ridiculously overpriced.
They worked just fine for me after I cleaned and polished the channel on the Makerbeam.
 
Thanks, glad to know that. I am going to go ahead and have the tooling made for micros and can "tweak" it a bit in the process so it will work with both. I should also be able to have them made in Delrin instead of nylon. Delrin that is molded instead of machined is REALLY slippery. That might solve problems as well.
 
Thanks, glad to know that. I am going to go ahead and have the tooling made for micros and can "tweak" it a bit in the process so it will work with both. I should also be able to have them made in Delrin instead of nylon. Delrin that is molded instead of machined is REALLY slippery. That might solve problems as well.

Yeah, if the were made of Delrin that would be sweet!!!
The nylon is really soft, and before fixing the rail to glide smoothly it was wearing through the nylon.
I'll gladly be ordering more from you as soon as the Delrin ones come out so keep us posted!!!
 
I have had the best luck with #3 counter sunk head machine screws and nylon washers on the rocket side of the rail, with the screw head sliding in the T slot, works great. I also have some of the micro rail buttons to try eventually. But I am very happy with the 10mm rail so far, it beats 1/8th rod hands down.
 
I have had the best luck with #3 counter sunk head machine screws and nylon washers on the rocket side of the rail, with the screw head sliding in the T slot, works great. I also have some of the micro rail buttons to try eventually. But I am very happy with the 10mm rail so far, it beats 1/8th rod hands down.

Yeah, I actually had some machine screws on hand that were a perfect match for the micro-buttons, and used those and they worked great. I'm going to the Ace Hardware today to get more, as it all they have on hand!
I'm going to hacksaw off a small chunk of rail to take with me so I can test fit other screws too.
 
I just went and polished the channel of the rail with Brasso, followed by a polish with Flitz, and then lubed it with Militec-1 Synthetic Weapons Lubricant.
It is now servicable, but man, what a PITA!!!:mad:
I just found out a flat mill file is perfect for this, it is a little tight the first couple pulls down the channel. Then I followed up with some 150 grit sandpaper wrapped around a thin piece of metal, now these babies slide nice and smooth! I test-fit my Leviathan and if the weather holds out, we should be launching the end of May :woot:

Those micro buttons look tiny compared to the launch lugs (1/4") on the Lev...

2015-05-01 16.59.14.jpg

2015-05-01 16.57.35.jpg

2015-05-01 17.02.38.jpg
 
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